Takeover Tuesday with Zoë Soriano
Q&A with Zoë Soriano: a freelance Motion Designer + Animator currently living in Washington, DC.
Q&A with Zoë Soriano
Read time: 10min
“I put my dreams on the back burner for a while…”
Madison Caprara:
So, what originally led you to pursue a career in motion design and animation?
Zoë Soriano:
Growing up, I absolutely loved animated movies. One of my favorites was Over the Hedge. On a particularly long road trip when I was maybe eight or nine years old, I decided to watch the behind-the-scenes recap on how the movie was made. It was at that point that I realized that making animations was an actual job that people could have. Over the years, it was instilled in me that my career path should be “realistic,” meaning maths or sciences, so when it came time to pick coursework in high school, I decided to go heavy on math and took essentially all AP STEM classes while avoiding art classes like the plague.
I put my dreams on the back burner for a while and even did two years in college of math coursework before I decided to take an art class for credit my sophomore year. In that art class, I fell in love with creating and drawing; things I imagined being manifested on paper. At that point, I knew that art/animation was something I didn’t want to compromise on anymore, so I transferred to an art school and really began learning animation!
Madison Caprara:
Was there ever a point where you doubted that career path?
Zoë Soriano:
Absolutely. There were two major moments that I felt huge amounts of doubt. The first was when I first transferred to MICA — I was surrounded by so many talented folks that I was really overwhelmed. Having only taken one art class prior, I felt behind in comparison to my peers. A majority of them had been drawing since they were young, they’d been honing their skills for way longer than I had. I felt at that moment that I made a huge mistake. That I would never catch up to them.
The second major moment was after I held a couple of jobs in motion graphics, I had been working as a motion designer for about a year professionally. All the while, I felt very dissatisfied and unfulfilled. Art school really sets you up to work on projects from start to finish, to have ownership of the projects you do. I felt like I was a “pixel pusher,” just churning out keyframes like a machine. During this time, I felt I had two real choices: 1.) Go freelance and see if having more control made me feel better, or 2.) Change careers to a job that I lacked a passion for, but would ultimately pay the bills so that I could work on passion projects on the side. It was a really tough decision but I ultimately decided to go freelance and I’m so happy I did.
“Exercise 1x1” by Zoë Soriano.
Madison Caprara:
Is there any specific experience you can recall that has directly contributed to your established style or process?
Zoë Soriano:
I think as a whole, going to art school and being surrounded by so many different types of art was really formative to me. I’ve always been drawn to the motion design and animations that incorporate layering mixed-media textures, 3D elements, and 2D cel animations. I attribute it to being able to experiment with all of those mediums at MICA.
Another HUGE thing for me was working at Franc - my first job out of college. On my first day back in 2018, they asked me to create a “Welcome, Zoë” animation. I made some designs, they looked at them and really critiqued my color palette. At first, I was a bit shocked because I really liked the palette I chose, but they challenged me to pick only three or four colors and experiment with those shades. Ever since then, I’ve formed most of my color palettes around three main colors. Now, I even consider myself “strong” at colors.
“Nike: Self-Care Saturday” by Zoë Soriano.
Madison Caprara:
What has been your absolute favorite project? Tell us a bit about the creative process and subsequent reception by either the client or your personal following.
Zoë Soriano:
Ooo, this is tough because every project is my favorite as soon as I finish it! But I would say my all-time favorite project would be the first freelance piece I did when I went full-time. It was with the Miami Freedom Project - two sisters. The budget was tight, and so was the timeline, but I really put my heart and soul into it. It was the first time that someone asked me to do a project from start to finish; doing the art direction, character, designs, animation, even the sound design.
The project was about getting Latine folks in Miami to vote. MFP wanted to create this story about an Abuela and her grandson. They had a rough idea of what they wanted. The Abuela and Grandson would be going about their day and ultimately at the end, they go and vote together - socially distanced, of course (this was for the November 2020 election).
Zoë Soriano:
They sent me a bunch of photos to help shape this world — photos of their own Abuelas and trinkets to put in the scenes. Using the photos as a reference point, I created a bright and colorful palette around the vibrancy of Latine and Miami culture. Due to the quick time restraints, I opted to do more of a limited animation style and focused on creating textured and vibrant illustrations for the piece.
