Jack Vaughan Podcast

Find out more about Greg → https://www.jdgstewart.co/⁠Find out more about the podcast here → ⁠https://jackvaughan.com⁠Today, I’m speaking with Greg Stewart—one of the founding members of Ordinary Folk and now Lead Animator at the Bible Project.I’ve known about Greg for a long time, as Ordinary Folk are without doubt my favourite motion design studio. I remember first watching Greg from a Holdframe workshop and have since really connected with his way of thinking.We spoke aboutHis early career and fast liftoffHistory and origin story of OFHis time there, working with Jorge and his eventual move awayA lot of detail on workflows, process, and working with teamsLevels of detail in motion - ways of seeingTechnical side of motion, rigging, systemsBut also the balance and integration of that with art direction, creative directionAnd, towards the end, a deep dive into how he’s using CavalryAs always, if you appreciate the show, share it or leave a rating wherever you're listening. And I hope you enjoy this interview with Greg Stewart.Summary & Chapters (AI Generated)In this conversation, Greg Stewart, lead animator at The Bible Project, shares his journey from studying theology to becoming a prominent figure in motion design. He discusses his experiences at Ordinary Folk, the importance of collaboration, and the balance between technical skills and creative direction. Greg reflects on the significance of storytelling in animation and how his personal goals have evolved over time, emphasizing the value of faith and artistry in his work. In this conversation, Greg shares his journey in animation and collaboration, detailing his experiences working with a creative team and the growth he experienced through collaboration. He discusses the importance of art direction, team dynamics, and the processes that contribute to successful projects. Greg also explores the integration of new tools like Cavalry into his workflow, emphasizing the benefits of dynamic rendering and Google Sheets for efficient project management. He concludes with reflections on the future of motion design tools and the joy of problem-solving in the creative process.00:00 Journey to The Bible Project04:24 The Transition from Ordinary Folk to The Bible Project07:28 The Excitement of Working on Bible Project10:13 Balancing Art and Technical Skills13:36 The Importance of Conceptual Thinking in Motion Design16:20 Navigating Complexity and Simplicity in Motion Design38:01 Building a World Through Animation41:17 The Importance of Pre-Visualization44:13 Navigating Early Career Decisions47:59 The Freelance Journey Begins52:45 Shifting Goals and Personal Growth57:53 The Dynamics of Teamwork at Ordinary Folk01:10:32 Exploring Animation Techniques and Intentions01:13:24 Balancing Creative Integrity and Technical Execution01:16:09 The Dynamics of Team Collaboration in Animation01:17:07 Establishing Effective Processes in Animation Projects01:20:18 Incorporating Freelancers and Diverse Styles01:23:05 The Importance of Pacing and Quality in Animation01:25:50 Transitioning to New Tools: Cavalry in Animation01:33:13 Integrating Cavalry into Workflows01:44:47 Dynamic Rendering and Google Sheets Integration01:58:29 The Joy of Problem Solving in Motion Design

In this engaging conversation, Abdoulaye Barry, a motion designer and teacher now based in Dubai, shares his creative journey and insights. He discusses the vibrant design landscape in Dubai, the shift from freelancing to a full-time role, and the unique cultural influences shaping marketing. Abdoulaye highlights the importance of educating clients in the motion graphics industry and explores the potential of 3D tools in his work. He also expresses his aspirations of building a creative studio alongside his wife, blending personal and professional growth.

