lordybob
Well-known member
A student sent me an email asking some questions about my motion graphics. Writing this I had to take a while to sort some questions out myself. I suggest you have a go at answering them too. Feel free to post your answers.
1) What inspired you to become a motion graphic designer?
Way back in when I was around the age of ten (so 9 years ago) my dad bought a super8 handycam. It had analogue outputs so no usb or firewire. I used to make Star Wars movies with Lego men blue tacked to pencils and the VHS of Star Wars playing in the background for sound effects. A couple of years later I shot a mini Star Was episode with my friends fighting each other with sticks. I imported the footage onto my dads computer and drew in lightsabers frame by frame in Microsoft Paint. That was my first 'motion graphics' work and I still love it today. What inspired me to keep on making stuff is a couple of things. Being able to make something that people enjoyed and shared has always been an addiction of mine. I like motion graphics because you can make something visual that anyone will understand regardless of their background. I also wanted to 'live the dream' of working in an industry that is essentially my hobby and decided to throw it all in and dedicate a fair amount of time to get ahead and be better. Career before girls etc...
2) How long have you been doing motion graphic design work?
Around 7 years non commercially and 2 years commercially. These years are mixed in with video work also. It is only now in 2009 that I am taking Spark Productions into the fulltime domain. A full business plan, accountant, advisory board and Adobe's Production suite.
3) Tell me a little bit about Spark Production, is there anyone else involved? What else does Spark Production do?
I registered Spark productions in my last year of secondary school. It was a platform to gain experience in the industry and I honestly thought I would not make any money. I invested (with the support of my parents) a fair amount on High Definition video equipment as I was, and still do video production. Essentially it is a brand I can work under and this gives me freedom to pursue many different jobs. As of 2009 Spark Productions will be contracting freelancers to work on productions. I have a photographer and production assistant on call and a growing camera operator list.
Spark Productions has done everything from health videos and films through to website design and producing live events. I specialise in Motion Graphics and camera operation but still dip into other areas. Usually people want a camera operator with multiple areas of expertise.
4) What is one of your main accomplishments as a motion graphic artist?
Giving the client more than they expected is the best accomplishment I have ever done. Just their reaction and following responses is amazing. Its good to know that your work can stir emotion or change perspective. Sounds cheesey I know.
5) As a graphic artist, how much do you really get paid? (No, really, I've always been curious.)
Haha I can't tell you! It's different for each job. And it depends on how much you value your experience and what hardware and software you are using. You can charge daily, hourly or a package deal. If you really want to know my standard rates you could give me a small job and I could quote you. Not a real one
Now, I wanted to ask you a little bit more about your work. I believe that you have done such an awesome job with this video:
http://sparkproductions.co.nz/?q=node/112
1) How long did it take you to finish that video?
That edit took me about 2 hours. It is a compilation of short clips from bits of work I have done. The shorter the better! Or do you mean how long did all those graphics take?
2) What went on through your mind while creating the video?
I wanted to create a reel with impact that diddn't lack power so I got someone to delete the clips they diddn't think were cool. It also needed to show a bit of my personality and style. The music and editing does this (hopefully).
3) Do you usually brainstorm or do any storyboard prior to creating the motion graphics?
(Our professor ALWAYS makes us do them, but sometimes, I just play around w/ Illustrator/Photoshop and get something I like just from experimenting)
Depending on the work. Some work (like the MTV skater stuff) was just a spur of the moment thing. The Shuriken logo you saw involved 4 meetings, a rough draft in After Effects and about 20 revisions. It was output for film in 1080p. If you are not a huge reader like me I suggest you look up the author Hillman Curtis and his book MTIV Process and Inspiration. This is the general way I get a clients ideas to work with a visual medium (sounds tricky but it isnt). Its good to plan and get the idea straight before dedicating hours of animating and render time to a flunked idea.
4) Last but not least, I saw some logos in those videos. Did MTV really use it? How about that Shuriken type? How did you do that? No MTV did not use my Ident. In fact I'm not sure I sent them it. Will do that.
