Takeover Tuesday with Mike Healey
An interview with Mike Healey: a director and animator based in NY.
Interviewer: Matea Losenegger.
Read time: 5min
Matea:
Thank you for taking part in our Tuesday Takeover series! Can you please tell us a little about yourself and your work?
Mike:
I’m a director/animator based in NY. I fell in love with animation at an early age watching stuff like PeeWee’s Playhouse and Space Jam. After graduating from NYU, where I studied Film/TV with a focus on animation, I founded //kneeon studios and have been lucky enough to be doing that ever since!
Matea:
Many of your projects are very striking and illustrative. Do you have a background in illustration and what was your path to becoming a successful art director?
Mike:
Thanks! I don’t have a huge illustration background but I am always checking out work by illustrators and designers and keeping an eye out for potential collaborators. Whenever a project comes up, I try to find the right fit stylistically and tonally, then reach out to illustrators I know or have been wanting to collaborate with. I love to concept work out with illustrators and then let their imagination run wild. I am a firm believer that two (or more!) brains are better than one, so throwing around ideas in the concept phase is really fun for me and there’s usually a nice blend of all of our ideas in the final product.
Frames from “Curt Schilling’s Imperfect Game” - a film Mike directed.
Matea:
Where does the name //kneeon come from?
Mike:
When we first started out, my former business partner and I wanted a name that evoked bright colors and fun, so the name Neon came up. Sadly that name was already taken so we decided just to spell it differently instead and then it stuck. Wish I had a better answer!
Matea:
What made you want to start your own studio and do you have tips for artists aiming to do the same?
Mike:
I graduated from NYU in 2009 and there were very few job opportunities at the time so I decided to try to start my own company with a friend. We had been freelancing throughout college and trying to direct and animate as many projects as possible before graduating so we already had some potential clients when we got out of school. I had an internship at a production company in my senior year and the producers there were super helpful and gave me lots of good advice on everything from writing decks to bidding to budgeting and producing jobs.
In terms of advice for those wanting to start their own studio, I would say make sure you have a pretty good grasp at the business side of things, or partner with someone who does. It’s also important to have some projects that showcase the kind of work you want to make. Doesn’t necessarily have to be client work—it can be a personal project or short film. But you want your website and work to be a reflection of your talents and give an idea of why a client may want to hire you over some other animation studio. Lastly, keep your overhead as low as possible for as long as possible. It can help you take on projects you truly want to work on instead of expanding too quickly and being forced to take on anything and everything.
Frame from “J.R. Smith Redefined.”
Matea:
You've collaborated with many talented folks. How do you find artists and what goes into putting together a strong team?
Mike:
I always spend time (but not TOO much time) each day on Instagram, Behance and other sites. Whenever I see something I enjoy, I bookmark it. A lot of relationships with artists I have collaborated with have come from me reaching out to them when I enjoy their work. Word of mouth is another great way to find artists. I’m always asking friends and collaborators for any recommendations when I need some help with a project.
To put together a strong team, I think it’s important to find people you really enjoy working with. Many freelancers we have worked with have been with us on a ton of projects over the years so there’s a good short-hand between us. The best projects are the ones that don’t really feel like “work” and everyone has a creative say on.
Matea:
From sports to food/bev, retail, music, and more what is your favorite type of project to work on?
Mike:
My favorite types of projects to work combine sports with documentary audio. We have done so many sports-related projects that we recently started up a sports animation wing at //kneeon called Slam Dunk Club! I love being able to take interviews/doc-style audio and adding fun visuals to tell stories.
Slam Dunk Club brings together a team of directors, designers and animators from across the globe.
Matea:
As someone with a pretty diverse portfolio, is there an area of animation you would still like to explore?
Mike:
I’d love to work on some more long-form projects. We do a lot of work ranging from 15 seconds to 2 minutes in length, but would really enjoy making some longer films. We’re currently in the process of finishing up a 20 minute piece. And since my wife and I recently had our first child, I’d love to explore making some more animation geared toward kids!
Matea:
Your studio's work has a very distinctive voice. Where do you find inspiration and how do you make sure your work stays fresh?
Mike:
Thanks! I’m always trying to look at animation, design and art whenever I have a chance. It can be good to be aware of trends in animation and art so you know what to avoid to try to make something unique. And we try not to make something with the same style twice (unless of course it’s part of a series).
Matea:
As someone who's been in this game for a while, what do you think is in store for the future of motion design?
Mike:
There are always trends and advances in technology that will make animators’ lives easier, and some like AI that may make animators’ lives and livelihood more difficult. I’m not entirely sure what the future holds for motion design to be honest…I think there will be needs for more interactive animation and AR/VR as the tech catches up and becomes more mainstream.
Shot from “Ben’s Original” project.
Matea:
What does the rest of 2023 look like to you? Anything we should keep an eye out for?
Mike:
We have a long-form fully animated documentary being wrapped up and hopefully coming out sometime soon. Recently wrapped up animated segments for a documentary about J.R. Smith that just came out on Amazon Prime.
Takeover Tuesday with Trevor Wood
An interview with Trevor Wood: a motion designer based in Champaign-Urbana, IL.
Interviewer: Matea Losenegger.
Read time: 5min
Matea:
Thank you for giving us your time! Can you introduce yourself and what you do?
Trevor:
My name is Trevor Wood and I’m a motion designer based in Champaign-Urbana, IL. I live here with my beautiful wife and adorable rescue dog. When I’m not animating you’ll find me at one of the local open-mic nights or on the couch playing Fortnite.
Matea:
You have a vast range of video production experience. How does the work from your time with WCIA 3 compare to commercial production?
Trevor:
I still use a lot of the same processes, techniques, and software I learned while at WCIA 3. The video production pipeline is pretty similar whether it’s for a local boutique or a big clothing brand. Budgets may be different, but it all comes down to the story you want to tell and how you tell it.
Looking back, I was super lucky to get that job because I had the chance to learn a lot of different things like live camera operation, audio engineering, and video editing. I’ve even shot aerial footage from a helicopter, which was a highlight for sure. But the main thing I did was shoot and produce local TV commercials. The ones with that certain charm you can only get on local broadcast television. I loved embracing the format and its limitations, and I still try to infuse some of that charm into every project.
Shot from Trevor’s reel.
Matea:
What made you decide to freelance full time and what was that transition like?
