Between the Keyframes: Recent Episodes
Erin Sarofsky & Austin Shaw
Listen in as we explore the creative world of Kelli Anderson. Kelli takes us on a journey through her artistic path, revealing how her interests in art and science led her to an unconventional approach to motion design. Our conversation explores this unique intersection, the importance of communication skills in the art and design industry, and the magic of trusting our own feelings in the creative process. The episode is a tribute to the power of art to transcend our physical limitations.
Discussion Points:
- Motion design and creative exploration
- Kelli’s education and background
- Art, ideas, communication intersection
- Balancing playfulness and accountability in work
- The importance of joy in creativity
- Craft and technology
- Intersection of science, art, design
- Workshop structure and the analog-digital mashup
- Exploring typography and favorite artists
- Zoom for international collaboration
Resources:
Kelli Anderson
Book: This Book is a Planetarium
Book: This Book is a Camera
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Join us as we delve deep into a captivating conversation with the multi-talented designer and director, Peter Clark. From his humble beginnings of learning the ropes in high school Photoshop competitions, all the way to selling his first piece of art and taking the plunge into his dream career, Peter's journey is nothing short of inspirational. Discover how Peter transitioned from school to the professional realm, the significance of personal projects, and the courage it takes to chase your dreams.
Peter Clark is a multi-media artist and designer with an emphasis on graphic design brought to life via experimental animation techniques. His work is largely influenced by a life of skateboarding and drumming, which gave birth to his audio alias Enternull. Clark is often involved in both the audio and visual production of his projects -- which vary between experimental animations, light-based installation art and title design packages. He has been working as a freelance designer since 2014 with clients such as Fender Music, The Video Game Awards, Nike, Masterclass, Martin Garrix, and Nine Inch Nails. His visual approach often focuses on the process behind creation, attempting to use actions or materials as conceptual metaphors. By focusing on the errors often found in analog glitch or practical effects, Clark seeks to hint at the process behind the work and bring viewers closer to the act of making.
Discussion Points:
- Early interests and education in design
- Creating a unique aesthetic and brand
- Transition from school to the professional world
- Career paths and perspectives
- Becoming a studio owner journey
- Curating and mentoring talent
- Practical effects and the creative process
- Practical effects vs. digital
- Pushing boundaries in lighting effects
- Analog and digital art intersection
- Taking time off and giving back
Resources:
Peter Clark
Peter’s Instagram
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
What if we told you that animation is no longer a male-dominated field? That's right! On today's podcast, we're joined by Bee Grandinetti and Dorca Musseb, the brains behind Panimation, a thriving community for women, trans, and non-binary individuals involved in animation and motion graphics. The pair share heartening anecdotes from their career journeys, their roles as educators, and shed light on the significant changes they're witnessing in the industry. They also reflect on Panimation's journey, from a humble Facebook group to a robust platform with a directory, Instagram handle, and an exclusive channel. Staying true to their ethos, Bee and Dorca don't shy away from addressing the less glamorous aspects of the industry. Together, we dive headfirst into pressing topics like microaggressions, mentorship, the value of seasoned peers, and the need for ensuring fair treatment for all. They paint a vivid picture of the complexities of the animation world while emphasizing the importance of creating a safe space for discussions about worth and value. We also discuss the unique challenges that crop up when working with different studios, touching upon sensitive issues like health insurance and student debt.
Discussion Points:
- Maintaining a nurturing Facebook group
- The animation community in New York
- Women directors and talent
- The importance of inclusivity and representation
- Gaining social power in the workplace
- Importance of peers in career networking
- Embracing knowledge and empowerment in education
Resources:
Panimation
Dorca Musseb
Bee Grandinetti
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
We are thrilled to welcome the multifaceted Sofie Lee, a designer, illustrator, art director, and storyboard artist with an inspiring journey to share. We delve into her transition from South Korea to Vancouver, LA, to SCAD, and ultimately establishing herself in the world of freelancing. We'll discover how a visit to the digital media building at SCAD led her to switch her major to motion media design and how this transition opened up a new world of self-expression for her. We also discuss the profound impact of parenthood on career and worldview. Through her own experiences, she underscores the importance of creating spaces for those who break from the mold, and the evolution of her communication techniques. We wrap our chat by reflecting on the creative industry's specialist and generalist roles, the unique opportunities they present, and the inherent challenges.