The Shuriken film intro was a mix of real cloud footage (layered and color graded in 3D) and illustrator design. The idea was to give the feel of a powerful deadly marketing and entertainment Production house. :beer:
1) What inspired you to become a motion graphic designer?
Way back in when I was around the age of ten (so 9 years ago) my dad bought a super8 handycam. It had analogue outputs so no usb or firewire. I used to make Star Wars movies with Lego men blue tacked to pencils and the VHS of Star Wars playing in the background for sound effects. A couple of years later I shot a mini Star Was episode with my friends fighting each other with sticks. I imported the footage onto my dads computer and drew in lightsabers frame by frame in Microsoft Paint. That was my first 'motion graphics' work and I still love it today. What inspired me to keep on making stuff is a couple of things. Being able to make something that people enjoyed and shared has always been an addiction of mine. I like motion graphics because you can make something visual that anyone will understand regardless of their background. I also wanted to 'live the dream' of working in an industry that is essentially my hobby and decided to throw it all in and dedicate a fair amount of time to get ahead and be better. Career before girls etc...
2) How long have you been doing motion graphic design work?
Around 7 years non commercially and 2 years commercially. These years are mixed in with video work also. It is only now in 2009 that I am taking Spark Productions into the fulltime domain. A full business plan, accountant, advisory board and Adobe's Production suite.
3) Tell me a little bit about Spark Production, is there anyone else involved? What else does Spark Production do?
I registered Spark productions in my last year of secondary school. It was a platform to gain experience in the industry and I honestly thought I would not make any money. I invested (with the support of my parents) a fair amount on High Definition video equipment as I was, and still do video production. Essentially it is a brand I can work under and this gives me freedom to pursue many different jobs. As of 2009 Spark Productions will be contracting freelancers to work on productions. I have a photographer and production assistant on call and a growing camera operator list.
Spark Productions has done everything from health videos and films through to website design and producing live events. I specialise in Motion Graphics and camera operation but still dip into other areas. Usually people want a camera operator with multiple areas of expertise.
4) What is one of your main accomplishments as a motion graphic artist?
Giving the client more than they expected is the best accomplishment I have ever done. Just their reaction and following responses is amazing. Its good to know that your work can stir emotion or change perspective. Sounds cheesey I know.
5) As a graphic artist, how much do you really get paid? (No, really, I've always been curious.)
Haha I can't tell you! It's different for each job. And it depends on how much you value your experience and what hardware and software you are using. You can charge daily, hourly or a package deal. If you really want to know my standard rates you could give me a small job and I could quote you. Not a real one
Now, I wanted to ask you a little bit more about your work. I believe that you have done such an awesome job with this video:
http://sparkproductions.co.nz/?q=node/112
1) How long did it take you to finish that video?
That edit took me about 2 hours. It is a compilation of short clips from bits of work I have done. The shorter the better! Or do you mean how long did all those graphics take?
2) What went on through your mind while creating the video?
I wanted to create a reel with impact that diddn't lack power so I got someone to delete the clips they diddn't think were cool. It also needed to show a bit of my personality and style. The music and editing does this (hopefully).
3) Do you usually brainstorm or do any storyboard prior to creating the motion graphics?
(Our professor ALWAYS makes us do them, but sometimes, I just play around w/ Illustrator/Photoshop and get something I like just from experimenting)
Depending on the work. Some work (like the MTV skater stuff) was just a spur of the moment thing. The Shuriken logo you saw involved 4 meetings, a rough draft in After Effects and about 20 revisions. It was output for film in 1080p. If you are not a huge reader like me I suggest you look up the author Hillman Curtis and his book MTIV Process and Inspiration. This is the general way I get a clients ideas to work with a visual medium (sounds tricky but it isnt). Its good to plan and get the idea straight before dedicating hours of animating and render time to a flunked idea.
4) Last but not least, I saw some logos in those videos. Did MTV really use it? How about that Shuriken type? How did you do that? No MTV did not use my Ident. In fact I'm not sure I sent them it. Will do that.
The Shuriken film intro was a mix of real cloud footage (layered and color graded in 3D) and illustrator design. The idea was to give the feel of a powerful deadly marketing and entertainment Production house. :beer: