From founding the award-winning CloudKid Studios to creating content for networks like Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and PBS Kids, MassArt Alumnus and Innovation Advisory Council member Dave Schlafman, BFA ‘04, has done it all in the game design world. Now the Director of Design for Games at Netflix, he leads a team of designers shaping the future of interactive entertainment.

We recently welcomed Dave back to campus to talk with Animation and Studio for Interrelated Media (SIM) students about his career path. Here’s what he had to say about his MassArt experience and the lessons he’s learned in the design industry.

How did the MassArt community influence you while you were a student and now as an alumnus?

After a year at UMass Amherst, transferring to MassArt was earth-shattering. Instead of writing papers, we were expected to create something out of nothing. There were so many talented people doing amazing work that I just wanted to be around it, be part of it. 

I dove into my assignments, but I also started working on projects outside of class with friends and peers. A lot of those side projects became the backbone of my portfolio—and honestly, my creative approach. I was expected to create something out of nothing, and it felt like real life alchemy.

I was constantly collaborating—sometimes within SIM, sometimes with students in other majors. I’d get inspired by a sculptor or a graphic designer and think, “Let’s make something.” If I needed a skill I didn’t have, I’d just go find someone who did. That mindset—start with an idea, find the right medium, and make it happen—has shaped everything I’ve done since.

To this day, that impulse is still with me. I’ve stayed in touch with so many friends and peers from MassArt, and some of them are still my most trusted creative collaborators. It was more than an education—it was a community that shaped how I think, work, and create.

Tell us about your experience in the SIM program.

SIM felt like a community of artists all working in wildly different ways, but with a shared sense of curiosity and possibility. The program and faculty gave me the space—and encouragement—to explore ideas first, without being confined to a specific medium or discipline. That was huge for me.

Because of that freedom, I leaned into the multimedia nature of the program. I worked on projects that wouldn’t have fit cleanly into any other department like interactive paintings, experimental animations, and weird subversive branding projects. SIM supported and encouraged that kind of cross-pollination. 

But SIM wasn’t just about making art. It also taught me how to produce and collaborate. I learned how to organize shows—from building a lineup to putting up flyers and collaborating with peers on all aspects. That mindset—start with an idea, find the right medium, make it happen—has shaped everything I’ve done since. It prepared me to work in a world where content and context are constantly shifting, and where wearing many hats isn’t the exception, it’s the norm.

Did you have any internships during your time at MassArt or see yourself doing design work as your career?

Funny enough, my first internship was at Putnam Investments in their multimedia department back in 2001. I had to wear a shirt and tie every day, and I swore then and there I’d never work in corporate America again. In a way, that experience lit a fire under me—I became even more determined to work in children’s media and carve out my own creative path.

So while I didn’t land in my current field through a traditional internship pipeline, that early experience was actually valuable. Sometimes internships teach you what you don’t want to do—and that clarity can be just as important.

Now, years later, I’m at Netflix—a very different kind of company than Putnam—but in some ways, it feels like I’ve come full circle. The tie is long gone, but the drive to create meaningful, impactful work is stronger than ever.

What has your career journey looked like thus far?

It’s been anything but linear—and that’s something I’ve come to embrace. I started as an animation director, then became a creative director at a children’s media studio where we made everything from animated series to games. From there, I made the leap to robotics, leading design at a social robotics company—something I never could’ve predicted. Then I joined Netflix to work on interactive storytelling, and eventually that path led me to where I am now: Director of Design for Netflix Games.

Each step has built on the last, even if it didn’t always feel that way at the time. I’ve followed my curiosity, leaned into new mediums, and stayed open to reinvention. And in hindsight, all of those pivots—animation, games, robotics, interactive content—have shaped how I lead today. It’s been a constant evolution.

How has your definition of success evolved since you left, especially working in a creative field?

Early in my career, success meant getting gigs and getting noticed, landing exciting projects, winning awards, and building a portfolio that turned heads. And that was important at the time—it gave me momentum and helped open doors.

But over the years, my definition of success has shifted. These days, I’m more focused on the impact I’m having. At Netflix, that means thinking about the value I bring to the team, the work we’re doing together, and how it’s experienced by our members. It’s less about my individual achievements and more about what we’re building and why it matters.

When it comes to my own creative projects, just finishing something feels like success—especially with everything going on in my day job. Seeing a personal idea through to completion, even on a small scale, is its own kind of win. That balance between the personal and the professional, and the ability to keep making things that feel meaningful—that’s what drives me now.

How did you get into gaming, and find this role at Netflix?

Before Netflix, I ran a studio where we produced close to 100 games over the course of seven years—so games were always a big part of my creative world, even though I didn’t start out in that space.

I joined Netflix in 2017 to lead our interactive storytelling initiative. That work sat at the intersection of story, design, and technology—which, in many ways, is what games are all about. When the interactive team wound down in 2023, I was asked to step into a new role leading the Games design team. Given my background and the time I’d already spent navigating Netflix’s ecosystem, it felt like a natural next chapter—and I jumped at the opportunity.

What advice would you give to students today who are hoping to carve out their own space in a creative career?

There are five things I think anyone working in a creative field needs to live by:

• Embrace new technologies. They’re always changing.
• Never stop learning. Your growth starts after graduation.
• Put in the work. Consistency beats talent.
• Collaborate. Some of your best ideas will come from others.
• Be true to yourself. Your unique point of view is your superpower.