Mack Garrison 5/12/23 Mack Garrison 5/12/23

Meet the speakers: Ariel Costa

An interview with Ariel Costa AKA Blink My Brain: an Emmy award winning Creative / Animation (mixed-media) Director based in Los Angeles, CA.

Q&A hosted by Mack Garrison.

Read time: 15min

Mack:

Ariel! Welcome. We're thrilled to have you come to The Dash Bash!.

Ariel:

I'm honored.

Mack:

I'd love to find out where Blink My Brain started. What's the idea for it? Where did you get the idea that you can make the weirdest stuff out there and make it commercially viable?

Ariel:

But it's not for all brands. I'm aware of that, but that's okay. I passed the point that I was trying to fit in and trying to make my craft more popular. When I mean popular, I mean more accessible for clients.

I've been working with Motion Graphics for almost 15 years now. It's been a while. During this timeframe I've been trying to explore and do all kinds of animation. I dove my feet into 3D a little bit, and cel animation. But collage was always part of me because I remember when I was a kid, I usually cut out characters from my mother's magazines to make action figures.

Mack:

Oh, cool. That's cool.

Ariel:

Yeah. That was super fun. Eventually, I started to draw my own characters. I had my own studio back in Brazil. I ran my studio for four and a half years. I figured that I was becoming more of a manager, a business guy.

It's natural because if you have a studio, of course you need to count on smarter people to do the job for you because you're going to be busy doing other stuff, taking care of people. It's more about making everyone in your environment happy to produce good stuff.

It’s better now, but during the time, motion graphics was something very new for the entire world, and especially in Brazil. The agencies back there, they didn't know how to work properly and how to ask for some motion graphics work. So that made my life at the time very miserable because we already had the Motionographer and all the websites.

We used to have way more websites at the time, to get references, to be inspired. I was feeling very hungry to produce those kinds of things.

The combination of not having the opportunity from the agencies in Brazil to do that, and my managing role that I had to take at the time made me very miserable inside. So, I was not happy at all.I wanted to develop my craft. I wanted to do something cool. I was always looking for everyone's work and getting inspired. I said, okay, now I want to be doing this stuff. I want to produce. I want to create.

I decided to leave my studio. I built up a website, with a bunch of fake ads. Now I know that people call it spec works, but at the time, it was completely fake stuff. I put a bunch of well-known brands in there, like Nike and stuff. I did some side frames, just so I can show people what I was capable of doing. I just wanted to send out some portfolios.

I bought a flight ticket to Los Angeles. I just said, okay, I'm going to just toss the coin and see what happens. I sent work to a couple of studios and said, "Okay guys, I have this ticket already. I'll be in LA next week. I would love to schedule a conversation with you."

Luckily for me, at the time, professionals like motion graphics artists were in a very high demand, but there was not a lot of people doing this kind of stuff. I got a call for a couple of studios. I luckily got a job. I came here to the United States. I worked for this nice studio called Roger. From Roger, I felt like I needed to expand more of my stuff because to me, it's always about learning. It's always about connecting with people and trying to absorb the skills. It's about evolving. I don't want to be better than anyone else. I just want to be better than I was yesterday. I'm doing it for me, for myself, for my soul. I want to learn. I feel happy, I feel alive when I'm learning something new, when I'm out of my comfort zone. I decided, okay, let me just give it a shot. I'll send some of my stuff to Buck. I got a nice response from Buck. Then, I luckily was hired. I worked at Buck for two and a half years. Then again, I think I was not designed to be staff.

Mack:

Sure.

Ariel:

For some people, it works and it's fine. Whatever works for you. It's not for me because I like the freedom that I have, to do whatever I want, to have my time.

Anyways, Buck, I feel like it was the school that I never had in my whole life. I had the chance to meet such amazing people, not just talented folks, but incredible people and friends that I carry up to today.

It was an amazing experience for me. But after two and a half years, it felt like, okay, I feel like it's time for my next leap. I know that I don't want to be searching for another studio for me to work.

Blink My Brain, it started as a joke. I wanted to create the Blink My Brain as a website of references.

I wanted to do something like that because Blink My Brain, to me, is something that you get so focused on something that you love. You were watching those references. It just got paralyzed. You were asking for someone, "Please. I felt like my brain just froze. Please, can you just blink my brain so I can come back to life?," something like that.

I always loved this name. I decide, okay, and I want to go as a freelancer, but I don't want to go as a regular freelancer. I wanted to be more like a problem solver, rather than just a tool.

I don't want to go to studios and just be the after-effects guy, pulling buttons here and there. I want to operate more as, it's a one-man studio. I always tell my clients, "I can operate according to your project. So if your project demands me to hire more people to help me out, I can scale and I can get those people. I can get a producer."

I just want to be a problem solver. I want to just offer my services as more of a creative director. Also, I can provide you all the tools you need, but without the hassle.I don't want to compromise myself, of having a studio again and becoming a manager again. I'm okay if I can become a manager for a couple projects, but I don't want that to be my main role.

Mack:

So prior to starting all of this, this endeavor, what were you doing in Brazil that got you in motion design?.

Ariel:

Man, I always knew that I wanted to do something involving creativity. I had a lot of phases in my life. There was a point I wanted to do comic books. There was another point that I wanted to do painting.

Something that I carried for a very long time, when I was trying to discover myself in a creative way, is my desire to become a live action director. I always wanted to become a live action director because I wanted to tell stories.

There was something about the camera, the lenses, how it can capture and frame an action or something. That was very appealing to me. It was more like, deep inside of me, I always loved the design of a shot, the design of the composition, the lighting, the entire thing. I love the structure to create a very appealing image, something that was very, very, very nice. In Brazil, we don't have a lot of... of course, at the time, didn't have a lot of film schools. I ended up doing media art back in Brazil. They have these television programs where you can be behind cameras. Eventually, you can move yourself to a director to the commercials and stuff like that. That was my main plan.

They have a channel in Brazil, that’s just for colleges. So, every college has its own show in there. So, I got this internship there. The only role that they had at that time was to create the promo, the graphics and the opening for the shows and stuff like that. It was after effects, this weird software that I had to learn in, I don't know, two weeks. It was fun. It was a fun, scary moment. But once I figured out the possibilities, I completely fell in love with its abilities. In my mind was, okay, I'm able to make cinema here without needing this big crew.

Mack:

So you're running your own shop again. I know there's probably things you want to do differently. You knew what you didn't like. You wanted to lean into what you like, which I'm sure comes back to this very unique style. Did you know that when you started Blink My Brain that you were going to lean into this particular style?

Ariel:

Nope. That's the thing. I knew what I wanted, but I didn't know what I was, who I was. That was two different things. First, I knew that I wanted to become independent. Once I decided to leave Buck, I did what everyone that wanted to get work to do. You do a portfolio, make a portfolio.

I made my portfolio. I showed to a couple of friends. They told me, "Ariel, that's cool. It's an amazing portfolio, but I feel like this portfolio, it's not you. This is Buck."I look at and say, "You are absolutely right. I love the work that I did at Buck, but it's hard for me to show to other people what I can offer because this is not my portfolio." There's a bunch of other people working on the same project that I was working.

So, I decided to come up with a personal project and something that I was... it needed to be completely different of what Buck was doing at the time.

Then I brought back the collage kind of thing. It's something that, it's not shell animation, it's not so organic. I wanted to do something monochromatic. Buck, it was all about colors, all about gradients and stuff. Then I decided, okay, I want to do a piece of art. I was watching Seven, Dave Lynch. So I thought, man, that could be cool. That could be really, really interesting.I came up with this concept of... it's not more like a storytelling, but it's more like a concept. It's a representation of the seven deadly sins. So I decided, okay, let's do something different. I want to do something very provocative, very shocking and something that it's not... I want to be totally the opposite of what Buck is doing because Buck was doing something that was very, not just...How can I say? Of course, it was beautiful, but it's kind of kids friendly. I want to do something very, very opposite, very aggressive, very-

Mack:

Edgy. Different.

Ariel:

It's like a statement. I'm here and I'm not here for bullshitting. I just wanted to show attitude. I just want to show something different. So, yeah. Then I created these project scenes and I put it out there. I was really, really surprised with the reception.

Mack:

I'm assuming that it just starts to grab and garner attention. People are like, what is this? Did you land some big clients right off the bat from that?

Ariel:

Yeah, from that. Luckily for me, I brought back to life this passion for collage. I found, okay, now this is something that I really enjoy doing. I want to do something more focused into that.

The idea of creating this contrast between the vintage, like old photos, with the modern, put them in a digital, manipulate, mix it up with something else and create something, give a different life to an old photo. To me, it was very interesting. After that, I received this email from Warner Music. They saw this piece, Sins. "Man, I saw this piece and I feel like you could be a good fit to do a music video for a band," at the time, like Green Day. I saw, man, really? Oh, that's cool. So, I did a little treatment. They liked it. Then I did the music video for Green Day.

After that, my name passed along inside Warner and went to Rhino, which is a sister company from Warner. They usually take care of the most old school bands. At the time, Led Zeppelin, they were about to release their... it's a box with the best of the best of shows.

Mack:

Oh, yeah. Like a box set. Yeah. Yeah.

Ariel:

Yeah, a box set. It's a BBC release. It was something big for the company. They wanted me to create a music video for one of the songs. That would be part of the campaign of release.

They invited me to do something for Led Zeppelin, which was awesome for me. It was surreal. Even today to me, something that I cannot believe that I had a chance to work with Led Zeppelin. I thought it was impossible because they're no longer a band. But it was a great moment because even though they're no longer a band, the brand Led Zeppelin, for me to working with them and getting feedback, from the band, it was amazing. After that, I had a chance to work with some incredible other clients, that I'm very grateful to be on this journey. Yeah.

Mack:

So you come up with this edgy aesthetic. It lands the Green Day music, lands the Led Zeppelin endeavor. I'm sure stuff starts to roll in. Now all of a sudden you're in this. You've defined the look for yourself. You've created this edgy persona.If you look at your website right now, the first thing that you see is fuck average. That's the first thing that you see on the site. Right?

Ariel:

Yes.

Mack:

I mean, it is bold. It is in your face. I always find myself giving critiques to students who are trying to get in the space. "Put the work on your website that you want to do. If you don't want to do that work, don't put it on your website."

Ariel:

That's it. That's it, man. That's it.

Mack:

So, here I am looking at your site. It's got this aggressive but confident mentality. There is a very clear style. Now you're in it. So, I'm assuming that the clients who do reach out to you now, they get it. They don't question that aggression that comes with it because that's who you are. Is that right?

Ariel:

I did a couple of projects that were still simulating what Buck was doing and was trying to understand that. I was pushing myself. I think it was a naive and very young part of myself, trying to discover himself. I was trying to compete with people on Instagram and say, "Oh my God. Now that guy did this. I need to do something similar, but better or similar but with different colors."

I was seeing projects that other people were doing. Oh my God, I wanted to do that. Why didn't I come up with it? It was a battle that I was having with myself. It was a very poisonous kind of thing, relationship, with me and my work. I was not happy at all with that.

Once I started to stop caring... not caring, but stop trying to be someone else, I told you, okay, now I want to do what I want to do. I don't care what other people would think about my work.

I want to do what makes me happy. I'm going to stop doing this, and I want to do what... I'm going to stop mimicking other people. I'm just going to be real to myself. That's when I found, really, joy.

Of course, I still see work of other people and I think, oh my God, it's amazing. It's beautiful. But this is not something that I want to do. This is not something that I want to mimic. I love seeing other people’s work out there. Now I feel like I'm more mature. I know how to appreciate other people's work.

Mack:

Well, it's really interesting because social media can be amazing because it connects us with all these artists, all these different shops, all these studios. You get all this great inspiration. You see this amazing stuff. But it can also be toxic because all you see is amazing stuff.

Ariel:

That's it. That's it. It's light. It's light. It's beautiful. My creative process, every time that I'm trying to create a concept for a project, I'm just seeing things that, it's not related to motion graphics. I'm just seeing science books or anything that is nothing related to the work we do. That helped me a lot, to see the possibilities that I have. I'm not limited to just one thing. I can spread my stuff elsewhere. It's fun.

Mack:

You've done such a good job of creating this space for yourself and who you are, your brand. You have a very distinctive style, and you're happy with the stuff you're making. I know that as creatives, one of the things that we all navigate with and struggle with is burnout. Right?

Ariel:

Burnout is something that will happen. To me, it's just like exercising. You might love doing exercise. You might love to work out, lifting weights, lifting weights. But if you train every day, your biceps, you're going to overtrain sometime. You're going to have muscle fatigue out of that. It's the same thing with our brain. No matter if you love what you're doing, but if you are doing in a very constant way and if you're dealing with stress...Because in the end of the day, it's about the client's needs. I know I create this craft, but I tend to do sometimes projects that I'm not creatively proud of, but we have to pay the bills. It's normal. It's part of the industry.

Now that I'm almost in my forties, things that have usually upset me in the past, they don't upset me anymore because I know how to deal with that. I know how to recognize when I'm leaning towards the burnout path. I tend to avoid that. But it happens, for sure, for sure.

Mack:

I think it's just being in tune with who you are, how you're feeling and to acknowledge it. I think sometimes we put a lot of pressure on ourselves as creatives, to be creative on demand.

We’ve talked a little bit about your past, the beginnings, what you were doing in the middle years, where you are now. But what I'd love to end this conversation with, Ariel, is a little bit of the future, thinking ahead.

We're in this really weird and kind of unique space of motion design. Technology is making things easier than ever, but it's also introducing some controversial things, like AI, the generated art, the ChatGPT, what's come out. As you think about Blink My Brain in the future, are you excited about these new technologies and how you can use it in your work? Or does it make you nervous with how automated it is?

Ariel:

I have mixed feelings about all of these. At one point, I see that could be a really nice tool for you to create some sort of inspiration or to create color palettes, to create maybe some textures out of that or things like that. But it bothers me that people are putting out something that they just typed in a prompt and they just proclaim themselves as AI artists.

Everyone is free to do whatever they want. Again, I passed the point of judging people, but this could be a really dangerous path, if you think about it.

One of my friends told me that one agency in Brazil just fired 20 people, just to be doing things with AI. So, they're doing AI for commercial release now. They're using the AI creation. This is something that I'm not pro. I like the idea, of course, you can generate whatever you want and just post it, whatever you want.

But again, I feel like this should be used as a source of inspiration and not as a source of making money. I posted the other day that I lost a pitch for a guy that did AI.

Mack:

I saw that.

Ariel:

Yeah. I spent, I don't know, two weeks doing a treatment for that.

It was for a band, a band that's supposed to be all for creativity. It's an art, craft, just like we all are doing the animation. They decided to go with the AI. I saw the result the other day. It was the most generic kind of... The visuals, it's very similar to everything that you are seeing out there. They just generated the same frame five times, putting in sequence. Every scene is just a version of that shot. That felt weird to me.

Mack:

To me, it's the originality that comes along with that, using the tool for inspiration, using the tool to build off new ideas and to push the boundaries of what's possible with the accent to help with that direction.

But as soon as you look at it as a replacement... Like the agency you mentioned, that let go of the 20 staff members, a replacement, the band that looks at it through the lens of, this can be our music video, a replacement.

You get to this negative space. That's where it's this constant churning of just the same old, same old. It's not new. That's what I said. It just feels like it's being borrowed from what's out there. I don't like that.

Ariel:

It's not a tool. It's doing the work for you. You're not doing anything. You're just typing shit in the prompter. It is a tool once you use that as a source of inspiration, again, as you can create. I want to spark some ideas for new characters or for color palette. I just want to see what I can come up with. That is a tool. But once you use the results, the outcomes of these typings into your work and you post it and you say, "Okay, I'm a AI artist," that's not a tool. That's a fucked up thing.

Mack:

I think with the originality of an artist and pushing that and being more different, it even highlights the importance of more artists finding their own Blink My Brain, like you did. Because finding your style, finding something that's unique for you and pushing that forward is more important than ever, as these tools are generating more commonalities in the space.

Ariel:

I feel like to me, I'm kind of oversaturated with this AI thing. I don't even use the Midjourney. I used to use Midjourney for a source of inspiration and things like that, just to come up with some ideas for colors and stuff. But it felt so saturated because now everyone, no matter what prompt you put in there, it feels like everything's the same. So, I just stepped away from these directions. I don't think, again, it's for me. Yeah. I'm not against it, but I don't support it if you use it in the wrong way.

Mack:

Yeah. I feel the same way. It's going to be an interesting future.

Ariel, just wanted to say thank you so much for hanging out with me and we’re excited to have you at the Bash.

Ariel:

It's going to be amazing. It's going to be amazing, dude.

Mack Garrison 5/4/23 Mack Garrison 5/4/23

Meet the speakers: John Roesch

An interview with John Roesch: Lead Foley Artist at Skywalker Ranch and co-founder of Audible Bandwidth Productions.

Q&A hosted by Meryn Hayes & Cory Livengood.

Read time: 15min

Meryn:

Meryn Hayes: For those who don't know you, could introduce yourself.

John:

Sure. My name is John Roesch and I'm a professional Foley artist that has been working in the film business for almost 44 years now. Playing in a big sandbox, making sounds that if I do my job right, you don't know I've done.

Meryn:

Foley is one of those jobs that people don't tend to appreciate until they hear a movie without it. We're really glad that you're joining us to talk about such an important part of the entertainment industry not many people know about.

*Where the Sounds From the World's Favorite Movies Are Born - WIRED*

John:

Well, I'm glad I am too because like you say, Thor is running towards saving the day, so to speak, and we're close up on his feet and he's running really fast. And wait a minute, if there's no sound there, I'd be like, "Is this guy really a hero?" Or same thing for a gal. So our contribution, and of course we're a small spoke on a big wheel, can lend credence to giving a sense of reality because of course, as we know, all filmmaking is just that, it's smoke and mirrors. But we want to make sure that you, the audience, feel that you're completely immersed in it and it's "real" to you.

