sonya gorya mentorship

Hi, I'm Sonya Gorya
artist, director and mentor

I help creators and entrepreneurs to develop their projects with clarity and confidence and build a work rhythm that both empowers and brings joy.

My main focus is finding the structure within your ideas, strengthening your unique voice, and choosing the right tools so your project can start moving forward right away, while you grow more and more confident in your skills.

For over a decade, I’ve been teaching and mentoring in international schools and universities (HSE School of Design Moscow, Scream School, TUMO Paris, TUMO Lyon, etc).
I also consult and lead workshops for studios, festivals, and creative hubs, including Yarko, Soyuzmultfilm, Kinoproba, Rudnik, Oktava Creative Cluster, Kazakh National Academy of Arts, Tashkent International Film Festival, 139 Documentary Center, and TEXTIL.

I’ve worked in animation since 2007, moving from animator to creative producer. Along the way, I contributed to Russian major series such as Fixies, Kikoriki, Tina and Tony and Mountain of Gems, as well as independent documentary and music-driven projects. Projects that I have directed are streamed on Netflix, Amazon Prime, France TV, etc

Bringing together my production experience and my years of teaching, I founded Class of Gorya, a school built on respect, curiosity and creative growth. Documentary animation is my biggest passion, alongside punk rock, travel, DIY festivals, and collaborations with nonprofits and social initiatives.

I’m currently based just outside Paris, France — and I’m here to help you take your next step.

my CV
list of recent workshops

vimeo

how it works

Mentorship is a thoughtful, in-depth process focused on your project, portfolio, or idea over the course of five or more sessions. I believe that with steady support and the experience I bring, it becomes easier and faster to move towards whatever you dream of creating.

During our first meeting, we define your main goal, break it into achievable steps and set a pace that feels clear and sustainable.
Together, we keep the essential things in focus, plan for the challenging parts, build helpful habits, and choose the tools you’ll carry forward into your future work.

I’m confident that this process will give you a deeper understanding of yourself and that we’ll shape your route to match your personal way of working and living.

for those who are

format & pricing

1 session

100 eur

A meeting focused on getting to know you, your goals, and the context of your project.

This session helps you clarify your priorities and understand what’s possible right now.

Outcome: a clear short-term action plan and renewed confidence in your next steps.

5 sessions

450 eur

Working together we define your goals and obstacles, break the work into manageable parts, and move through them step by step.

We introduce practical tools and habits, address challenges that appear between sessions, and adapt your workflow to your personal way of working.

Outcome: a steady working rhythm, tools for navigating difficulties, and a structured plan for independent progress.

10 sessions

850 eur

An in-depth process focused on your project, your habits, and your overall creative approach. This format combines consistent meetings with independent work and is ideal for long-term or complex projects, stepping into a new role, strengthening your artistic voice and style, or developing clarity and skill in your craft.

Outcome: meaningful progress in the direction of your desire (including project completion where possible), a clear vision of your future work, and confidence in your abilities and potential.

session length: 1 hour
payment is 100% upfront

We meet online in Zoom and after each session I send you a recording as well as additional links or tools if applicaple

flexible schedule

Some clients work with me several times a week, others meet once a month — we’ll discuss the rhythm that suits you best during the first session.

please note

My core expertise lies in visual arts (animation, film, illustration), but I also work with creators and entrepreneurs from many different fields. I mentor university teachers, musicians, enterpreneurs, writers, documentary filmmakers and festival directors as well as visual artists of all kinds.

My approach is shaped by years of experience in creative industries, my teaching background, and elements of my own method Like Gold, which helps you stay connected to joyful and inspiring part of your process, reach your goals and take good care of yourself on the way. I am currently working on a book that describes this approach and hold workshops to help creatives overcome various struggles.

