Available to hire
I am a versatile, curious creator who blends words and images to tell stories that resonate. I work across writing, editing, illustration, and storytelling, balancing narrative tone with vivid visuals to engage audiences of all ages. I thrive on collaborative projects, helping teams align visual direction with market needs while continually exploring new mediums and approaches.
Endlessly organized, adaptable, and self-driven, I approach each project with curiosity, efficiency, and a clear sense of purpose. I enjoy managing multiple tasks under pressure, coordinating creative work, and fostering collaboration that brings out the best in others. Whether I’m developing character designs, crafting picture-book narratives, or editing and publishing, I strive for coherent, emotionally resonant outcomes.
Please visit my website so see my work: melissamussak.com
Experience Level
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
Language
English
Fluent
Portuguese
Fluent
Spanish; Castilian
Advanced
Dutch
Intermediate
French
Beginner
Work Experience
Freelance Illustrator at Independent
January 1, 2021 - November 3, 2025Creating original illustrations for children’s books and book covers; developing character designs and storyboards that convey emotion across age groups; collaborating with authors, editors and self-publishing clients to align visual direction with market needs.
Company Director & Author at Minard House, Rotterdam
April 1, 2021 - November 3, 2025Founded the publishing house, editing, publishing and distributing books; overseeing design and illustration direction; author of picture books, including Same Bath Different (published in the Netherlands in English and Dutch).
Mother, Household & Project Manager at UK & Rotterdam
November 1, 2012 - November 3, 2025Co-creation and sole gestation of two female humans; development of patience, prioritisation and advanced time management; managing household budget, organizing social events and travel; project management of national and international relocations (UK-NL).
Online Content Editor at BaseKit
November 1, 2012 - November 1, 2012Creating tech-oriented SEO-friendly content; editing and quality checking content; managing a team of outsourced copywriters; developing scripts and directing internet-related animated videos.
Online Content Editor at Hotcourses
December 1, 2011 - December 1, 2011Developing content about universities, courses, visas, life abroad and travel; writing articles, blog posts, translating/transcreating content and proofreading texts.
Story Developer, Researcher & Translator at Sapiens Sapiens
November 1, 2011 - November 1, 2011Researching content for magazine articles; translating articles (Portuguese-English); researching for and developing a novel.
Events Producer & Translator at Shoot Experience
September 1, 2011 - September 1, 2011Producing photographic projects, exhibits, events and competitions, focusing on networking and public relations; included Shoot Nations (UN & Plan UK partnership) and translating the competition website into Portuguese for two years.
Proofreader at RDD Translations
December 31, 2010 - December 31, 2010Proofreading documents translated from English to Portuguese, editing and quality controlling the text.
Curator & Events Producer at The Screen Biz
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2010Co-founding Urban Screen, a film club that supported new talent and presented films in urban contexts; prospecting partners; organizing venues; curating films.
Animation Producer Coordinator at Nearly Normal
December 1, 2009 - December 1, 2009Coordinating animation productions from briefings and pre-production meetings to supervision of animation and post-production; maintaining dynamic client communication.
Scriptwriter at IDESDE Brazil
October 1, 2007 - October 1, 2007Writing scripts for educational videos; organizing syllabuses of various subjects into audiovisual language; creating pieces such as sitcoms, drama episodes, ads, interviews, polls; proofreading and editing scripts.
Scriptwriter at IESDE Brazil
January 1, 2007 - January 1, 2007Scriptwriting educational videos for graduation, post-graduation and primary school; developing a wide range of characters and narratives.
Producer Liaison at 16x9 Production Company
July 1, 2006 - July 1, 2006Prospecting new clients; attending briefing meetings; budgeting; general post-production support and client communications.
Assistant Director at Easy Films & Digital 21
April 1, 2004 - July 1, 2007Reference research; meetings with directors to brainstorm original ideas; scene-by-scene breakdown; supervising crew and production; presenting films to clients with the director.
Education
Sitcom — Online Course at London, United Kingdom (Instructor: Chris Head)
March 1, 2013 - August 1, 2013Advanced Screenwriting — Diploma at London Film Academy
January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010Screenwriting — Certificate at Academia Internacional de Curitiba
February 1, 2005 - August 1, 2005Postgraduate Degree in Film Studies at Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná
March 1, 2004 - October 31, 2005Bachelor Degree in Psychology at Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná
March 1, 1999 - November 30, 2003Qualifications
Industry Experience
Media & Entertainment, Education, Professional Services, Other
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