Cory:

I'm curious about how you found yourself in this part of the filmmaking process. I know you dabbled in acting and directing at a younger age, how did those skills translate to Foley if they do at all? And how did you end up in your big sandbox, as you say.

John:

I was an actor in high school and I went to NYU film school and then I went to the American Film Institute thinking I'll be a director. And just so happened that a gal that did my script supervision for the one AFI film I did, she said, "Hey John, I need help doing sound."

And next thing I know they look around and say, "Well, this guy's got sneakers. Are you a runner?" I said, "Yeah." A guy goes, "Well, this film has running in it. Come to the Foley stage." What is that? The Foley stage? "Come to the Foley stage." Okay. So I show up and they say, "See that guy on the screen there?" Yeah. "Okay, run for him." All right, so I ran across the room. They said, "No, no, no, you have to run in front of the microphone. Like, "Oh, I see." They're going to record the sound. I went home that night and I thought, "That is the stupidest job ever."

And next thing I know, I get a call from her husband, Emile and he said, "Hey, I really like what you did. Can you come in tomorrow to this other stage, do Foley?" I thought, "Okay, I guess." So I'm leaving my place in Venice, California and I had a convertible, I was backing up and, oh, there's the landlady. "Hey Joaney, how you doing?" She says, "Hey Johnny, where are you going?" I said, "I'm going to the Foley stage." She's not going to know what that is.

Cory:

Yeah, of course!

John:

She says, "Hey, that's what I do. They just fired somebody there. Maybe they'll hire you."

Cory:

Your landlady?

John:

I thought, "Man, has this got kooky or what?" I'm not so sure. So I said, "Yeah, okay, sure. Thanks, Joan." So I drive off and do that. I get home and on my answering machine, the low budget film I was going to AD got pushed back out to three months and rent was going to be coming due. I thought, "Well, maybe I'll just call Joan and just see what happens." And that was 44 years ago.

Cory:

That's incredible.

John:

To answer the second part of your question, it indeed is important to have a bit of the thespian in you because the hardest thing to do are actually footsteps, to give them life. And to do that, you have to kind of act, if you will, that part of whoever's on camera. Are they a little drunk? Are they the hero or heroine or are they the bad guy or the villain? You're trying to embody something that's not there. You're trying to give soul to something that's not there. And that really comes from acting. So yeah, there you go.

Cory:

Yeah, that's interesting. Anytime I've seen video, probably of you before we met, of course, on television of Foley being created, it always felt very performative to me, like an actor in a way. And almost no matter what sound is being created, it's always very interesting.

John:

Yeah, it is by definition. In fact, it's called Foley named after Jack Foley, that is, in deference to him. But it was not called that. It was called the sync effects or the sync sound effects or the sync stage, or actually the A stage was a stage where they did a lot of what we now call Foley. But the true definition of Foley is custom sound effects. That's a differential between a jet plane's engines going by and then somebody grabbing the throttles with their hands and pushing them forward to make sure they clear the obstacle in the distance. Grabbing the throttles is unique to that moment in that film on a per-film basis, whereas the engine spool up, that might come from a library, it could be used in many films. But Foley has uniqueness all unto itself, hence the, as you just said, the performance aspect to it.

Cory:

Do you recall seeing or hearing a film that really inspired you from an auditory perspective when you were sort of starting your career?

John:

Oh, I say 2001 would have to be one of those. Just the way it's portrayed. Space and all that sound kind of in the background and then bursting into the back into the craft. And there's no sound there. I mean, it really kind of leapt forward for me, and I'll tell you all this now, I didn't really pay that much attention to sound until I got into Foley. I was more interested in like, "Okay, how do you block this scene?"

But of course, as time goes along, in fact the measure for me, if I'm watching a film and I start picking apart the Foley, that means I don't like the film.

Meryn:

Is there a particular project looking at the portfolio of work that you've done in your 45 years that you hold as one of your favorite projects or a few different favorite projects, and what would be on that list?

John:

I'd say there are three or four if I could go into that many. One of the hardest ones was a picture called The Abyss and that dealt with a lot of underwater water. And that's extremely difficult because that's an all-encompassing sucking of the frequencies, if you will. So we had to really experiment with that to come up with what's going to work. And of course, James Cameron, you do not want to disappoint him. And I've got a story which I'll probably hold back, maybe I'll share it during the meet and greet. We'll see.

Cory:

Now I'm curious.

John:

Good. I’ll whet your appetite. Another one, and I'll kind of put those two together would be Back to the Future, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit,. We’d been in a bit of an arc where Foley was really not used that much. And during those years, I call them the Camelot years of Foley, we were given license to do everything.

So when the plutonium is being sucked into the plutonium motor, if you will, on the back of the DeLorean, that was us using glass and certain effects in even a blooping sound. If you take a cardboard tube and you kind of hit it on one end, it can make a [bloop sound]. Things like that, which typically you wouldn't do in a film.

And Who Framed Roger Rabbit, there again too. You had not only humans walking, but you had toons. So we had to do a whole section from them, not only their footsteps, but their props. And that was really just a whole heck of a lot of fun.

One that I think is very important, would be Schindler's List because that's a period of history which we should never forget, I think.

And of course these days talking about animation, Soul is a particular project which I'm absolutely thrilled with. It really embodied a lot of things that are difficult to do for animation, and they were just so beautifully done. And I'm not talking about our aspect per se, although we had a chance, again, we had the time to do it.

And of course, you could take a Marvel film, something big, over the top. Think Guardians of the Galaxy type thing. So those are fun.

And last but not least, there would be what I'll call the student film. And I did a film many years ago called In The Bedroom and Todd Field was the director. And that was something we really did kind of bootstrap that not having much money, if any. And we did that kind of in the off hours because I believe that I... I saw it and I knew this is an incredibly good piece. By the way, if you haven't seen it, I would recommend it. This guy's going on to direct Tár and he's up for six Academy Awards.

Cory:

When you first get a project, walk us through what that process is from the very beginning when you're just starting up until you get to “we're in the studio now, we're making the sounds”.

John:

Okay. Well, we like to beforehand get a look at the film if possible. If we can't look at the film, we would at least like to get notes from the director. And there's something called a supervising Foley editor, he, she, or they, that are given guidance by the supervising sound editor, sound designer. Like, "Okay, in reel one, we want to cover these feet. We want to have you do the pickup of the special sword, yada, yada, yada."

So they will impart that information to us and also talk about the design of it, so to speak. Let's say in animation, if it's a cat running around, if it's a main character, even if there's not a little license or bell or something on it, we might try to cheat something there to give it life. But is that contrary to what the director wants? And then when the day comes we start, we'll look at the reel again and we'll have what are called queue sheets. Which will detail out Heidi on channel one, Dave on channel two, Christo the Cat on three. It'll detail out what we need to do. Footsteps first, then prompts, and then movement, if any.

When I say movement, it could be a leather jacket, which is... Let's see, a Guardian's [of the Galaxy], they wear those type of things, so that would be a separate prop. Whereas if we're just covering general movement, let's say for an animated feature, we might just do a one pass cover.. And that's how we proceed during the day.

And it could be that the director said, "I'm not really sure how I want Sally's footsteps to sound there and overall the feeling of her character." So we might try variations, we might try tests. So we'll do test A, B, C, D and just send them off. We won't say what we used. Test A's a tennis shoe, test B is gloves. We'll just send them off and then the director or whoever will get back to us and give us their feedback and we'll go from there. And that'll be established throughout the film.

Cory:

And how closely are you working with the director? Or is there any case where you're working with the music composer or is that a pretty separate situation?

John:

Typically, music and Foley, the twain don't meet. The only time they do in a sense would be, let's say with David Fincher, because he's very involved in all aspects. So he'll make sure that Trent Reznor or whoever is doing the sound is involved with Ren Klyce, who's typically who he uses. And then they will filter down to us what they need.

So typically we'll start a film, let's say... I don't know any of the recent films. Strange World. And maybe a week into it, they'll fly up to Skywalker [Sound] and sit down with us and play some stuff back. They'll play back some of the Foley and review it and if there's any changes, let us know. Now, mind you, again, if there's something we think we're really not sure about, we'll send a test down first to make sure we're on the right track, because time is of the essence.

Meryn:

And what about in terms of how long a project might take? I mean, I know it's a process, but say for Strange World, for example, I mean are we talking weeks or is it a one week and you're done or is it months?

John:

No, it's typically two days, maybe three days a reel. Now, Strange World, if I recall correctly, I think that was 18 days, all told. Whereas the last picture we just did, unfortunately, I can't name it. It's volume three, I can say that. I think that was 20 days altogether. And Pixar films tend to be even longer, like 25 days, which is really necessary because again, in animation you can get away with things that you really can't do in live action to some degree, which is wonderful.

Meryn:

I love that you said 18 days was long because in my head I was like, "That feels very short." So I think that's just a good reference point.

John:

Well, I don't know that I'd say it's long, but I'd say that probably is enough. I mean, given our druthers for animation, any project that comes in, we'd like 25 days because then we know it's going to get covered. And we also work of course on commercials, on video games, and a little bit of television that is streaming. Worked on Andor. That was three or four days per episode, if I recall correctly, which was necessary. Again, because I have a lot going on there. But if you're a Star Wars fan, I highly recommend that.

Meryn:

Yes, we are big fans.

Cory:

Maybe one of the best Star Wars shows that's been put out there yet. In my opinion, anyway.

John:

I would agree and I think season two's going to be even better.

Cory:

That's great. Looking forward to it. I'm sure you won't give us any spoilers, but...

John:

My lips are sealed.

Cory:

Well, speaking of Star Wars, I mean, I'm definitely curious about your process when you're coming up with the sound for something that's totally fictional. A laser gun or a spaceship or something that doesn't exist.

John:

When I see something on the screen, I hear its sound, so then I try to translate in my mind, well how do I create that sound? So like you say, if I'm picking up a weapon that's specialized or loading it, what would that sound like? And is it a used world like Star Wars or is it a clean world like Star Trek?

I'm going to want to embody the world itself and stay within those contexts, within those confines, I should say. And of course, the great thing with Foley, there's no rules. The only rule is there are no rules. So you can try something. If it doesn't work, do something else. That's the beauty of it. And so that would be in essence the process.

Meryn:

Is this a professional hazard where you're just going about your day, you're in your kitchen and you put a cup down and then you hear something and you're just like, "Yeah, I need to write that down 'cause that sounds like..." Your friends and family just like, "Oh, John's always stopping what he's doing and he's writing down that piece of paper that fell, sounds like a bird's wings or..."

John:

Every once in a while, something will happen where something will be delivered or who knows what, and it gets pushed a certain way and moved a certain way and I go, "Wow, I'm going to have to remember that and take it into the stage." And conversely, when we're working on a film, if we establish an unusual prop, I'll take either a text note or a picture of it or even do a video. In fact, Shelley might stand over me and I'll explain what I'm doing, how I'm doing it so I can recreate it throughout the picture and vice versa for her.

Meryn:

Yeah. That's amazing. Is there something that's a really strange sound that you can recall...

John:

Well, I'll tell you the Abyss story then 'cause I think it was probably the most difficult sound, one of the most difficult sounds I've ever done. In the picture, Ed Harris is sitting down in a suit that's now going to have a helmet latched on, and it will fill up with liquid, literally starting at his chin, up over his face, over his head. And he'll then breathe that in.

And the reason for that is that it's going to allow him to go to deeper depths than one could without being crushed. Anyway, that's the theory behind it. So there I am, looking at this going, "Okay, now if I hold a helmet upside down and I take water and pour it in the top, it's not going to sound right. It's not going to sound like a muffled helmet, it's going to sound like [clear]. So how do I do that?

I thought and thought and thought. The night before our last day of Foley, I had a dream. And I dreamed how to do it.

And the way to do it was micing in a certain way, where I was stealing the ambience of a helmet and yet having a way to pour into something also that would approximate a helmet so I could literally get the proper going from low to high up over his head. And then on a separate channel, I took a straw and did a couple bubbles to come out of his nose. Strange job, I know.

Cory:

Are there any big differences in your mind when you're working on a film versus television versus a video game?

John:

Well, yes, certainly a video game has a routine all of its own. And that could be, are we doing the cinematics or are we doing the in-game assets? So if it's the cinematics, we approach it just like a feature film. If it's in-game assets, we might do Batman's cape or 2 or 300 variations of it, one after another. Or footsteps just landing on a surface, on metal. We might do 50 or 100 of those because again, during game play, randomly it'll be pulled from the bucket as to what particular sound that one step is.

So that's very intensive for a Foley artist team to do. Versus if you work on a feature, it's kind of tag team, if you will. And now mind you, television is a bit of a different beast, because not so much when I mentioned about streaming, at least at Skywalker, but television itself doesn't typically have a budget that's as friendly as one would hope.

Meryn:

You started talking about the team just there. I mean, on average, how many people are kind of working together on this? Because it sounds like... I mean, you mentioned earlier it's a team effort.

John:

Totally. The day starts as a team and it ends as a team because even if I'm doing footsteps, Shelley is either helping run the sheets with Scott or Scott's what we call driving. He's telling me where we're going to go,. But she might be making notes for shoes for herself or certainly for doing props. While she's out doing props, I'm in another area looking at a monitor, looking at the actual reel, making notes for myself going, "Okay, so this cut... Actually we're cheating the hand grab of Thor on Loki." we’ll not actually see it, it's just literally on the cut. So I'm going to approach it a little differently than I would if I see it. Or the communicator that's being picked up and is being flipped out that has to have a certain sound to it because I'm seeing some detail here.

Mind you, while she's out there working, then we switch. So she'll do the same thing. She'll be in the monitor checking her notes while I'm actually performing. So that's exactly what happens. Does that happen at all for all of Foleydom? It's hard to say. You have a younger generation that I don't know that knows the joys of having a team.

So point being, I think it's a lot harder in a sense for younger Foley people, especially if they're just working by themselves.

Meryn:

That leads very nicely into the next question that was going to be about advice for younger Foley artists. And maybe the advice is to find people, find your team. Is there any other advice or things you can think about for people who might be early on in their career or wanting to get into this field and they don't know how?

John:

Certainly if one wants to be a Foley artist, I think number one, they need a good background in acting. Take some acting classes. If you can, direct some one-act plays and read a lot. Read Shakespeare, read just a lot of good books and watch films. AFI top 100. Pick them apart. Why do you like this? Why do you not like this? Take a television show, like Friends, and then just put down something to walk on. Because typically Friends is people walking in from off stage and stopping or leaving or maybe walking upstairs, so you can practice getting sync, not worried about the sound that has to really come on a Foley stage.

And of course Mom and Dad out there won't necessarily like this as much. A half hour a day of a first-person shooter video game is okay because you're literally training your eyes not having to look down at your hands, which is extremely important for doing Foley, performing. And, you'd want to have aerobics in your life along with stretching. Aerobics-wise... Swimming, you can't beat that. All those things are really mission critical to be an excellent Foley artist.

Hopefully then you can get on with someone who can mentor you and learn from them. And then also try out your own thing because nobody has the actual answer. It's in a sense experimentation and you'll find your path that way and having a belief in yourself and also being open.

I didn't go out and start out to be a Foley artist, but look where I am. And I don't say this to dissuade anybody from being a Foley artist, I'm just saying just be open. Hopefully you'll have a love of it because I think it's no longer a job, it's a career. And then surround yourself with people that'll hold you up. Because you don't want to be with people that are jealous, either overtly or covertly. That'll do you no good.

And those are people you really don't need in your life because there are people that are going to want the best for you because they realize, "Hey, if we work together and you're doing great, I am too." And why not? Especially these days in this world. Good grief. Hey, I'm going to be 69 by the time I see you all. I've learned the four words, "Be happy, love fiercely." That's it.

Cory:

That's great advice. it's just really interesting and something I hadn't thought of until we met and started talking about this stuff, how the hand-eye coordination, the aerobics, the performance of it and all of that is just a very different viewpoint when it comes to post-production and even audio, to a degree, which is really, really fascinating. It's just so much exercise, which is great.

John:

It's helped a lot, I'll tell you.

Meryn:

I have a burning question from my five-year-old who we watched Strange World for the fifth time last night. What sound does Splat come from? The character?

John:

Splat comes from many different parts. Now, we did some of the footsteps... Let's see, I guess you could say Splat, Foley-wise would come from a bit of a wet shammy, but that's a very small part of what Splat was.

Meryn:

The noises that come from Splat might be my favorite in that film because it's adorable. So everyone should go watch it. We can’t thank you enough for talking to us John!

John:

Well, I wish everybody a wonderful day.

John:

Yeah, absolutely. This was a great way to have a Thursday. Can’t wait to see you in July!

Mack Garrison 5/1/23 Mack Garrison 5/1/23

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.

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.

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.

Mack Garrison 4/28/23 Mack Garrison 4/28/23

Meet the speakers: Cabeza Patata

An interview with Cabeza Patata: A company born from a love of characters.

Q&A hosted my Meryn Hayes & Ashley Targonski.

Read time: 15min

Meryn:

Welcome! We'd love it if you could introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about the studio.

Abel:

So I'm Abel…

Katie:

And, I'm Katie, and we set up the studio Cabeza Patata almost five years ago now. It started as just something that we were having fun doing together, we were just making some drawings, we started making some murals in the street, and we started putting everything together slowly and then we started to realize that we had a nice body of work and so we made a webpage for ourselves and then things just really grew from there.

Abel:

Probably in the beginning, the time in which we were doing it just for fun, it felt like a long time, but it was around six months of trying and experimenting. And I think by the time we started putting things out online, we were doing something that was looking very different.

Katie:

But then we made a bit of a change, I'll probably get more into this later, but we decided to open up a gallery space in Barcelona. Because we said okay, "We'd like to make more physical pieces."

So as well as making the 3D digital illustrations, animations, we also started creating more things out of wood and more puppets, giant characters, all of these crazy ideas that we had also had from the beginning. And then we made even more changes.

Abel:

Yeah…and after leaving for an entire year, traveling in a camper van, we are now focusing on physical art, so it's been a long evolution in the five years.