Trevor:
The idea of owning my own business has always appealed to me, ever since I got my first job at a small family-owned grocery store. At one point I wanted to open my own coffee shop even though I didn’t yet drink coffee. It sounded cool to be in charge and make my own decisions. Later, in college I was able to make some extra money on the side doing graphic design and photography. When the pandemic hit I started working from home and I constantly found myself going down motion design YouTube rabbit holes. Eventually someone recommended reading the Freelance Manifesto by Joey Korenman and it felt like Joey was speaking directly to my soul. From that point on all I could think about was going freelance as a motion designer.
After making the decision to go freelance, the transition took much longer than I expected. About two years from start to finish. I was still a little rusty with motion design and had to really refine my chops. I also had no idea how to run my own business, so on my commutes I started listening to all of the podcasts from Motion Hatch, The Futur, and School of Motion. I started doing work on the side after hours and saving all of the extra money I made to create a financial cushion just in case things slowed down. Eventually I had to start turning down work because there was so much demand and that’s when I knew it was time to quit my job and go full-time. After I hit my financial goal, I went freelance in July 2022.
Matea:
You recently collaborated with Ben Marriott. What was your experience working with him and the team he pulled together?
Trevor:
Collaborating with Ben was a dream come true. He started getting big on YouTube right around the time I started pursuing a freelance career. So when he launched Master Motion Design course, I was first in line. I was chosen for the collab based on my work for the course and joined 24 other exceptional students to create the Inside an Animator’s Mind collab. Everyone who was part of the collaboration was so nice and it felt great to be part of such an amazing group. Leading up to the launch we all shared our work in a private forum and had the chance to see Ben’s fantastic intro come to life. It was awesome, and one of the biggest highs of my career so far.
Inside Animator's Mind Collab.
Matea:
Whether it be for a passion project or for a client, what is the secret to cultivating a strong collaborative environment?
Trevor:
As artists, our work is often very personal because it’s a reflection of ourselves and our experiences. But to cultivate a strong collaborative environment it’s important to focus on what’s best for the project as a whole and not what’s best for the individual. That can look different whether you’re working with a client or on a passion project. When I’m working with a client, I try to make sure every decision I make is what’s best for the goals of the project and doesn’t just satisfy my artistic desire. If I’m working with others, I’m constantly asking myself, is this what’s best for us, or is this what’s best for me?
Other than that, just be a good human. You don’t have to be the best artist. I’m certainly not. Just be kind, friendly, and helpful. Those are the main ingredients to a strong collaborative environment.
Matea:
While it goes without saying you have some fun character work, I noticed even your text and graphic animations have a lot of charm. What's your process in giving personality to something that's not necessarily a character?
Trevor:
Even if something isn’t a character, it still has character. Giving life to things that wouldn’t have it normally is one of my favorite parts about this business. My process is iterative, which means I animate the biggest movements first, then refine with secondary motion, overshoot, and anything else that feels right. I use my hands a lot to get a better understanding of how I want the movement to feel, and I use my breath to help make the timing feel natural. Then I’ll spend as much time as possible in the graph editor to make sure every keyframe is perfect (or at least close enough).
Shot from the School of Motion Holiday Card.
Matea:
Where are some unexpected places you've gotten inspiration from?
Trevor:
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where my inspiration comes from. There are so many talented artists out there that are constantly inspiring and challenging me with their work. But probably the most unexpected place I find inspiration is in restaurants. Whenever I go out to eat with my wife I have to make sure there are no TVs within my line of sight, otherwise I won’t hear a word she says to me the entire time. We cut the cord a long time ago, so I rarely see broadcast commercials. So as I’m waiting for our food to arrive, I find myself captivated by them, trying to figure out how they did the graphics, wondering which studio worked on the animation, who designed the style frames. And since the commercials aren’t targeted like most of the ads I see, I get to see animation that’s totally different than my Instagram algorithm feeds me and I find it all very inspiring (and entirely distracting).
Matea:
What is your favorite type of project to work on?
Trevor:
I love when I’m given a project with very clear brand guidelines. I enjoy the challenge of drawing within the lines and knowing the rules (and sometimes breaking them on purpose). It may sound counterintuitive, but I feel paralyzed when a project has an open brief or too much creative freedom. I like to have a bounding box to play in.
Matea:
Is there a style or type of animation you'd like to explore more?
Trevor:
I started learning Blender this year to explore the hybrid 2D/3D style. I just find the mix between those two main styles of animation very interesting. You might have line work at 12fps while something else with photo-real geometry and textures is happening in the background. The possibilities of hybrid styles in general is super exciting.
Water Cycle Project
Matea:
Is there anything you're excited to share this year?
Trevor:
Some friends and I just dropped a collab we’ve been working on since the start of the year. It was a twist on the game telephone where we had to create a story while only knowing what came immediately before. The story doesn’t make much sense in the end but it’s a fun time. I’d love to do more collab projects this year — It was a great time.
Takeover Tuesday with Dylan Casano
An interview with Dylan Casano: a motion designer/illustrator from Oakland, California who has over 8 years experience in animation specializing in 2D After Effects Animation, including motion graphics, character animation, and compositing.
Interviewer: Bella Alfonsi.
Read time: 5min
Bella:
Hi Dylan! I'll never stop saying it, your Earth Day 2020 animation is glorious and one of my favorites of all time. But for those who are unfamiliar with you/your work, please introduce yourself!
Dylan:
Haha, thank you! I'm a human 2D Animator and Designer currently based in LA! My personal work tends to be colorful and graphic, and I'm usually breathing life into something that shouldn't be alive, like a taco, a bra, or the Earth.
I think putting sad faces on random inanimate items is hilarious, and you can't tell me any different.
I'm always trying to think of new ways to use After Effects in funky ways to get new looks! I believe every kind of illustration style can be animated, just comes down to how you do it, and how much sleep you want.
I'm primarily an After Effects Animator, with a propensity for adding character to things. I've been picking up Cel animation in the last 6 years because drawing can just make characters waaaay more expressive. Through a Mograph Mentor course with Henrique Barone, I discovered that Cel is very similar to how you would animate something in After Effects, but you’re just drawing it—a lot.
Bella:
How did you find yourself in the motion design world?
