EXPERIENCE
Project Lead, Creative Director, Writer and Game Designer on VR empathy game (Beirut, Lebanon) 2016
• Won the Falafel Games Award and used it to work on own VR project.
• Hired and managing a team of 6 developers to make a high quality empathy game about the Arab plight.
• Game slated for Autumn 2016.
Localization Consultant for mobile games at Falafel Games (Beirut, Lebanon) 2016
• Localized chinese F2P mobile game for MENA market.
• Logo design, character names, character design changes consultation and execution.
Freelance Writer, Tech Journalist, Illustrator, Independent Fine Artist 2013 - 2016
• Game specialist for pan-arab online and print tech publication Arabnet.
• Clients include art and pop culture print magazine FIMP, videogame online publication Unwinnable Weekly.
Designer and Social Media Expert at comcept (Osaka, Japan) 2013 - 2015
• Managed Inafune’s Mighty No. 9’s Kickstarter community of over 70,000 people, as well as its global social media presence
• PR manager and writer for all Mighty No. 9 related content from backer updates to press releases.
• Junior Designer on both console games and mobile freemium titles.
Contributing Artist at B;[logy] – Takahama & Bourdon Art Laboratory 2012 - 2014
• Contributed traditional art pieces to B;[logy]'s expansive catalog of emerging young artists.
• Collaborated on designing the company's 2013 print catalog.
In-House Creative and Production Designer at Plan A (Beirut, Lebanon) 2009 - 2010
• Full-time production artist for a creative boutique (design agency) dealing with TV production and advertising.
• Duties include brainstorming, concept art, illustration, storyboarding and animation.
Lead Artist and Designer at BlackSmith Games (Wiesbaden, Germany) 2009
• Game Designer for an independent game for iOS; in charge of gameplay and overall visual design of the game.
• Charged with creating story, setting and concept art as well as level design and storyboards. Leading a team comprising designers and 3D artists. Acted as link between the Art team and the Programming Team.
• Game released in December 2009. Featured as Game of The Week on the US iTunes Stores.
Intern as Creative Artist at Wixel Studios s.a.r.l. (Kaslik, Lebanon) 2008
• Concept Art, character and environment creation, to character animation and game design.
• Worked within a team of highly experienced professionals with 8 years+ of industry experience in the first game development company in Lebanon.
EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS
Visual Creation for Production Design – Master of Fine Arts (Government Scholar) 2011 - 2013
• Kyoto University of Arts and Design (京都造形芸術大学)
• Japanese government scholar, monbukagakusho scholarship.
Intensive Japanese Language Course 2010
• Kyoto University (京都大学) / Kyoto Institute of Culture and Language (京都文化日本語学校)
• Japanese government scholar, monbukagakusho scholarship.
Fine Arts Exchange Graduate Student on a French Government Grant 2008 - 2009
• ENSBA – Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (Paris)
Fine Arts (Arts Plastiques) – Bachelor of Fine Arts (emphasis interactive media) 2005 - 2008
• ALBA (Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts) – U.O.B.
• Graduated valedictorian, winner of the Alexis Boutros prize.
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Creative Proficiencies
• Concept Art and Preproduction Art. (Traditional, Digital, etc~)
• Creative Writing and Narrative Design
• Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere, pen and paper and tons of color pencils.
IT Proficiency
• Microsoft Office wizard.
• Very proficient with Clip Studio Paint, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, learning Adobe InDesign.
• Very proficient with and accustomed to both Mac and PC OS.
Languages
• Native Arabic, French and English
• Business Japanese
Networking
• Impeccable social skills and ability to negotiate
• I smell good
RESUME