Meryn:

I love that. I love the idea of digital and tactical, and that y'all have tag-teamed that and involved both elements. I think we're so digital these days and there's just something relieving about going back to something that's so much more tactile, and you can feel it or see it and touch it. So that's interesting.

Abel:

I think it's completely true. I think one of the problems is that when people want to jump on the computer and create 3D art without ever even having taken a photographic camera and taken a photo of something they have created. And I think you learn so much about how to light a scene, and the difference between different camera lenses. There are so many steps that you can learn before jumping into just doing things with the computer. I think it has influenced everything we do.

Katie:

And then 3D sometimes as well influences the physical arts. So it's always going back and forth. But we always say to people, because people are always, "Oh, what advice do you give?" And it's always do what you like and then it'll be different and it'll be good. So that's what we always try to do if you begin.

Meryn:

Great advice. So how did you discover motion design or animation?

Abel:

So our backgrounds are pretty different. I studied media in university. I'm from Spain, and I moved to London just after finishing uni. I was 22 years old, and I started working in some little production companies doing animation, motion graphics. I knew a bit about AfterEffects and I started getting my first jobs doing that, and I learned on the job.

I didn't have any training in any software, but because I had studied media, I felt confident just learning on the internet and I had good foundations I think. And a few years later I found myself learning a bit of 3D, but Katie's background is very different.

Katie:

I was studying French and politics in university and then I realized I also really like making things and I like drawing things so what could I do? I decided to do this summer course and that's where we ended up meeting. But then it was many years later really, after I actually went to study illustration as well in Barcelona, and then when Abel was starting to think about 3D, I was more starting to think about character design and illustration. And so we started to combine those two things and learn together.

Meryn:

That's great. I also love hearing when people are set on a path like French and politics, and then going back to what you said about finding what you love and doing that, they pivot and do something else. Or I think sometimes we get so caught up growing up, and being told, "Find what you want to do for the rest of your life." But there are stories of success if you follow what you really enjoy doing. I think people need to hear that, so they don't feel so trapped in that decision of, do I do what I've been doing? Or do I try something new?

Katie:

Yeah, for sure. And you can make that change anytime. People in my year in uni were like, "It's already too late. We've already done a four year degree." And that was only age 22. And then a few years later people now say, "Oh now I can't do it now because I've done five years on my job." But I think you can do it any time. Obviously you need to take into account financial issues and stability and things. But especially in our job, I mean we started bit by bit still working on the side and then when things grew enough that was all that we were doing. I just enjoyed it.

Abel:

I was starting in my career when I started dating Katie, she was still in uni, and I was very surprised about how her degree was so much more precise, studying language and studying politics, you had to write very detailed papers, that you were taking everything that you were doing very seriously in that formal university way. And I remember coming from my degree in media, we would not take those types of things as seriously. But then in reality when you move into professional work, to be able to write correctly, express yourself, be very serious about how you communicate yourself, I think has helped us massively.And many times, people that work with us say after projects, "Oh we love working with you guys, because you are very serious in the way you communicate. You express everything, you save us time by documenting things properly, explaining your decisions." All those things are very important as well. So whatever you have studied, you can apply it.

Ashley:

As you said earlier, you're entering your fifth year of business, which is really exciting. Founded in 2018 and only a year later in 2019 y'all were going to conferences, you were starting to get your name out there and very quickly y'all were winning awards. How has that quick ramp up and growth path been?

Katie:

I mean, pretty crazy to be honest. I think it's been a really amazing five years and I think when you are living in it, I guess you don't realize how fast everything's going. But yeah, when you think about it you realize how short a time it is.

Abel:

Yeah, it was very intense. I think that especially the first two years, so many things happened. As you were saying, the year after, the second year of starting the studio we were speaking in very big festivals in front of a lot of people. And so we didn't really have much time to think about those things, and I think that's why, as Katie was saying, we were trying to rethink a lot of what we do and the position in which we are operating.

One of the things that created in us was a lot of anxiety about how we are going to be able to continue doing work that is exciting? You go, they invite you to a conference and people ask you, "Oh what are you going to do next?" And then you think, "Oh I don't know, I'm just starting, I'm trying things out."

So I think that for us to be able to slow down the machine and try to look at things with perspective has helped us a lot. That's why we're doing a lot of physical work right now, because we reminded ourselves of the fact that that's why we started. We found the clients asking for the same thing again and again, and it didn't feel that the clients were getting tired of it, but definitely we were getting tired of it.

Ashley:

That's great to establish those boundaries. Also, as a couple running this business, I bet work is very prevalent in your lives, so understanding that balance between what is work and what is actual life stuff is very necessary.

Katie:

Yeah, I think it helps a lot though, because I think that we can be very honest with each other. I'm sure other business owners are as well, but because we were a couple for a long time before we started working together, you can also sort of tell if something's not feeling right or you can be very honest all the time about it. But for sure I think having clear boundaries and knowing when you're at work and when you're not at work is the key really.

Abel:

Yeah, physically separating your working space from your living space is very important. Especially if you are working being a couple at the same time, because if not, it would just follow us everywhere.

Meryn:

Yeah, I think that's something that's been very apparent after the last few years, the boundaries being blurred going into the pandemic of work and home are one thing. I have a five-year-old daughter, so parenthood and life and work were all squished into one.

Abel:

Yeah, definitely. I think dividing your day in slots and saying, "Okay, after this time I'm just not going to do work." Or, "I'm going to move to a different task." So we try to do the most boring stuff really early in the morning, do emails at nine in the morning and then we don't do emails after, unless it's something, some emergency or something. But we try to organize the day a lot like that. Our work is a creative job in which you need that creative energy, it's not only about not falling asleep, it's also about having a brain that is giving you something beautiful that you're enjoying.

Meryn:

Yeah, yeah. I think what you mentioned about just how quickly everything's happened for you the past few years, just reminds me of defining what success looks like, because for so many people who might look at your website and be like, you have great clients and you have great work. But again, going back to what you said about what makes you happy, and you needed a break from that and recognizing that, I think a lot of people have a hard time always looking for the next thing that makes them successful.

Abel:

I think as well we had a really privileged position, or it was really good for us so early on being invited to so many conferences and festivals because we spoke to many people, and many people at a studio that we completely admired for years. And one of the things that we noticed that was happening with everyone we're speaking to is that they would say, "Oh I missed the early days when I was actually doing the job, and now I turn my studio into a big machine in which I don't do the things anymore. I'm managing."

Katie:

I always thought, "Oh it'd be so cool to work with this client. Oh that will surely make me happy." But that definitely runs out, or maybe isn't even really real anyway. But especially if you're choosing to do a creative job, I think the thing that actually is fulfilling is actually making something that you care about, and that's really nice. I think the satisfaction has to come from the actual making, and then the results of it.

So I think if you are thinking, "Oh I'm working with all these big clients, but I'm not inspired by the work." That makes sense.

Abel:

And also from a business point of view, sometimes we found that people grew their companies to really, really big sizes. It's not even necessarily profitable. But the typical studio that has 20, 30 people has so many associated costs, that we personally want to be able to continue creating the work, and we are convinced that we can still make it profitable in the long term. Still take on big commercial companies when there's a need for them, but try to avoid doing those monotonous jobs that might not pay well.

Meryn:

So I feel like I have to ask, and it doesn't have to be a client since we just established that dream client isn't maybe something to gear towards, but what would you say is a dream project or something that you wanted to do, whether it's a type, or a medium, or a client?

Katie:

Well, right now we're just starting to think about maybe we'd like to make giant mechanical characters, maybe out of wood or metal, but things that the audience can come and maybe turn a lever and a giant character's mouth opens or arms move or something. So something really magical that you wanted to do since you were little, kind of thing.

Abel:

And I think for a commercial campaign on the other hand, I think the dream client for us is always the one that is very, very final. When you are talking to the final destiny of the project. I think that the best commercial campaign we've done is the campaign we did with Spotify. And the reason why that's the best one is not because suddenly we were more inspired, or we tried more than with other clients, it's because we were working with a team in New York that was the team that was going to deliver the campaign. We were working directly with the Spotify team and they even came to Barcelona to see us, and we had meetings with them and we were having this direct communication and they understood what we wanted to do and they trusted us.

So many other times we thought things were going to go that way, but when there are so many people in the middle that message gets lost. And we are trying as much as possible to avoid those people in the middle, but obviously the entire industry is made on advertisement agencies and representation agencies, and all of those extra steps. And once in a while we get the chance to work with a client like Spotify or Apple that comes directly to us, but doesn't happen all the time.

Meryn:

So can you talk us through how that Spotify project came to be?

Abel:

Do you remember how it happened? We got an email one Christmas saying, "Hi, we are from Spotify, blah blah blah, and we would like to do one illustration or something." And then they completely disappeared.

Katie:

Yeah. Until six months later.

Abel:

But we continued sending them emails, because we thought, "Oh we had the email of someone and they had copied someone else." So we continued sending them the emails and updating them with things that we were doing. And the emails were not bouncing, but nobody was answering. And then six months later they came.

Katie:

Again, at that time they were very, very unique in how they were and they really liked our style, and internally everyone decided that was the one. I think that for the most part for Spotify and for other big campaigns that we have, it's really self-promotion and having a big social media presence. We post all of our projects on Behance. We explain everything, and we notice whenever we post there that we get a lot of views and I think it's a lot of people from the industry, and a lot of potential clients are looking there.

Meryn:

Yeah, if you think about how much work goes into creating a set of characters, it's a lot. And so it's nice not only for you all but for other people to see your process as well. I'd love to hear about the Spotify campaign, did they come to you with a pretty filled out brief of like, "This is what we want?"

Katie:

So they had some clear things from the beginning, that was basically they wanted to have different characters represent different moods that you feel when you listen to music. So how are we going to do that? And then they said the character should be the same throughout all of the videos, and should be gender neutral, age neutral and race neutral. Because they wanted to go everywhere, but that was it.

Abel:

Yeah, yeah. That was about it.

Katie:

And so we were like, "Okay, we'll come up with some ideas." And we sent them to them and then they came up with some ideas and we sort of had a nice back and forth during the beginning. It was like we never really went backwards. I think that was why it was such a good campaign too, because they were excited as well. So energy was always going forwards. It was never like, "Oh, can we go back to that thing that you did two weeks ago?" And you're like, "I don't know if I kind of saved over that file or something perhaps, and I thought we left it." So it was always going forward and making things better.

Ashley:

Where did the name for Cabeza Patata come from?

Katie:

Everyone always asks us that and we don't have a very clear response. We just found it funny I guess, I was learning Spanish and I was just, I'd always ask, "Oh what does this mean? How do you say this?" And one day, I don't know why I thought about it, but in Toy Story I was like, "Oh is Mr. Potato Head called Senor Cabeza Patata." And Abel found it super funny.

Abel:

It's funny. It's not even translated like that, it wouldn't even translate like that, doesn't make sense. You would say an article in the middle. And-

Katie:

You said his name is Mr. Patato.

Abel:

Yeah, we call him Mr. Patato. So it didn't make sense, but the name Cabeza Patata sounded a bit in my head like Hakuna Matata sounds a bit like that, so it has something funny.

Meryn:

That's great. I'd love to hear about Patata School. Tell us what was the start of that?

Katie:

So we set that up only last March. It hasn't even been a year officially of the school being live yet, but we've got a really nice community. Right now we're about 800 or a little bit more than 800 students in school, and we keep creating content and courses, we're about to have our first livestream.

Abel:

The idea of Patata School has started, connected to every decision we've done, trying to be more independent and taking things by ourselves, we knew that a lot of people were doing courses within other platforms and we got contacted by a lot of platforms to do courses with them. And because we've been teaching in universities and we really liked that, we didn't feel that just giving the content to another platform was going to work for us.

We set it up not knowing how well it was going to go, but it's amazing. I think we're going to cross before finishing the year into 1000 active members in there, which is, it's insane. We are so happy. And it's turning into the way in which, as well, we can make money without having to focus so much on commercial work. And as we progress now into doing more physical work, we want to incorporate that more as well inside Patata School and almost turn it into this school in which you can learn computer programs and illustration, digital illustration, but also we want to make a community of crafters and people making the stuff with their hands and learning which tools to get and how to construct and to use materials. So that's the challenge for this year.

*Patata School Complete Character Animation by Cabeza Patata*

Katie:

And it's cool to do because people in the school suggest ideas for courses. They say, "Oh, I'd really like to learn specifically this thing." And then we'd make a course in that. So it's really nice that you know directly that what you make is going to be appreciated, and to see, and people share their results and things in there, which is really nice. So yeah, it's a much more hands-on, non-commercial space way of doing things.

Meryn:

Okay, cool. When y'all have a making characters out of wood and mechanical class, I am signing up for that course. That sounds fun.

I was looking on your website, and I love the line, "We believe characters can change the world." I think that's so true and now maybe more than ever. Talk through that a little bit.

Abel:

Yeah. We think as well that character design is so on the foundation of how we understand, how everyone does understand art. Even if it looks a bit like a very niche thing. I like saying this thing that when you are a kid, that's the first thing you do when you get a pencil, you draw your family and you even put a little face in the sun or in your house. You put faces everywhere, because everything is a character when you're small, and it's so relevant. And even kids' drawings can be analyzed to show how they understand the structure, the structure within the family, the distance they put between one person and another.

So all of those things still translate when you are an adult. So if you have a lot of stereotypes and you have things that are in your brain that end up appearing in illustration, we see that every day. People might think, "Oh no, that's not relevant anymore." But it is not true, in the world of character design, we are still having a lot of stereotypes being applied again and again. We read a lot of books about animation. Most of the best books of animation are classic books from the big Walt Disney artists, and they're full of gender stereotypes. It's unbelievable.

You read it and you think, "Wow, this is insane that this is how gender was represented in animation for so many years." So I think there's a massive opportunity to change those things.

Katie:

Definitely. And to an extent I think it still continues to be as well, because there's such an imbalance in the industry of gender and general diversity. Talking in festivals like in your festival, you make a really big effort, to actually make sure you have diversity in the lineup. But in so many big festivals there isn't that at all, and so many big brands and things as well, maybe that might feel that they should have a responsibility more to push that. But you might go to a Adobe Live event and just see the same five 45 year old white guys again and again and again. And you think, why is it like that?

Meryn:

Yeah, exactly. I mean that's definitely something that's been important to us both in 2021 and this year, is trying to be representative of the people who are attending. So making sure that we're getting a variety of perspectives and across different industries. So I think it's really focusing on representing the community who is such a diverse, wonderful group of people, and making sure that we highlight that.

Katie:

Yeah. In that way as well, I think inviting more people to join the animation, or design, or illustration industry in general. And if I think the more voices there are, the more interesting things are being made too. But another thing in the school is that we have students from over 70 different countries and the stuff that people make is actually really different depending on their country. And we're always trying to say that, in the tutorials we say, "Try, instead of making this house, why don't you make a house how it would look in your country?" And so people post the specific objects or foods, or anything that they've made that's from their country and explain what it is, and suddenly you think, "Oh, actually I literally have never even seen”, like the other day, "A 3D Dominican house before. And now I have. And that's the first time she has made it and she made it look so nice." So I think that's also part of the key of being a designer.

Abel:

It's been amazing how just growing in our social media and having grown our audience during these five years, we have people from all over the place. We love that, and it's been so interesting. As Katie is saying as well, having that in the forums in the school, which is a place that is a bit cozier. Sometimes places like Instagram feels like everything goes so fast and there's so much noise that we miss messages and notifications, but within the school we have that culture space. It's been very, very nice to see how diverse it has been in there.

Ashley:

What are things that y'all think through when you're trying to design a character that, like for Spotify, should be gender neutral or not specific to one group?

Abel:

When we are making personal projects, and also with clients, I think the best thing that you can do is just go around, and look at what you see everywhere in the street and try to represent that. And I think that sometimes we don't realize how diverse a place like London, you know, has a lot of people, people have different ages.

Age is a massive thing in character design. We're watching TV and we are used to every single character, no matter how graphical or non graphical they are to be the same 20 to 35 years old. And that's what is susceptible to be, and obviously people are going to be older and still consume products and still listen to Spotify... And we are trying all the time to represent that, even before the client brings it up. I think it's important when you do a pitch to put it out and to have characters that might be on a wheelchair, and you can put that in a pitch or in a proposal without the client having said so, because they never said that the character had to be fully able.

Katie:

Yeah. And on the whole, no one's going to say to you, "Oh, can we take the character out of the wheelchair?" Because one, there's no point. And two, that would just be such a horrible thing to say. So generally if you try and push more diversity, it's going to happen. And so it's up to you to push it. I think what Abel's saying, sometimes it's a bit complicated, this concept of, oh, can we make it gender neutral or age neutral? Because what is that? I think that's just one of many different ways of being, so what we like to do in all of our work is just try and make everybody represented.

Abel:

But also even on parts that might not be directly related to people, if you represent objects, to represent things that connect to your life and things that you love, it's something we need to do all the time. And even ourselves, I remember last year we had to design a post box and we made the post box look like one of these post box you guys have in America. I've never seen one of those in my life, and I make it like a 3D, those post box and with that little thing that goes up and down when the postman comes, we don't have that. They don't look like that in the UK. They don't look like that in Spain, but somehow we have that in our brain. So it's good to come out of that and start, the best thing is just go on the street, look how people look, look how your city looks and just put it in your work.

Meryn:

Yeah, spot on. Well, this was so much fun. We're just so excited to have y'all at the bash and we're really excited to meet you in person in July!

Abel & Katie:

Thank you so much, yeah, really nice to meet you both.

Mack Garrison 4/24/23 Mack Garrison 4/24/23

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.

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.

Mack Garrison 4/17/23 Mack Garrison 4/17/23

Takeover Tuesday Reece Parker

An interview with Reece Parker: self-taught Animation Director and illustrator.

Q&A with Reece Parker.

Read time: 5min

Matea Losenegger:

Hi Reece! Thank you for contributing your time to our Tuesday Takeover series. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your work?

