#26 From Freelancing to Running a World-Class 3D Studio with Barton Damer | Bad Decisions Podcast
Jul 28, 2023
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Barton Damer, founder of Already Been Chewed, talks about his journey from freelancer to running a world-class 3D studio. He discusses learning 3D animation at 30, landing big clients like Nike, and protecting your artists. He also explores balancing an artist's passion and family time, and finding inspiration beyond the screen.
Recognize and seize opportunities to attract and work with desired clients.
Focus on creating a strong portfolio and showreel that prioritize visual aesthetics and potential.
Take action and turn cold opportunities into fruitful collaborations with big-name clients.
Deep dives
Finding Opportunities and Taking Action
Barton Damer, the owner and founding artist of already been chewed at Design, Motion Graphics and Animation Studio, shares his journey from being a freelancer to owning a studio. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing and seizing opportunities, such as reaching out to potential clients and manifesting the industry you want to work with. Barton highlights the significance of creating a demand for your work, filling your schedule with projects you love, and gradually increasing your rates. He also emphasizes the need to focus on potential and passion when hiring team members rather than solely focusing on degrees or qualifications.
The Power of a Strong Portfolio and Showreel
Barton emphasizes the importance of having a strong portfolio and showreel when trying to attract clients. When reviewing portfolios, he prioritizes visuals and aesthetics over qualifications or degrees. He looks for smooth keyframes, pace, and rhythm in showreels. Barton also mentions the value of showcasing potential and the importance of working on projects that align with upcoming trends or brands to capture the attention of big-name clients.
Taking Advantage of Cold Opportunities
Barton shares the story of discovering a cold opportunity through Twitter and leveraging it to land his first Nike project. He reached out to the opportunity via a cold email, showcasing his previous skateboard video editing work. Despite not being an intern, he proposed collaborating with the Nike team. Through his persistence and seizing the opportunity, he secured meetings at Nike headquarters, kickstarting his journey with the brand. Barton emphasizes the need to take action, seize opportunities, and turn them into fruitful collaborations.
The Journey of Growth and Relationship Building
Barton discusses the journey of growth and relationship building with big-name clients such as Nike and New Balance. He highlights the importance of continuous communication, following up, and delivering high-quality work to maintain long-term relationships. Barton also emphasizes the need to recognize that projects may vary in significance and not all may be publicly shared but can still lead to future opportunities within the same brand or company.
Setting Boundaries with Clients and Prioritizing Self-Respect
This podcast episode discusses the common issue of clients trying to squeeze solo artists and studio owners for more work and less pay. The hosts share their own experience of working with a client who continuously asked for free prototypes and didn't provide any projects for months. They talk about the importance of valuing one's own time and setting boundaries with clients who try to take advantage. They emphasize the significance of walking away from unfair negotiations and protecting oneself and one's artists. They also mention how they experienced growth and success after saying no to a client who was holding them back.
The Importance of Protecting Artists and Maintaining Work-Life Balance
The podcast explores the mindset of protecting artists and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The hosts discuss their fear of owning a studio they wouldn't want to work for and the importance of respecting one's own artistic integrity. They share how their studios prioritize the well-being and satisfaction of their team, avoiding burnout and maintaining a positive work environment. They talk about the negative consequences of overworking artists and the need to establish realistic timelines and budgets. They also emphasize the value of finding inspiration outside of the monitor, such as from skateboarding, basketball, and traveling, and how it influences their creative process.
Barton Damer is the owner and founding artist of Already Been Chewed, a studio well-known for creating some of the best motion graphics and 3D animations for brands such as Louis Vuitton, Nike, Marvel, Tiffany & Co., Star Wars, the NBA, and DISNEY. In this episode, Barton discusses his journey from starting as a solo freelancer to becoming the creative powerhouse he is today. He talks about his journey into 3D animations, and how it shaped his career and work ethic. We covered his perspective on education, making showreels and managing timeline and budget. Barton shares inspiring stories of landing big clients like Nike, and New Balance for @ALREADYBEENCHEWED and, his strategy for effective client negotiation, and the importance of protecting your artists. He also explores the delicate balance between feeding an artist's passion and ensuring quality family time.
Episode 26 Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:27 Health vs Work00:17:28 Learning 3D animation at 30 yrs old 00:35:24 3 Principles of Growth00:39:21 Should I go to college for 3D? 00:43:28 How to stand out when you apply as a 3D Artist? 00:45:11 Cold calls & email 00:52:00 How to land BIG clients? 00:55:29 How Barton landed a Nike Deal? 01:05:56 Drop clients that Hold you back01:12:05 Protect your Artists 01:17:07 Managing Timeline and Budget
01:30:35 Ideas and Inspirations
01:34:31 [Ur Questions] From Low budget to High budget clients
01:35:19 [Ur Questions] Feeding the artist passion vs having family time
Find out more about Barton and Already Been Chewed (ABC):
https://www.instagram.com/bartondamer/
https://www.alreadybeenchewed.tv/https://www.instagram.com/alreadybeenchewed/
https://www.tiktok.com/@bartondamer
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