Discussion Points:
- Sophie’s background and journey to finding community and inspiration
- Exploring the power of motion design
- Transition from school to the working world
- Growth through learning
- Parenting's impact on career and empathy
- Challenges of aging parents and work
- Creating space for diversity and inclusion
- Cultural differences and workplace etiquette
- Career skills and understanding growth
- Impact of collaboration in art
Resources:
Sofie Lee
Sofie’s Instagram
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Imagine being a teenager who has to escape your homeland, learn a new language, and then you proceed to become a leader in the motion design industry. In another installment of our interview series, we welcome such a person - Hung Le - and his co-founder at BIEN Motion Design Studio, Ricardo Roberts. Both have unique, inspiring journeys that embody the spirit of determination and innovation. Hung recounts his incredible escape from Vietnam at 16 and his path to becoming a household name in motion design. Ricardo, on the other hand, was born in Ecuador and relates how a chance elective in grad school transformed his life, leading him from studio art to motion design.
Ricardo and Hung discuss their ‘Double the Line’ initiative, a mentorship program that aims to break down monoculture in design. Join us as we traverse this inspiring journey that encompasses not just the world of motion design, but also the larger issues of diversity, inclusion, and representation.
Unconscious bias continues to drive motion design. It’s bad for society and it’s bad for business; limiting revenue potential, brand recognition, and growth. BIEN was founded on the belief that inclusivity helps everyone. As a minority-owned motion design and animation studio, they work with award-winning creatives who embody a diverse range of human experiences.
Discussion Points:
- Incredible origin stories
- Motion design and business ownership
- Inclusive motion design
- The creative industry's diversity and globalization
- Importance of representation
- Inclusive motion graphics design
- Navigating cancel culture and promoting diversity
- Design activism
- Sustaining momentum and making a difference
Resources:
Bien Studios
Inclusive Motion Design
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
In another episode of our interview series, you’ll hear from industry expert Carlo Vega, a motion design veteran with over two decades of experience. Carlo shares memories of his early career, his first professional job, and his journey to New York. The discussion covers Carlo's use of technology to create art and the topics he explores through his passion projects. The episode concludes with the importance of understanding the process and the value of failure when working on projects.
Carlo Vega was born in Lima, Peru, and grew up during a time of domestic terrorism and political turmoil. Vega approaches his art as a studied collection of thoughts and experiences, piecing together various realities. By combining simple, often geometric shapes with nebulous backgrounds and exploring abstract concepts through various mediums, Vega explores a tension between the logical and the inexplicable, the same tension he was surrounded with as a child in Lima. Carlo received his BA from the University of South Carolina in 2000 and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York.
Discussion Points:
- Artistic personal work and career opportunities
- Collaborative work on TV network rebranding
- Building long-term client relationships
- Evolution of creative careers
- Art and design in motion
- Exploring dialogue and creation with AI
- Visual R&D and experimentation process
- Exploring and evolving creative approaches
- Workshops and learning in design
- Balancing labor and enthusiasm in workshops
Resources:
Carlo Vega
Gray Keys
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Welcome to the first episode of our interview series featuring Ariel Costa, an Emmy-winning Creative / Animation (mixed-media) Director based in Los Angeles, CA. As the world constantly evolves, so does the motion design industry. Ariel gives his take on the emergence of new talent, the rise of AI and NFTs, and the impact of the pandemic on the industry. The conversation also covers the implications of AI on the industry, copyright infringement concerns, and the potential loss of the industry's 'soul.' Ariel lets us in on his creative process, the allure of 'blinking our brains,' and how the marriage of analog and digital elements creates harmony in design. Join us for this insightful and enthralling conversation about the challenges, triumphs, and evolution of our industry.
