Takeover Tuesday Scott Hoch
An interview with Scott Hoch: a freelance motion designer from Detroit, Michigan.
Q&A with Scott Hoch.
Read time: 5min
Matea Losenegger:
Hi Scott! Can you introduce yourself and explain what you do?
Scott Hoch:
Howdy! Thanks for having me, I’m stoked to be here. My name is Scott, I’m a freelance motion designer from Detroit, Michigan. I also teach digital animation part time at my alma mater, College for Creative Studies (CCS). I like birds, movies, coffee, and making pixels move on screens. Lately I’ve been really thinking about my identity as an artist and where I want to go from here. It’s the beginning of the year so it’s a time of self reflection. I'd say you reaching out to me was good timing because I wanna talk about it!
Matea Losenegger:
What sparked your interest in design and animation?
Scott Hoch:
As long as I can remember I’ve loved drawing and making people smile. I drew all through elementary school, designed t-shirts for my friends' screamo bands in high school, and after that I got an animation degree from CCS. My ambitions were never really focused, I only knew I wanted to do creative work, make a decent living, and make others happy. At one point in college I MAYBE thought I could move to LA, work in TV or feature animation as an artist. Maybe even direct movies. It turns out LA is super competitive and the housing market is a complete joke. If I didn't get a job after graduation I'd be completely screwed but I did not want to move across the country away from my family to MAYBE get a job that hardly covers rent not to mention my debt. I needed to find a different path.
It was around this time that I was introduced to both After Effects and the Detroit Mograph community. Not only was I hooked on this program that could seemingly make magic happen at the push of a button; there was a whole industry outside my front door welcoming me with open arms. There really is something special about a bunch of Midwestern nerds all into the same nerdy shit as you. I instantly felt like I belonged. Soon after I graduated I got an internship as a motion designer for a mortgage company where I learned the ins and outs of the studio system. Two years later, Julie Craft convinced me (and the rest of Boxfort basically) to quit my job and go freelance.
I'm so happy that I didn't have to move away from home to be an animator. Detroit has such a unique identity that is a part of me; I don't know if I’d fit in anywhere else. It’s the perfect sized city, not too big, not too small and there’s lots of nature in the area too! There are so many more artists and creative folks here than anyone would guess because that part isn’t talked about nearly as much in the news. Heck, I didn’t even know it until I was in college. I love Detroit, I could go all day but I’ll leave it at that. Come visit!
Opening shot from Scott’s Demo Reel.
Matea Losenegger:
What’s it like being a part of an animation collective like Boxfort and how often do you all get to collaborate?
Scott Hoch:
It’s the BEST! At its core Boxfort is just a coworking space that a group of friends share so we don’t go crazy working from home all the time. Though, to be honest, I only go in a few times a week. One of my goals this year is to go more often regardless of if I’m booked or not. It’s a wonderful space with cool vibes, hacky sack, movie nights and, yes, there is LaCroix in the fridge. As far as collaboration we all work on such different projects it’s not common that we collaborate on client projects. Sometimes 2 or 3 of us can work together on a larger project but we’ve never truly staffed up to work on a big campaign like a studio would. I think we all prefer being independent. I also think we prefer putting our collaborative potential into short films and music videos. Deep down we’re all storytellers and we love working together to make our ideas a reality. I know all of us at Boxfort are itching to produce more shorts this year so stay tuned!
Matea Losenegger:
You have a slick, succinct reel with a strong intro and outro. What was the thought process behind it and what would you say makes a compelling reel overall?
Scott Hoch:
Maybe an obvious answer but thanks to the internet age everyone’s attention span has been completely obliterated. People can process information really really fast these days which means they can also get bored really fast. I read somewhere that art directors will know within 15 seconds of a reel if they’re going to hire someone. I have no idea if that’s true but why risk it? The intro and outro is one of my happy places. I think everyone should keep a list of their most favorite places and memories. Whenever I have trouble drawing something I just think of clouds, trees, water, sand, lots of stuff! A lot of my art is very intuitive, my hand takes me where my heart wants to go. I love the beach, I love the way it makes me feel. When people watch my reel I want them to be sucked in by the cool ocean breeze and calm waves right before I bombard them with crazy visuals. Then as soon as the reel is really getting you amped up it’s over and we’re looking at a nice pretty wave again. You gotta ease in and ease out amirite?