Feel free to contact me and we’ll discuss your request and how I can be helpful. Before starting, we’ll make sure my expertise is the right fit for your needs.

what my clients have achieved
in previous sessions

turned abstract ideas into clear step-by-step project plans
found inspiration and sources of support within their creative process and started drawing energy from there
developed eye-catching pitch presentations
prepared portfolios for applications — and got accepted into their dream universities — in home countries and abroad
formed habits that support and strengthen their craft
made the storymatic for their film coherent and engaging
finished their films and submitted them to festivals, recieved prizes and praise, were interviewed for various media
completed their thesis projects in universities around the world
designed a marketing plan for their business
completed thier first film as a director
refined their scripts and made the characters relatable and deep
created character/concept designer portfolios, showreels, websites and other ways to display their work
designed a personal film course for a top university
overcame creative block
strengthened their artistic style and voice
reconnected with their sense of personal power
and much more

please feel free to contact me at classofgorya@gmail.com

or on whatsapp or telegram - to discuss your projects, plans and concerns

telegram whatsapp

client feedback

Working with Sonya Gorya is a special kind of creative collaboration — where you get a mentor, a creative buddy and an attentive listener all at once.

I really appreciate her approach to developing ideas and materials. Sonya has an incredible library of references for inspiration, and her gentle, light way of guiding you somehow always makes you want to sit down and work on your project right away.

Among the biggest advantages are her flexibility and the way she adapts each session to your needs. And the major advantage is how deeply she cares about the people she works with. You can always ask follow-up questions if something isn’t clear, and her feedback is beautifully structured — with recordings and curated materials on the topic.

The only problem is that you end up wanting more and more. I’m already thinking about a new project just so I can book another session!

Evgeniya Zhirkova
Creative Producer at Soyuzmultfilm Studio, Director, Tutor at Business and Design School Moscow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rentana/

I first heard about Sonya by chance from a close acquaintance and immediately booked a personal consultation. I needed help with my documentary film for my master’s project — I was stuck, overwhelmed, and couldn’t untangle it on my own anymore.

From the very first minutes, I realized Sonya was my kind of person. For me, the most important thing was the feeling of being understood — and that’s rare. She gets it: the painful creative struggles, the joys, the anxieties, the process, the quirks — all of it.

I felt that nothing was “wrong” with me, and that the difficulties I was facing were common — that I wasn’t alone in them.
Sonya not only answered my technical questions and supported and expanded my ideas for the film, but also lifted my spirits. That emotional relief mattered immensely to me as a highly sensitive creative person.

Most of her advice was spot on and I was able to use it immediately in my practice. I was embarrassed about my chaotic work process and worried I wouldn’t be able to articulate all my questions in time. But by the end of the consultation everything had clicked into a single picture. I felt calmer, and I reconnected with the spark that originally fueled this project.

Honestly, even Sonya’s voice and presence are so calming and inspiring that simply listening to her made me feel better. After the consultation, I felt lighter and clearer about what to do next and how to move forward. Her approach truly supported me and helped me continue working on my film.

Olia Kolesnik
MA Animation student, Director
https://www.instagram.com/olia.hedgehog

I was lucky to meet Sonya back in my bachelor’s years at School of Design (HSE Moscow). Now I’m working on my master’s project in a German university and my film deals with a heavy and complicated topic. Because of that, I often freeze and lose myself while trying to develop the idea and shape the visual language. I get overwhelmed by a chaos of texts, images, and my own thoughts.

When I realized I was stuck and couldn’t connect all the threads of the project, I immediately knew what to do: write to Sonya and ask for a consultation!
I can say with confidence that Sonya is an incredible teacher. Her consultations have this light, friendly, and safe vibe that makes you want to open up, share everything at once, and discuss all your creative fears and struggles around the project :)

Sonya gives detailed feedback and tons of helpful, practical suggestions — all without pressure. She has absolute respect for your creative individuality and encourages total artistic freedom.

The consultation helped me understand where to go next, overcome my creative block, and continue working. Most importantly, it helped me reconnect with the purpose of my film and hear my own voice in it again.

So I absolutely recommend her to everyone! If you’re struggling with your project, drowning in too many or too few ideas, feeling lost in a mix of racing thoughts, thousands of saved images, and advice coming from all directions — just message Sonya! 😎

Masha Mayorova
Director, Artist, MA Animation Directing Student
https://www.instagram.com/majorova_mjrv

I had wanted to take a class with Sonya for a long time — I kept hearing about her incredible teaching skills. I’m a professional myself, but from time to time I love learning from different interesting people. It helps me organize my knowledge and sometimes see familiar material from a completely new angle.

Even within a short amount of time, Sonya gave me a huge amount of practical, applicable knowledge — and so many useful links that they could easily form an entire course on their own!

Endless gratitude and my most sincere recommendations.

Maria Mashkova-Savinykh
Creative Director
https://www.instagram.com/mashkowa