Ariel’s creative studio BlinkMyBrain™ is not a tool, it’s the attitude. Ariel helps studios, production companies, agencies, and all sorts of clients to solve creative and visual problems, bringing ideas to life and creating the message. With over 14 years of experience in the Motion Graphics industry, Ariel had the chance to collaborate with clients such as Marvel Animation, Spotify, Adidas, Warner, Focus Films, Netflix, The New York Times, Pinterest, and Facebook among many others. In the music industry, Ariel has done visual concepts for bands like Panic at the Disco, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and 30 Seconds to Mars. He directed music videos for incredible bands like Led Zeppelin, Green Day, Mastodon, and Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Discussion Points:
- Real and digital world inspirations
- The importance of personal projects
- Navigating time constraints in creative problem-solving
- AI's role in the creative process
- The importance of studio environment
- Challenges of a creative director
- The decline of traditional work structures
- Social media's importance for artists
- The feedback loop and iterative process
- Collage and mixed media exploration
Resources:
Ariel Costa - Blink My Brain
Blink My Brain – Green Day
Blink My Brain – Led Zeppelin
Blink My Brain - Mastodon
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
In this episode, Erin and Austin review and critique three more listener reel submissions for part two of their “Reel Time, Real Talk” mini-series.
You’ll hear tips and tricks for improving the reel content, feedback on which parts are strong and not so impressive, advice on changing perspective, simplifying, modifying the typography or camera pov, and other constructive feedback. Today’s reels are from Miles Fabishak, Seth Thomas, and Evan West.
Discussion Points:
- [00:17] Discussion and feedback for submission reel from Miles Fabishak
- [04:23] Discussion and feedback for submission reel from Seth Thomas
- [10:13] Discussion and feedback for submission reel from Evan West
- More Reel Time Reel Talk in our next episode
Resources:
Miles Fabishak
Seth Thomas
Evan West
Jessica Hische Typography
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
In this episode, Erin and Austin review and critique three listener reel submissions for part one of their “Reel Time, Real Talk” mini-series. You’ll hear tips and tricks for improving the reel content, feedback on which parts are strong and not so impressive, advice on changing perspective, simplifying, modifying the typography or camera pov, and other constructive feedback. Today’s reels are from Issy Muir, Etienne Buteau, and Thomas Collier.
Discussion Points:
- [02:14] Discussion and feedback for submission reel from Issy Muir
- [09:11] Discussion and feedback for submission reel from Etienne Buteau
- [15:12] Discussion and feedback for submission reel from Thomas Collier
- Stay tuned for Part II in the coming weeks
Resources:
Issy Muir Portfolio
Étienne Buteau Website
Thomas Collier Website
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
In this episode, Erin and Austin welcome Justin Cone, Director of Communications Strategy at BUCK, a global creative company that brings brands, stories, and experiences to life through art, design, and technology. With offices around the world, BUCK’s 600 makers, doers, and dreamers create work that is experienced by literally billions of people every day.
Justin’s experience with many different roles within the industry makes him a great listen for any motion design student or experienced designer. You’ll hear about the state of the motion design industry both in the early days and now, trends in employment and education, and new ideas and concepts on the horizon.
Discussion Points:
- Justin, Erin and Austin’s early days in the industry
- The state of education and employment in the industry today
- The “Cream of the Crop” list
- Big tech jobs
- The impact of Motionographer.com on the industry
- Internships/apprenticeships
- BUCK business update
- An LGBTQIA ‘zine project at BUCK
- Remote work and its lack of network building
- Writing and motion design
- Producers, EPs, and their roles
- Company culture
- The IRL student experience
- Private vs. public art schools
- Obligations and responsibilities, managing time
- Pros and cons within the motion design industry
- Talent vs. hard work
- Taco preferences, worst client notes, early mistakes, and gripes about kids these days
Resources:
Starter Story “How to Say No”
Justin Cone Website
Justin Cone Instagram
Justin Cone Twitter
Justin Cone LinkedIn
Sarofsky
Austin
Your raw talent can get you in the door, but that door is going to be hitting you on the ass very quickly if you don’t have the necessary soft skills to work well in collaborative groups with clients, colleagues, team members, and leaders in our field.