Half Rez 8 Opening Titles
Matea Losenegger:
I really love the use of color across your portfolio. What is your strategy in creating a successful palette?
Scott Hoch:
There are tons of sites that will show color palettes from different movies or from nature that you can use and I think over time I’ve gotten a better sense for making my own. Coolors.co is a really great site to generate quick palettes that work well together. I'm also fortunate to work with a lot of incredible illustrators that are much better with color than I am. Perhaps from animating their designs I've gotten better at color from osmosis. Honestly I never thought of myself as having good colors so I really appreciate you saying that!
Matea Losenegger:
Is there a particular type of project you like to work on?
Scott Hoch:
Any project where I can collaborate with kind talented people are the ones I like best. Seeing others bring their A game inspires me to do my best. It also helps when my values align with the mission of the company I’m working for. Beggars can’t be choosers in the freelance world but I definitely feel better when I believe the work I’m doing is helping people. I’ve been fortunate to provide animation services to some non profits in the area and would love to do more “good” work with the skills I have.
Matea Losenegger:
Who would be your dream client or artist to collaborate with?
Scott Hoch:
As an avid birder I would do anything to work with the National Audubon Society. Conservation is a very important cause to me and I would be over the moon if any of my work someday helps with wildlife conservation efforts. Lower down the list but still big dream clients for me would be any climate change organizations, any local Detroit businesses or even small coffee brands. So if any Detroit coffee shops that do charity work for birds by tackling climate change are reading this, I’m your guy.
Shot from Scott’s Abstract Waving Loops
Matea Losenegger:
As a seasoned freelancer, what are some of the challenges and benefits that come along with the lifestyle?
Scott Hoch:
I'm sure you've heard this a thousand times but the biggest benefit of freelance can also be its biggest challenge. You are your own boss. It's up to you to keep yourself busy working on your business both on the clock and off. Your schedule is more flexible but you're constantly thinking about your next gig, your taxes, networking, healthcare, retirement, death, taxes, marketing yourself, editing that reel you'll never finish, social media, taxes, etc etc etc. It's a good gig if you've up for the challenge but it's not for everyone. I love being freelance but I'm not sure what the end game is and can see myself going staff one day if the stars align.
Matea Losenegger:
Do you have any advice for aspiring creatives or freelancers out there?
Scott Hoch:
I think art can be an addiction much like any passion. When you're young you're filled with so much anxious energy to create as much work as possible to improve and hopefully get a job. It's good to light a fire under you for a while. But someday that light is going to burn you and if you're not careful it could completely engulf you. Take breaks. Go on trips. Spend time with your loved ones. Art isn't worth sacrificing your health for. I tell my students this all the time but the immense pressure they’re put under, the greatness we expect from them, it’s no wonder why so many artists are nervous wrecks.
In this modern world we live in, everything has been commoditized and our eyeballs are currency. Companies are competing to get the most eyeballs to watch their thing for 6 to 30 seconds before they click or swipe away. I keep saying I’m an artist, that we are artists but that isn’t true. We are content creators. Just throwin’ more chum into the garbage disposal that is the internet. I’ve spent so much of my time in recent years fixing my relationship with art. How does one create something worth anything in a world that’s on fire? What’s the point? And don’t even get me STARTED on AI art.
Clearly I have a ways to go but I feel hopeful for the future somehow. Maybe the point is to defiantly do what makes you happy against all odds. There is still a lot of beauty out there in the world and I want to capture it. Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. I came up with that quote, don't look it up.
Mograph Mondays - Detroit
Matea Losenegger:
What does 2023 look like for you? Are there any projects you’re excited about?
Scott Hoch:
My schedule is actually wide open right now as far as client work is concerned (cough cough hit me up). I think 2023 is going to be a big year of growth for me. The last few years I’ve felt a bit stagnant with my personal art (see above, re: world on fire) but I’ve been taking some online courses and drawing in my sketchbook more lately. Turns out art IS still fun! I really want to add more storytelling to my work like a concept artist would. I want to play with lighting and color and value. Heck, maybe I’ll take up gouache. I feel like I’m finally ready to open the door to growth and the world feels wide open to me again. We’re always told to stay curious and enjoy ourselves but it’s easier said than done. Thank you again so much for reaching out to me and giving me the opportunity to chat! I hope everyone has a great 2023!
Matea Losenegger:
This was great! Thanks, Scott.