Hey guys! I'm James Raphael Dahlbender II, and I'm a multitalented artist, animator, music composer, sound designer, voice actor, game designer, and filmmaker based in North Carolina. I was born in Wilmington (The city that brought you One Tree Hill, Dawsons Creek, and an English dub for the OVA of the anime, You're Under Arrest), raised in Jacksonville (Home to one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the East Coast), & based in Raleigh, NC (The capital of North Carolina). I'm an outspoken advocate for artistic freedom, accessibility, and inclusion in the creative world.
I come from a deeply musical family. My mom majored in music, my late step-grandpa played in a military band, and my great-great-grandma was an opera singer (Unfortunately, her name is now lost to time, but her influence lives on through my passion for sound and storytelling).
Diagnosed with autism, ADHD, and POTS, I can bring a unique neurodivergent perspective to my work, infusing mu projects with emotional depth, imaginative flair, and dynamic multimedia techniques. A lifelong artist, I've been drawing ever since I can remember it, and studied animation at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center in high school. Creative differences with instructors only sharpened my independent voice.
I'm the founder of Melody Makers Music and Sound Design, Kawaii Kreations, and Clover Creative, studios focused on animation, music & audio, and film. My influences span from the whimsical slice-of-life anime, Azumanga Daioh, to the playful music and sound design of Bill Weisbach, and the rebellious satire of South Park and Family Guy.
A vocal critic of Hollywood gatekeeping, I remain proudly nonunion to retain full creative control. My collaborative spirit is global. I've has worked with creatives from all over the world. Including Thailand, South Korea, the UK, New Zealand, Canada, the UAE, Germany, France, Poland, and more. For me, collaboration should be grounded in trust and respect, not politics or genre boundaries.
From crafting concept albums and quirky animations to mixing live-action with 2D art, I creates with fearless honesty and a fierce commitment to artistic integrity.
Whether it be music, sound design, animation, art, singing, voice acting, and even game design I'm right here if you need me.
SOCIALS:
CREATIVE
- Music & Sound Design
- Traditional Hand Drawn Animation
- Arts and Crafts
- Scoring for Animation, film, trailers, commercials, games, etc.
- Arranging & Orchestration
- Multi-instrumental performances (Especially keyboards and percussion)
- Voice Acting & Narration
- Game Design (level, concept, systems, etc.)
- Editorial and VFX
- Practical Special EFX (the simple stuff like liquid, snow, bubbles, fluid, etc.)
- Live Acting
- Filmmaking
- Screenwriting
- Font Design/Creation
- Physical Media Menu Design
PRODUCTION
- Audio Post
- Mastering
- Music production & mixing
- Podcast and Audio Drama editorial
- Custom Foley / SFX
- Dialogue production & editorial
- Storyboarding
- Sheet Timing
- Layout
- Script Breakdown
- Compositing
- Filmmaking
- Card Production
- Character Design
- Prop Design
- EFX Animation
- Character Animation
- Sketching
- Blueprinting
- Comic Art
- Directing
- C# & Actionscript Programming
- Physical Media Authoring