The definition of a ‘skill’ is something that is learned. In this episode, Erin and Austin discuss ‘soft skills’ like reliability, time management, communication, attitude, and more. Most of these should be common sense, but to become a consummate professional, it pays to learn and practice soft skills and develop your emotional intelligence. You’ll become a sought-after pro with a sterling reputation if you really work on observing, learning, and developing these skills.
Discussion Points:
- Our work only survives with collaboration, as in most creative mediums
- Definitions – Skill, Soft Skills, Hard Skills
- Austin and Erin admit their soft skills needed work when they first started in the business
- Time management –In the real world, there are repercussions to failing to do what you’ve been hired to do by the deadline
- Unreliability is not tolerated - and someone is always waiting to take your place
- Communication– if you’re not sure, or worried, just ask – sooner than later
- Missing assets you need for the job– how to best communicate
- Attitude– you can still have your own style, but do the work and don’t be a bummer
- Giving Direction – clarify what you’re trying to solve, and give the person something to work toward
- The ripple effect of missed deadlines
- Follow-through - you can be organized but follow-through may need to be learned
- Learning to ‘read the room’ – give everyone space to speak, don’t hog the mic, and look for the spotlight.
- Everything affects everything – do your work on time, don’t be a bummer or a jerk, and communicate early if you’re having trouble
- We’ve received lots of your reels for Reel Time Reel Talk!
Resources:
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
If the hold system did not exist or was not respected by motion design studios and freelancers, there would probably be complete chaos. Even with this system, finding and reserving talent can be a “challenge.” The hold system is a constantly moving puzzle that must be delicately managed by both studios and talent.
Today Austin and Erin are delving into the basic tenets of the hold system and giving you the inside scoop on how you as a freelancer are able and encouraged to work within this tenuous network. You are in control of your time and your fees, so be proactive, fair, and flexible. Your reputation will thank you.
Discussion Points:
- Definition of a hold first and second holds
- How studios use holds to manage resources
- Building your reputation, being fair re: studio holds
- Studios and freelancers need to respect the system
- Holds vs. bookings
- What is a booking?
- Communication with studios – its okay to reach out as a hold approaches
- Juggling multiple holds– dos and donts
- What is a challenge?
- The etiquette around holds, bookings, and challenges
- Kill fees and canceled bookings
- Check out the 2019 Motionographer article on holds by Josh Van Praag
- Recap
Resources:
Josh Van Praag Motionographer Article on Holds
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Welcome to Part II of all the things motion designers create. In this episode, we’ll discuss brand videos & documentaries, explainer videos, apps, future tech, video games, experiential design, live performances, and NFTs.
Some highlights include brand work that has been done for Apple, Marni, and Good Books, Apps like Google Home, video games including the breathtaking scenery in Red Dead Redemption II, live performance opportunities such as half-time shows or visuals for your favorite bands in concert, and we’ll even cover programming drones to create visuals in the sky and NFT’s digital assets being sold in the crypto world.
Let us know if we missed something and send us your favorite examples in any area we discussed!
Discussion Points:
- Brand videos
- Brand documentary films
- Explainer videos
- Apps
- Future Tech
- Video Games
- Experiential
- Live Performance
- NFT’s
Resources:
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
We tried to squeeze everything a motion designer creates into one episode, but we touch so many things that we’re splitting it into two.
In Part I, we’ll discuss movie titles, TV titles, title cards, commercials, Network branding and promos, music videos, episodics, in-app branding, and award show packages (like MTV Video Music Awards and the Oscars), and logo animations.