Reece Parker:

Of course! Thanks for having me. I'm Reece, self-taught Animation Director and illustrator. Subscriber to the famed philosophy "fake it til you make it'. My work leans hand drawn with dark color palettes, but I dive into briefs that range the full spectrum of 2D - and love it all. The more corporate, the more bright and poppy. The more Reece, the more scribbly and dark. 2 sides to one coin really.

Outside of work, I'm a husband and dad to 3 beautiful and intelligent children (Not sure if they actually have my DNA). I also grew up skateboarding religiously, which persists as the foundation of my own personal culture. Fail, start again, fall, get up, on and on. These things influence my work consistently.

Matea Losenegger:

You've been well known in this industry for a while now. How much has motion design changed since you started and what are your thoughts on its future?

Reece Parker:

I discovered and jumped into the industry in early 2016. It was a breeding ground of beautiful and inspired work, from every direction you looked. It was perfect for myself (and young artists like me), with an ambition to join the ranks of those considered great in our field. It was a beautiful time looking back. Empty bank account mind you - but a bursting industry and one that accepted me almost right away.

In 2023, it's still full of beautiful work, but you might have to dig a bit deeper to find it. Industry expanding, client deliverables following suit. But close-knit community might be shrinking a bit. That might be my own small perspective as I become more and more my own island. Or, maybe that's the natural progression of things. This industry is fascinating and beautiful, but maybe less curated and served up on a platter. It has certainly been a shifting landscape for the past several months.

Technology is doing its best to shake up working artists at the current point in time. We will see how that progresses, but I for one stand firmly in the "not worried...yet" camp. It's funny, I was just chatting with a legacy artist in our industry, whose work was among the first of which I was exposed to, about how we might be affected and the validity of our industry moving forward. We all share commonalities but have different perspectives.

To summarize my thoughts on that convo:

Real clients that deserve our protection are the ones that value our input and collaboration. Skillsets might be outsourced, but tastes and ideas are best formulated as a team and in collaboration with clients - relationships. This is something that isn't replaced by technology and is actually the most valuable. For clients that wish for cheaper, easier, faster, and shittier - those clients might flock to AI. Great! Let them. They also have to know exactly what it is they want, how many times have you encountered a client with that certainty..? Taste, ideas, expertise, and collaboration stand as powerful pillars in our industry - despite the tools.

I may eat my words, but Im comfortable with that if it comes in the future. Screens are king, and content is not decreasing in demand.

Matea Losenegger:

As an expert in cel, what makes a compelling animation or character movement?

Reece Parker:

I found myself thinking about this the other day in-depth...by myself.

I think that answer might not be so obvious, animation is diverse - and styles range. Once you have an understanding of timing, you can manipulate it, exaggerate it, work in and out of many softwares, and it be equally beautiful completely realistic, or totally unique.

I think what makes great animation is great design. Strong posing. That's how I see it lately.

For cel or characters specifically, understanding how the body moves and how to position it in your animation. Action is formed first in our brains, and that is limited by our comprehension of how a character might react in reality. Then it can be manipulated or stylized appropriately per the creative, but the foundation is based in reality. Our level of comprehension of that reality "makes or breaks" our shots.

Matea Losenegger:

How did you develop your distinct visual style and how do you keep your ideas fresh?

Reece Parker:

My style is an exercise in evolving over time. I started in this industry with what I thought "motion graphics" was, that being clean vector shapes bopping around. Turns out I had only been exposed to a small (but impressive) corner of motion design at that time. I'm glad I was so short-sided, because the foundation of After Effects forward workflows really balanced my lifetime experience of drawing by hand. When the right time for me to be more artistically driven came along (rather than driven purely by survival) I found my hand-drawn roots ready for me to tap right in. That mixed with a new breadth of knowledge of a whole other form of artistry, more graphic and math driven. The combination of the 2 is really where my style lives. My preference might be to scribble on everything, but that's realistically not the right solution for everything - I understand that. My evolution through this industry has allowed me to deliver on "different" expertise' under the 2D umbrella with confidence and vision indiscriminately.

*Still from* Trifilm’s short for Microsoft.

Matea Losenegger:

In a similar vein, do you have any tips on how to combat burnout?

Reece Parker:

Burnout! The dreaded burnout. There's no one size fits all solution here. I have had small symptoms of burnout that I have powered through and left in the dust. Other times it has been more all-consuming. Depending on its severity, my first course is to identify it and try to trace it back to its inception. Might have been a lost pitch that I loved that has a lasting effect I wasn't considering. Could be anything! If It's correctly identified, it's a more seamless path through the tunnel and out the other side. If it's being ignored or unacknowledged, how can we realistically work through it? For me it's not always as simple as "take some time off", my work lives and breaths in my head - on and off the clock. "Taking time" off is only beneficial if I've overcome what's affecting me first.

Matea Losenegger:

On your site you say that "from time to time, I will join a project as an animator or illustrator- if the shoe fits." What about a project entices you into those roles?

Reece Parker:

Working in multiple capacities with clients allows me to be more particular about what I take on. It might be as simple as an awesome brief, don't get me wrong - I love this stuff. If there's something that seems challenging and interesting, then great. Or, It might be a legacy client that has supported me from the start, maybe they are in a bind, or maybe they only see me fitting the job. Great, let's knock it out. Relationships above my own ego, and I'm not in the business of burning those that have been there for me.

That being said, what I find most compelling in my current project landscape are projects that mix leadership and artistry. If I can take one shot, while directing the rest of the shots with an awesome team - I'm very stoked. Put simply, I've found that mix of responsibilities really suits my skillset, and the more I've done it the more clear that has become.

*Shot from the TIMELORD spot for Battleaxe.*

Matea Losenegger:

When pitching for projects, how do you make sure yours stand out in a sea of other amazing studios and artists?

Reece Parker:

I've been pitching like mad! Sometimes we snatch it, sometimes it blows away. It's the nature of the beast. Luckily I'm not completely reliant on pitching, so it's less depressing to be kicked aside. I don't consider myself wholly unique, I just try to be proud of what I present to clients. If I'm not proud of it, I know that there was more I could have poured into it. If I'm proud of it but it goes another way, then I wasn't the artist for the creative. It's really that simple. Stiff competition at the top of the mountain, really really stiff. But Im proud to be considered in those conversations so frequently now. Learning and absorbing all I can.

Matea Losenegger:

What's it like working for a studio like Hornet? What does it mean to be repped by a studio vs working for them as a staff member or freelancer?

Reece Parker:

They are great collaborators, and supportive. We are more intimately collaborative now, more open, and more frequent communication on and off jobs. I'm really excited to be partnered with them and excited about what the future brings.

Outside of that, I work as I always have. My independence is unshakably important to me, so I made sure that was clear in our negotiations. They were and have been supportive through and through.

Being "repped" means that Hornet (in my case, there are many reps) packages up my work and sells it through to their contacts and clients. If there are jobs that come in that feel like they fit my capabilities, they will poke me to see If I'm free and interested. If so, they pair me up with them in their communication and presentation to clients. From there, I champion the vision and creative treatment of the project. Client presentations, team building and expectations, project style and execution, etc. They help me resource the job, schedule it, budget it, communicate with clients, all the things that can be not so-fun solo.

Hornet's reach is as wide as it gets. They also serve a tier of client that Reece Parker as a solo act doesn't reach. They act as my team if we win the project together.

If I win a project solo, and want to bring them in, I also have that ability. Take some of the load off of my plate. But I also have the freedom to tackle it myself, as I have been doing comfortably for many years. Depends on the context rather than one size fits all.

Staff - Im not sure! I've never been staff anywhere but Taco Bell and Costco. Staff artists are there to support jobs that are being directed, and are assigned and scheduled according to their skillset. Hornet also has strong staff artists, that are super super helpful when building out teams in tandem with freelancers or if we can't resource freelance talent for whatever reason.

Freelance - freelancing has a bit more commonality with being repped, and with being staff. You are poked to join a project that is being directed, to fill a need on that production line. That project ends and you join the next team and next project. Instead of jumping to other people's creatives, I find myself more often owning the creative, and trying to source great talent to join me.

Matea Losenegger:

As someone who is revered for their work, is there anything you would like people to know about you outside of your art?

Reece Parker:

The work may be revered, but I don't think Im special. I think the path I've carved may be at least partially unique but also serves as proof of concept for those willing to do the same. LOVE what you do, and keep working at it as a consequence.

Outside of work, I love life. I love my family to death. Wife, kids, parents, siblings, and friends alike. I've been really fortunate, I try to be considerate of that. I love overthinking, analyzing things with Kiara, building things with my dad, and teasing and dancing with my kids. I try to be carefree when it's beneficial to be, and take things seriously that ask for it. It's served me well in life.

I'm a product of independence, my path throughout my life is proof of that. Skateboarding is an individual activity, it's no coincidence that I have remained solo in my eventual career. But I'm not here without the influence and help of so many others. Indirectly or directly from those close to me. Shout out those folks! Much love.

Matea Losenegger:

What does the rest of 2023 look like for you? Are there any projects you're excited about?

Reece Parker:

Some interesting things! I am nearing the end of building out a new warehouse studio. Sort of a dream come true, but so is my current studio honestly. The new endeavor is symbolic of where the business is going, and I wouldn't have invested in it if the business hadn't earned it.

That's something I've really been contemplating. When I was commissioning my shipping container conversion in late 2019, I remember really carefully considering the financial implications of the commitment - mostly just full of anxiety and fear. But I did it because that was what the business deserved at the time. I had those same feelings and reservations about buying my first iMac, as a replacement workstation for my original MacBook that my wife secretly saved for and bought for me to start my career.

It seems so small now in comparison, but those memories serve as a strong example of my commitment to investing back into myself and the business when the time is right. You can feel it, and it's always scary. But the clear lesson is to invest in yourself.

Projects and new things are hush-hush for now, but yes I am excited, and will share more soon! Thanks, Dashers!

Mack Garrison 4/10/23 Mack Garrison 4/10/23

Takeover Tuesday Tory Van Wey

An interview with Tory Van Wey: Senior Brand Designer & Illustrator at deel.

Q&A with Tory Van Wey.

Read time: 5min

Mack Garrison:

Thanks for participating in the Tuesday Takeover, Tory! For those that are unfamiliar with you and your work, tell us a bit about yourself and how you found your way into the creative space.

Tory Van Wey:

Thank you! I'm Tory, and I'm a designer and illustrator based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. I have been drawing pictures professionally for 10 years, both freelance and in-house and I am currently a Senior Brand Designer/Illustrator at Deel - a global hiring and HR platform.

Mack Garrison:

Your work is very illustrative but also has a very graphic design feel to it. How did you develop this style over the years?

Tory Van Wey:

This was a natural consequence of being both an illustrator and trained as a traditional graphic designer as well as the influence of my history as a letterpress printer. Over the years I have pivoted my career to focus almost exclusively on illustration and illustration systems, but my history as a graphic designer and printer always informs the way that I approach a project. Most of my work is built using simple geometric shapes stacked on top of one another to create more complex objects. This lends a graphic quality that is hard to achieve with hand drawing. Combine that with my everlasting respect for designers like Marian Bantjes and Saul Bass and love of graphic structure, and I'll likely always be straddling the line between designer/illustrator.

*Some of the work Tory has illustrated for deel.*

Mack Garrison:

One of the harder aspects of being a designer in a corporate space is pushing creative boundaries. How have you navigated that? Avoided burnout?

Tory Van Wey:

This is a hard balancing act as the diversity of companies hiring creatives means that there are endless philosophies and attitudes about how design fits within the corporate ecosystem, so the creative experience can vary wildly. I am personally selective about who I work for because my skillset is not a perfect fit for every "Brand Designer" role and over the years I have learned to be honest about what I am looking for in a role, and to not hesitate to say if I don't think it's a good fit. This has certainly cost me jobs, but saved my sanity. I also try to bring creativity into corporate creative in unexpected ways. Perhaps there is a vibrant color pairing that feels a bit more contemporary, or I can learn a new technique that I can apply to a project that would otherwise be on the dull side. If I am pushing my own creative boundaries, or learning a new tool, then I am generally happy.

Mack Garrison:

Who are some of the creatives you've looked up to over the years for inspiration?

Tory Van Wey:

I often look to music and children's books for inspiring design. Carson Ellis and Edward Gorey were very inspiring to me in my early career when I focused on work that had more of a hand made quality to it. I also love poster artist Dan McCarthy and have a healthy collection of his prints. Lately I have really been appreciating the work of MUTI, a design studio out of Cape Town.

*Some editorial and marketing illustrations from Tory.*

Mack Garrison:

It's hard to choose a favorite project, but do you have one that particularly sticks out to you?

Tory Van Wey:

I had a great time designing this Trippy Tropical shirt for a local SF company called Betabrand. It was a really fun synthesis of my interest in botany, and psychedelic creative freedom!

Mack Garrison:

Looking back at your career, what advice would you give to the next generation of illustrators making their way into the space? Anything you would do differently or think is really important to know?

Tory Van Wey:

My biggest piece of advice would be to produce the kind of work that you want to create commercially, even if you need to do it on your own time. People hire you based off of what they have already seen from you, not what they think you might be able to create. That means you need to push yourself creatively on your own time (or perhaps pro bono for friends) to explore the kinds of styles you want to get paid for later on. I would also tell a new designer to not sweat it if they haven't found their voice yet. There's a lot of pressure to find your voice as an illustrator, and I think it's valid, but there's also a lot of room and opportunity for illustrators that are more flexible and can produce work in a range of styles. I might even suggest it's more enjoyable.

*Trippy Tropical shirt for a local SF company called Betabrand.*

Mack Garrison:

What do you think the future holds for designers and illustrators? Should we (creatives) be nervous or excited about these new A.I. tools?

Tory Van Wey:

I'm as curious as you are about this! I think the industry might become more specialized as illustrators niche down into areas like product/iconography or editorial or motion. We also might see a more global talent pool as remote and contract work become standard and there are fewer limitations in hiring designers abroad. As far as AI, I think it will likely be a new tool that designers will have at their disposal but I'm not personally too worried about it taking over a creatives' role quite yet. After playing around with most of the AI generators, it's apparent to me that a lot of work goes into creating the right prompt to generate an accurate image and often I could have simply drawn it out faster. I'm curious to see where it goes and how AI is incorporated into our daily lives in an ethical way that compensates creatives, and minimizes bias.

Mack Garrison:

Outside of being an illustrator and designer, what are some of your hobbies?

Tory Van Wey:

When I'm not drawing for money you can find me putzing around the garden like an old lady, attempting to learn a new skill (currently taking a School of Motion course!) or herding my two kids up a hiking trail.

Mack Garrison:

Last but not least, anything you'd like to leave our audience with?

Tory Van Wey:

It's a unique privilege to make a living as a creative. Let's appreciate the folks that came before us that paved the way for our skills to be valued, and the folks that continue to advocate for creatives today. And let's not take ourselves too seriously. I think us creatives can get wrapped up in the idea of our own legacy. Do good work, live a thoughtful life, and don't be a jerk.

Mack Garrison 4/3/23 Mack Garrison 4/3/23

Takeover Tuesday Vanessa Appleby

An interview with Vanessa Appleby: an art/animation director who straddles the divide between motion design and traditional character animation.

Q&A with Vanessa Appleby.

Read time: 5min

Bella Alfonsi:

Hi, Vanessa! Thanks so much for joining us for Takeover Tuesday. For those who are unfamiliar with you or your work, please give us a lil' intro!

Vanessa Appleby:

Hi! I'm an art/animation director who straddles the divide between motion design and traditional character animation. I've been in the business for almost 15 years now, and I've had a chance to try on lots of hats over the years.

Bella Alfonsi:

How did your career begin? Did you always know you wanted to be in this field?

Vanessa Appleby:

I did not! I've always been a bit of a renaissance woman. I have a lot of varied interests.

In high school, I started drawing caricatures at a local amusement park. I think this is probably the most influential experience of my youth. It taught me a lot about life, but most importantly, it taught me that I could make money with my art. Funnily enough, I still have friends from this time working in the NYC animation industry today.

When I entered college, I had narrowed down my career path to fashion design or animation (odd, I know), so I chose a school that had strong programs for both. I ultimately decided on animation for what I thought was a shallow reason, but turns out was actually a smart one. I liked the people who were going into the animation major much more than I liked the fashion design students. They were funny, and I love to laugh.

I started my career working as a 2d cel animator in Flash, mostly working on childrens' TV. Over the years I transitioned to AE character animation, which led to compositing, which led to commercial motion design, which led to art directing, which led to now. It's been a wild ride.

Bella Alfonsi:

On your website you explain how out of every job you’ve done, directing is by far your favorite. Why is that?

Vanessa Appleby:

The short answer? I like making a plan and executing the plan. That's easiest to do when you're the director ;)

I also love finding out what my team is passionate about and delegating those tasks appropriately. I want to foster a sense of excitement for everyone who works on my projects. It makes the outcome so much stronger.

Bella Alfonsi:

Do you have any advice for someone trying to become a director themselves?

Vanessa Appleby:

You'll have to pay your dues in the industry before people start trusting you to direct. Be patient, keep trying, and don't be afraid to take on a lower paying gig if you get to run the show. You're not going to get to start directing at one of the big studios right out of the gate. Try working directly with clients (think music videos for example) to get some directed spots under your belt. Once people see what you can do when you're in charge, opportunities will come knocking.

*Love is at 35,000 feet - directed by Vanessa.*

Bella Alfonsi:

You’ve worked with a ton of different art styles over the years. Do you have a favorite?

Vanessa Appleby:

Nope! I'm ADHD and have always loved experimenting in different mediums and styles. I like to push myself and create something unique. I do especially enjoy vector workflows, but that's not exactly a style per se.

Bella Alfonsi:

Your personal illustrations are so colorful and full of life. I think that although each piece is unique from one another, it is still evident that you created all of them. What insight would you give to someone trying to find their “style”?

Vanessa Appleby:

Ha! I may be the worst person to ask. To be honest, having a "style" has always been a point of contention I've internally wrestled with.

