Margarita Beglaryan: WIA Stories of Impact

Meet Margarita Beglaryan, a dynamic creative who has made WIA a vital part of her journey into the animation industry. From the WIA Scholarship to participating in the WIA Mentorship Circles program, Beglaryan has leveraged many of WIA’s programs to her advantage. She not only learned valuable practical lessons but also forged essential relationships with mentors, fellow mentees, and peers.

Get to know Beglayran and more about her journey below.

By Shakura Davis

“If you know more people, if you [see] different countries, different cultures, you are growing up as a person,” declared Margarita Beglaryan as she beamed with pride, talking about her family back in Yerevan, Armenia. Being nurtured by a family who worked in television and her sister, an opera singer, she grew up being creative. Finding inspiration from cartoons, she designed characters and shared them with her family. Consumed by her passions, she drew constantly, even all over the walls! Her love of writing and character development as a young girl foreshadowed the path she would take to become the woman she is today.

“I spent my childhood visiting museums, gazing at beautiful sculptures, and traveling to different countries, all of which helped my creativity flourish. I attended a unique school called Waldorf School, where I learned everything from sculpture and woodwork to anatomy drawing, dancing, acting, and even circus arts,” she said. “After I graduated from the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography, I dove into the world of freelancing, exploring and pushing the boundaries of my creativity.”

Then in 2022, she took the leap and moved to the United States to pursue her Master’s in 3D Animation and VFX at the New York Film Academy. She described how her parents would miss her but only wished the best for their daughter. This people-oriented worldview has helped her tremendously in the industry. Her mission is to tell meaningful stories that resonate with audiences globally. Being around talented people feeds her inspiration as an artist, she said, adding that she thrives in a collaborative environment, especially in animation, where teamwork is everything.

During her time at NYFA, she was an active student, inquisitive and willing to do extracurricular work. Her professor, Bruce Buckley, may have seen her as hardworking and hungry for opportunity, which is why she feels he probably recommended her to the WIA scholarship. She applied and was chosen as one of the 2023-2024 WIA Scholarship recipients. As part of the scholarship, she was awarded free 3D modeling classes, which later played a part in her ongoing WIA journey.

Soon after receiving the scholarship, she applied to the Spring 2025 WIA Mentorship Circles Program and was accepted into the Breaking In: Getting Into Animation Circle. Helmed by Mentor Pramita Mukherjee, she and an intimate group of eager hopefuls would regularly get together to understand the animation pipeline, the different job positions in that career, how to move through them, and what it takes to get the job done. They also had the opportunity to create a project from scratch. With experience in storyboards and previsualization with 2D animation along with 3D character modeling and texturing, she was appointed a character designer and CG artist during the program. She contributed character designs and storyboards for their project, The Little Guardian, and created a solid 6-minute animatic.

During the mentorship program, Beglaryan said she was able to use her skills — including her theater and dance background — to gain hands-on experience working in a professional team that reflected industry standards. Beglayran said she was able to build on her knowledge and fine-tune her skills. It pushed her to apply her transmedia practice to a digital space. She had to think more like a CGI artist.

“Working alongside 10 other talented people—many of whom, like me, were just starting out—was eye-opening,” she said. “We all had different strengths and learned so much from each other. It was a constant exchange of ideas and skills, and I felt like I was growing every day. Most importantly, it helped me become more comfortable communicating and introducing myself in a way I never had before. As someone new to the U.S., this was a big step forward. The mentorship circle wasn’t just about learning—it helped me take real steps into the industry. I gained hands-on experience, worked with professionals, and became part of something special.”

Along with the practical skills she learned through the Circle, Beglaryan was able to make meaningful connections with her mentor and fellow mentees. She was grateful to see how open and friendly people in the animation industry can be. No matter their seniority, they were incredibly supportive and nonjudgmental.

Her teammates also provided her much-needed support as she not only navigated a new industry but also a new country. She credits them for helping her assimilate into U.S. culture and helping her overcome any language barriers. English is her 4th language after all.

Following her WIA experiences, Beglaryan would describe herself as more confident, stronger and more connected to the industry than ever. The mentorship circle reminded her that her perspective, skills and passions are valuable. Before, she would describe herself as just a student in college. Now she sees herself as a professional who can contribute to various projects. The Circle also enflamed her passion for character design and made her realize what she wants to do in the industry: Devise her own characters as she once did for her family.

As she reflects on her journey, her advice to anyone looking to get into the industry is to work on yourself and not listen to naysayers.

“I believe everyone has a talent—maybe they just haven’t found it yet, but if you look around carefully, you’ll definitely discover it.”

She believes in not being afraid to go after your dreams because art has no limits. If someone is surrounded by a community that brings them down, then they’re not in the right environment.

“Always try to find what is inspiring because this industry is very hard. There [are] a lot of people around us, unfortunately, who will try to break you down,” she said. What I like [about] WIA, most of the people are trying to support you.”

She said she loves the WIA community because of how supportive and respectful everyone is. She’s filled with immense gratitude for the help WIA provided and hopes to give back to the community one day.

Her next goal is to become the best professional she can be. She strives to keep learning every day. One day, she aspires to instill her wisdom onto the next generation of animators who will be brought up after her time in the industry. She hopes to one day bring her teachings back to Armenia.