What comes to mind when you think of each of these areas of Motion Design? Austin and Erin will highlight some of their favorites – from Motion Design studios to individual designers, going back decades. From Ozark to the Brady Bunch, MTV’s moon and flag treatment, to Green Day, Led Zeppelin, Netflix, Microsoft, and Google – join us for a sometimes nostalgic and always inspiring look at all the work motion designers create.
Discussion Points:
- Movie Titles – Birds of Prey, Psycho & Saul Bass, Thomas Crown Affair, Se7en, Bond films
- TV Titles - Peacemaker, The Morning Show, True Detective, The Brady Bunch, Golden Girls
- Title Cards - Ozark, The Killing
- Events - Oscars, Emmys, MTV, Independent Spirit Awards
- Conference Titles - Not often talked about, a chance to really experiment
- Commercials – Nike Air Max, the Kraken, Bombay Sapphire
- Network Promos and Branding - F/x American Horror Story, Simpsons
- Austin’s work for Pharrell, Anthropologie, Ralph Lauren
- Music Videos - A-Ha, White Stripes, They Might Be Giants
- Episodics - Another area not often talked about - Adult Swim, Julia Pott
- Motion Branding - TV networks, Netflix, Hulu
- In-App Branding - Microsoft, Stephen Kelleher
- Award Show Packages – MTV, Studio Moross
- Logo Animation - MTV Moon Man
Resources:
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Welcome to the first episode in our “Professional Practices” series. Today we’ll cover some of the topline areas that you need to consider when you begin your job search. We’ve been around the block, and we’re here to share our hard-won knowledge about the Motion Design industry, how to find the perfect position for your skills and preferences and the many critical elements to being successful.
From defining what you want to do, to where you might be interested in doing it, to the many moving parts of Motion Design teams and companies, we’ll help you navigate through some of the toughest stages of your career.
Discussion Points:
- We love to start with definitions – what is a “Professional”?
- Austin’s personal dress code through the years
- Identifying what job you are most interested in
- Generalists vs. specialists
- Future topic: the hierarchy of Motion Design teams
- Can you identify and communicate your “value proposition”?
- The three “stages of knowing”
- Future topic: interpreting a creative brief
- The soft skills necessary for being a professional
- Motion Design is highly collaborative - leave your ego at the door
- Future topic: Building a reel
- Identifying your employable skills
- Learn to be ‘of service’
- We’re here to help!
Resources:
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Back when we were job hunting early in our careers, no one mentioned company culture, and we didn’t look at company culture as a ‘thing.’ We looked for open jobs and took them when hired! These days, a company’s culture ranks high on the wish list of many motion design job seekers.
Join us as we discuss what makes company culture toxic, or sustainable, and how to recognize aspects of each type. Every company or classroom has a culture, it may be great in a giant corporation, and it could be horrible in a small, seemingly cool, boutique organization. Don’t assume.
Do you have some great culture-related work stories? Send them to us, we would love to hear about them.
Discussion Points:
- Let’s first define what culture is in the dictionary
- It’s definitely challenging to foster culture in our current remote home-based zooms and slack etc..
- Motion design work used to be only in NY/LA but now you can work anywhere
- Great motion design teams can be found in lots of unexpected places, like CashApp
- Company culture is always changing– and you can influence it when you’re inside
- Is the company culture “sustainable” or toxic?
- Some attributes that make for a toxic company environment:
- Discrimination of any kind: any of the ‘isms’
- Unrealistic expectations for work deadlines
- Constantly in DefCon 1 Mode/putting out fires
-
Burnout
-
Some attributes of a sustainable culture
- Feeling like you want to be there
- Anyone can speak up at any time without repercussions
- Communal spaces to talk, eat, hang out
- Clear HR policies/regular reviews
- Clarity of reporting structure– who can you talk to about issues?