Kyle:
I went to school for Graphic Design for way too long and the most valuable thing I learned was that I’m not very good at Graphic Design. Animation has always come easier for me, and I'm a big nerd about it, but in my school there were no Motion Design classes. “Mograph” was barely a thing in schools at my time.
When I was looking for work with my fresh GD degree (Stands for both Graphic Design and Gol’ Dern), I came across a cool Creative/Branding Studio in Berkeley, California who was looking for a flash animation intern. I knew flash from my “Newgrounds.com” days (if you know what I'm talking about then your back probably hurts rn) so I took it on! After I finished the flash stuff, I was moved onto some After Effects projects which I learned as I went. They liked what I did, and I was hired as a Motion Designer.
After 4 years (to the day!) I broke from that Full Time nest to spread my wings in the Freelance world, a phase that would be pretty short lived because of the ever-present and ever-tempting long-term Tech contracts that would beckon me. After a few stints at some beefy internet companies, I decided to venture to the Mograph wilds of Los Angeles to work with We Are Royale!
Shot from Dylan’s reel.
Bella:
The behind the scenes content you share is super interesting and helpful to see as a fellow artist. Have you ever considered creating a class/being a teacher to share even more of your knowledge?
Dylan:
Thank you! I've always strived to make "Behind the Scenes" content both informational as well as entertaining. Sometimes the BTS is more interesting than the piece itself, and the animation process is very complex and really deserves some extra love.
I absolutely LOVE the BTS breakdowns made by Stéphane Coëdel and Chromosphere (look them up!). Their breakdowns always seemed to go further than a lot of the BTS content I saw out there at the time, they would stop and start the animation, break it down layer by layer, and then use fun sound effects and music to bring the whole thing home. I took a few pages from their books.
In addition to BTS content, I've spent some time teaching a Workshop or two at my alma mater and loved it! I definitely see teaching in my future in some capacity. I would absolutely love to teach an online class if there's enough interest out there.
Bella:
As someone with over 8 years of experience in the industry, how do you think it's changed since you first started? Is there anything you're excited or worried about?
Dylan:
Oh yeah, things are always changing! When I was in school Motion Graphics wasn't even a thing; there was Animation, and there was Graphic Design— they are both very different from Motion Graphics. There may have been some private art schools somewhere that had motion graphics classes but for the most part, I wasn’t aware of it existing in the US education system at the time. Now, Motion Graphics is straight up taught in school, which blows my mind!
The ‘Elder’ generation of Mograph (*cries a little*) used to come from various backgrounds like film, design, or even architecture—so it was easy to meet people who had a good general knowledge of all Mograph trades and beyond. Now that it’s been integrated into the school systems, I’ve noticed a lot more specialized (and crazy talented) people, which definitely changes the vibe a lot.
As far as my fears for the future go—I share, with the rest of the art world, the hesitation about the integration of A.I. art into the field. I’m not afraid that it will take our jobs, but I do worry that the lines between Human created and A.I. created art will blur, and integrity amongst artists will be compromized. It is a dazzling tool, however, and I know we will find great uses for it.
“Workout” from Dylan’s personal explorations.
Bella:
What's it like working with We Are Royale? What does being the lead animator/designer entail?
Dylan:
At WAR we do things a little differently. Typically, a Lead Animator/Designer would find themselves mostly delegating and managing people. Because of WAR’s light staff footprint, and our passion for the work, the Leads are still “on-the-box” as it were, typically before the project has even started. We “Lead the Creative '' as our bossboss Brien Holman says, and then we disseminate this special knowledge or technique amongst the rest of the team as the project nears production.
Management was a natural step forward for me at this point in my career, but I just love animating so gol’ dern much that I couldn’t give up being an individual contributor—so I do both.
On bigger projects, I’m definitely finding myself delegating more than animating—but for the most part I straddle the line between Senior animator and management. I learned the hard way that delegating assignments and Animating/Designing are two distinct and very complete jobs, and you can’t do them together very effectively. The lovely people at WAR help me walk that line and help me pick up the slack where needed.
Bella:
When in a creative rut, do you find it helps to step away from what you're working on? Where do you find inspiration?
Dylan:
When I’m in a rut, I find a few things very helpful
1. Just get your first idea on paper, you overachiever, you. Got an idea that you hate because it’s “too basic” or “too obvious” and you can’t think of anything else? Or maybe you don’t have any ideas beyond what was already provided for you? I find it most helpful to JUST DO THE MOST OBVIOUS THING very quickly. Just do it, don’t overthink it. Feel free to keep thinking of ideas, obviously, but your brain just needs some stimulation. Get that idea down on the screen, there ain’t no shame in using your ol’ standby tricks of the trade. Then look at what you got, now tweak it. Still hate it? Please refer to #2.
2. Walk the heck away. Get some water, take a walk, or work on a different aspect of the assignment. Just do something else for a while—ideally with enough time to kinda forget what your art looks like. When I return to a piece after some good time, I definitely have a very immediate reaction, and my first urge gives me a pretty good idea what needs to change/improve; or at the very least, I hate it still and probably need to start over.
3. "Faked-it-til-you-make-ed”. If none of that has worked, boy oh boy, you must be pretty stressed, huh? Well, tough, you’re a hack and you just "faked-it-til-you-make-ed” your little heart out your whole career. Congratulations for tricking literally everyone, everywhere, simultaneously into trusting you. What a mess—your parents were right—wait until your boss finds out you have as much skill as a dressed up Golden Retriever sitting at a computer.
4. Chill out and start fresh. Ok, now that you got all that negative energy out, listen to how ridiculous you sound right now. You’re not a dog. Now breathe. You got this. Now put that thing you made away for a second and start over. I hear you, “But I spent so much time on it, I can’t start over now blahblahblahblah” STOP. Just DO IT. Chill out and start fresh. Stop fiddling with something that’s not working. You’ll either: make something way cooler way than you thought—way faster—and you’ll be very proud of yourself, or hate what you make and that makes the first idea not look so bad after all. At the very least, you’ll get more options for your AD / Client / Sentient Golden Retriever, and they can help steer you in the right direction.
5. Make it fun, silly! We make pretty pictures for a living. Creative brains hate work, so trick yourself into doing work by making yourself laugh. Keep it simple and don’t forget the original reason you started.
Earth Day!
Bella:
Your character animation has a lot of personality, but so does your non-character animation. How do you give personality to something that is not a human?
