The Freelance Monocle Podcast

In this episode we chat with Amy Sundin, executive director at Gunner School. We chat about her career as a motion designer, and the various places she's been. We talk about her exciting new role with Gunner School, which offers an incredible internship/ fellowship opportunity from some of the best artists in the industry.    LINKS www.gunner.school Join the Gunner School Discord: https://www.gunner.school/join-our-online-community Find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-sundin-unger/ Email - amy@gunner.school Boxfort - https://boxfort.work/ Macomb Community College Media & Communication Arts Program: https://www.macomb.edu/landing-page/unleash-your-creativity.html Steve Savalle: https://stevensavalle.com/ Dash Bash - https://www.dashbash.net/   *Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sanctus

In this episode we chat with Yann Lhomme, co-founder from the SF-based studio Thinkmojo. We chat about how the motion design industry has evolved over the last 10-15 years, and where he sees the industry in the next few years. He lends insight into how AI has been quickly shifting the industry, and how the industry shifted with previous tech booms in the past.      LINKS https://www.thinkmojo.com/ https://spectacle.is/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/yannlhomme/ https://epipheo.com/     *Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with Motion Designer, David Urbinati, about his career and how he navigates his career by pursuing his interests in music and emerging tech. We talk about his experience with the challenging economy, and how he's positioning himself to be at the forefront of some new technologies.    LINKS https://www.davidurbinati.com/ https://rocketpoweredmilktruck.com/     *Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with another fellow podcast host and business owner in the Motion Design industry, Drysen Carsten. We talk about his previous business endeavors, and what lead him into the world of motion design and podcasting. He mentions some of the lessons he's learned along the way, and shares his more authentic approach to marketing his business.    LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/drysen-carsten/ https://www.frameoneshow.com/ https://www.hyperfocusmotion.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@drysencarsten Next Level Farming (TV series) https://m.imdb.com/title/tt14089230/       *Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with fellow podcast host and studio owner Caroline Le. We discuss her career as a motion designer, and how she tranisitioned from being staff to freelance and forming her own business. We also touch upon her experience as a podcast host, and how it's been beneficial for personal and professional development.   LINKS https://formerlealbrecht.com/ https://linktr.ee/formerle Styleframe Saturdays Joe Pilger Runway ML     *Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with freelance motion designer, Kyle Harter. We talk about how some bad experiences lead him to leaving the country to fully recharge and gain maximum focus on his career. He tells us about his genuine and authentic approach with networking, and how it's been very beneficial for his freelance career.   LINKS Kyle's Website Kyle's LinkedIn Kyle's Instagram     *Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat again with the founder of School of Motion, Joey Korenman. We reflect on the motion design industry over the last few years, and discuss the current state of the economy and how it's impacting business. He provides some tactics on riding out some of the slow times, and also some new tools coming onto the Mograph scene.   LINKS School of Motion The Client Code The Freelance Manifesto Mograph.com Emonee LaRussa Las Vegas Sphere Unreal Avalanche Rive Duo Lingo Curious Refuge     *Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with UK-based freelance motion designer Nassib El Mourabet. We chat about how he has navigated work during economic downturns, and how his resourcefulness helped create opportunities for his career.  LINKS - Plunk.tv - Nassib's LinkedIn - Leigh Williamson - People Per Hour     * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with freelance motion designer Taylor Cox about his career as a freelancer. We learn about what the last ten years of freelance has looked like for him, and what the biggest learning lessons were. He shares insights on habits that helped him be a more successful freelancer, father and husband.  