- Ability to manage your personal obligations without repercussions
- Accessibility to leadership
-
People/leadership saying thank you for all your hard work
-
Do you have some interesting culture
This episode is the second half of our Interrogation series with Michelle McDonald, a senior at Western Washington University and one of Austin’s students. Michelle has been grilling us on what she wants to know about the industry, lessons we learned through our experiences, and what she should anticipate after she graduates.
Today we’re answering questions about overcoming obstacles, what activities lead us to our flow states, and what questions you should be asking your potential studios. Michelle also gives us feedback from her point of view and age group. We also talk about the importance of a mentorship program: why students don’t ask about mentorships more and why they are beneficial.
Discussion Points:
- Things to overcome as designers
- The activities that make us feel most like ourselves
- Finding flow states
- The questions you should be asking
- Our weaknesses
- Feedback for our project
- Skills students “should” master and the importance of a mentorship program
Resources
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Today we’re doing something a little different. We asked one of Austin’s students, Michelle McDonald, a senior at Western Washington University, to grill us on what she would like to know about the state of the industry, our career experiences, and what to expect as she transitions into the creative workforce.
We answer questions around what drives us, what we’re proud of, and how we maintain our passion and work ethic.
Discussion Points:
- What makes us proud and excited to be in the motion design industry?
- What are we proud of at Sarofsky Studios?
- The nicest things we have heard said to us over the years
- Erin- what has your experience been, working in a male-dominated field?
- Erin- you don’t seem very discouraged about losing out on some things because you’re a woman, why is that?
- What is one thing you’ll never get used to in the industry?
- You’ve both got incredible stamina and motivation, what drives that for each of you?
- Tune in next time for Part II of Michelle’s questions. We’ll answer questions about what students should be asking potential employers, and what kinds of stumbling blocks are our “design kryptonite.”
Resources:
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
In this first episode of season two, Austin and Erin reflect on season one of Between the Keyframes and the state of the Motion Design industry.
They explore what makes their content different, how and why they are addressing unique topics that you often don't hear much about, and the surprising and unexpected profiles of the audience members. They also discuss the adaptation requirements both of the industry itself and in regard to their personal experiences learning about vidcasting, editing and content, and dealing with positive and negative audience feedback. Finally, hear about some of their most popular episodes from season one, and what to look forward to in season two.
Discussion Points:
- What we’ve learned
- Navigating the ‘in-between’ content
- Vulnerability is the key to so many aspects of content
- Our surprising audience members– from students to full-time careerists to “old-timers”
- Demystifying the industry
- Adapt or Die!
- It’s not easy to record a podcast and promote it
- Loosening up made our content more enjoyable for the audience
- Personal learnings from Erin and Austin
- Some of our most popular episodes- Mistakes, History of Now, F/T vs. Freelance, Work from Home, etc.
- Audience comments and feedback– we read you some standouts
- Topics we will address in 2022 - including but not limited to– female mentorship, being a producer, after effects, more history, the hold system, and more
Resources:
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
In this episode, we talk about a sensitive topic for most designers… feedback. Whether it’s client feedback or internal feedback, often designers get offended and even feel hurt by feedback on their work.
Hopefully, today’s episode empowers you to keep doing great work, stay gracious in taking on feedback, and always keep an open mind. The biggest reality check we recommend is to remember that no matter how much of your blood, sweat, and tears went into a particular project, the client is still actually the owner of the work, and they are the ones who need to live with it once you walk away and take on your next project.
Discussion Points:
- Getting used to feedback
- Definition of feedback
- Feedback for students
- Teaching students to deal with feedback
- Dealing with feedback in the industry
- Understanding who owns your work
- How to set up a good feedback process
- Dealing with last-minute feedback
- Managing scope creep
Resources
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
In today’s episode, we start off by chatting about the importance of making a great demo reel. Whether it’s a montage or in some other format - it is the first impression people will get of you and your skillset and interests. We chat about what we look for when reviewing reels for job applications and what you should spend extra time on to make sure you don’t blow it in the first few seconds of your demo reel.