Dylan:
One main challenge I give myself is to try to move more properties than just the “Position, Scale, and Rotation.” When I just do the ol’ P-S-R, it can look pretty flat and lifeless—try to throw in some path animation, or some clever masking for depth, or maybe slap some effect on there for something unexpected. Surprise your viewer! When you treat a flat shape like a flat shape, it’s gonna look like a flat shape; there, I’ll give you that one for free.
Other than that—it’s pretty much Easing, Drifts, and Overshoots/Bounces.
Easing doesn’t have to be complicated, I have basically 2 Easing curves I use for everything, but that’s a secret so please don’t tell anyone.
Drifts are when something stops moving it kinda just keeps going forever—just like my responses to these questions. Learn how to master this move well and most modern mograph is in your bag. I like to use the loopOut(‘continue’) expression and make my curve kinda end abruptly—that’ll do it.
Overshoots and bounces are essential to breathing life into things. Nothing in this world moves from A to B in a linear way and just stops, nothing kills the illusion of life more than those silly diamond linear keyframes. Introduce ‘em to a nice ease curve and they’ll be living before ya know it.
Bella:
How did you start working with Balkan Bump? Are you interested in working with other musicians as well?
Dylan:
Balkan Bump is a band started by my brilliant buddy Will Magid. He was my neighbor in Oakland and he was always filling the halls with sweet sweet Trumpet sounds. We became friends pretty instantly, because how could you not? I started helping him with his album art and branding pretty soon after that. It has been a very rewarding experience seeing my friend climb in popularity and as a result I’ve gotten to go to his shows and meet some of my favorite music producers like Grammatik, and Opiuo to name a few!
I’ve also been privileged to have worked with one of my favorite bands, Vulfpeck, through a completely different set of friends. Woody Goss, the pianist of the group, asked me to help animate a little Christmas special reminiscent of Charlie Brown one year. It’s still one of my favorite pieces to this day!
I love working with musicians, because a lot of the work gets to be more interpretive and artsy than your everyday commercial work. No one hates you when you make it a little funky.
Bella:
Are there any upcoming projects or anything else you're looking forward to this year?
Dylan:
I am looking forward to getting a few more personal short short animations out there and venturing into the Tiktok world of animation—provided it sticks around with us.
Still from the motion graphic spot for Maksoi.
Bella:
Any final words of wisdom for our readers?
Dylan:
Don’t overwork, don’t burn out; energy is precious and finite. Don’t marry your job and don’t date your coworkers. Then, break every single rule I just said, and have a f*cking blast!
Takeover Tuesday with Kyle Harter
An interview with Kyle Harter: a freelance 2D motion designer based in Orlando, FL..
Interviewer: Bella Alfonsi.
Read time: 5min
Bella:
Kyle! Thanks so much for participating in our Takeover Tuesday series. For those who are not familiar with you or your work, please give us a lil' intro.
Kyle:
Hey there! My name is Kyle Harter, and I’m a freelance 2D motion designer based in Orlando, FL. I add custom 2D motion and design to branded content that drives engagement with my client's intended audience. My work has spanned across explainer videos, digital advertising, commercials, live events, UI/UX, and Film & TV.
Bella:
How do you think going to college has influenced your creative path? Do you think having formal training makes any difference in getting a job in the motion design industry compared to being self-taught?
Kyle:
I went to the University of Central Florida in Orlando. I’m completely self-taught, and didn’t go the traditional route through animation and design courses. However, I did go through the film program in college. I believe that experience really helped me to cultivate and curate my taste, while learning the traditional production process. Of which, I pour lots of time and effort to feeding it and keeping it fresh.
I can only speak for myself here, but I think the self-taught route really teaches a form of discipline that you might not be as quick to in a structured program. You have to be extra guarded of your time and intentions to learning a skillset to step-up your career. I am a bit jealous of the students who go through the formal training route, as there are more opportunities for networking, learning from industry professionals in person, and of course, access to all of the fun tools.
Shot from Kyle’s reel.
Bella:
As someone with several years of experience in the industry, how do you think it's changed over the years? Is there anything you're excited or worried about for the future of motion design?
Kyle:
The industry has changed in a lot of beautiful ways during my time. I think that it’s become one of the more welcoming industries that I’ve been privy to experiencing. From the YouTube tutorials/courses, to the slack/discord groups, and the industry legends who offer quick chats (Ryan Summers) and mentorship, I felt like I was offered free admission to make really cool shit, and have people offer constructive criticism and helpful feedback.
Also, the cost of entry is a lot lower than it used to be with the availability of affordable/free tools.
In terms of concern for the future, there’s the obvious elephant in the room of AI. There’s exciting aspects and concerning aspects of it. At the end of the day though, I do believe the real impact of AI’s implementation is in the user’s hands. There’s a certain amount of responsibility there. I’m excited to see some of the technical parts of our jobs being sped up or automated. That whole process might change the job description of some roles, but at the end of it, it’s the human who has to use it in a professional and ethical way.
Bella:
2D design is your specialty, but you also do some toolkitting, templating, and system development. How did you get into this side of animation and how has it affected your workflow?
Kyle:
I think I got into it the same way I got into learning AE years ago, FEAR. Code, like AE, was always so scary to me because it was a different way of working than the traditional approach of slapping keyframes on a timeline. There was just something about it that motivated me to learn it. Maybe it was to be more in control of something abstract like animation? Who knows haha. Through a lot of time, practice, and asking other smart people lots of questions, I was able to grasp a decent understanding of it, and apply it to my workflow.
It’s affected my workflow in a really efficient way. It helps me to think about creating looks procedurally and with editibility in mind. With that in mind, I use expressions, essential properties/graphics panel, and scripting to automate any part of my workflow. It helps me shut off my computer sooner at night I like to think.
Frame from Kyle’s motion work with Cisco.
Bella:
What made you decide to go freelance full-time? Any advice for someone trying to do the same?
Kyle:
Well I’ve always moonlit as a freelancer when I had full-time gigs. That life was always alluring to me too. The ability to choose what projects you took on, and you could really be in the driver’s seat of your career path are what really drew me in.
In terms of actually taking the leap, I was actually thrown off a cliff into it. I was furloughed in July ’22 from my previous studio gig. I loved the people there, but I had always had this dream of going out on my own. I was resourceful enough to build up a healthy savings during my full-time employment. That helped me jumpstart the business, while still having health insurance until I left for good in September ’22.