LINKS - Taylor's Website - Taylor's Twitter post on 10 Years of Freelancing  - School of Motion     * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with freelance motion designer Austin Saylor. We learn about his experience going freelance, and he shares with us what strategies he uses to be more successful with his freelance business. We also chat about his most recent career pursuit, which was labeled "Project $200k" and he shares his learnings from it.    LINKS Austin's Website Austin's Social Media Links: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Austin's Interview on the Scotty Russell Podcast * Notion - Productivity Tool     * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we sit down and chat with the team over at Workbench. We learn about their origin story, and what business looks like in a lesser-known market like Tampa, Florida. We hear some behind the scenes info about their great tutorials, and also chat about their experience through the pandemic.    LINKS Jordan's Website Articles & Interviews Jordan's Interview on Styleframe Saturdays ( YouTube ) - ( iTunes ) - ( Spotify ) Simplate School of Motion   * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we sit down and chat with the team over at Workbench. We learn about their origin story, and what business looks like in a lesser-known market like Tampa, Florida. We hear some behind the scenes info about their great tutorials, and also chat about their experience through the pandemic.    LINKS Workbench Website Workbench Patreon     * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we continue our chat with Chad Ashley, a very talented 3D artist, teacher, and creator of 3D tools. We chat more on the personal side, and he gives us great advice on things to consider when progressing in your career.    LINKS Greyscalegorilla The Minimalists Podcast Motion Hatch Podcast feat. Beeple   * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we have another exclusive chat with Chad Ashley, a very talented 3D artist, teacher, and creator of 3D tools. He shares his career progression, and his experiences that lead him to where he is today. We chat about different work environments, and what motivated him early on in his career.    LINKS Greyscalegorilla The Minimalists Podcast Motion Hatch Podcast feat. Beeple   * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat again with motion designer & art director Casey Latiolais about his latest career moves. He tells us about the career moves he made during the uncertain times of the global pandemic. We also talk about the contrast between different work environments, and the popular subject of corporate vs studio life.    LINKS Casey's Website - https://caselat.com Casey's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/caselat/   Albert Lee - https://www.albertleeillustration.com/ Paul McMahon (Rusted Pixel) - https://www.therustedpixel.com/     * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with motion designer & art director Casey Latiolais about his career. He tells us about the striking differences between working at a small boutique studio and a large corporate tech company. We touch upon how the culture varies drastically between bigger and smaller companies, and how one might navigate through the bureaucracy and politics of a large company. We also talk about the future of the motion industry and some of the changes we anticipate happening. Casey also touches upon his experience being more of a leader and how he fosters growth within his team, and builds a strong culture.    LINKS Casey's Website - https://caselat.com Casey's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/caselat/ Trump Chicken - https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/10/us/politics/trump-giant-inflatable-chicken.html   Michael Jones Article about Freelance - https://www.mographmentor.com/industry/7-reasons-not-to-freelance/ Interview with Michael Jones on the Motion Hatch Podcast - https://motionhatch.com/e55-7-reasons-not-to-freelance-w-michael-jones       * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with Matt Nelson, who is currently doing motion design in the tech industry. He shares with us his experience in the field, and what it's like to be doing motion design in Silicon Valley. He touches upon his career progression, and his experience starting a family throughout his career pursuit. He also shares some great resources that shed light on valuable career info, such as salary info and inner culture at big companies.    