In our business, popular looks/styles come and go. A director who has the current "it" look may not have a long lasting career unless they are able to adapt and change with the times. I wanted to be in this business for the long haul, and being as diverse as possible was key for that. I think no matter what, your hand will always shine through even though you're trying to emulate a different look. Your hand will give you cohesion even if your brain is trying to avoid that.

*Style frame for QUEST FOR THE LOST CONSOLE.*

Bella Alfonsi:

Where do you find inspiration when starting a project from scratch?

Vanessa Appleby:

Everywhere! I go on long walks through the city and often see funny and inspiring things. I'm also a history dork, so I tend to find inspiration from decorative arts and pattern motifs of the past. Most recently I became obsessed with Medieval illuminated manuscripts and scoured thousands of pages collecting funny marginalia creatures. Explore your passions outside of art. Inspiration can come from anywhere.

Bella Alfonsi:

As someone with 15 years of experience, what do you think the future of motion design looks like? And how is it different now from when you first started out?

Vanessa Appleby:

Motion design is already so different from how it was when I started. The biggest shift I've seen is an uptick in women in the field. Between 2008 - 2015 I was usually the only female on a team. This boggled my mind since my degree program was predominantly women.

Despite this, there were, and still are unfortunately, not many women at the top. I do think with the advent of groups like Panimation that things are beginning to change even more. I just hope it keeps going and the industry becomes even more diverse and inclusive.

Bella Alfonsi:

What is your proudest moment in your career thus far?

Vanessa Appleby:

This is a tough one- I kind of hope it's still to come!

Bella Alfonsi:

Any final takeaways?

Vanessa Appleby:

Keep going! This business can be tough, especially when you're just starting out. If what you're doing isn't getting you the results you want in your career, try a different approach. We're creative people. Don't be afraid to apply that creativity to how you grow your career or earn your money.

Mack Garrison 3/20/23 Mack Garrison 3/20/23

Takeover Tuesday with Lili Boisrond

An interview with Lili Boisrond: a mixed media artist specializing in animation and design.

Q&A with Lili Boisrond.

Read time: 5min

Bella Alfonsi:

Thanks so much for joining us for Takeover Tuesday, Lili! For those who aren’t familiar with you or your work, please give us a lil’ intro!

Lili Boisrond:

Hi! My name is Lili, I’m a mixed media artist specializing in animation and design. I grew up in Paris and headed to NYC for university where I ended up staying for 8 years. I’m now back in Europe and rediscovering the pleasures of French cheese vocabulary!

Bella Alfonsi:

How did your career start? Did you always know that you wanted to get into the motion design industry?

Lili Boisrond:

My pursuit of motion design actually started on a miscommunication in choosing a semester class in college. Thinking I enrolled in a drawing class, I ended up in “drawing for storyboard”, which led to experimental animation and later to narrative animation. It was mesmerizing because until then I had too many passions to see a clear career road, always having to choose between visual arts, music and storytelling. The animation world and motion design showed me they can coexist in a larger, multifaceted creation. I love the idea of a “global” piece when it comes to making an animation. Goosebumps.

*Shots from Architectural Digest project with IKEA*

Bella Alfonsi:

The motion design industry is full of folks who have extensive schooling and some, none at all. In what ways has having a formal education in visual arts, art history, and jazz affected your career? Would you recommend higher-education to others?

Lili Boisrond:

This is a tough question for me. I very much enjoyed taking the liberal arts road for education, but I think it’s such a personal choice. I had no idea what I wanted to do and couldn’t pick between one artistic or academic area so it was an ideal mix for me. When I started working in an animation studio fresh out of college I realized I had literally no technical knowledge. No kidding, on my first day I asked a freelancer sitting next to me how to make something bigger in Photoshop...

I worked my way up with intensive ‘head banging against the wall after effects tutorial marathon nights’ and learned things quickly, but I always wondered what things could have been if I had attended a school like SVA.

Looking back now, I definitely wouldn’t change the path I took and I think there are tons of advantages to being self taught - you have to be quick on your feet and I think it makes you a creatively independent person faster. I’m also happy I get to feed my work with a broader source of education whether it be music, philosophy or literature, it makes you stand out and you can always nourish your technical abilities later on!

Bella Alfonsi:

What’s the animation scene like in Paris? Are your clients mostly French or do you find yourself working more internationally?

Lili Boisrond:

I’ve only been back in Paris for a year now, and I have to admit, the scene is not as fluid and funky as New York. For starters, the freelancing system still feels very new here and it takes way longer to establish a solid relationship of trust with studios. In the US, producers are proactive and understand that if you did a good job in another animation shop, there’s no reason you won’t do great in theirs. Well Parisian studios and agencies don’t quite work the same way… Over the course of one year I would say I worked 90% with my US contacts, and 10% were French gigs that took weeks to find and book. When you’re still on NYC rhythm, the French work system feels SLOW.

*Compositing and post-fx work with Mighty Oak on their Affirm project.*

Bella Alfonsi:

You’ve worked with a diverse group of impressive clients (IKEA, Lyft, New Balance, etc.)! What advice do you have for freelancers first starting out who dream of working with clients like these?

Lili Boisrond:

What worked best for me has been to constantly nourish relationships with studios. On five projects maybe only one will be creatively interesting to you, but for all the times you helped out on a project that was never-ending, all the not portfolio worthy projects, the day will come that you are their go to person of trust. And that day you will be leading the project and make the creative decisions you were only dreaming of taking!

And if you find the time, don’t underestimate the power that personal projects can have on your portfolio - studios can see how you can handle a project from head to toe and that you’re serious about your work. Make sure you sprinkle a nice explanatory case study breaking down your process on top, and voilà.

Bella Alfonsi:

You’ve worked on so many fun projects over the years. Are there any in particular that really resonate with you?

Lili Boisrond:

Yes! The last project I did this summer before starting a year of studies at Gobelins comes to mind right away. My favorite animation studio - Mighty Oak - asked me to art direct a stop motion project for L.L Bean. It’s not often as a freelancer that you get to work on a project from stage A to Z delivery day, besides personal projects. Since I never specialized technically, I’m the Swiss army knife kind of motion designer and it was just wonderful to use all my toolkit in one project… storyboarding, designing, stop motion, compositing etc. Hopefully it’s the first of many more projects like this.

*New Balance - Data Driven Design project.*

Bella Alfonsi:

It feels like people are freelancing more now than ever. What’s something you wish you knew before going freelance yourself?

Lili Boisrond:

I was lucky enough to have the advices of friends in the industry who were already freelancing rockstars, and I will say what they said to me - never undersell yourself, only share projects that showcase something you like doing because that’s what people will call you for, start building a strong list of animation contacts and nourish it with clever updates. In short : put yourself out there!!

Bella Alfonsi:

When you find yourself in a creative rut, how do you get out of it? What or who inspires you?

Lili Boisrond:

A few things have worked for me over the years. I’m a strong believer in talking your way out of a creative rut. Your friends and family might not be into discussing style frames or art direction, but even saying things out loud helps. The power of voicing out a problem is incredible, and the best is having a buddy to bounce ideas off of. I’ve been torturing my husband for years and it’s worked wonders!

A second way out is to stop thinking about it. You may think taking a walk or heading out to an art show will be a waste of time when you’re on a deadline, but it will most certainly make you snap out of your blockage faster than sitting at your desk pulling your hair. Who knows what you might see or hear along the way, and by giving your brain a break it will thank you creatively.

Bella Alfonsi:

What do you think the future of motion design looks like? Anything you’re excited about or things that are concerning to you?

Lili Boisrond:

I’m continuously in awe of what humans are capable of creating, the new styles that come out every year, and how we still find novel ways to tell stories to others. But with the huge acceleration in AI with tools like Dalle 2 and Midjourney, I’m concerned (yet still hopeful!) about what the future of our creative industries will look like. Will young teens still doodle on a drawing pad or dab in creative writing when the most common tool of creativity will be writing a prompt for an AI to do it? I’m hoping it will open a door to many creative minds and new ways of thinking, but it does raise a lot of questions on where we’re heading.

Bella Alfonsi:

Any final advice/takeaways?

Lili Boisrond:

No regrets! This is my #1 rule in life. I live by it, I work by it, and most importantly I eat by it.

Mack Garrison 3/13/23 Mack Garrison 3/13/23

Takeover Tuesday with Sabrina Chaney

An interview with Sabrina Chaney: Post-Production Lead at Mighty Oak in Brooklyn.

Q&A with Sabrina Chaney.

Read time: 5min

Mack Garrison:

Sabrina! Thanks so much for taking the time to participate in our Tuesday Takeover series. For those not familiar with you and your work, can you provide a little background on yourself and your creative style?

Sabrina Chaney:

Hey! I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I went to school for Animation at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Now I work as the Post-Production Lead at Mighty Oak in Brooklyn, New York. My creative style is an amalgamation of all my interests: comics, animation, music videos, sculpture, and patterns. My main passion is stop-motion animation, so typically I like to imbue whatever I make with some kind of handmade element or texture.

Mack Garrison:

Oh man - love the word imbue! How did you initially get into the motion design industry?

Sabrina Chaney:

After I graduated from college I knew my portfolio wasn't where it needed to be. I was applying everywhere under the sun and it felt like every email was being swallowed into the void. Nothing really kicked off until I took a few School of Motion courses and re-made my portfolio and reel from scratch while living with my parents. You can see the result of that work here. Matt Vojacek from Made by Things was the first person to take a chance on me and give me an internship - working remotely long before Covid, might I add - and that started my freelancing career which I continued for three years after I moved to Brooklyn in 2017.

Mack Garrison:

There are so many talented folks in our industry, who are some of the people you look up to?

Sabrina Chaney:

The people who inspired me the most when I was starting out are all pursuing their own big projects these days. Isaiah Saxon of Encyclopedia Pictura is directing a movie for A24. Charles Huettner, Benjy Brooke, and Sean Buckelew are adapting the Scavengers short into a TV series for HBO Max. In general, I look up to people with big imaginations who do their own thing independently and feel compelled to share their work (remember Late Night Work Club? Bring that back!). Outside of mograph, I adore the work of Meredith Gran (of Octopus Pie and Perfect Tides fame) and Jonathan Bree. They are both master storytellers in their respective fields, and I feel transported by the worlds and characters they've created.

Mack Garrison:

You work at a really cool studio called Mighty Oak who specializes in stop motion, 2D, 3D and mixed media! What's it like working there?

Sabrina Chaney:

I had already built a working relationship with Mighty Oak while I was freelancing, and they were always my favorite client to work with. I joined the team full-time in March 2020. Everyone on the team is a creative problem-solver, and we bring our unique approach and point of view to every brief. Stop-motion is our favorite medium to work with and we bring that tactile sensibility to every project, whether it's animated in-camera or animated completely digitally. As the compositor, I get to solve a new puzzle every day, which makes my work rewarding and enjoyable. I love the variety of work that we attract, and I especially love when we have the opportunity to push ourselves with new techniques we've never tried before. Like a mighty oak, we are continuing to grow every year!

*Title card for the Netflix series: the Principles of Pleasure from Mighty Oak.*

Mack Garrison:

What are some of your favorite projects you've had a chance to work on?

Sabrina Chaney:

During 2020 and shortly after I was brought on staff, we created animated sequences for Mary J Blige's My Life which is now streaming on Amazon. That project holds a special place in my heart because whether the world was falling apart or I had something going on in my personal life, I always had something beautiful to look forward to at work. It was also the longest-running project we had worked on as a team, so it felt good to practice consistency and surpass our benchmarks together as the months went by. We developed a painterly frame-by-frame 2D workflow using Procreate and After Effects, inspired by the work of our creative director Michaela Olsen. I can look back on what we made and feel proud of what we accomplished. I was also invited to the film premiere in Lincoln Center along with the rest of our team- and Mary J Blige herself was at the afterparty! We made direct eye contact! I'll never forget it.

Similarly, in 2021, we created animated sequences for the Netflix series Principles of Pleasure. Each episode has a different art direction depending on the given topic, and we used a mix of stop-motion animation with props, pixelation with human actors, collage, frame-by-frame 2D animation, and motion graphics to illustrate topics relating to sexual education and female pleasure. We used a lot of the lessons we learned during 2020 and applied it to the production of PoP. We harnessed the momentum of the previous year to create something fresh and different. Those projects combined offered us a lot of fun and challenging work during the pandemic, which is something I'm still grateful for.

Mack Garrison:

Looking at your reel, you've really done a phenomenal job with your compositing skills! Could you talk a bit about your approach in making a shot feel perfect?

Sabrina Chaney:

Consistency is key. It's not about whether a shot is perfect, it's about whether the shot feels believable. Compositing is a lot like being an illusionist who can do card tricks: of course we may know what lies up our sleeve, but all the audience sees is magic! What I love most about working in After Effects is that there are a thousand ways to achieve a desired result, so there is no "wrong" or "right" approach. It all boils down to the needs of each shot and making sure the hero product or character can shine without any distractions.

Mack Garrison:

What are some things everyone should think about when they're compositing animations?

Sabrina Chaney:

Compositing encompasses a lot of different techniques, including green-screening, rotoscoping/masking, special effects, motion graphics, color correction, and rendering. Each of those skills could be its own visual effects discipline with its own specialized software. I tend to keep everything as simplified as possible to avoid getting overwhelmed, and I find this practice also makes it easier if I need to pass off a shot to somebody else. By simplified I mean things like keeping my project folders organized, using only the most necessary layers in my timeline, and frequently reducing my project to trim down on unnecessary files inside of my .aep. I find that these small acts of tidying up help me stay focused on the compositing work that really matters instead of getting caught up in the weeds, overcomplicating things, and then causing trouble for myself later in a project when I can't make heads or tails of my project file.

Mack Garrison:

Your work and Might Oak's has a very hand-crafted feel. I'm curious what your thoughts are around the development of A.I. Are you worried about what it could do to the industry? And how do you think it will affect the stop motion space?

Sabrina Chaney:

Honestly, I'm very ambivalent and non-threatened by A.I. People have already been creating 3D animation that looks like claymation for years, and projects like The Lego Movie directly reference stop-motion animation techniques. Technically stop-motion has already been made obsolete. People simply love it too much to let it die! If A.I does have a place in the process of creating stop-motion animation, then it'll probably occupy a space much like rapid prototyping technology, which allowed Laika to make characters more expressive using 3D animated faces in Coraline and is now an industry standard practice.

Mack Garrison:

Any advice you'd give to the next generation of creatives?

Sabrina Chaney:

I grew up Extremely Online from middle school through college, migrating from deviantART to Tumblr to Twitter and Instagram in an effort to post and share my work. I never had much of an audience, and I found it more draining than energizing. At the end of the day, I'm not sure how much good it did when it came to actually getting work. By far the best networking connections I've made were from reaching out to people directly via email, using the Internet to do my own industry research, and meeting people face to face at in-person events. Your portfolio speaks for itself. If you feel pressured by social media, I recommend deleting your apps for a temporary period and dedicating the time towards things that inspire you without any plans to share what you've done. Maintaining some semblance of privacy can be intensely freeing, because you're allowed to make mistakes, learn, and experiment without subscribing to trends or comparing yourself to others.

Mack Garrison:

Anything else you'd like to add?

Sabrina Chaney:

I want to place a special shoutout to Panimation NYC! Panimation meetups were how I met many of my current friends and peers right after I moved to New York City when I didn't know a soul. Coming out of the pandemic, I learned how easy it can be to become isolated. It helps to get involved with a community of like-minded people who support each other.

Mack Garrison 3/6/23 Mack Garrison 3/6/23

Takeover Tuesday with Katie Trayte

An interview with Katie Trayte: an illustrator based in Washington, D.C as well as the Creative Director at Duke & Duck.

Q&A with Sarah Chokali.

Read time: 5min

Bella Alfonsi:

Hey, Katie! Thanks so much for being a part of Takeover Tuesday. For those who are unfamiliar with you or your work, please tell us about you and what you do!

Katie Trayte:

Thank you so much for inviting me to participate! I love your Takeover Tuesday series.

My name is Katie Trayte and I’m an illustrator based in Washington, D.C as well as the Creative Director at Duke & Duck.

Bella Alfonsi:

Do you have any formal training or are you completely self taught?

Katie Trayte:

I graduated from SCAD with an Illustration degree, but I am fairly self-taught when it comes to animation. I started out of school as an apparel graphic designer for Hollister. So if I made it here, you can too! I always felt a pull towards animation and storytelling, but never really saw where I could fit into the compartmentalized pipelines of feature and tv. When I found the world of motion design I was, in a word, obsessed. I was also what the French call, "Les incompetents". My love of the work made it easy to find motivation in closing my knowledge gap. It was an area where my illustration and graphic design passions could both thrive, and I was so drawn to the experimental styles and trend-setting approaches happening in the field.

*Shot from Sony’s | Barbra Streisand project that Katie Art Directed.*

Bella Alfonsi:

You have an impressive resume of clients, like Sony, Nestle, and Discovery Channel, just to name a few! What advice do you have for freelancers first starting out who dream of working with clients like these?

Katie Trayte:

I have spent most of my career in-house. From that experience, I would say there’s a huge benefit to being part of a company or studio to get access to those partnerships. Especially if you’re still finding your style and the idea of exploring a lot of different visual directions appeals to you. In-house is also a great place to get a master class on business and sales. Confidence in these skills can help you to feel more empowered to establish and foster relationships with your dream clients as a freelancer.

Bella Alfonsi:

What steps did you take to go from illustrator/designer to Art Director? Do you prefer doing one more than the other?

Katie Trayte:

I jumped from graphic designer in ‘the outside world’ to an AD at Demo Duck. Not having much motion design experience behind me at that moment was… different, but a lot of the skills that had led me to advance in design roles were still very applicable despite the shift between industries. Effective communication, articulation of ideas, and management skills all help take you from making great art to leading great art. I have such a strategy brain that I’d say art director is the role for me. I love being client-facing and problem-solving along the way during a project. I still get to do a fair amount of hands-on work in an AD role, so it’s a win-win!

