Curriculum Vitae · 2026

Nikolay Mihaylov

3D Animation Director · Motion Design · VFX · Educator

+359 895 775 295 nixonanim@gmail.com nixonanim.com wondermakers.eu cinemaillustrated.app LinkedIn Behance Dribbble Sofia, Bulgaria
Nikolay Mihaylov
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About

Multidisciplinary creative with 25+ years of experience across 3D animation, motion design, visual effects, and web production. Founder of Wonder Studios — a boutique studio delivering high-end visual content for film, television, advertising, and branded digital media. Certified Autodesk 3ds Max professional and licensed V-Ray instructor. A parallel career as an educator spans five universities and academies, reaching 6,000+ students. Author, app creator, and jury member at Computer Space, one of Europe's longest-running computer art festivals.

25
Years Experience
6,000+
Students Taught
40+
Film & Media Projects
5
Universities
Showreel
Watch Showreel
Professional Experience
Aug 2021 – Present
Founder & Director
Wonder Studios · Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Founded and lead a boutique studio specialising in 3D animation, motion design, VFX, and web production.
  • Deliver visual content for advertising, branded digital media, architectural visualisation, and creative art projects.
  • Manage end-to-end production — from concept and storyboard through final delivery — for local and international clients.
  • Integrate AI-assisted workflows (image generation, voice synthesis, generative design) into studio production pipeline.
May 2017 – Present
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Castfolio.EU · Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Co-founded a platform for film challenges and mobile applications for the entertainment industry.
  • Responsible for product strategy, design direction, and business development.
Nov 2020 – Mar 2021
Co-Founder & Design Director
Getmoneti (Fintech) · Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Co-founded a fintech startup focused on cryptocurrency and digital payments.
  • Led brand identity, UX/UI design, and digital product visual direction.
Aug 2004 – 2009
Consultant & Project Supervisor
Artek Studio · Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Supervised 15+ architectural visualisation and animation projects for major residential and commercial developments.
  • Directed a team of 3D artists and managed client communication.
Mar 2002 – Jun 2005
Graphic Designer & Animator
Cinemaq · Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Produced graphic design, animation, and special effects for TV productions, feature films, and advertising campaigns.
  • Credits include two full-length animated TV films broadcast on Bulgarian National Television (Channel 1).
Teaching Experience
Oct 2004 – 2019
Lecturer
University of Architecture, Civil Engineering & Geodesy (UACEG) · Sofia
  • 15 years of continuous teaching in the Architecture Faculty — architectural visualisation, 3D modelling, digital presentation techniques.
May 2017 – Aug 2020
Instructor
SoftUni · Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Taught Autodesk 3ds Max and Chaos V-Ray to design and development students.
Jun – Aug 2022
Guest Lecturer
NATFA 'Krastyo Sarafov' · Faculty of Screen Arts, Sofia
  • Courses: Introduction to Visual Effects; 2D Visual Effects.
Jul 2012 – 2013
Instructor
Telerik Academy · Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Designed and delivered courses in Photoshop, video editing, and 3D graphics.
  • Reached 600+ students in person and 3,000+ online — one of the programme's most-attended courses.
2008 – 2009
Lecturer
University of Veliko Tarnovo · Faculty of Fine Arts
  • Course: Introduction to Computer Animation.
Software & AI Skills
3D & VFX
Autodesk 3ds Max Chaos V-Ray Blender Trimble SketchUp
2D & Motion
Photoshop Illustrator InDesign After Effects Premiere Pro DaVinci Resolve
Web & UX
Figma WordPress Balsamiq InVision Zeplin
Development
HTML5 & CSS Bootstrap Studio SwiftUI Android Studio
AI Tools
Claude ChatGPT Cursor Midjourney Google Gemini ElevenLabs Perplexity Antigravity
3D Animation & VFX95%
Motion Design90%
Architectural Visualisation90%
UX / Web Design80%
AI-Assisted Production85%
Education & Certifications
2009
Bachelor of Animation
New Bulgarian University (NBU) · Sofia
2019
Autodesk 3ds Max Certified Professional
Autodesk
2017
Licensed V-Ray Instructor for Autodesk 3ds Max
Chaos Group
2018
Graduate — Founder Institute
Sofia Chapter
2019
Ashoka Visionary Program
Ashoka Foundation
Publications & Apps
2026
Cinema Illustrated — Educational Film Dictionary App
Sole creator. iOS app covering cinema history, terminology, and visual language for students and film enthusiasts.
2024
"Aesthetics and Visualisation" — 144 pp.
Wonder Studios Publishing. Author & publisher.
ISBN 978-619-92807-0-6
2022
"A Story of Wonder" — 96 pp.
Marmot Publishing. Illustrator. Text by Marin Troshanov.
ISBN 978-619-7241-46-4
Selected Film & Media Credits
2019
"Angels in Action" — Documentary, 43 min, DCP
Director & Screenwriter
2015
"Cerise" — Feature Film (France / Bulgaria)
Graphic Design, Art Department · Director: Jérôme Enrico
2013 – Present
Corporate Films
Envision, Jumpido, SOHO, Fabrika Yana, Polygraphy.info
2010 – 2013
Event Coverage & Branded Content
Director & Editor · 40+ projects for Start It Smart, StartUp Conference Sofia, TEDxSofia
2005
"Legend of the White Boar" — Feature-length Animated TV Film
Bulgarian National Television, Channel 1 · Computer Animation & VFX · Producer: Cinemaq
2003
"Reserve for Pink Pelicans" — Feature-length Animated TV Film
Bulgarian National Television, Channel 1 · Computer Animation & VFX · Producer: Cinemaq
Languages
Bulgarian
Native
English
Professional
Russian
Conversational
French
Basic
Jury & Community
Jury Member — Computer Space
One of Europe's longest-running international festivals for computer art and digital creativity, held annually in Sofia, Bulgaria. Computer Space has been a landmark event for the European digital arts community since 1995.
Get in Touch
nixonanim@gmail.com nixonanim.com LinkedIn