Today I’m speaking with Coralie Delpha — a lead technical architect at Shopify.Coralie is a lovely, calm and curious individual. And very well regarded in her community — i’ve known her for a while and was really interested to catch up and dive deeper into her work, the Shopify ecosystem and more.We spoke about her journey in law, business school, learning to code, building community & connection, her team, mentors, cursor, AI, writing, advice for younger developers and much more.Coralie is very well rounded — and very aligned and passionate about her work. If you’re interested in diving into what she does more after the podcast — you can check out her newsletter.Summary & Chapters (AI Generated)In this conversation, Coralie Delpha, a lead technical architect at Shopify, shares her unique journey from studying law to becoming a prominent figure in the tech community. She discusses the importance of building connections, the role of communication in her career, and how her background in law influences her work in technology. Coralie emphasizes the significance of community support within the Shopify ecosystem and the evolution of the platform over the years. She also highlights the resources available for app developers and the positive culture at Shopify that fosters collaboration and innovation. In this conversation, Coralie discusses the various aspects of Shopify, including its payment solutions, automation tools, and no-code capabilities. She highlights the platform's ability to support e-commerce expansion and comprehensive business management. Coralie also shares insights into her role as a technical architect, the importance of team dynamics, and the challenges of migrating from Salesforce to Shopify. The discussion touches on the company's culture, the integration of AI in development, and personal growth through mentorship and daily routines.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Early Journey02:38 The Intersection of Law and Business05:31 Discovering Tech Through Blogging08:33 Transitioning to Freelancing and Shopify11:28 Learning to Code and the Bootcamp Experience14:45 First Freelance Projects and Building Confidence23:28 The Evolution of Shopify: From Small Merchants to Big Brands28:12 Diving into the Technical Side of Shopify33:27 The Expanding Ecosystem: Themes, Apps, and Agencies38:06 Building a Supportive Community Around Shopify41:33 Empowering Entrepreneurs: Shopify's Mission Against Giants45:02 Shopify's Marketplace and Payment Solutions49:14 Shopify's Versatility: Beyond E-commerce53:15 The Role of a Technical Architect at Shopify53:44 Understanding Growth Services at Shopify56:08 The Role of Consulting and Development59:03 Navigating Merchant Migration from Salesforce to Shopify01:02:31 Interdepartmental Collaboration at Shopify01:06:40 Company Culture and Transparency at Shopify01:11:03 Exploring the Technical Stack and AI Integration01:15:21 Building Apps and Learning Experiences01:22:30 The Impact of Technology on Daily Life01:23:50 Exploring Cursor: A New Development Tool01:25:52 Mentorship and Learning from Experience01:29:37 Understanding Client Needs and Problem Solving01:32:03 The Role of Instinct in Software Development01:35:26 Navigating Burnout and Freelancing Challenges01:38:59 Self-Discovery and Personal Growth01:40:10 Daily Routines and Productivity Strategies01:42:44 Navigating the Shopify Landscape01:47:34 The Power of Communication and Networking01:53:56 Embracing Entrepreneurship and Future Aspirations

Today I'm speaking with Maria Cruz, an artist, animator & motion designer.Maria’s worked with big companies like Google, Netflix, Apple, Sony… as well as top studios like Hornet, Odd Fellows, Buck, and now Hook.We spoke about many things:Early creativity and childhood ways of seeingArt direction, connection, inspiration, curiosity, and breaking out of the moldThe art and role of a motion designer to read, subvert, and invent between the framesHer style, references, music & motion, her early work in Cavalry, experiments, tools, flow, and much more.Maria is just deeply creative. And I love having conversations like this one — where you really get a sense of where that creativity comes from, and how they think about it.As always if you want to support the show, share it with a friend or leave a rating wherever you're listening.Summary & Chapters (AI Generated)In this conversation, Maria Cruz shares her journey as a motion designer, reflecting on her childhood imagination and creativity, the challenges of balancing artistic expression with commercial demands, and the importance of experimentation in her work. She discusses her artistic evolution, the role of collaboration in creative projects, and how she finds inspiration in everyday life. Maria emphasizes the significance of embracing happy accidents and procedural creativity, highlighting her experiences with tools like Cavalry to enhance her artistic process. In this conversation, Maria Cruz shares her insights on motion design, focusing on her experiences with Cavalry, the evolution of design tools, and the importance of curiosity in creativity. She discusses the shift towards Figma in UI design, the role of AI as a creative collaborator, and the interplay between music and animation. Maria emphasizes the significance of seizing opportunities in her creative journey and reflects on her experiences working in different studio environments.Chapters00:00 The Journey of Creativity04:46 Childhood Imagination and Early Inspirations10:49 The Intersection of Language and Art16:42 Navigating the World of Animation22:38 Client Collaboration and Creative Freedom28:42 Finding Inspiration in Everyday Life36:37 The Influence of David Bowie on Artistic Expression42:26 Navigating the Transition from Style Frames to Motion43:34 The Subjectivity of Animation and Personal Style45:39 Finding Inspiration and Overcoming Creative Blocks47:12 The Role of References in Shaping Style49:56 The Evolution of Personal Style in Motion Design53:09 Distillation: Reducing Complexity in Design54:52 Embracing Happy Accidents in Creative Processes58:13 The Importance of Curiosity in Learning New Tools01:01:50 Exploring Cavalry: A New Approach to Motion Design01:05:48 The Shift from Obligation to Curiosity in Creativity01:09:22 The Future of Motion Design and Tool Evolution01:17:03 The Balance of Plugins and Native Tools in Motion Design01:18:06 Essential Tools for Motion Design01:20:49 The Shift to Figma in UI Design01:24:10 Exploring Rive and JSON in Animation01:27:07 The Future of Motion Design and Interactivity01:30:27 AI as a Creative Collaborator01:33:54 The Dynamics of Working in Different Studio Sizes01:37:59 Dream Projects and Creative Aspirations01:40:20 The Interplay of Music and Motion Design01:49:09 Navigating Opportunities in a Creative Career01:54:46 New Chapter