My advice would be five-pronged there:
1. Build up a runway of expenses and then some. I’d say minimum of 3 months if possible. We all know how long invoices can take to get paid even if you’re working immediately.
2. Network. Network. Network. I can’t stress this enough. Make sure when you engage people it’s not transactional. Be a human. Get to know people. Let them know what you’re good at, passionate about, and what you don’t like doing.
3. Prioritize your mental health. You will get lonely. You will get stressed about money. You will encounter hardship. If you’re consistently checking in on yourself and giving yourself some space to feel these things, then you’ll be able to make healthier decisions for yourself when it comes to who you work with/for
4. Get a good accountant, and don’t cheap out on it. I sleep a lot better at night knowing the business side of things is in good hands, and I’m not scrambling while trying to outsmart the IRS.
5. Study a bit of personal finance. You’re on your own now. So you have a bit more autonomy in what you do with your money. Reading/studying this can really set you up for future financial decisions.
Bella:
How do you set yourself apart from fellow talented artists when pitching for a project/reaching out to work with a studio?
Kyle:
Your portfolio is always a good indication of the kind of work you’re interested in or are capable of. So I like to think mine is fairly clear in that aspect. That’s half of it though. The other half, the human half, might actually carry some more weight at the end of the day. I stress over-communication, delivering on promises, and anticipating other’s needs when it comes to working on a team. It’s been said before, but a lot of people would rather hire a mid-level artist who carry themselves in a professional way than hire a superstar who is just a giant ball of chaos and bad attitude to work with.
Still from Kyle’s work with Braintrust.
Bella:
Where do you find inspiration? How do you navigate creative burnout?
Kyle:
Like a lot of artists, I find inspiration in everything around me. More specifically, I love art books, films/tv, and interior design too. Especially when people prioritize function over aesthetic. That guides a lot of my inspiration in the wild.
Yeah creative burnout is a doozy. In the past I didn’t do a great job of it. I always thought everything I did had to serve the work I was doing in my 9-5. Now, since I am freelance, I’m able to take intentional time off without guilt. I also feel more joy about just making stuff for the fun of it. Especially when it’s not meant for the reel/portfolio. I just get to have fun and mess up without worrying about meeting a client’s expectation.
Also, therapy is such a healing and helpful process. I can’t recommend it enough.
Bella:
What's your proudest moment in your career thus far?
Kyle:
I’ve been fortunate to work with a bunch of great people, make cool stuff, and even win a few awards. However, I think my proudest moment is to go out on my own, and find success in the form of having control of my life. Not to knock anyone in a staff position, but being a freelancer has been the best fit for my lifestyle and mental health.
Bella:
What's your favorite kind of project to work on and why?
Kyle:
I love a great technical challenge fueled by phenomenal design and stress-free project management. It could be the most corporate thing on the planet, but if there’s great design, fun technical challenges, and really helpful producers then it’s a success in my book. I can’t stress the importance of producers and project managers enough. Please be nice to them. They have one of the toughest jobs out, and we don’t see much of what they go through.
Still from the motion graphic spot for Maksoi.
Bella:
What are you looking forward to this year? Any final words of wisdom for our audience?
Kyle:
I’m looking to try a bunch of different projects in my first full year of freelancing. I’d like to meet a lot of great people, and learn a bit more about managing the business side of things. Other than that, I just want to enjoy the ride I’m on. It’s been great to me so far.
Final wisdom: Remember, you always have a choice in what projects you take on or what direction you head in. Life is short. Do your best to make the decisions that can help you have a fulfilling and rewarding life.
Takeover Tuesday with Jake Sojcher
An interview with Jake Sojcher: a motion designer and visual artist.
Q&A with Jake Sojcher.
Read time: 5min
Matea Losenegger:
Hey Jake! Thank you for taking part in our Tuesday Takeover series. Can you introduce yourself and your work?
Jake Sojcher:
Happy to be a part of it! I am a motion designer and visual artist working primarily with the Adobe Creative Suite, using After Effects, Photoshop, etc. I’m also just generally an explorer, always jumping around between various hobbies relating to art and music.
Matea Losenegger:
What shaped your path into motion design and pursuing a creative career?
Jake Sojcher:
I’ve always loved making things. As a child, I would spend countless hours building spaceships and fortresses with Legos. As I got older, I took various art and music lessons. In high school, I was playing the drums, recording, and mixing audio. Then in college, I got really into photography and video production, so I became a media studies major. I really wanted to pursue a creative career, but I was afraid. I had heard things about how difficult it can be to make it in the creative fields. I was shy and I didn’t have the confidence in my ability to put myself out there. I thought maybe marketing would be a safer creative path, but the only aspect of my one marketing internship that excited me was when I got to assist with a video shoot at the office. After college, I was scraping by on small freelance video gigs, and feeling very unsure if I could make this work. I eventually found a one month temp job editing videos for a local production company. They liked my work, and it turned into a full-time gig. There I got to learn a lot more about the various aspects of post-production. There was another editor on staff who handled motion graphics, and I thought what he was creating was super cool. So I started watching After Effects tutorials on YouTube and asking him for pointers. Eventually when he left, I became the motion graphics guy and the rest is history.
Opening shot from Jake’s reel.
Matea Losenegger:
What inspired your decision to freelance full time and how has the transition been going?
Jake Sojcher:
After a few years at my production company job, I felt like I was ready for new challenges and opportunities for growth. I would periodically apply for jobs at larger companies, but felt discouraged when I consistently wouldn’t hear back. Another coworker of mine had gone freelance, and the idea sounded enticing, but I was also afraid of giving up the stability. Things really changed once the pandemic hit. Until then, I was still very much splitting my time between editing and motion design. But once it became hard to shoot videos in person, I started having opportunities to do even more with motion graphics and really leveled up my skills. I also met my wonderful partner, Lyndsey, on Hinge during the pandemic, and we eventually moved in together. Having a partner who had a steady job, and who gave me lots of encouragement, helped make the idea of freelance feel much more feasible. Then I read The Freelance Manifesto by Joey Korenman, and that was the final push I needed. I left my job, and my boss became my first client. Business was pretty slow at first, but I managed to scrape by. By the end of 2022, after many months of emailing and reel-tweaking, I finally started getting booked more consistently. Work can still ping-pong pretty quickly between very busy and very quiet, so I’m still learning to trust the process. I keep reminding myself that the ebb and flow is just part of freelance life. Overall, I’m really enjoying the lifestyle and the freedom to skip the commute and set my own hours. I especially enjoy having more control over my professional destiny, feeling like my efforts can quickly lead to greater opportunities. I’m really excited to see where the coming years take me.
