Rita PrismPhoto

Rita mapeshoane

Designer and Animator
Rita is a qualified designer and animator, raised in Bloemfontein, who fell in love with the digital world. She holds a diploma in 3D animation and multimedia studies from Boston Media House. She's currently working as an operations manager for digitisation in the department of Arts, Culture and Heritage, where they preserve museum artefacts for future generations. In 2022, she was nominated for a Presidential Award by the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa, where she won her prestigious award in gold for animator of the year.
How old were you when you decided to pursue your current career path and what inspired you? I was 22 years old when I decided to pursue animation. I was inspired by my love for art from a young age. I grew up drawing and writing stories on plain white papers my mother brought for me from work. She supported my talent from the early stages of my life.

Did you ever get help with career guidance? Any mentor(s) & what role did they play? My lecturer, Mahen Naidoo, became my unofficial mentor as he would provide me with guidance and advice. I used all the opportunities he exposed us to because I knew that the more involved I was with my studies, the more I would know about my career and therefore, I would excel in whatever field I chose to pursue.

What challenges did you face (or are facing) / had to overcome in your journey? I come from an under-privileged background, and I did not have a laptop or computer of my own while I was a student. I had to spend extra hours after lectures to complete homework or to improve my skills and I often left very late. I would occasionally go to campus over weekends too, in order to stay ahead of my studies. I worked as a promoter part-time to have money for transport to campus. I applied to many institutions for bursaries and eventually received one from the National Film and Video Foundation, which is under the Department of Arts and Culture. They provided me with a laptop and paid 100% of my studies until I graduated.

What has been your biggest driver/motivator? Whenever I have a look at my work over the years and I notice how much I’ve improved, I recognize my dedication and it motivates me to keep learning new ways to excel at my work. I mostly love the fact that I love what I do.

What key learning points from your journey would you like people to take on theirs? Remember that you are responsible for your life. If you don’t like the way something is playing out, change your input, do something different and aim for better. You’re also the one who decides if you want to grow or remain where you are. Don’t look outward hoping to blame your circumstances on something or someone, you create your own reality. Always ask yourself, “what have I done today to improve my situation?”, “what changes have I implemented today to be closer to my goal tomorrow?”

Any advice for a young person from a rural area / township who currently has no clue where to even start when choosing a career path? Don’t chase the hype. Don’t go for a career path just because a friend or someone you know is pursuing it. Give yourself space and time to learn about different careers as this will open you up to paths you may have not even known existed. Focus on what comes naturally to you. Think of what kind of life you see yourself living and find as much information as you can to help you conclude on that which drives you.