*Style Frame from Duke & Duck’s project for Nestlé that Katie designed and Art Directed.*

Bella Alfonsi:

Do you have any advice for someone trying to become a director themselves?

Katie Trayte:

Start by demanding excellence from yourself in your area of production. If you’re producing high-quality work in your role, you’ll be trusted to own more and more of the pipeline. Hone your voice, always concept from a unique angle, and keep learning about areas of production that may be outside your expertise. Most importantly- develop your people skills! Effective negotiation, collaboration, and communication help to win the respect of your client and your team. At the director level, more often than not, your people skills are going to be what makes or breaks the success of a project.

Bella Alfonsi:

Tell us a bit about the piece, Be Aware. What was it like working with Barbra Streisand? How did the unique painterly approach come to be?

Katie Trayte:

Be Aware was such a dream to work on. Barbra Streisand was much more involved in the review and development of the project than I was expecting, which was a really fun surprise. I even have a first pass of my storyboards that came back to us with her handwritten notes on them! Treasure. She and Sony were both great clients.

Since moving to DC I’ve become friends with Elyse Kelly, who is an independent director and founder of Neon Zoo. I admire her work so much, and when she asked me to join the project I was excited about the opportunity to shadow her directorial expertise. The painterly approach came out of a lot of style development with Elyse. We wanted a look that matched the song- sweeping, emotive, and sensitive to the subject matter. I did initial sketch boards in a gestural, loose hand and that treatment felt like a natural marriage to the song lyrics. Elyse’s body of work is very painterly, so her talented animation team was very equipped to bring the look to life.

I love to paint, but most of my work up to Be Aware has had to be very graphic-driven. It felt like I got to really be myself with this style and say, “Don’t bring around a cloud to rain on my parade!”

Bella Alfonsi:

When you find yourself in a creative rut, how do you get out of it?

Katie Trayte:

Working remotely, (like I do now), or working freelance can make a creative rut feel like a creative canyon. An impossible abyss of creative failure from which you will never escape! On my own, I have never had a great solution for these difficult patches other than to take it easy on myself and let time pass, knowing that I’ll move beyond it. As a team, we’ve started a lot of open dialogue about overcoming ruts and are committing to more open avenues of collaboration this year. We’re working to let go of any self-inflicted shame associated with being stuck by reaching out to each other to talk through blocks, hurdles, or low points before they get too far. We’re having a lot of success. Working remotely, you're much more prone to anxiety and self-doubt that can make you retreat inwards. We’re all being intentional about training ourselves out of this habit through communication and feeling safe to be vulnerable with each other.

*Shot from Duke & Duck’s “Plos” brand video Katie designed and directed.*

Bella Alfonsi:

What or who inspires you?

Katie Trayte:

Both in my personal time and inside Duke & Duck we’re making more of a commitment to developing children’s IP. We’re even starting a sister brand for kid’s content called Double Scoop Studio! About a year ago, we discovered how much talent there was on our team for telling character-driven episodic content and have wanted to give that talent an outlet. That’s been a big inspiration to me- having this group of people come together that are committed to starting this new ambitious journey. I love working with my team to help find the special stories we have within us. Working together to grow these ideas, with a lot of laughter and joy along the way, feels like magic.

Currently, I’m really inspired by any kids media that takes more of a motion design direction to its animation approach or offers a new style in the space. Hey Duggee, Wide Load Vacay, City Island, StoryBots, and City of Ghosts are all great examples.

Bella Alfonsi:

Any final takeaways?

Katie Trayte:

I think I’ve said it all. Thank you so much, Dash team, for hosting these interviews and for always finding great ways to bring our community together!

Mack Garrison 2/27/23 Mack Garrison 2/27/23

Takeover Tuesday with Sarah Chokali

An interview with Sarah Chokali: a passionate and multidisciplined motion designer based in Brooklyn, New York. I was born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq, and have had a lifelong interest in the power of visual storytelling.

Q&A with Sarah Chokali.

Read time: 5min

Mack Garrison:

Thanks for participating in our Tuesday Takeover series, Sarah. For folks not familiar with you or your work, could you give us an introduction and a little background on how you got into the creative space?

Sarah Chokali:

Thank you for having me in the Tuesday Takeovers alongside inspirational artists I’ve admired.

I'm Sarah Chokali, a passionate and multidisciplined motion designer based in Brooklyn, New York. I was born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq, and have had a lifelong interest in the power of visual storytelling.

Growing up in a challenging environment sparked my creativity and my love for art at a young age. I've always been fascinated by the way that visual expression can create a connection between people.

I’ve started my career as a graphic designer around 2014. However, my passion for animation led me to discover the world of motion design. Since then, I've been on an ongoing journey to learn more about using motion to communicate and bring ideas to life. I aim to create impactful visual experiences, and I’m not tied to one design discipline. I am working on experimenting with different techniques.

Currently, I’m working with the dream team at Grandarmy at their office in New York City.

Mack Garrison:

You've got an entertaining portfolio in a variety of styles! Do you have a preferred medium you like more than others?

Sarah Chokali:

That's a great question. I'm a bit of a medium maverick. I don't believe in playing by the rules and sticking to just one medium. To me, the magic happens when different mediums come together to create something truly unique and unexpected as long as there is a clear contrast, whether in values, shapes, textures, and/or colors.

Having said that, After Effects is like my home base, the central hub where all my creative ideas come together. It's where I can bring all these different assets and techniques together.

*Opening shot from Sarah Chokali’s demo reel.*

Mack Garrison:

Some would say that 3d motion design work and illustration work are on opposite sides of the creative spectrum. How does one approach influence the other?

Sarah Chokali:

It's true, 3D motion design and illustration can appear to be on opposite sides of the creative spectrum. But for me, it's less about the differences between the two and more about the different processes that go into each.

I think of it like this - sometimes, I sketch an illustration on my iPad using my pen on the screen, then I'll bring those sketches into Adobe Illustrator and use the pen tool with my mouse to refine the lines. Both steps are part of creating an illustration, but they require different approaches.

The same goes for 3D motion design. During the process of building abstract shapes and bringing them to life in 3D whether using simulations of keyframes, it can be very different from the traditional illustration process. Both methods bring me joy and excitement; by combining different techniques in one place, a new style can be born.

The switch between different mediums is challenging. It didn’t come easily to me, especially when I’m fighting that resistance to using my comfort tools instead experimenting with new techniques. It takes time, practice, and dedication to combine different techniques. I had to sacrifice a lot of my social life and even some sleep in order to learn 3D, but my drive to create unique visuals kept me motivated.

I don’t recommend the combination unless you have enough energy and time. Nothing is more important than our health.

Mack Garrison:

Great answer! I really love your character work; both illustrative and the 3d versions. Where does the inspiration for each come from?

Sarah Chokali:

It’s flattering to know that you find it this way; thanks a lot.

My inspiration for the characters comes from my desire to challenge gender norms and celebrate femininity. Growing up in an environment where being a woman was seen as a sin and with limited representation, I've always been drawn to creating strong female characters. I find joy in bringing these characters to life, both through my traditional illustrations and through my 3D animations. I consciously and subconsciously find it as a way to give a voice to those who may have felt suppressed in the past and to provide a positive representation of women in my work.

*Character from Sarah’s “Parallel Project.”*

Mack Garrison:

What’s an ideal project for you, and is there a brand you would love to work with?

Sarah Chokali:

Since I’m currently not a freelancer, I’d say what makes a great project to me is the project where I need to push out my limits and seek to create unique visuals for it.

Mack Garrison:

It's always hard to choose a "favorite" project, but is there one piece that really sticks out to you?

Sarah Chokali:

Ah, that’s so tough, especially given that the most interesting projects are still in production. But I just started a new passion project where I share a breathing exercise for the social media scroller. This project is dedicated to creating animated content that offers a peaceful refuge for the mind. Also, it is gonna be an exercise for me as a motion creator.

Mack Garrison:

Can’t wait to see it! I know you're a big advocate for women in tech. What are some initiatives you're currently working on?

Sarah Chokali:

It has always been a pleasure and great responsibility to advocate time and efforts to help unrepresented groups. I’m involved with Code Lab initiative in Baghdad, which focuses on creating the first AI hub in Iraq by organizing bootcamps and workshops. However, I’m temporarily not as active as I used to be when I was present in Baghdad. My goal is to create impactful content that serves to inspire or represent oppressed voices, especially women in my country.

Mack Garrison:

How has growing up in Iraq shaped your professional career?

Sarah Chokali:

With every challenge comes a new opportunity to learn and develop. Living in Iraq was like living life in a difficult mode. Not only I experienced economic sanctions, two wars, and a civil war that cost me to lose friends and family members. But I also experienced living in a society where women are titled to be only good wives and caring mothers. While I was lucky to have supportive parents, the environment was unfair to women. Women’s freedom and independence are far away from being a reality.

I was vocal about my rights as a human being to work and choose my path. My desire to make an impact and work passionately as a creator was unrealistic to dream of in the environment I lived in.

But I was curious about animation creation. When my uncle’s house got a computer, I stayed there playing with MS paint and was fascinated by that software. Yup! I imagined I could create things frame by frame with that software.

It’s more like my motion design career helped me get independence. Additionally, when I paid for my work, I’d save 75% of it to invest in optimizing my work process to overcome the challenges I was facing.

My background has shaped me into a more determined and resilient individual, always seeking to learn and grow in my craft.

Sarah Chokali — *Sarah is one of Iraq’s Influential Women In Tech - click the image to see the article!*

Mack Garrison:

Any final takeaways for our audience?

Sarah Chokali:

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about my story with motion design.

With motion design being a rapidly expanding field, it's truly an exciting time to be a part of this industry. Accessibility to resources has never been easier, and if creativity gives purpose to your life, then listening to your intuition, overcoming obstacles, and putting in hard work can lead to fulfilling that purpose.

However, keeping up with the constant advancements in technology and technique can be intimidating, which is why it's crucial to prioritize rest. This includes taking breaks from social media and focusing on physical and mental health. Social media platforms are designed to consume as much of our attention as possible, making it even more important to reduce the time spent scrolling and redirect that energy toward what truly matters. It sounds easy but we all know that many of us find it challenging to limit the impact of social media on our energy.

Mack Garrison 2/9/23 Mack Garrison 2/9/23

Takeover Tuesday with Juan Jose Diaz

An interview with Juan Jose Diaz: a Colombian Visual Artist that loves to give life to things with animation.

Q&A with Juan Jose Diaz.

Read time: 5min

Bella Alfonsi:

Hey, JJ! Thanks for taking over a Tuesday with us. Tell us who you are and what you create!

JJ:

Hey Dash Team; thank you so much for having me at Takeover Tuesday. I am Juan Jose Diaz or JJ! I am a Colombian Visual Artist that loves to give life to things with animation; I love to draw and experiment with timing, creating compelling visuals that communicate ideas.

Bella Alfonsi:

What made you make the move from Colombia to the US?

JJ:

I got pretty lucky because my uncle applied for a visa for my family. It took 14 years, but we finally made it, hehe, and the first time I traveled outside Colombia was to migrate to the US.

*Transistor Studios - Valentine’s Day Post*

Bella Alfonsi:

How has growing up in Colombia influenced you and your work?

JJ:

Oh, it has given me a lot of curiosity and allowed me to learn from artistic referents that use art to talk about serious social issues and reflect on different aspects of being human.

So I always look forward to applying that "idea first over the technique" approach.

*Loop referencing the iconic comic "Akira,"*

Bella Alfonsi:

Do you have any formal training or are you completely self taught?

JJ:

Yes, in 3D, I studied a 2-year program in 3D animation at night while I was studying Visual arts in college, a 5-year program that I did not finish because we had to migrate. But! of course, I have taken a bunch of online classes and read a bunch of books to improve my practice.

But at a distance, I go back to just wanting to draw, in whatever form that takes.

Bella Alfonsi:

Looking at your portfolio, it appears you are a cel animation wizard. Is this your favorite method of animation?

JJ:

Yes, after a couple of years dealing with the crashing of 3D software, I started to find it easier at the beginning to translate my ideas with drawings without having to be a generalist expert in 3D to model, texture, rig, render, etc.

Bella Alfonsi:

What’s your workflow like when cel animating?

JJ:

First, thumbnails, where all the crazy ideas appear, tiny drawings trying out different compositions, thinking a lot on the negative space. Then translate that into some rough keyframes, and to find out the right timing, I do a bunch of tests just moving balls around (Everything is on the 12 principles); once that is done: time to do more rough frames, then the tie-down and finally the long process of cleaning so I get comfortable with a nice podcast or music and just work. I feel this is the time when animation gets closer to meditation.

Bella Alfonsi:

You’ve worked on a bunch of fun projects over the years, do you have a favorite?

JJ:

For a client, it will be the project for Baqsimi that I did with Ataboy Studios. I got to animate a dynamic scene and used my 3D background to block out the camera and reference the movement to translate that into drawings.

And a personal one will be the appropriation that I did of one of the Akira pages when in 2020, with all the racial issues going on in the US, I contributed with a loop reinterpreting Akira and the fight for human rights.

*Project for Baqsimi which helps patients with diabetes.*

Bella Alfonsi:

Who are some artists that you look up to and/or inspire you to create what you do?

JJ:

Sebacuri because his career amazed me, he has been able to develop a bunch of new skills seeing him going from being another motion designer to an illustrator with his own voice and making a living from that. And jonathan_djob_nkondo, because he is a master of timing, the way he works, those keyframes are definitely an artistic statement.

Bella Alfonsi:

What are you most proud of in your career thus far?

Rohan McDonald:

Being in a place I never imagined, not even two years ago, having met incredible people along the way, and having a career that supports my hobbies between extreme sports and travel.

*Short animated piece for the LA Galaxy soccer team.*

Bella Alfonsi:

Any advice/final takeaways?

Rohan McDonald:

Life is an incredible ride full of surprises. You will never know where you will be in 10 years, so keep learning about everything, not just art; keep making mistakes and make sure you take care of YOURSELF!

Mack Garrison 2/6/23 Mack Garrison 2/6/23

Takeover Tuesday Rohan McDonald

Dash animator, Bella Alfonsi interviewed animator, illustrator, and director, Rohan McDonald and we’ve got the scoop on it all!

Q&A with Rohan McDonald.

Read time: 5min

Bella Alfonsi:

Rohan! Thanks so much for being a part of our Tuesday Takeover series. For those who are unfamiliar with you or your work, please tell us a bit about yourself and what you do!

Rohan McDonald:

Thank you all for having me!

I’m an animator, illustrator, and director based in Boston, MA, USA. I create work from a 2D hand drawn perspective, primarily focusing on cel animation. I also love working with printed media and reading independent and self published comics. Beyond that, I enjoy rock climbing with my fiance, tinkering with music production and composition (occasionally), and repeatedly watching the Lord of the Rings behind the scenes documentaries.

Bella Alfonsi:

What inspired you to get into the motion design world?

Rohan McDonald:

I didn’t really understand that motion design was an option for me until sophomore year of college. I went to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) thinking I would be some combination of a painter and editorial illustrator. It became apparent rather quickly that I wasn’t a painter, at least in a fine art setting. In my first few years of school I felt like I had something to prove, so every piece would be about trying to impress people or show off. My painting professor at the time even went so far as to say “Rohan, you’re a really nice guy, but this is terrible.” After that righteous burn, I reconsidered what I was interested in, and came to the conclusion that I just love drawing. So I signed up for Intro to hand drawn animation, which was entirely on paper and entirely about drawing. I loved film and TV and also did some theater as a kid, so it was the perfect combination of acting, drawing, and film for me.

After that class, I wanted more digital animation skills. That’s when I got a crash course in photoshop, After Effects, and how to bring your hand-drawn paper work into digital space. The work we watched in that class brought me closer and closer to motion design as a future career. I would talk to professors outside of class about how to achieve certain looks I was going for and what to watch. So I sought out things like “Late Night Work Club,” where I saw films from artists like Nicolas Menard, Charles Huettner, and Alex Grigg. Then people like Sophie Koko Gate, Caitlin McCarthy and “Parallel Teeth,” appeared on my radar. All of these artists showed me that there was a really intriguing mix of graphic design, print media aesthetics, and cel animation to experiment with. I remember just feeling excited to get out into that world, even just to make commercial work, because I could play.

I then cold emailed every studio/agency in Chicago that created work in the motion design space. I sent over a short 30s reel in search of an internship, a part time job, anything really. I got a fair amount of responses! At the time that was surprising, but the Chicago motion design community is really small, tight knit, and welcoming.

I ended up at Demo Duck as an intern. After my internship, I worked part time at Demo Duck until I graduated. Then Demo Duck hired me full time as a junior art director! I spent the next 3 and a half years at Demo Duck and learned so much on the job, eventually being promoted to Art Director. It was like going to grad school, but without the debt. I really got to put in the time and see Demo Duck grow as a company, in addition to seeing the industry grow and thrive.

*“Thanks for Asking” project with Demo Duck*

Bella Alfonsi:

Do you have any kind of formal training or are you completely self taught?

Rohan McDonald:

This is a hard one. I definitely have formal training in cel animation and some in drawing overall. But when it comes to graphic design, and digital animation, I learned through a mix of more general SAIC courses, YouTube tutorials, and asking people how they did things. In addition to my own painstaking trial and error. However, I owe a lot to my SAIC professors Joel Benjamin, Shelley Dodson, Matt Marsden, and Jim Trainor, who taught me how to think about film and motion media overall.

When it comes to more soft skills (client communication, organization, timelines + budgeting) and motion design specific stuff, I really learned through immersion. Through Demo duck, I got to go to conferences like Blend and Comotion, in addition to working with amazing freelancers like Zak Tietjen, Milton and Valeria from Notreal, and Martiniano Garcia Cornejo from Fu Imagery (to name a few). I also got to work with the best in house team of producers, art directors, creative directors, and writers, all of whom taught me so much and supported my independent work and my career growth. It was a working experience that really spoiled me in the best way, and gave me lifelong friendships.