We also dive into a demo reel submitted to us by one of our listeners and make improvements to it in After Effects in real-time. Listen along to find out which changes we felt were necessary to improve John McKinney’s demo reel submission. Maybe you could make some of the same changes to take your demo to the next level.
Discussion Points:
- Making a demo reel of your work (To montage or not to montage)
- Less is more
- How long should it be?
- The demo reel we’ll be looking at
- The importance of typography
- Feedback and real-time editing of a demo reel
- Comparing the original to Austin’s recut
- Recap of changes made
Resources
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Adobe After-Effects
In today’s episode, we share the second part of our conversation with famed motion designer Sekani Solomon. We jump straight into some quickfire questions, getting Sekani’s thoughts on a few interesting topics. He shares some background into two of his most recent passion projects - the short films “Hidden” and “Star Wars.”
Sekani is a deep thinker and extremely insightful when it comes to the way he works. We loved getting to know the artist behind the incredible motion design work and we hope you’ll enjoy listening to the conversation just as much.
Discussion Points:
- Quickfire questions - getting to know Sekani
- Sekani’s most dominant personality traits
- Sekani’s thoughts on ego
- How Sekani handles feedback
- Ownership over your work
- Sekani’s experience as a person of color in an industry that isn’t particularly diverse
- Opportunities
- NFT’s (Sekani’s short film)
- Passion projects
- What’s next for Sekani?
Resources
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Sekani’s Website
Sekani’s Vimeo
Sekani Solomon LinkedIn
Cash App
Sekani’s Film - Hidden
The Making of Sekani’s Star Wars short film
Sekani Solomon is an award-winning Motion Design lead at Cash App. His diverse skill set in design, animation, and compositing allows him to work at any stage of the production pipeline with a high level of proficiency. He has worked at a wide variety of companies, both as an employee and as a freelancer. He is now the Motion Lead and manager at Cash App. In part 1 of this chat, we get the opportunity to pick Sekani’s brain about his career choices and what led him to start working for a tech company.
Discussion Points:
- Sekani Solomon’s experience
- The value of internships in college
- Moving into the tech industry with Cash App
- The difference between working at a studio vs at Cash App
- The difference between working at a studio vs Tech company
- Managing unlimited vacation
- The transition from being an artist to a manager
- Managing your career path
- Sekani’s teamCash App’s branding direction
Resources
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Sekani Solomon LinkedIn
Cash App
The Mill
Loyalkaspar
Imaginary Forces
Scholar Studios
SCAD
Cash App Clothing Line
In today’s episode, we chat about the role of the producer.
While we talk mostly about the role of a producer in the motion graphics industry, we acknowledge the different kinds of producers that exist in adjacent industries. Going deep into the role we cover both the job responsibilities as well as the necessary personality traits of a producer. Understanding that different companies use producers in a variety of capacities and that personality traits aren’t set in stone, the conversation will go a long way in helping guide a person understand the complexities of the role. We also cover what we look for in a great producer, where producers come from and why are producers so important to the creative process!
So whether you are an artist or someone looking to become a producer, this episode will give you valuable insight into the world of a producer and how they fit into the process.
Discussion Points:
- Types of procedures
- Motion Design studio producers
- Executive Producer
- Head of Production
- Producers
- Visual Effects Producers
- Animation Producers
-
Post Producers
-
Line Producers
-
Associate/Junior Producer
-
Difference between junior producers and senior producers
- Where do producers come from?
- From artist to producer
- Good attributes of a producer
- Dealing with scope creep
- Bad attributes of producers
Resources
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
This week’s episode is about mistakes. Mistakes we’ve made and mistakes we’ve seen colleagues or employees make. We are sharing these mishaps and the lessons learned from them. While we can’t help you not make any mistakes at all, hopefully, this conversation will open your eyes to things that are potential pitfalls in the workplace. It’s important to note that errors happen to everyone and it’s impossible to learn if you don’t make them. So, if you make mistakes, embrace them, and move forward. We also raise an important topic - the value of team support and everyone taking responsibility for blunders on a job or at the office.
