10 Questions with Saniya Assembek

Saniya Assembek is a motion designer and director from Kazakhstan, now based in New York. With a background in engineering, she brings a structured, thoughtful approach to storytelling, blending visual rhythm, sound, and emotion in her work. She holds an MFA in Computer Arts from the School of Visual Arts and is a recipient of the Paula Rhodes Memorial Award, along with other academic and creative honours.

Her short film Soundtrack Your Life has been shown at festivals around the world — from New York and Tokyo to Cologne, Florida, and Moscow — and has received multiple awards and selections. Visual materials from the project were also exhibited at The Holy Art Gallery in London and Athens, and at a curated show in Chelsea, New York.

Saniya's work has been featured in Forbes Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Pravda, Liter.kz, and other media. She's part of Women in Animation and Asians in Animation, and has mentored young artists through both global networks and local programs like iTeachMe in Kazakhstan. She also leads workshops for aspiring creatives, including sessions with Nazarbayev University and the Girl Power Fund.

sanimotion.tilda.ws | @sani.mation

ARTIST STATEMENT

Saniya Assembek's practice centres on the emotional architecture of everyday life — how we perceive, remember, and reframe our surroundings through rhythm, sound, and motion. Drawing from her background in engineering, she brings a structured, systems-based approach to storytelling while embracing the intuitive flow of animation.

She is especially drawn to the fusion of 2D and 3D motion graphics, not only for their visual possibilities but for their flexibility across platforms — from film and advertising to gallery installations and data-driven media. In her breakout short film Soundtrack Your Life, she explored how a shift in sound could alter an entire emotional landscape, capturing the inner transformation of a woman moving through a routine day.

Saniya's recent projects explore themes of identity, internal perception, and overlooked emotional experiences, including a forthcoming animation about birth, motherhood, and the inherited narratives surrounding women's bodies. She sees animation not only as a tool for expression but as a medium still in evolution — one that is becoming increasingly essential in visual culture, education, and communication.

Daughter of the Steppe, 3D, 2022 © Saniya Assembek

INTERVIEW

Let's start from the beginning. What inspired your transition from engineering to animation, and how did that journey shape your perspective as an artist?

My path to animation wasn't conventional — I began with an engineering degree, which taught me discipline, precision, and systems thinking. But creativity was always present: I danced, made short videos, and constantly explored new forms of expression. Over time, I realised I didn't have to choose between logic and art — animation offered a way to unite both. It's a field where structure and imagination go hand in hand.
What shaped me most as an artist is this dual mindset. I don't approach creativity as chaos — I see it as a buildable process. Engineering trained me to break down problems, understand pipelines, and optimise systems. That gave me an edge in motion design, especially in collaborative, deadline-driven environments like New York. I know how to bring an idea to life, not just conceptually, but structurally.
This approach was ultimately recognised when I received the Paula Rhodes Memorial Award for exceptional achievement in computer art — an honor given for demonstrating outstanding growth, originality, and contribution to the field. It affirmed that I could turn what once felt like a mismatch into a strength.

As someone from Central Asia currently living in the USA, how do your cultural background and personal experiences shape the themes in your art?

I was born and raised in Kazakhstan, where tradition and technology often coexisted in unexpected ways. That contrast shaped how I see the world — I naturally pay attention to details, to subtle shifts in rhythm and mood, to what's not immediately obvious. Later, when I moved to New York for grad school, I found myself immersed in a global creative community. That experience helped me become more conscious of my own perspective, where it comes from and what makes it unique.
My background definitely influences my themes. I'm drawn to internal narratives — how we perceive reality, how emotions evolve in everyday moments. I tend to approach storytelling less through dialogue or plot, and more through rhythm, motion, and sound. These choices reflect how I process the world: visually, intuitively, but always with structure — probably the engineering part of me still working in the background.
I'm also aware that voices from Central Asia are still underrepresented in the global creative industry, and that gives my work a sense of quiet responsibility. I don't make overtly "cultural" work, but I hope the way I think, observe, and build stories contributes something different.

Soundtrack Your Life, 3D, 2024 © Saniya Assembek

What draws you to the medium of animation, especially 2D and 3D motion graphics?

Animation is the only medium where time, movement, sound, and design fully merge — and that fascinates me. You can start with a blank screen and, by moving shapes, adjusting timing, and layering sound, suddenly create something that makes people feel. Especially in 2D and 3D motion graphics, you're not just telling stories — you're shaping perception, emotion, and energy, often in under 30 seconds.
What also draws me to animation is that it's still a relatively young and flexible medium. It hasn't settled into strict categories yet — which makes it perfect for innovation. We're seeing it now being used far beyond entertainment: in UX design, science communication, advertising, education, and increasingly, in AI-generated and data-driven content. That's exciting to me. Animation is becoming a universal language — one that can simplify, amplify, and reimagine ideas.

How do you approach storytelling through motion design? And what's your creative process like from concept to completion?