LINKS - Matt's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mattthenelson/ - https://rapidfire.design/ - Matt Nelson's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattthenelson/ - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-create-your-best-work-lightning-fast-matt-nelson/ - https://www.teamblind.com - https://www.levels.fyi/ - http://www.jamesjean.com/   * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with Andy Needham, a London-based Freelance Senior Motion Designer. He's also an online instructor for resources such as LinkedIn Learning and Greyscalegorilla Plus. We chat about his freelance career, his experience creating educational content and also how he navigates the stressful times in his freelance career.   LINKS Website: https://www.imcalledandy.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imcalledandy/ X-Particles Challenge: https://www.xp-challenge.com X-Particles Challenge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xpchallenge/ LinkedIn Learning: http://linkedin-learning.pxf.io/andy-needham Greyscalegorilla Plus - https://greyscalegorilla.com/plus/ Created: https://www.created.academy The Freelance Manifesto - https://www.schoolofmotion.com/freelance-manifesto     * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with 2D Technical Director Zack Lovatt. He was originally a motion designer, then focused on his strengths in the technical side of creating tools for motion. We talk about things like the hold system, the value of building strong relationships with clients and accepting your strengths/weaknesses in your career. Zack has created fantastic tools and plugins for motion design, and is continually helping the community by engaging frequently and helping others as much as possible.  LINKS - https://zacklovatt.com/  - Zack's After Effects Tools & Plugins - Zack's Twitter - Zack's School of Motion Course "Expression Session"   * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with motion designer and creative director Kennon Fleisher. We chat about the pros/cons of full-time vs freelance, and what makes people stay long-term at certain companies. We also talk about how a prestigious role and title might not be as appealing as we would think. We might find ourselves climbing the wrong mountain, and need to change our path in order to align with our career goals.    LINKS Kennon's Website: https://www.kennonfleisher.com/ Kennon's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kennonfleisher/ Kennon's Behance: https://www.behance.net/kennonfleisher Joey Korenman's "Too Old for MoGraph" Article on Motionographer: http://motionographer.com/2017/02/15/too-old-for-mograph/ Greyscalegorilla Podcast "Too Old for Mograph" Discussion: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-46-are-you-too-old-to-do-3d/id433976980?i=1000380127957 * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christianprieto.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with David Franklin, who is currently the recruiting manager at the great studio We Are Royale. We discuss topics such as the challenges with the hold system, some good/bad habits from freelancers and the changing landscape of the motion design industry.  LINKS David's Email: david@weareroyale.com David's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-s-franklin/ We Are Royale: https://weareroyale.com/   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we touch upon many hot topics with the very talented Brian Gossett. We talk about how different freelancing was in previous years, how budgets were much healthier, how unforeseen family health issues temporarily halted his work, and how priorities changed after growing older. Brian also shares some advice and wisdom on when it might be the right time to go freelance, and he also shares his plans for a career mentorship program.  LINKS Brian's Twitter: https://twitter.com/briangossett Brian's Email: howdy@brianmichaelgossett.com Brian's Freelance Tips hashtag: #freelancetipsfrombrian Brian's Instagram: @brianmichaelgossett Logan - https://logan.tv/ Brand New School - https://brandnewschool.com/   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with Toronto-based Artist Oscar Mar about his career. He shares with us his experience of working as a staff in-house artist in the gaming industry for over 10 years, then pursuing the freelance world. We discuss the importance of staying relevant in this field, and some of the pros/cons with a long-term staff gig.  LINKS - www.oscarmar.com - Pablo Lozano - https://www.plozano.com/ - Nidia Diaz - https://nidiadias.com/ - I Love Dust - https://www.ilovedust.com/ - Prodigal Pictures (Danny Yount) - http://prodigalpictures.com/ - Victor Mosquera - http://www.victormosquera.com/ - Worship Studio - http://www.worship.studio/ - Ranger & Fox - https://www.rangerandfox.tv/   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with Stephen Panicara, one of the founders from the studio Ranger & Fox. We discuss what it's like when transitioning from a full-time staff gig to opening your own studio. We discuss the details behind making the decisions to open a studio, while simultaneously having children and experiencing some of the benefits / flexibility it can provide.   