Discussion Points
- Early career mistakes
- File organization flubs
- Bigger picture missteps
- Promoting people who do not have the necessary skills
- Toxic gossip - don’t do it…
- High-maintenance - don’t be annoying
- Not communicating enough
Resources
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Karin Fong
School of Motion
Joey Korenman
Ryan Summers
Audrey Yeo
José Manuel Peña (JP)
In this episode, we continue our discussion around freelancing. We unravel the tricky business of setting your rates when first starting out as a freelancer—keeping client expectations in line with your skill or ability as a designer is key. We share the good, the bad, and the ugly around paying (and claiming) taxes as a freelancer (spoiler alert—there is more good, than bad or ugly). There are also some eye-opening truths that come out about what it means to make the move from being a freelancer to starting and running a business.
Austin has years of experience in freelance, while on the opposite end of the scale, Erin has years of experience working as a full-time employee as well as an employer who hires freelancers. So, you get a great look into the industry from both perspectives. If you are unsure if freelancing is for you - listen up - you will get a lot of information in today’s episode that will help you decide on whether freelance or full-time would suit you better.
Discussion Points:
- Freelance rates vs client expectation
- Tax benefits of freelance
- The stress of working freelance
- Freelancers Union
- How to decide on your rate
- Negotiating rates
- Sequential Liability
- Freelancer Administration
- Developing a personal brand as a freelancer
- Transitioning from freelance work into starting a company
- Advantages of being a freelancer
- Learning from people you work with
Resources
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Freelancers Union
Erin has a lot of experience in being employed full-time as well as being an employer. In this episode, Austin picks her brain about full-time employment. The pros, the cons and everything in between.
One of the greatest illusions of full-time employment is often the idea of “job security” which is really never a given in any position. Things can change at any time - so this is also why it’s important to be adaptable, regardless of your type of employment status. We compare working full time to being a freelancer - focusing on full-time employment in this episode.
Discussion Points:
- Explicit benefits of working full-time (W2)
- Less explicit benefits
- The illusion of job security
- Being part of a culture
- The cons of being full-time
- Gaining experience and getting promoted
Resources
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
In this episode we discuss the importance of passion projects—a non-commissioned work that is motivated solely by the maker's conceptual and emotional vision. It’s the act of making that drives you to create. Your desire to put it out into the universe, with no expectations, is ultimately the end result. We examine how passion projects help with sustainability, reinvention, and opening new doors in addition to overcoming stress and burnout. From investments in PR to leveling up a portfolio, we talk about how passion projects are used for professionals, studios, and students alike. We chat about a few people who are constantly improving themselves and their abilities by working on passion projects. Yes, it often takes some time to pay off, but continuous improvement through doing passion projects could lead to making you a hot commodity in the industry—just look at Beeple.
In this episode we find ourselves reminiscing about the crazy year that was 2020 - the year that forced most of the world into a remote working situation. While Austin has technically been working from home since 2005, the lockdowns had a huge impact on the way found himself lecturing his courses and connecting with his students. Moving to remote teaching was not easy but it did allow for technology to catch up to teaching this way going forward. In-studio, Erin had to deal with a very short-notice work-from-home order in Chicago - and she and her team were reeling slightly in the adjustment process over the weeks that followed. We all, however, adjusted, along with the rest of the world, and we share some of our learnings and the changes we will be adopting in our processes going forward, regardless of the lockdown situation- because they’ve had such a positive impact on our way of working.
Discussion Points:
- Austin working remotely since 2005
- Getting thrown into remote working during COVID in 2020
- Teradici explained
- Improving processes
- Let everyone know what the other team members achieve
- Full-time remote team members going forward
- What it meant to adapt to remote working from a business perspective
- Pro Tips from Austin - a veteran remote worker
- The importance of assimilating with the team
Resources
Sarofsky
Austin Shaw
Teradici
Vimeo
Gmail
Slack
WeTransfer
Google Drive
Dropbox