Find out more about Adam‘s work at https://battleaxe.co/

Today, I’m speaking with Arie Stavchansky, CEO and Founder of Dataclay. Dataclay is a company that develops software for motion designers and video professionals focused on data-driven video. Although this concept has existed for a while, it's not that widely known, but understanding data driven video and it’s interaction with AI is going to become more and more important over the next few years. The discussion covered various topics, including the importance of data-driven video, the resilience of After Effects, AI-generated content, media credibility, Slack bots and the future of Dataclay’s platform.

Today I'm speaking with Matt Perry, creator of some of the most used web motion libraries in the world. His work has transformed how developers bring interactivity and smooth animations to the web. For the last 6 years he’s been at Framer, building Framer Motion — and he’s just taken that independent as a new project — Motion. I've been wanting to have this conversation for a long time, and now that Matt’s launch we could finally make it happen. If you’ve listened before, you know my passions are software, design and motion. And if there was ever a guest that encapsulated all three of these — it’s Matt.

Hayley Akins, founder of Motion Hatch, is a seasoned expert in helping motion designers elevate their businesses. She discusses the evolving landscape of marketing for creatives and effective online engagement strategies. Hayley emphasizes the importance of authenticity and alignment in social media interactions while balancing creativity with professional visibility. Listeners gain insights into navigating challenges in sharing content, the significance of specialization in motion design, and exciting future plans for fostering community support among creatives.

Imsety Taylor is a creator, motion designer, and founder of Set Angle — a web and motion agency. He’s worked with brands like Ford and Keller Williams and collaborated with studios like Ravie. I identify a lot with Imsety — although I'm probably not as talented. He’s got a deep love of being creative in four mediums that we share: animation, technology, design, and sound. We talked about his skill set and running a multidisciplinary agency, the journey from creative child to professional adult, real-time and technical live installation projects, how he runs his team, inner game, and much more. As always, if you appreciate this episode and want to support the show, I'd love you to leave a rating or review on Spotify or iTunes.

Today I’m speaking with Ian Waters - CTO of Cavalry. This is a really fascinating and quite technical conversation about designing motion tools. Cavalry is a relatively young Motion Design tool with a really talented team. And to be building a new motion design tool at this time is really interesting… Motion design is still young and it’s a paradigm that’s intimately woven with the abilities of the software you use. You could argue that AE has been around since before motion was a thing — and that piece of software has evolved and evolved since. But what if you could you start again? What if you could look at how motion is being done today, and re-engineer all of that from the ground up. Well.. that is what we talk about. I found this conversation fascinating — I learned a ton about conceptual design, the technology that powers motion tools. I hope you enjoy!