LINKS - Ranger & Fox - Stephen's email: steve@rangerandfox.tv - Ranger & Fox email: hello@rangerandfox.tv - Blair Enns (2 Bobs Podcast) - School of Motion Podcast w/ TJ Kearney   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode, we have a quick check in and recap of the conversations we've had so far on The Freelance Monocle. We've been very lucky to have some incredible guests on the show, and share some amazing insight into the world of freelance. We'd love to hear more from the community and see what topics you'd be interested in hearing. What common issues and fears do you have regarding freelance? Feel free to reach out and share any questions or stories regarding freelance at the following email address: hello@christianprieto.com   Helpful Freelance Links • The Freelance Contract Bundle from Motion Hatch • The Freelance Manifesto from Joey Korenman • The Futur with Chris Do   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode, we chat with freelancer Mark Walczak and his career in motion design. Mark shares some insight on what makes him successful as a freelancer, and also as a family man. He gives us personal insight into how he became debt free, and how that has provided more fulfillment in his career and his personal life. We also talk about some common freelance rates, being more valuable to your clients and that tackling debt is very achievable.  LINKS Mark's Twitter - https://twitter.com/MDWalczak Mark's Behance - https://www.behance.net/mdwalczak Dave Ramsey - https://www.daveramsey.com/ The Futur - https://www.thefutur.com   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we get to chat with Marti Romances, a Creative Director at the amazing Territory Studio. We learn about Marti's career and how he quickly worked his way up the ranks to start a very successful studio in the design/entertainment industry. We learn what his experience with freelancers is like, and what he typically looks for when seeking talent to bring onto projects.    LINKS: • Territory Studio • Motion Plus Design Conference   * www.martiromances.com   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with Trevor Kerr from Man vs Machine and Chad Ashley from Greyscalegorilla. We talk about some of their career experience, and the different opportunities they pursued. We discuss topics such as full-time vs staff, ways to level up in your career, managing double bookings, remote freelance, long-term bookings and the benefits of cloud-based storage.    LINKS: • Man vs Machine • Greyscalegorilla • Motion Plus Design Conference • Dropbox • Trevor's Personal Project - Star Wars   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with Monica Reimold, who is currently the executive producer at the studio Ranger & Fox. Monica shares some very valuable insight into the freelance world from the perspective of the producer. She shares great insight on things like what it's like to book freelancers, some typical rates for freelancers and what studios may typically look for when booking a freelancer.  Links Ranger & Fox - https://www.rangerandfox.tv/ Avaza - https://www.avaza.com/ Slack - https://slack.com   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with Canadian-based Motion Designer Jess Libby. We learn what it was like for Jess to go from being an in-house staff motion designer to becoming a business owner. She shares what the transition was like, and some of the things she's learned as a business owner.  Follow Jess Libby Demo Reel - https://vimeo.com/321156673 Twitter- twitter.com/jesseylibby Instagram - instagram.com/jesseylibby  Links Mentioned in this Episode Cushion App - https://cushionapp.com/   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we are joined by sound designer Wesley Slover (aka Sono Sanctus). Wesley began his freelance career by opening a small remote studio with a network of talented musicians and audio engineers. We chat about the growing pains of starting his own small studio, but he also elaborates on the joys and benefits it has brought to his personal life and professional career.  Contact Info for Wesley Slover sonosanctus.com Twitter: @sonosanctus   Links Mentioned in this Episode Jordan Scott - Motion Designer   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *music provided by Sono Sanctus