I look back at what I made a year ago, and while I know it’s not perfect - I can still see imperfections - I look at it quite fondly because it was something I really committed myself fully to. I really wanted to bring these characters to life and tell their story as best as I could. Miami Freedom Project absolutely loved the finished product. They actually told me that it made them really emotional (in a good way!) to see a character design based on their Abuela. Being able to evoke such strong, positive emotions is always a rewarding feeling because as an artist, all I want when someone looks at my work is to feel something.
“being able to evoke such strong, positive emotions is always a rewarding feeling because as an artist, all I want when someone looks at my work is to feel something.”
Madison Caprara:
What do you believe is the key ingredient for a consistent, successful final project?
Zoë Soriano:
Organization and clear communication are the salt and pepper for consistently successful projects! I’ve always been a fairly organized person, but once I went freelance and was in charge of a lot of my own project management, it was really important for me to make sure I had correct deadlines and that I could find all the files I needed.
Madison Caprara:
I see that you have a deep passion for activism, particularly regarding social and environmental issues. How have your personal beliefs affected projects you take on or clients you work with?
Zoë Soriano:
As an activist, it’s super important to me to put work out into the world that I feel makes a difference. When I first started off with freelance, I was very fortunate that my first project was with the Wall Street Journal for their Future of Transportation project. It opened the door for me to then work with GRTMA, the Greater Redmond Transit Management Association, where I worked on an informative project about how GRTMA was fighting for new bike lanes to be built. As someone who is passionate about environmental issues, I was really excited to take this on as I’m a huge supporter of alternative modes of transportation. When I’m really excited about a project, I really put my heart and soul into the designs.
“Miami Freedom Project: Voting Day” by Zoë Soriano.
Madison Caprara:
In the freelance game, there can be extended periods of downtime. What do you recommend doing to keep your skills sharp during these times?
Zoë Soriano:
Always learning! I’m currently in a busy period, but in December, I had a few weeks of lull and I spent the time researching new plug-ins and testing them out. It’s super important to do work for yourself during these times.
Also, it helps to maintain your routine, at least for two to three days of the week during lull periods. Replace working on client projects with learning a tutorial or doing a personal project. Non-work-related hobbies are something I really enjoy indulging in during my downtime; learning a new language or reading a good book are ways I keep my mind sharp and help me keep creative energy without actually making.
Madison Caprara:
How has the pandemic affected your access to work?
Zoë Soriano:
I went freelance during the pandemic, so far, the flow of work has been fairly steady! In 2019, I did try to do the freelance thing, but I didn’t get past 2 months before panicking that no work was coming in and decided to go back to full-time work. The pandemic has been extremely helpful for me in getting work because a lot of companies are now open to remote work, and are willing to work with folks from other states, so it’s been nice in the way that I’m not limited to my city.
“non-work-related hobbies are something I really enjoy indulging in during my downtime; learning a new language or reading a good book are ways I keep my mind sharp and help me keep creative energy without actually making.”
Madison Caprara:
Where do you go for inspiration?
Zoë Soriano:
Instagram, Behance, and Dribbble are my main sources of direct design/motion inspiration, but I also find a lot of inspiration in everyday life and other forms of art. Whenever I’m working on a personal project, I draw a lot of inspiration from my personal life which is why a lot of the stuff I do tends to be character-based. I also collect “Art of _____” books - I have all the Disney and Pixar books, and am beginning my collection of Studio Ghibli books. The concept art in these books is quite incredible and the color palettes inspire me greatly.
Madison Caprara:
Favorite and least favorite aspect of this industry?
Zoë Soriano:
Favorite: Community - being able to talk with folks about their experiences and their willingness to share.
Least favorite: The hold system and how male-dominated the industry is.
Madison Caprara:
Do you have any closing advice, points, or statements you would like to share?
Zoë Soriano:
Remember to take time outside of work to cultivate your hobbies and relationships! Having breaks from work is essential for your mental health.