Bella Alfonsi:

As someone who does both animation and illustration/design, do you prefer to do one over the other and why?

Rohan McDonald:

It really depends! I go through waves. Sometimes I’m really tired of animation and sometimes I’m tired of design.

It also depends on the style I’m working with. For certain styles, I like doing more design and illustration rather than motion, and for other styles I like taking more ownership of the entire pipeline. It also depends on the structure of the project: Am I going through an agency, through another director/studio, or is it direct to client? That being said, I love the pre-pro development side of things. And that’s often times a design + motion test kind of process.

But at a distance, I go back to just wanting to draw, in whatever form that takes.

Bella Alfonsi:

Animating by hand is a great way to fully understand the principles of animation and have complete control over what you’re creating. Do you think it’s important that all animators know how to do it the good ol’ fashioned way (by hand)?

Rohan McDonald:

Another hard one! Before I answer this fully, I have a hot take: not all of the 12 traditional animation principles have to be your bible (side note: the “Appeal” principle really frustrates me and feels like an unhelpful and subjective Richard Williams-ism). I know, I know, controversial.

I think animation now is so diverse, experimental, and often times technology driven, to the point where you can accomplish a lot in motion design without having the hand drawn animation background. That being said, you need to know how to think about animation and understand why something might not be working. That’s where an awareness of traditional animation principles comes into play.

So let’s say your simple mograph match cut transition is looking abrupt and startling. Having awareness of traditional animation ideas like anticipation, follow through, and timing will help you tweak that speed graph or adjust the distance between those keyframes to smooth it out. So no, I don’t think people need to know how to hand-draw animation, but knowing the thinking behind the old ways will make you a strong animation warrior.

Bella Alfonsi:

I’m sure it’s hard to pick, but do you have a favorite project you’ve worked on?

Rohan McDonald:

I’ve gotten to be part of a lot of great projects in the past few years. One that stands out to me is a project from early 2021, which was a really simple but “vibey” music video for Liam Kazar’s song “Nothing To You.” I had a lot of freedom and I didn’t plan a lot of things out. And interestingly enough, it wasn’t a cel animated project. I just jumped into After Effects with a few rough designs and created tons of loops. Working with that type of improvisation is really fun and low pressure. I’m excited to do more of that in my personal work.

*Frame from Liam Kazar’s song “Nothing To You” music video.*

Bella Alfonsi:

Your portfolio is full of so many different art styles-from simple shapes with minimal color to more illustrative with lots of bright colors-do you have a favorite style to work in?

Rohan McDonald:

It’s been hard for me to focus on any particular style, or set of tools to work with. I love trying out a style and then trying to add something new, or just explore how I do it specifically. That being said, I usually start off with a line-based pen sketch, so I tend to gravitate towards a line-based illustrative style.

I think there’s a frustrating notion that you have to “find your style” to get work or be noticed as an illustrator and animator. And to some extent that is true. But I have another hot take here: having a style doesn’t have to mean doing the same type of thing over and over again. It can be finding out how your specific perspective translates to different mediums, color palettes, and tools. While algorithms love consistency, oftentimes you can recognize someone’s creative voice no matter what medium they’re in, as long as they’ve experimented and cultivated that voice (which I still struggle with sometimes).

Bella Alfonsi:

What’s the workflow like for a freelance director? Are there any big challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Rohan McDonald:

I’ve been part time freelancing for a while, but 2022 was my first year as a full time freelancer, so there were a ton of challenges!

To be honest, my biggest challenges have been messaging/making sure people understand my offerings while balancing direction projects vs. projects with more specific roles (i.e. cel animator, AE animator, storyboard artist, illustrator). I think this is where my previous point about style becomes relevant. I do a lot of different things, and so I have a lot of different types of projects come along, so I have to plan my time in a way that allows me to flex all those different muscles effectively. Without that stylistic focus, sometimes my freelance workflow has to be re-thought and adapted. And that’s rewarding, but difficult!

Bella Alfonsi:

“Rooms” is a really fun piece and I love the unique take on connecting mental space with physical space. I see that it’s also been featured on Motionographer, Aeon Magazine, Good Moves, and on Vimeo’s Staff Pick (congrats!!). Can you tell us a bit more about this one and how it came to be?

Rohan McDonald:

Thank you! “Rooms” started out as a series of risograph printed artbooks that I created with my college roommates Lucas Reif and Austin White, who are both amazing designers and collaborators. They had been working through “ShelfShelf,” a small publishing collective. I don’t remember who had the idea to interview people about their spaces, but we all ran with it and conducted our own interviews with family and friends. Lucas and Austin handled the type design, layout, and printing. Then I did all the illustration, and helped with file set up and assembly. We really love the way they turned out and I thought there was a film in there as well. The illustrations were so fun to draw and I thought it would be even more fun to make them move. This was around 2018.

Cut to the pandemic and everyone is experiencing some awareness of physical space and mental space. Everyone remembers how it felt. I used that time to truly investigate how this film could work and what narratives I could find in common between interviewees. I combed through all of our audio, and what started off as a ten minute film was edited down to around two minutes (dodged a bullet there).

The biggest production challenge was creating a workflow that didn’t feel stale or forced. I was working full time at home and it was difficult to find the intrigue and joy in creative work sometimes, especially when going from one screen to another. So I decided to do two things differently: Use rough animator on my iPad for all the rough animation, and delve into Animate CC, a software I hadn’t used a ton at that point. Rough animator allowed me to work more spontaneously and Animate CC gave me clean lines and quick fills that I could apply subtle effects to in AE. Changing up my process really worked out this time around, and Rooms came together with the help of two additional animators (Sofia Diaz, Dena Springer) and a sound designer/composer (Limes and Cherries).

I’m very happy I took my time with it, and I learned a lot. Although I’m glad my girlfriend at the time (now fiancé) pushed me to finish it.

Bella Alfonsi:

Any advice/final takeaways?

Rohan McDonald:

There are always multiple ways to do something, especially in animation. Not everyone needs the perfect AE script or the latest plugin to make things work. Just explore and find the way that you like to do things! And I’m also still trying to figure out how I do things. That will be a lifelong pursuit!

Mack Garrison 1/30/23 Mack Garrison 1/30/23

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!

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?

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.

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.

Mack Garrison 1/18/23 Mack Garrison 1/18/23

Takeover Tuesday Abbie Bacilla

An interview with Abbie Bacilla: 2D and 3D motion designer and illustrator.

Q&A with Abbie Bacilla.

Read time: 5min

Matea Losenegger:

Thank you for taking part in our Tuesday Takeover series! Can you give us a little insight into you and your work?

Abbie Bacilla:

Thank Y’ALL for considering me for Tuesday Takeover! My name is Abbie Bacilla, I’m a 2D and 3D motion designer and illustrator. I work primarily in tech, but love to do character animation on the side.

Matea Losenegger:

What made you pursue design and animation as a career?

Abbie Bacilla:

Animation was always something I wanted to pursue; I wanted to work for Cartoon Network or Disney when I was in high school, but CalArts was (and is) way too expensive. Instead, I went to a small liberal arts college and shifted to graphic design, because I thought it would lead to more jobs. While in college, I happened upon a night class for motion design. My professor gave me the impression that it was way easier and faster than frame-by-frame animation, so I gave it a shot. I ended up liking it so much, I shifted my whole career to it!

*Excerpt from How Conservatives Created Cancel Culture #shorts*

Matea Losenegger:

What is it like to work at Frame.io on a platform that’s growing so fast within our industry?

Abbie Bacilla:

It’s incredibly exciting to work for a product that other motion designers use. It’s the reason I wanted to work for Frame.io in the first place – it’s a great product with great people working on it! I’ve been at Frame for almost five years, and I’ve had the privilege to watch the company grow from under 100 to over 500. It’s a unique situation for sure, and made me learn a lot of motion techniques and soft skills very quickly. I highly recommend working in a small in-house team at least once; it’s very rewarding to build a brand and make content with a tight-knit group of creatives.

Matea Losenegger:

How would you describe your art style and what was the path that brought you to it?

Abbie Bacilla:

I like to keep my Frame.io and personal art styles separate. My Frame.io “art style” is more about the motion; we like to look at the minimalist typography trends that other tech and film brands are achieving and apply it to our own brand voice. My personal art style stays in the realm of round, colorful and expressive characters, mainly in 2D but sometimes in 3D. I love stretching and exaggerating emotions with a character’s face and body language.

*Playing Cards - character loosely based off of King Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn*

Matea Losenegger:

The characters you create are so fun and playful. What is your process for bringing them to life?

Abbie Bacilla:

In the beginning, LOTS of pinterest boards and instagram bookmarks. I try to actively seek inspiration rather than wait for it to jump in my lap. I’m mainly inspired by runway fashion, drag, video games, cartoons, and my own life experiences. When I’m sketching, it’s really important for me to streamline the character’s shape language and cut unnecessary detail. In the future I’d like to experiment with more geometric, sharp character designs, rather than my usual bubbly style.

Matea Losenegger:

Do any of your projects stand out as a favorite?

Abbie Bacilla:

My short film that I launched in October, Spacepup, is my favorite so far! It was originally created for the anthology series Things Took a Turn, but I’ve submitted it to a multitude of festivals in New York. I’m hoping it’ll get selected for at least one, so I’ll be able to watch it on a big screen with my best friends in 2023.

Matea Losenegger:

What was one of your most challenging assignments?

Abbie Bacilla:

The first fully-3D launch video I made, Frame.io’s iPad app in 2019. I had a very rudimentary knowledge of Cinema4D at the time, and was limited to Arnold as a third party renderer since I only had an iMac Pro to work with. I was put in charge of the story and boards, so I had to partially direct all the live action bits. I learned a lot from creating that video, and it gave me a taste of what a director role would look like!

Matea Losenegger:

I see you’re a four-time School of Motion alumni and have a wide skill set in 2D and 3D. Are there any areas in animation that you haven’t explored yet or would like to?

Abbie Bacilla:

There are too many things to learn! I know every motion designer is saying this, but I’m going to try and dive deeper into Blender. I follow a lot of Blender artists on Twitter and they’ve inspired me greatly. Other than that, I’m at a point in my career where I need to double down and expand/improve what I can do with Cinema4D and After Effects. Cinema4D is just a rabbit hole of possibilities. I just need the right project to inspire me to learn more!

Matea Losenegger:

On your site you mention that some of your hobbies include video games and drag shows. Have you found any inspiration from those things for your work?

Abbie Bacilla:

Yes, absolutely! There are so many creative AAA and indie games that inspire me all the time – my latest favorites have been Pokemon Scarlet/Violet, Hades, and Cult of the Lamb. I’d love to create 2D character animations and assets for an indie game someday, ideally for a side-scroller like Cuphead or a fighting game like Skullgirls.

As for drag, it’s not the most obvious source of inspiration for motion design, but that’s why I love it! Drag is great inspiration in terms of color palettes, shape language, visual storytelling, comedic timing and motion in general. I’m a queer artist living in NYC, so I have an abundance of local drag I can go see. But I also watch shows like Rupaul’s Drag Race and Dragula – they’ve really popularized the art form and made it more accessible. Highly recommend both shows as well as supporting the local drag in your area!

Matea Losenegger:

What does 2023 look like for you? Are there any projects or upcoming endeavors you’re excited about?

Abbie Bacilla:

I’m collaborating with a friend on a character-heavy short, which I’m very excited for. Other than that, I haven’t consistently kept up with my drawing since covid started. I think 2023 will be the year I develop my visual style and start posting illustrations and 3D renders more.

Matea Losenegger:

What advice would you give to aspiring creatives?

Abbie Bacilla:

This is a common one, but I would find a hobby or source of joy outside of motion that can inspire your work. For example, my latest short film was inspired by my dog Ernie. Not that I’m saying to get a dog – it’s a big responsibility and it’s not for everyone – but it could be pottery, a sport, a tabletop game, book club, anything that will get you outside your home and office and talking to people!

Matea Losenegger:

Thanks so much, Abbie! This was a great chat.

Mack Garrison 1/16/23 Mack Garrison 1/16/23

Takeover Tuesday Zak Tietjen

An interview with Zak Tietjen: an animator & illustrator/designer living out in Columbus, Ohio.

Q&A with Zak Tietjen.

Read time: 5min

Mack Garrison:

Zak! I've been lucky enough to work with you over the years, but for those that don't know who you are, tell us a bit about yourself.

Zak Tietjen:

Thanks so much for having me! I’ve really enjoyed reading other interviews of people I’ve admired & some friends of mine.

I’m an animator & illustrator/designer living out in Columbus, Ohio. I love working on a variety of projects from 2D shape animation to cel animated characters and all the way to realistic 3D animation. I have a wife, 2 little girls and 2 dogs who I love spending my free time with at playgrounds, hiking, or cooking up some new recipes.

Mack Garrison:

As more and more folks choose to live and work in smaller markets, tell us a bit about how you were able to build a successful freelance career in Ohio.

Zak Tietjen:

Honestly, I feel like I sort of stumbled into it. I’ve been freelancing for about 6 or so years now and thankfully I’ve been able to build up a lot of connections outside of Ohio. It started slow but it was very important to me to build up trust with any studios/agencies/clients that I worked with. Never miss a deadline, always communicate when you need more time or don’t know a certain skill/technique (but willing to learn), and try to meet or exceed expectations for the project. And honestly, just don’t be a jerk haha. These are all things that several people before me have said, but following those loose guidelines is what I think allowed me to thrive working remotely, before the pandemic made it more common. After doing that enough, you start to get good word-of-mouth. Friends would recommend me for projects or studios would come back because they know I’ll make it easier for them by working hard and hitting deadlines.

*Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight - Main On End Title Sequence.*

Mack Garrison:

Let's jump into style. How would you describe your aesthetic and your work?

Zak Tietjen:

Oof, that’s a tough one. I’ve been told that I have a certain style but I guess I don’t really see it that way. Admittedly, I love dabbling in a bunch of different styles but I think what people see as a through line is how I animate. I love bringing some of my humor into my character work, when possible. My wife won’t admit I’m funny, so I like to use my work as an outlet. I also really love a nice blend of styles, since that reflects a bit of my skillset. When there’s a lovely blend of 3D & 2D (heck, throw collage in there too!), that’s what excites me! I get bored staying within the same style and I like to jump around. It might also be a bit of envy (or overconfidence haha) when I see artists I admire creating amazing work in other styles and I think to myself “Oh! I want to try that!”.

Mack Garrison:

What are some of your favorite types of projects to work on? Do you have a favorite project from over the years?

Zak Tietjen:

What I love about this industry is that there is such a massive variety of mediums that we can work in. I could be working on some fun cel animation and brush up on my drawing skills, or finding new ways to keyframe some bouncy shapes in After Effects. Then I’ll get tactile and step away from the computer to explore some collage style animation, or rig up some goofy 2D characters. And there are so many opportunities that excite me. The majority of my work is what I’d consider ads, but I’ve also done title sequences, billboards in Times Square, UI animation for tech conferences and graphics for large sports stadiums. Because I’m able to hop around a lot, I think that helps keep each project interesting.

A couple times a year I’m asked to give a talk to the seniors at my alma mater Bowling Green State University and I always try to explain to them that working in this industry doesn’t have to feel like you’re doing “soul-sucking ad work”. I try to find opportunities in every project to do something I consider fun. Whether that’s taking a 2D illustration and giving it a bit of faux 3D in After Effects or pushing the creative a little bit beyond what’s expected. This also brings it back to building that trust and trying to exceed expectations, when possible. Each project presents its own challenges, and at my core, I’m a problem-solver. It’s fun for me to break down a challenging shot and see how we can break it down into smaller actions.

Mack Garrison:

Who are some artists and studios that really inspired you?

Zak Tietjen:

That’s always a tough question to keep concise haha. I find inspiration from so many things and artists, but I’ll try to avoid the usual freelancers & studios that everyone is familiar with. Nocky Dinh is an amazing artist who I had the pleasure of working on Hawkeye with and I was blown away by her talent. She can seemingly crush both 2D & 3D styles. Continuing the trend of title design, Arisu Kashiwagi was another amazing artist who I found on Instagram and I was surprised how much of her work I already had seen & loved. And then Petrick is a collective I believe in Germany, but they’re chock-full of absolutely stellar designers & animators. Everytime they release something online I’m blown away by the wonderful blend of styles and humor. And you know I’m a sucker for people who blend multiple styles together.

*Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye - Main On End Title Sequence*

Mack Garrison:

What are some things folks should consider before they go freelance?

Zak Tietjen:

For a lot of people, going freelance straight out of college sounds both appealing and terrifying haha. I know it’s obvious, but you’re all on your own. You will often need to communicate directly with clients without the buffer of a studio, so you want to make sure you have good communication skills. For me, I think it helps to have worked in a studio for a few years so that you have an understanding of the full process, from producers to art directors and sound mixers. And one of the bigger tasks that often deters people from freelance is time & money management. If you have a partner or even children, those are big factors. My kids are eating machines, I need to make sure I’m planning our finances out months in advance.

It’s great to work for yourself and build your own schedule but you’re solely responsible for everything. Sometimes getting a nice check at the end of a project, it’s tempting to go get that new gadget in your amazon wishlist, but you have to plan ahead and make sure you have funds set aside for taxes as well. I could go on and on about all of the boring ‘adult things’ you should consider before freelance (I didn’t even talk about insurance or retirement!) but I’ll spare everyone haha.

Mack Garrison:

What's the hardest part of working for yourself and what's the best part?

Zak Tietjen:

I know it’s not for everyone, but I actually really enjoy working from home. I like being able to decide my own schedule. Over the years, I’ve begrudgingly forced myself to be a morning person, so I really enjoy waking up early and starting on work for a couple of hours before the kids wake up, and then spending time with them before school. This also allows me some time to go to the gym, which I think really helps fight off that feeling of sitting at a computer all day.

I’m also the chef in the house and we have a lot of mouths to feed, so if I’m ahead on my work, it’s nice that I can start prepping for dinner or run to the grocery store.