In this episode we chat with motion design director Andrew Embury to learn about his experience in freelance. We discuss the importance of setting boundaries with your clients in order to avoid burn out and undesirable experiences.  Contact Info for Andrew Embury aembury@gmail.com http://www.aembury.com/ yellowlab.tv   Links Mentioned in this Episode https://www.thefutur.com/  

In this episode we have a candid chat with freelancer and motion graphics artist Zach Christy. He tells us his personal experiences of freelancing with various shops in Los Angeles, and how his initial leap into freelance wasn't as he expected. He walks us through some unfavorable experiences he's had, and how becoming debt free gave him the ability to be more selective with his work. Zach's work and social media accounts: http://www.zachchristy.com/ https://vimeo.com/zachchristy https://www.instagram.com/zachinpublic/ https://twitter.com/Zachinpublic https://www.pinterest.com/zachinpublic/  Studios & Artists mentioned on the podcast: https://foreignfauna.com/ https://www.gunner.work/ http://oddfellows.tv/ http://allenlaseter.com/ https://anderson.tv/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *Music provided by Wesley Slover - www.sonosanctus.com

In today's episode we are joined by the founder of School of Motion, Joey Korenman. We talk about Joey's experience in the world of freelance and some of the challenges he faced when making the transition. We then dive into other challenges he's faced as his career progressed into being a studio owner and more recently the founder of School of Motion. He shares some amazing insight into the struggles many of us face when considering the leap, and offers some very enlightening viewpoints.    Links to resources mentioned in this episode: Contracts for Motion Design: A Q&A with Lawyer Andy Contiguglia https://www.schoolofmotion.com/podcast/contracts-for-motion?ref_id=prieto The Freelance Manifesto https://www.schoolofmotion.com/freelance-manifesto?ref_id=prieto School of Motion Courses https://www.schoolofmotion.com/courses?ref_id=prieto   ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *Music provided by Wesley Slover - www.sonosanctus.com

Today we're joined by Hayley Akins from the Motion Hatch podcast. Hayley's podcast focuses more on the business side of freelance, and has some really amazing guests on her show. Hayley recently created a fantastic resource for freelancers called "The Freelance Contract Bundle". On this episode we talk to Hayley about this helpful resource for freelancers, and also talk about her background in the field. She talks about what brought her to create this tool, and also what she values in her own career.  You can find more information about The Freelance Contract Bundle at this link: http://motionhatch.com/monocle -------- Links to topics mentioned in this episode -  Motion Hatch Podcast with US lawyer   Motion Hatch Podcast with UK Solicitor Part 1   Motion Hatch Podcast with UK Solicitor Part 2   Location Indie   The Freelance Manifesto   The Futur   Bingomation   Keyframes ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *Music provided by Wesley Slover - www.sonosanctus.com

In this episode we have freelancer Tony Agliata joining the conversation with us. Tony currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with his family and previously owned his own business with other partners for 15 years. After much deliberation, Tony made the transition into the freelance world and discusses with us the many topics that run through our minds when making this life-changing decision. He tells us how he first got into the industry and how he dealt with the common fears of going freelance, especially when providing for a family.  You can follow Tony and find out more about him through the links provided here:  tonyagliata.net www.instagram.com/tony.agliata/ tony.agliata@gmail.com   *Music provided by Wesley Slover - www.sonosanctus.com

Today we have Ryan Summers on the podcast to chat about the freelance world, and he shares his insight on some of his experiences with freelance. Ryan has worked at some very notable places in LA and Chicago, and has a ton of great experience and knowledge in the field of motion design and visual effects. He shares with us some of the challenges he faced while freelancing, specifically with a big late payment issue and also navigating the hold system.  Ryan also shares with us not only the challenges he's faced as a freelancer, but also as a creative director. He also gives us insight on why some studios have difficulty booking or paying freelancers, so this gives us some very valuable perspective. He also also gives some advice on how you can position yourself better when going into a studio as a freelancer, and set the tone for the relationship with your clients.  *Ryan is also available to chat with folks in the industry, and you can find his calendar in the link provided below: Ryan Summers Office Hours https://calendly.com/oddernod     Music provided by Wesley Slover - www.sonosanctus.com

The Freelance Monocle is a lens into the freelance life of motion design. The conversations we have on the show are meant to dive deeper into the nuances of freelance that people may not be familiar with, or that aren't widely discussed. These might include topics such as dealing with late payments, managing the hold system, how to build a better network and client base, available tools that help with your freelance career, and more.  We ultimately want to empower the freelancer by sharing detailed accounts from active professionals in the field, and offer solutions and tools that will help the freelancer become more successful. This is also meant to give an honest perspective on freelance for people who may be considering the career shift, or to provide some resources to active freelancers.  *The music tracks used in this show are provided by Wesley Slover, and you can find his music and services on his website - www.sonosanctus.com