Rohitash Rao graduated from the Art Center College of Design with a BFA in advertising in 1991. He immediately began a lucrative career as an art director in Los Angeles, partnering up with Eric Silver at Larsen Colby and Kathy Hepinstall at Stein Robaire Helm. A few years later, he and Silver worked together again at Earle Palmer Brown in Richmond, Virginia.

In 1995, Ro befriended a local Richmonder, Abraham Spear, and the two of them formed Ugly Pictures. After a summer film workshop at NYU, Ro and Abe began production on a 15-minute documentary called "Fifteen Minutes." The film was completed in 1997 and screened at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and the New York Independent Film and Video Festival the following year. Throughout the production, Ro freelanced at various agencies such as Cliff Freeman & Partners, Fallon McElligot, Crispin Porter + Bogusky and TBWA Chiat/Day (L.A.) and eventually taking a staff job as an ACD at BBDO, then helmed by David Lubars.

Ro signed as a director with Moxie Pictures in 1999 and shot live action spots for Fox Sports, Activision and Nickelodeon. After a two-year stint, Ro decided to leave Moxie for other creative pursuits.

Soon thereafter, Ro became a creative director at the SciFi channel in New York. There he worked both as a creative and as a director. He wrote and directed several award-winning brand ID's as well as over-seeing the marketing of a number of shows.

In 2002, Ugly Pictures began experimenting in stop-motion animation. Their first film, "Coffee" was completed in 2003. Since then it has screened at over a dozen film festivals around the world, most recently at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. In 2005, their animated film for the Battle of the Ad Bands, titled "Street Fight," screened at Cannes in Saatchi and Saatchi's New Director's Showcase. The same month, Curious Pictures signed Ugly as directors.

Rohitash Rao currently works as both a director and as an art director. To see some of his animation/directing work with long-time collaborator, Abe, go to: uglypictures.us.

Recognition: (As an art director) One Show, Cannes, D&AD, AICP, Clios, Communication Arts Advertising Annual, Communication Arts Design Annual, Promax/BDA, Archive, Adweek, Adcritic, Art Directors Club of New York, Los Angeles Advertising Club, Richmond Advertising Club (Best in Show).
(As a director) Cannes, Shots Magazine, Stash Magazine, Animation World Magazine, Promax/BDA, Adcritic. Most notable film festivals; Tribeca, Woodstock, Montreal, Annecy (France), Tel Aviv (Israel), New York Independent Film and Video Festival, Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.