Between the Keyframes

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.