Matea Losenegger:
From animation to drawing music, photography, and video, you have a pretty diverse skillset - is there a particular medium or type of work you would still like to explore?
Jake Sojcher:
Yes! I’m currently working on building up my illustration skills. I’ve been attending a lot of figure drawing sessions and trying to practice almost every day. Considering most of my work is on a computer, it’s nice to switch it up and spend time with good old pencil and paper. But I’m also working on digital illustration with Procreate and Adobe Illustrator as well. Most of the work I’m hired for involves picking apart graphic art provided by clients and bringing it to life. I’ve dabbled in graphic design enough to scrape things together from scratch when I need to, but I am still learning. I definitely want to be able to animate even more of my own original artwork, both for clients and my own personal projects.
Some characters from Jake’s Crossriver Funding Announcement video.
Matea Losenegger:
As someone with a lot of creative interests, do you find it important to experiment or create work for fun?
Jake Sojcher:
Oh absolutely! One of the big reasons I wanted to go freelance was to free up more time to work on my own projects. I feel very fortunate to be able to do creative work for a living, but there’s also way more I want to do outside of client work. Personal projects are great for building skills I can use professionally, but also for finding my own fulfillment as an artist. It’s nice to have free reign sometimes to make something weird, epic, or silly, with no directions to follow.
Matea Losenegger:
A lot of your work has a very distinct ethereal aesthetic. What inspired this visual flare and where do you seek inspiration from as a whole?
Jake Sojcher:
First off, I love ethereal sounding dream pop bands like the Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, and Beach House, so that’s definitely a part of it. I’m also influenced by Vaporwave and Cyberpunk inspired art that I see online. I like the use of gritty urban settings decked out with vibrant neon colors. It feels so cinematic with a sense of danger, mystery, and intrigue. I started playing with Photoshop to add a similar flare to photos that I take around the city. Then to take it even further, I started bringing some of my edits to life in After Effects as well.
Jake has been developing art style that fuses photography and Photoshop to create surreal cityscapes.
Matea Losenegger:
Do any of your projects stand out as a favorite?
Jake Sojcher:
I made a silly little animation of an octopus riding the subway, which was my first time trying to implement a character I drew into one of my photo edits. I also recently made an animation of my home office setup, where I animated all the stickers on my laptop as well as various elements of my desk. I even composited a screen recording of the After Effects project onto my monitor in the video to get extra meta with it. I think that came out pretty cool, so I’m proud of that one.
Matea Losenegger:
When it comes to client work, what sorts of assignments pique your interest?
Jake Sojcher:
Recently I’ve done a couple projects I’ve enjoyed with an ad agency called Terri & Sandy. One project was for an organization called Strands for Trans. Their mission is to build a network of trans-friendly barber shops and hair salons around the world. It’s nice to do work for a cause that I can see is doing a lot of good. The other project was for Sennheiser, which was cool for me as an audio nerd and a long time fan of their headphones. The ad featured Dee Snider from Twisted Sister. In terms of future projects, I would love to be able to work on more music related graphics. As a big music fan I’d like to work with local bands to create graphics for music videos, animated album covers, or stage projections.
Dee Snider - Extended Commercial for Sennheiser.
Matea Losenegger:
What advice would you give to aspiring creatives?
Jake Sojcher:
Don’t underestimate the importance of persistence. It can take a lot of reaching out to people and following up before you hit your stride. Also never stop learning and building up your abilities. You can learn just about anything on YouTube these days. If you have skills to offer, and you keep putting yourself out there eventually people will take notice, even if it takes longer than you initially hoped.
Matea Losenegger:
What are you looking forward to in 2023? Are there any creative endeavors you're excited about?
Jake Sojcher:
I feel like my drawing skills are really starting to come along and I’m excited to find new ways to implement them into my work. I’ve also really started to hit my freelancing stride, so I’m really excited to see where the year takes me.
Takeover Tuesday with Josh Edwards
Q&A with Josh Edwards: a motion graphics designer based along the Sunshine Coast in Australia.
Q&A with Josh Edwards
Read time: 10min
“Personal Branding” | Josh Edwards
Madison Caprara:
Hey, Josh!
Why don’t you start off by introducing yourself and giving us a bit of background on how you got into the MoGraph world.
Josh Edwards:
G’day, (I’ve got to say that right?) I’m Josh Edwards and I’m a freelance Motion Graphics Designer based along the Sunshine Coast in Australia. I'm also a husband and dad to three rad little humans.
My road into motion graphics I suppose was pretty typical. As a kid, I always loved to draw and in high school, my older sister told me about graphic design. She thought it would be right up my alley. So I checked it out at a university open day and knew right away that it was what I wanted to do. I didn't so much like the idea of being a struggling artist, so commercial art seemed perfect. I got to the end of my third year and had the thought that I was making all of these static designs and images, but how much cooler would it be if they moved? So I decided to teach myself After Effects for part of my final project. That then landed me my first job outside of Uni as a Junior Motion Graphics Designer.
Madison Caprara:
You definitely had to throw in the stereotypical g’day!
So, after University, at some point, you ended up as an Art Director at BUCK Sydney. I understand you’re no longer with them. How has the transition been from that to remote freelance work?
Josh Edwards:
Definitely a gradual one! I absolutely loved being an Art director at BUCK, they are seriously the most talented and awesome people. It’s the best job I’ve ever had. But between my wife and kids (I had two then, three now), and the cost of living combined with big hours in Sydney, it just wasn't sustainable for us, especially with no family close by. It was a really tough decision, but we decided to move up north to where my wife’s family is. BUCK was awesome about it and I stayed on staff for about a year, mostly working with the NY office on c4d jobs. I then naturally just shifted into freelancing, since I was already working remotely and working across multiple offices.
Madison Caprara:
Makes sense, it’s awesome they accommodated for a bit. You don’t see that very often.
Did the pandemic play any role in your decision to transition?
“Our Heroes Fight Monsters” | Josh Edwards
Josh Edwards:
For the most part, you hear stories of how much COVID has disrupted work/life. But for me honestly, not a whole lot changed. I’m very fortunate to live in a place where they managed to almost eliminate the spread, and I had already been working remotely for over a year. It just so happened that the pandemic shifted everyone else in the industry quickly over to what I was already doing. We did have a baby girl literally days before lockdown, being able to work from home and enjoy so much time with her has been a great gift.
Madison Caprara:
Congratulations! My sister also had a baby mid-pandemic. She VERY much valued the extra time in his early months.
So, freelance was a great move for you, is there anything you miss about being a part of a larger company though?
Josh Edwards:
Friends and community for sure. I’m a natural recluse, so I'm quite comfortable doing my thing on my own. But I also realize how incredibly beneficial it is to rub shoulders with such talented people today. I still get to do it a little, but with freelance work being mostly job-to-job, it takes out some of that consistent interaction.
Madison Caprara:
I definitely think we can all understand that feeling to a point. Even us self-ascribed introverts or home-bodies.
This industry has so many talented creatives. And now with the pandemic promoting remote working conditions, it’s even easier to collaborate with someone halfway across the world. How do you maintain that creative edge?
Josh Edwards:
The thing I love about design more than anything is that design is about problem-solving, and more often than not, that problem-solving is for someone else. I’ve always been interested in the ‘why’ of things. I was the kid that pulled cameras and toys apart to figure out how they worked and why they had been created the way that they were.
I find that it’s pretty easy to just accept things as they are, but almost always, there has been a lot of thought and reason put into something to arrive at the final result. I honestly just love the problem-solving aspect of design and being able to use processes from unrelated areas to come to an effective solution.
Madison Caprara:
Interesting, speaking more on that, in your opinion how does someone go about setting themselves apart?
Josh Edwards:
Haha, that’s a great question and to be honest, I'm not sure. I learned a long time ago, that I personally do my best work when I'm not the frontman. I’m way more productive and comfortable being a right-hand man, so I’d much rather blend in and get to work with all of those insanely talented people rather than compete against them for attention.
I know that some designers niche down and develop a ‘style’ to set themselves apart. But the reason I work in short form animation rather than film is that each project looks totally different from the last. I’d get so bored if everything I did looked the same, mostly because I feel like there are fewer design or animation problems to solve.
Madison Caprara:
A lot of creatives believe that a good motion designer should also be an excellent graphic designer. Would you agree?
Josh Edwards:
I think it definitely helps, but it's not essential. One of the things that I love about our industry is that almost everyone has a different way in, which adds so much more character and substance to what we make.
Design fundamentals are really helpful but also things like animation principles, life drawing, photography, storytelling, good transitions, sound design, and cinematography principles are all super helpful. For me, I've always loved making things, which is partly why some of my favorite jobs I've worked on are practical or mixed media. But that's not for everyone.
Madison Caprara:
Happy to get your take on that, Josh. When asked, I have been getting a wide variety of answers, but everyone always has a killer reasoning for backing it up.
If you had to choose one collaborator for a dream project, who would it be?
Josh Edwards:
It’s really hard to work out what a dream project would look like. If I think about the best jobs I've ever worked on, it’s all about the teams that I got to work with. I’ve managed to tick off working with almost all of my favorite studios. However, I would still love to line something up with Jorge R. Canedo Estrada at some point. I worked on the biggest story with him ages ago and we just haven't managed to make our schedules work.
Madison Caprara:
Sick! He’s actually one of our most anticipated speakers for The Dash Bash this fall. Jorge’s work is amazing!
I have to ask this next one of everyone, I usually find a new outlet for some inspo. Where do you go for inspiration?
Josh Edwards:
Probably the same places everyone else does, to be honest! Instagram, Pinterest, WINE after COFFEE, Stash Media. But I also like some alternative sources like leManoosh (for product design) or places like Colossal.
We are currently renovating a house that we bought at the end of last year, so I’m learning a whole lot more about building, architecture, interior design, and all the trades. Learning how to do all of it is super inspiring, and I'm sure it'll flow into my work in some way.
“Bridgespan - Narrowing The Crowd” | Josh Edwards
Madison Caprara:
Nice! Well, good luck with the house renovations! That’s always an exciting/stressful time.
To finish this off, do you have any closing advice or statements you would like to share, Josh?
Josh Edwards:
I’ve found the best thing that you can do is to solve other people's problems. Try to make the lives of the people around you easier, not more difficult. The amount of responsibility that the leaders in Motion Graphics companies carry is massive, so the more you can help them out the better everyone ends up. It's a team sport.
Madison Caprara:
Nice! So we’re reaching the end. Do you have any closing advice or statements you would like to share?
Josh Edwards:
I’ve found the best thing that you can do is to solve other people's problems. Try to make the lives of the people around you easier, not more difficult. The amount of responsibility that the leaders in Motion Graphics companies carry is massive, so the more you can help them out the better everyone ends up. It's a team sport.
Takeover Tuesday with Nocky Dinh
Q&A with Nocky Dinh: a freelance motion graphics designer and animator currently living in NYC, but originally from Vietnam.
Q&A with Nocky Dinh
Read time: 10min
“Vase” — Created by Nocky Dinh.
Madison Caprara:
Hey, Nocky! Why don’t you give me a brief introduction to yourself and your work for folks reading at home?
Nocky Dinh:
I’m Nocky Dinh and I’m currently a freelance 2D + 3D motion designer. In the past few years, I have mostly focused on 3D works. I strive to tell compelling stories with a cinematic approach and pleasing composition.
Madison Caprara:
I see you are originally from Vietnam, was there anything cultural-specific you can think of that fueled your passion for motion graphic design and animation?
“Fish Flags” — Created by Nocky Dinh.
Nocky Dinh:
Yes, I went to school for Digital Filmmaking because I was watching some Vietnamese TV shows and realized that I wanted to contribute to my country’s film industry. When I was in film school, I only took one 3D class - in Maya - and two After Effects classes. I wasn’t very good at motion graphics during my school years at all. I graduated without knowing what easy ease is, to be honest. Being an international student, if I wanted to work in the U.S., I needed to score a job that would sponsor me immediately.
At the time, I noticed that there was a demand for motion graphics, so I promoted myself as an “editor with motion graphics skills.” Luckily, I found a full-time gig a few months afterward and learned everything motion graphics-related on the job. Slowly I moved away from doing editing and focused solely on motion graphics at the company. After six years, I decided to freelance to expand my horizons.
Nocky Dinh:
Lately, I’ve been trying to fuse my cultural background into my personal projects. I’ve been chasing the Western aesthetic for so long, as I’m getting older, I realized that my own background is full of inspiration to pull from as well.
“I’ve been chasing the Western aesthetic for so long…I realized that my own background is full of inspiration to pull from...”
Madison Caprara:
Is there anything special you’re working on now that you’d like to share?
Nocky Dinh:
Yes! Aside from client work, I’m currently working on another one for the Kokeshi dolls series. I’ve made one before featuring Frida Kahlo and this new one will be focusing on Van Gogh.
I recently read that in order to know something well enough, you need to explore it more than just one or two ways. Instead of working on just a one-off idea (which I’ve done in the past), now I am exploring the concept in several ways before I make a series out of it. I highly recommend everyone trying this mindset.
Madison Caprara:
That’s an interesting way to go about re-learning the actual learning process!
What are some of the best and worst aspects of working in the motion design and animation field that you’ve experienced?
Nocky Dinh:
Best aspect: you can create anything and not be constrained to real-life physics. Working in animation makes me slow down, observe, and appreciate the small things. For example, how people walk or how cloth flutters in the wind.
Worst aspect: people think it’s easy and often underestimate how long or how difficult it is to make something from nothing. They think in minutes, while I’m thinking in frames. Not to mention the “fix-it-in-post” way of thinking.
“A Moonlit Night” — By Nocky Dinh.
Madison Caprara:
Do you typically work remotely, or have you transitioned due to the pandemic?
Nocky Dinh:
I used to do a mixture of working remotely and being on-site. My dream is to be able to work completely remotely. Commuting is a waste of time and energy. Ever since the pandemic hit and lots of studios opened up to remote working, I have been able to collaborate with people from all over the world. It’s so refreshing because you realize how big the pool of talent is when not being limited within the U.S. or Canadian borders.
Madison Caprara:
How do you stay focused? What do you perceive as your biggest distraction?
Nocky Dinh:
I must always trick myself into working for just 15 minutes. After that initial 15 minutes, then I’m able to get in the zone. Sometimes, I’ll even become so into the work, that I need to schedule an alarm to remind myself to eat lunch. Having a routine has definitely helped me get into focus mode a little easier.
My biggest distraction is social media! I often put my phone faced down during work hours if I can.
Madison Caprara:
What studio, designer, or artist - dead or alive - would you want to have a Zoom meeting with? I’d say dinner, but you know…
“you can create anything and not be constrained to real-life physics.”
“D is for Daggers” — Created by Nocky Dinh.
Nocky Dinh:
Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. I think he needs no introduction.
Madison Caprara:
When you feel stuck, or are in need of some inspiration, what - or where - are your go-to’s?
Nocky Dinh:
I discovered that my brain tends to come up with ideas when it is in a relaxed state. Often time, I have “wow why can’t I think of that before”-solutions when I’m in a shower. However, it’s unrealistic to shower 20 times a day so mind-mapping works wonders when I need to dive deeper than the low-hanging fruit ideas.
I also look into the adjacent fields of motion design - such as photography, sculpture, museum installations, fiber arts - and I subscribed to some curated websites like The Colossal, HypeBeast, AIGA Eye on Design — where they curate all sorts of cool projects in lots of different fields. It’s important to look for inspiration in places outside of the direct connections to your work. You never know what could spark interesting ideas.
Nocky Dinh:
I recently read that Joyce N. Ho went to the library to look for inspiration for the Semi Permanent title sequence and I thought that was a fantastic idea. When things are open again, I can’t wait to venture into random sections of local libraries.
Madison Caprara:
Speaking on inspiration, is there anything particularly interesting you’re reading, watching, or listening to right now?
Nocky Dinh:
I’m re-listening to a podcast called, Hardcore History: Wrath of The Khans, by Dan Carlin. I highly recommend all the podcasts from him. I’m also reading, Thoughts on Design, by Paul Rand. It’s very interesting.
Madison Caprara:
Can you share one of your personal failures and what you learned from it?
“…my brain tends to come up with ideas when it is in a relaxed state…however, it’s unrealistic to shower 20 times a day…mind-mapping works wonders when I need to dive deeper than the low-hanging fruit ideas.”
Nocky Dinh:
My Psychedelic Hot Dog poster was done in 2016 but it was the most memorable failure that I had to date. I was doing an “everyday project” challenge where I worked on one of my 3D personal projects every day (though it’s not necessary to actually finish in a single day.) I was trying to model a hot dog and at the time, I did not know what a proper UV was in 3D for texturing, so I was struggling very hard to texture the buns correctly.
I was cycling through all the projections then it hit me: “hey, if I can’t get it to work properly, why don’t I take advantage of it being NOT correct?” and so this trippy texture came about. With some design in photoshop, I was able to turn it into something really interesting. The lesson I learned here is that sometimes if you cannot get something to work generally, turn it into something that works for you.
Madison Caprara:
What about three general habits to improve workflow? Or some insightful dos and don’ts?
“The Anatomy of a Psychedelic Hot Dog” — Created by Nocky Dinh.
“my entire career was built upon personal projects. they’re not just a calling card but also an exercise to discover who you are and what your voice is.”
Nocky Dinh:
1.) Be super organized with your project files. Label all the layers and objects in your scene.
2.) Take breaks and come back to the projects later. You’ll see things you didn’t see before.
3.) Save your projects in increments! In addition, also store your current working project files on Dropbox. There are times when the ‘delete history’ of Dropbox saves the day!
Madison Caprara:
Perfect! Well, do you have any closing advice, points, or statements you would like to share?
Nocky Dinh:
Personal projects. I cannot stress how important personal projects are for freelancers. My entire career was built upon personal projects. They’re not just a calling card but also an exercise to discover who you are and what your voice is. Don’t chase what’s trendy. Focus on what you like, and you will naturally find yourself different from others.
Also, in terms of work, it’s so important to be somebody who is fun to work with. I’ve seen people getting hired consistently because they are team players and easy to collaborate with, even if their skills are not at the top level. And vice versa, super talented people not getting hired again because they are difficult to work with.