For me, storytelling in motion design always starts with emotion. I ask myself: what's the feeling I want to leave the viewer with? Once that's clear, I start building around it — visuals, pacing, transitions, and tone. I think less in terms of plot and more in terms of experience.
Music plays a huge role in my process. There's always a rhythm,a pulse, that guides how I animate. I want the movement to feel as fluid and intentional as music. Timing is everything. Sometimes I choreograph the animation in my head like a dance, where every transition hits on a beat, whether it's obvious or not.
My workflow usually starts with research and moodboards, then I sketch ideas, design style frames, and move into animatics or rough motion. Sound design starts early — it's never an afterthought. I find that visuals and audio need to grow together.
Because of my engineering background, I'm also very process-oriented. I love breaking down a complex idea into systems that can actually be built and delivered. That helps when managing deadlines or collaborating with teams. So while the creative side is intuitive, the execution is very structured.

What role does music play in your animations, and how do you use it to create emotional resonance?

Music is everything. It's the emotional backbone of my work. Even before I design a single frame, I often already know the tempo, the mood, or the type of sound I want. Music gives structure — it tells me where the story breathes, where it accelerates, where it pauses. I treat it almost like a script.
In my short film Soundtrack Your Life, the entire emotional arc is built around a musical journey. The idea came from real life — how a simple song can completely change how we perceive the world around us. That became the concept: a character commuting through an ordinary day, which transforms into a joyful, animated experience the moment she puts on her headphones.

Can you tell us about the message behind your short film Soundtrack Your Life and how it came to life?

Soundtrack Your Life is about how sound can shift the way we experience the world. I've always been fascinated by how music can transform perception, even when nothing externally has changed. I remember sitting on the subway in New York, listening to a song, and suddenly the entire commute — the people, the movement, the light — felt cinematic. Music has that strange ability to reframe reality, or even help us connect with others on a completely different wavelength. That idea — that our internal soundtrack can reshape how we feel and interact with the world — became the starting point for the film.

You're actively involved in communities like WIA and AIA. How do these networks influence or support your work?

I'm actively engaged with Women in Animation (WIA) and Asians in Animation (AIA) — two respected international organisations committed to equity, mentorship, and professional development within the animation industry. These aren't just passive affiliations. I've been selected to participate in curated programming that supports emerging talent and connects creatives across borders.
Through WIA's Mentorship Circle — a selective program pairing early-career artists with industry leaders — I was mentored by Tiffany Feeney, a senior recruiter who's worked on major titles like Shrek, Madagascar, and How to Train Your Dragon.
Beyond mentorship, both WIA and AIA have given me access to high-level conversations with directors, producers, and animators from across the globe. I've attended talks, portfolio reviews, and studio meetups where I could ask questions directly, stay ahead of industry trends, and share my perspective as a Central Asian artist working internationally.
These communities have also helped me build lasting relationships with artists from Europe, North America, and Asia. We continue to support each other through idea exchanges, job referrals, and collaborative projects. Being involved in these networks has expanded not only my creative outlook, but also my visibility as part of a global cohort shaping the future of animation.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in animation, and how do you address them through your work and mentorship?

In animation, especially in more technical roles or mixed cultural environments, it's still common for women to be underestimated or sidelined. Over time, I realised that instead of trying to fit into existing moulds, I could build my ownapproach — one that blends logic and creativity, structure and emotion. That shift helped me find my voice and gave me the confidence to share what I've learned with others.
Mentorship has become a huge part of that. For several years, I mentored young creatives in Kazakhstan through the iTeachMe program, which supports people from underrepresented backgrounds in entering digital and creative industries. Many of them had never worked with animation software before, but they had incredible ideas — they just needed the tools and someone who believed in their potential.
I also try to show up where I'm needed. I gave a motion graphic workshop through the Girl Power Fund to support girls interested in digital arts, and led an animation session for students at Nazarbayev University — many of whom were exploring creative tools for the first time. These experiences reinforced how important representation is.

What's next for you? Are there any exciting projects or themes you're eager to explore in the near future?

Right now, I'm in a reflective but energised place, especially after becoming a mother. That experience opened up a wholenew emotional landscape I hadn't accessed before. One of the projects I'm developing explores birth and motherhood through animation, but from a historical and cultural perspective — how patriarchal systems have shaped fear around childbirth, and how those narratives still linger today. It's raw, layered, and very personal, but I think it's time we talk about these things more openly, especially through art.
At the same time, I'm expanding my motion design practice in more data-driven and socially conscious directions. I'm interested in how motion graphics can simplify complex information — whether that's in public health, finance, or education — and make it emotionally resonant without losing clarity.
I'm also continuing to mentor, collaborate, and find ways to support creatives from Central Asia and beyond. I see thisnext phase as a balance between making meaningful, self-driven work and contributing to spaces where new voices can thrive.

Lastly, where do you see yourself and your work in five years from now?

In five years, I see myself directing large-scale creative projects at the intersection of storytelling, technology, and social impact as the founder of my own studio. My goal is to create work that not only pushes the boundaries of motion design but also shifts conversations around identity, perception, and representation.
Ultimately, I see my work contributing to the evolution of animation as a language — one that is just as relevant in galleries and classrooms as it is in campaigns, films, and digital experiences.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.

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