On the other hand, being solely responsible for your work & income can be a bit daunting. Thankfully, I feel like I’ve made enough friends and have a good system of keeping track of my invoices & upcoming projects that it’s rarely an issue, but occasionally there’s still that self-doubt in my mind that’s asking “What if I never get hired again?”. I’ve always been someone who tries to plan ahead for the future so having a career that’s constantly uncertain can be worrisome, but I feel like I’ve been able to figure out my own ways of staying organized and allowing some wiggle-room for uncertainty.

Mack Garrison:

For any studios or agencies reading this post, what's the number one takeaway they should know when booking a freelancer?

Zak Tietjen:

I’m not really sure I have any advice for just studios or agencies, but I do usually try to approach working relationships like friendships. We’ve all had a friend who didn’t treat you the same as you treated them. Maybe you’re the one who always paid for food or you helped them move into their new place but they can’t help you when you need it. So I try to see things from both sides.

I’ve been fortunate enough to build up some nice relationships with studios who hire me often and when they do something kind for me, I’m definitely going to remember that and return the favor. Let’s say it’s 7pm on a Friday and the client has some easy last-minute feedback (easy being a keyword haha). If I’m at home, I don’t mind quickly changing that for the studio because one day my kids will be home sick from school and I’ll have a slow day or maybe I need to take my dog to the vet, etc.

Showing kindness or understanding in a working relationship goes a long way, and if you don’t take advantage of it (freelancers or studios & agencies), I think the output of work is likely to improve, in my experience.

Mack Garrison:

What are you most excited about with the future of Motion Design?

Zak Tietjen:

A bit of projecting here, I’m sure, but I’m super excited for all of the motion dads & moms! Relatively speaking, I’m still pretty young in this industry (the peppered gray in my hair would disagree), so I’m always wondering what kind of longevity I have as a freelance animator/designer. From my experience, typically you would hustle in a big city (L.A., New York, etc.) and either become a Creative/Art Director, or open your own studio and eventually you’d find your way to retirement.

Well, things seem to be changing now. You no longer have to live in those big cities to get work or grow as an artist and some people are just rocking it as amazing freelancers. That and now people being more open about a healthier work/life balance, and many are relocating and starting families. I’m just excited to see where that takes us as an industry. Will I still be jamming as a 60 year old freelance animator? (Can you throw my face through one of those aging filters please haha)

Mack Garrison:

Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

Zak Tietjen:

This industry can feel so large and daunting but all takes is a simple trip out to a conference (Dash Bash Vol. 2, anyone?) to make it all feel small again. There are so many wonderful and kind people that I constantly bump into both online and at meet-ups, and I’m incredibly grateful for all of the friends I’ve made. There’s nothing better than seeing another friend pop-up on a kick-off call, on the 1st day of a long booking.

By nature I’m an introverted person, but I extremely value the friends and connections I’ve made along the way. So if you haven’t tried to put yourself out there and go to some in-person meetups, I highly recommend it!

Mack Garrison:

Thanks so much, Zak! This was a great chat and I know a lot of folks will be happy to have your insight. And see you at the Bash this July!

Mack Garrison 1/9/23 Mack Garrison 1/9/23

Takeover Tuesday Diogo Rosa

An interview with Diogo Rosa: Portuguese graphic designer and creative director.

Q&A with Diogo Rosa.

Read time: 5min

Mack Garrison:

Thanks for participating in our Tuesday Takeover, Diogo. For those that are unfamiliar with you and your work, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Diogo Rosa:

I am a Portuguese graphic designer and creative director who collects a vast and varied amount of ambitions and passions. I love cinema, design, art, food and I recently discovered that I like to travel more than I thought I would.

The idea of being able to experience other cultures and other realities beyond my own is something that fascinates me.

I have been working as a freelancer for the past 7 years now, which allows me to travel while I work. I started my career while I was still in the second year of my design degree at the University of Aveiro. Since then I have worked with numerous brands, studios, and companies. I have had the privilege of working on significant projects that effectively and actively want to create a positive impact on people and society.

*Snapshot from Diogo’s “Spice Trade” project.*

Mack Garrison:

You have a wonderful blend of whimsical characters to more graphic looks. How did you develop such a wide range of styles?

Diogo Rosa:

I'm not fascinated by the idea of doing the same thing over and over again, some people say that sometimes my head can be a little chaotic and complex, but in my opinion, it's just a wide range of ideas coming at the same time, and a huge desire to put them all into practice. I get bored easily, so I find tools to ensure that doesn't happen. That ended up defining a little bit of what I do professionally. I'm always pushing my limits to learn and do new and different things, and when that happens I want to see that reflected in my work.

*Character from Diogo’s “O Rosa” project..*

Mack Garrison:

What are your favorite types of projects to work on?

Diogo Rosa:

Those that allow me to tell stories. Since I was a kid I always loved the idea of storytelling. These stories can be found in many different forms: in movies, visual identities, logos, posters, illustrations... the list is endless.

Mack Garrison:

It's always hard to choose one piece, but is there a project that you're especially proud of?

Diogo Rosa:

By the time I finish a project, it is not difficult to choose, however, this decision is ephemeral. Since progress is my central goal, I strive to make the next piece better than the last. They all tell different stories and represent different contexts. By this I mean, that right now my piece could be one, but tomorrow it could be another. But, if I had to choose only one, it would be the one I did not do in a professional context, but as an escape from everyday routine, almost like an illustrated diary of my ambitions, anxieties, and desires. This project would be "O Rosa".

Mack Garrison:

How did you initially get into design and illustration? Who were the folks that inspired you?

Diogo Rosa:

I remember my parents saying that I wanted to be a chef when I was a kid, yet every time they looked at me, I was drawing, painting, or building something. I don't see it so much as a premeditated choice, but something that happened naturally and organically. Ignoring the cliche, I assume that everything that surrounds me is a reason for inspiration. However, my most recent passion for traveling around the world has acted as a base for many of my new projects.

Mack Garrison:

Could you tell us a bit about your process? How do you try to tackle creative problems?

Diogo Rosa:

There isn't usually a consistent and uniform line of creation for me. I like to adapt to the clients and the project itself. Everyone and every project require different ways of thinking, and it doesn't help me to have something very rigidly structured. Don get me wrong, the structure is always there, however, for the initial phase, where the creative part is a huge portion of the equation, I like to have a more flexible and fluid process.

But there is something I always do before I start designing. I open my notebook or a blank artboard in adobe illustrator and start putting all my ideas there, from the craziest to the most basic and simple. And in the middle of all these experiments, there is always something that can work as a base or structure for the project.

About the creative problem, well... we all procrastinate, we all have moments where we feel uncreative, and in those moments the only thing that helps (at least for me) is to just keep pushing.

Mack Garrison:

What are some of the tools you use to create your work?

Diogo Rosa:

Throughout my career, I have lost count of the number of tools I have used to create projects, and the number keeps growing, every day we have new tools to respond to new needs, and I make the effort to learn them. Whether these tools are digital or analog. Right now I use Adobe Creative Suite, however, I believe we just need to be creative and stop thinking we need to use X & Y tools to create something magical.

Mack Garrison:

As a successful freelancer, any advice you'd like to give to the next generation of artists?

Diogo Rosa

Thanks for calling me successful, but I still have so much to learn and to grow, and maybe that's what I can share. To not stop growing and learning. No one knows everything, even when we think we do.

It is so easy nowadays to create, share and learn. This easiness brings with it a higher level of competition. With more people doing it, the more saturated the market becomes. Nevertheless, there are audiences for everyone.

My advice is not to waste time with doubts. It was something that I struggled with for a very long time, with so many ideas running through my head, plus all the doubts about which one I should do... It's not worth wasting time on second thoughts, but rather gaining time on doing what is on your mind.

Mack Garrison:

Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

Diogo Rosa:

Work on your dreams and yourselves. Keep trying to keep yourself fulfilled and happy. And above all, if we help others to achieve their goals, others will help us to achieve ours. We don't have to drag other people down to feel empowered. Be ambitious and humble at the same time.

Mack Garrison:

Thanks so much for the great chat, Diogo! And for the folks reading this, make sure to check out Diogo’s Behance linked here.

Mack Garrison 1/2/23 Mack Garrison 1/2/23

Takeover Tuesday Andy Evans

An interview with Andy Evans: an independent Motion Designer with a strong focus on 3D & Art Direction.

Q&A with Andy Evans.

Read time: 2min

Mack Garrison:

Thanks for participating in our Tuesday Takeover, Andy. For those that are unfamiliar with you and your work, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Andy Evans:

Hey, thanks for inviting me to this! I’m Andy Evans, a freelance motion designer based in Reading, UK. I went freelance a month before the pandemic struck which was beautifully timed but I’ve been busy ever since. These days my work has transitioned over from 2D to 3D projects but I still call myself a generalist.

Mack Garrison:

Your 3d work is so fun! How did you initially get into the animation space?

Andy Evans:

Thanks! I’ve always been into drawing from a young age and I grew up watching Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon in the 90s. Fast forward 20 years and I started to grow an interest in graphic design. I went on to study this in which one of the modules was motion graphics. At the same time, I discovered Andrew Kramer’s videos on YouTube and it spiralled from there. After graduating, I worked at a few studios and agencies in London surrounded by incredibly talented people who knew 3D inside out. I would always pester them and ask the most basic and mundane questions, but I learnt so much.

*Collection of shots from Andy’s “play” page on his website.*

Mack Garrison:

Are there certain types of projects that you love to work on? What makes a good client?

Andy Evans:

My favourites are always the ones where there’s lots of room for creative freedom. When the client understands the process and enjoys the outcomes, it always ends up becoming such a positive and fun experience.

Mack Garrison:

Tell us a bit about your process, how do you approach a creative challenge?

Andy Evans:

I try and keep as open-minded as possible during the early stages while sticking to the fundamentals of graphic design. I then sketch these ideas out on paper before bringing them into the digital scene. At the same time, depending on deadlines, I need to be considerate of how long things can take as 3D always takes longer than you think! .

Mack Garrison:

I love the "Play" page on your website. How important is play in a creative workflow and how often do you get the chance to mess around?

Andy Evans:

Thanks! I think it’s very important to have some fun. With some projects, there are restrictions on brand guidelines but I always try and bend the rules. On the other hand, projects can be so open that messing around is to be expected! There’s nothing more satisfying than putting your stamp on something.

*Work Andy did for Adele’s performance at Hyde Park.*

Mack Garrison:

It's hard to pick one project as a favorite, but do you have any that stick out as being really fun?

Andy Evans:

I recently was lucky enough to work on the visuals for Adele’s concert at London’s Hyde Park this summer. I was surrounded by so many talented people which made the process so much fun. The energy and enthusiasm from the team were electric!

Mack Garrison:

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to aspiring creatives?

Andy Evans:

Never stop learning! Keep experimenting and try new things. Don’t feel pressured by social media to compare yourself to others. Just be yourself :)

Mack Garrison:

What do you think the future of Motion Design looks like? Anything you're particularly interested in exploring?

Andy Evans

The fast development of A.I. has been seismic in the past year. Every week there seems to be another company that’s flexing its AI muscles which is fascinating to see. I have started dabbling with it for ideas so I’ll continue to explore that.

Mack Garrison:

Any upcoming projects or personal endeavors you're really excited about?

Andy Evans:

I’m currently working on something that involves boring everyday objects but is portrayed in a fun and unexpected way. Watch this space!

Mack Garrison:

Thanks so much for the great chat, Andy! And for the folks reading this, make sure to check out Andy’s site!

Mack Garrison 4/18/22 Mack Garrison 4/18/22

Takeover Tuesday with Marta Azaña

An interview with Marta Azaña: a freelance 2D animator and motion designer..

Q&A with Marta Azaña.

Read time: 5min

Mack Garrison:

Hey, Marta! Thanks so much for participating in our Tuesday Takeover series. For those unfamiliar with you or your work, let's start with an introduction - who are you and what do you create?

Marta Azaña:

Hi! Thanks so much for having me at Takeover Tuesday. I’m Marta Azaña and I’m a freelance 2D animator based in the South West of England. I’m a big fan of bright and retro-y colours and I tend to apply these to my animations, usually pretty abstract and sometimes featuring typography or characters (and bikes!).

Mack Garrison:

How did you originally get into the motion design space? Did you have formal training or were you self taught?

Marta Azaña:

I have grown up in a creative family - Before retiring, my dad directed TV commercials and both my mum and dad are also photographers. I remember going to the sets with my dad practically my whole life and I wanted to be a filmmaker too! But I also loved graphic design and illustration. I studied Media in uni, eventually specialising in video editing. To improve my videos, I started to watch a lot of After Effects tutorials on Youtube to create nice looking intros, title sequences, etc. And that’s when I discovered that motion graphics was a thing and it was actually what I wanted to do as a career.

I didn’t study anything related to motion graphics in uni so I’m mostly self taught (I did take an After Effects and Cinema 4D course eventually). Then did two motion design internships in Madrid, Spain.

*Biker study from a broader collection of .gifs*

Mack Garrison:

I saw you moved to Bristol from Madrid, what was the reason for the move?

Marta Azaña:

When I finished uni in Madrid in 2013 it was recession times and the youth unemployment at that moment was around 55% (the worst year!). After two internships no one hired me and it was suuuper hard to get a junior role so I started to get a bit frustrated and I felt like I wanted a change of scenery for a little while. I also thought it would be a good opportunity to improve my portfolio. I had friends in the UK so I went to live with them while looking for motion graphics & animation jobs. I ended up in Bristol where I did….. another internship! haha this one at least was the most productive one, I learned a lot of animation stuff thanks to my good friend Matt Wilson who also was incredible patient with me & my English. After that internship I got a full time job at Bait Studio in Cardiff (where I lived for a few months) and, after that, at Hungry Sandwich in Leeds (this time remotely). I have been a full time freelancer since 2018.

Mack Garrison:

What's the animation scene like in Bristol, UK? Are most of your clients in the UK or do you find yourself working more internationally?

Marta Azaña:

When I moved to the UK in 2014 I didn’t know anything about Bristol. Maybe I had heard the one thing or two when I lived in Spain but I moved there blindly which is kind of what I wanted. I instantly fell in love with the city and I was so surprised by how big the animation and creative scene in general was. There were a lot of animation studios and this was 8 years ago… the population has pretty much doubled up since so you can imagine the number of freelancers and studios these days (still quite impressive considering Bristol’s population in 2022 is 700k!).

When I started freelancing I worked with Bristol studios mostly. Nowadays I work with UK and international clients.

Mack Garrison:

It seems like everyone is moving freelance these days. What's something you wish you knew before making that decision yourself?

Marta Azaña:

When I started freelancing I used to feel a lot of anxiety when I finished a gig and while I was waiting for the next one to happen, even though I had been earning more money than I would do if I worked full time. It might have only been a couple of days wait haha but I felt really nervous and I often ended up accepting whatever came next, even if it wasn’t really interesting, just because I wanted to see myself busy. 5 years later I can see there’s definitely plenty of freelance jobs and I feel way more relaxed about not having bookings. In fact, I take way more time off than before and I use it to work on personal projects or just spend more time outdoors, riding my bike and being away from my computer.

I also used to feel guilty about not posting enough personal animations on social media while I didn’t have any client work on. Seems like when you’re a freelancer there’s a lot of pressure to always do something that feels productive or work related and constantly share it with the world, but at least in my case, I found that pressure pretty counterproductive. I love to work on my own animations and experiment when I have time off, but it’s ok not to feel in the mood for it. I find that when I’m in the mood I enjoy it sooo much more, there’s no point to force ourselves in to it.

Mack Garrison:

What's been your favorite part of freelancing?

Marta Azaña:

As cliche it might sound, I love having a better balance between work and life and also the variety of projects and clients I’ve got to work with. In my opinion, one of the most rewarding things is when you work with a client for the first time and they want to hire you for a second, third time, etc. You don’t really get to experience that while working full time.

Mack Garrison:

Have you found any tips or tricks to landing clients?

Marta Azaña:

When I went full time freelance, I reached out to some studios to get my first projects and since then, the word of mouth has worked very well. My advice would be to enjoy every project as much as possible, even if it’s a small one - The more motivation, the better the results and the communication with the client, which could lead to more future potential projects. Also keeping in touch with lots of different freelancers through social media, platforms like Discord or attending to events (I’ve enjoyed going to Blend and OFFF and I’ve met a few people that way too).

Mack Garrison:

Your portfolio looks great and I'm sure it's hard to just choose one, but do you have a favorite project you could tell us about?

Marta Azaña:

here are so many I’ve enjoyed working on, but the 36 Days of Type 2018 I got to do with Meghan Spurlock meant a lot professionally and personally. Also during the pandemic I got to work on some animated scenes for a documentary called “Meat me halfway” with a Bristol studio called Yoke. That was pretty different to everything I’ve done so far and I realised I would love to do more animations for documentaries or short journalistic pieces.

Mack Garrison:

I'm sure there are a lot of animators who look up to you, so I'm curious, who are some motion designers you've always looked up to?

Marta Azaña:

There are sooo many! As I mentioned above, when I was a student I spent A LOT of time on Youtube and Vimeo (good times!) watching tutorials and looking for inspiration and the first person I remember coming across was Jorge Canedo when he shared the projects he did at Vancouver Film School. When above I said “that’s when I discovered that motion graphics was a thing and it was actually what I wanted to do as a career” what I really meant is that Jorge made me want to be an animator haha. I felt soo inspired and since then, the other people that have made me feel the same way have been Andrew Vucko, Yukai Du, Jordan Scott, Bee Grandinetti or Will Rose.

Mack Garrison:

Any final thoughts you'd like to share with our audience?

Marta Azaña:

To anyone who wants to make a career as a motion designer, I’d say keep experimenting and learning, but NEVER feel pressured by social media or compare yourself to others, the main goal should always be to enjoy. When you enjoy and stay motivated, everything else finds its way.

Thank you for this opportunity to show and talk about my work!