Farnaz Esnaashari-Charmatz has a secret: the creator of the hit Nickelodeon TV series “Shimmer and Shine” will sometimes search Instagram for mentions of the show.
“It’s my most favorite, favorite thing,” she says. “I search the hashtag and I see parents posting videos and photos of their kids loving the show, and that is my favorite thing: getting to see it reconnect and how kids are enjoying it.”
As the hit animated children’s show about two genies wraps up a fourth season, its creator has lots of popular feedback to scroll through.
Farnaz Esnaashari-Charmatz Tapped Her Roots for New Ideas
Esnaashari-Charmatz’s urge to seek emotional feedback on social media in part reflects how much work goes into transforming each episode of “Shimmer and Shine” from concept to broadcast. A single 22-minute episode can take nine months to produce.
The efforts pays off. “Shimmer and Shine” has become a smash hit, as animated characters like Samira, Layla, Dalia, and Ayla captivate young viewers.
Esnaashari-Charmatz’s rise – from lowly intern at Nickelodeon to critically-acclaimed showrunner – is a testament to her vision and dedication. Even as she worked as a post-production supervisor on hit shows like Dora the Explorer, she wanted to see her own vision on the screen.
“I have to challenge myself, ” she notes. “I have to find a way to do something bigger.”
“Shimmer and Shine” Impressed Nickelodeon Immediately
The Persian-American creative decided to tap into something deeper: her own cultural identity and personal entrepreneurial approach. She and her husband Sean Charmatz began developing an idea about two plucky girl genies who use magic and their own resourcefulness to solve problems and learn lessons about the world.
The couple pitched the show to Nickelodeon, not expecting much. To their surprise, the show was soon green-lit for a pilot episode. Even before the first episode was completed, Nickelodeon picked up the full series, simply on the strength of the concept.
“It all happened so fast!” Esnaashari-Charmatz recalls.
Today more than 400 people work on the show full-time, with Esnaashari-Charmatz as Executive Producer. As the fourth full season draws to a close, the question is whether there will be a Season Five.
Farnaz Esnaashari-Charmatz on the Need to Push Yourself
In the meantime, Esnaashari-Charmatz’s intense producer role means a complicated balancing act between marriage, motherhood, and career.
“My advice to people is that if this is something that you really want, then it just comes down to you,” Esnaashari-Charmatz states. “How much can you take? How much can you tolerate in general? And how badly do you want it?”
For Esnaashari-Charmatz, there is no time for excuses. Her philosophy on success is straightforward: Don’t expect handouts. Work hard. Don’t give up.
“If you want it badly enough,” she insists, “you can push yourself anywhere in life.”
