I’m a Sydney-based designer and illustrator creating visual worlds for stage and screen. My work spans theatre, opera, and arena spectaculars — including How to Train Your Dragon: The Arena Spectacular for DreamWorks — where storytelling and visual imagination drive every decision. I specialise in concept illustration and world-building, using drawing and design to translate creative ideas into vivid, cinematic environments. Collaboration is central to my process: I thrive in creative workshops, working closely with directors and production teams to shape narrative, atmosphere, and tone. Whether sketching early concepts or refining on-screen details, my goal is always to design with impact — creating spaces and imagery that connect emotionally and visually with audiences.

Dan Potra

I’m a Sydney-based designer and illustrator creating visual worlds for stage and screen. My work spans theatre, opera, and arena spectaculars — including How to Train Your Dragon: The Arena Spectacular for DreamWorks — where storytelling and visual imagination drive every decision. I specialise in concept illustration and world-building, using drawing and design to translate creative ideas into vivid, cinematic environments. Collaboration is central to my process: I thrive in creative workshops, working closely with directors and production teams to shape narrative, atmosphere, and tone. Whether sketching early concepts or refining on-screen details, my goal is always to design with impact — creating spaces and imagery that connect emotionally and visually with audiences.

Available to hire

I’m a Sydney-based designer and illustrator creating visual worlds for stage and screen. My work spans theatre, opera, and arena spectaculars — including How to Train Your Dragon: The Arena Spectacular for DreamWorks — where storytelling and visual imagination drive every decision.

I specialise in concept illustration and world-building, using drawing and design to translate creative ideas into vivid, cinematic environments. Collaboration is central to my process: I thrive in creative workshops, working closely with directors and production teams to shape narrative, atmosphere, and tone. Whether sketching early concepts or refining on-screen details, my goal is always to design with impact — creating spaces and imagery that connect emotionally and visually with audiences.

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Language

English
Fluent
French
Advanced
Romanian, Moldavian, Moldovan
Fluent
German
Beginner
Italian
Intermediate

Work Experience

Add your work experience history here.

Education

Diploma at National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA)
February 1, 1989 - November 30, 1992
Previous studies : N. Grigorescu Art Institute, Bucharest, Romania

Qualifications

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Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment
    paper Beauty and the Beast-Stage Musical

    A fresh, imaginative take on the beloved musical, bringing familiar characters to life in surprising new ways. Ingenious costume and prop transformations, fully visible on stage, transformed the performance before the audience’s eyes. Dynamic projections and a mobile, kinetic set created stunning, seamless scene changes. While the characters remained instantly recognisable, their reinterpretation made every moment delightfully unpredictable.
    For more info please visit this page on my website: https://www.twine.net/signin

    paper Beauty and the Beast-Stage Musical

    A fresh, imaginative take on the beloved musical, bringing familiar characters to life in surprising new ways. Ingenious costume and prop transformations, fully visible on stage, transformed the performance before the audience’s eyes. Dynamic projections and a mobile, kinetic set created stunning, seamless scene changes. While the characters remained instantly recognisable, their reinterpretation made every moment delightfully unpredictable.
    For more info please visit this page on my website: https://www.twine.net/signin

    paper How To Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular

    A large-scale stage reinterpretation of the beloved animated feature, this production brought all the iconic characters to life for a live audience. It featured fully animated, large-scale dragon puppets of breathtaking scale and detail. Dynamic video projections expanded the cinematic world onto the stage, seamlessly interacting with both the set and aerial performances. While remaining true to the spirit of the original film, I reimagined the environments in a hand-drawn visual style to heighten the sense of movement and energy. The characters were redesigned to suit the grand proportions and physical demands of the arena setting.
    For further details, please check it on my website page: https://www.twine.net/signin