Motion Hatch: Helping Motion Designers Do Better Business

Making career decisions that are based on your heart and not your wallet is tough. It’s also important if you plan on having a fulfilling career. Don’t be scared, others have made the difficult transition and my guest today might just inspire you to follow your passions too! Laura Peña is a motion designer who transitioned to working remotely from all parts of the world as a digital nomad. Recently though she put her career on hold to pursue a truly inspiring and meaningful passion project. It all has its challenges for sure, but as you’ll hear Laura tell you in this interview, it’s been worth every bit of it. When it comes to working as a digital nomad, Laura has had to deal with some unique difficulties. We discuss how to keep old clients and find new ones when you’re working in distant countries. Networking while traveling and working is difficult, but Laura has figured it out and it has been totally worth it. Laura has also been working steadily on a passion project film series “She is the Universe” in which she interviews teenage girls around the world about their dreams, passions, and obstacles. This is such an amazing and important project and we discuss what it means to be driven to create and pursue your dream job. Have you been working on a passion project? What sacrifices have you made to do so? How has it fulfilled you as a person? Leave a comment below! In this episode: How to transition into working as a digital nomad full time Some of the common pitfalls of working remotely and how you can cope with them Dedicating yourself to a passion project of your own design Using meditation to unplug and center and ground yourself Getting outside the motion designer box and meeting and getting inspired by people in other fields   Quotes: “I realized that my freelance clients and also my clients, the ones that I’ll do everything for, they really didn’t care where I was as long as I was delivering the work.” [6:41] “That’s the hardest part of traveling, the networking. It’s hard to network because usually for someone to like you and recommend you, usually you meet in person. So even when I’m traveling I try to keep in touch with the people that I know because you never know who's going to connect you with whom.” [12:14] “We think that to do something we have to have it all figured out and have all the answers, but we really don’t.” [20:26] “If you can have fun and be inspired and from that create something else, I think then why not do it. So explore, be curious, experiment, and try to figure out what it is that lights you up.” [25:49] “We spend so much time on the computer because this is what we do, this is our work and we love it. Sometimes it’s really hard to unplug and to even think about something else when you’ve been staring at your computer for so long that you can become really disconnected from yourself.”  [35:00]   Links The Freelance Contract Bundle Is LIVE! Get all the info on it here! She is the Universe Follow Laura on Instagram | Facebook | Youtube Insight timer app The Good Life Project Ted Radio Hour Big Magic   Find the full show notes here Keep up with everything Motion Hatch   Follow Motion Hatch on Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, would you mind leaving us a rating and review? It really helps!

Constructing good habits and sticking with them can be hard. With all the different parts of being a motion designer, let alone just being a functioning human, there’s so much to do all the time. Having good and productive habits is the key, and that’s what I want to talk with you about today. This solo episode is inspired by a book I just read called Atomic Habits by James Clear. Essentially, it speaks to how making tiny changes in our lives can lead to amazing results. James writes about four ways to build a good habit and I’m going to discuss those with you on this episode. I’ve started to implement these habit building strategies into my life and I’m already seeing incredible results! How do you build and maintain good habits? Let me know in the comment on the episode page!   In this episode: How making small and incremental changes on a regular basis adds up to big changes over time Making good habits obvious so that you can’t ignore or forget about them How surrounding yourself with people who are doing similar things as you can support attractive habits Constructing systems and environments that will make your good habits easy to do Making your habits satisfying so they feel good when you complete them   Quotes: “Habits appear to make no difference in the first days, weeks, or months. It takes a little time but then breakthroughs happen.” [5:03] “If you’re surrounding yourself with people who are doing similar things then you’re more likely to do it.” [13:33] “You can have a week or a day off whenever you’re doing your habit. But as soon as you start  missing it over and over again, you’re just going to lose momentum.” [22:24]   Links The Freelance Contract Bundle Is LIVE! Get all the info on it here! Episode 20: 6 Tips to Avoid Burnout and Achieve Your Goals Atomic Habits by James Clear Location Indie Insight Timer Meditation App   Find the full show notes here Keep up with everything Motion Hatch   Follow Motion Hatch on Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, would you mind leaving us a rating and review? It really helps!

Sharing your work and asking for feedback is nerve-wracking. It’s a vulnerable place to put yourself, but as today’s guest emphasizes, it may be the most important way to furthering your career and growing your craft. If you want your career to take off, you have to take chances. Today, Sabrina Curry tells us how she did it! Sabrina is a motion designer at Facebook and former animator at College Humor. Her road to landing a coveted position at this giant company is truly fascinating and illuminating and full of actionable tips. We talk about exactly how Sabrina became a motion designer at Facebook, and how she’s still not sure exactly how they heard about her to begin with. Sabrina has a feeling it happened because she was willing to put her creations out in the world and listen openly to the feedback she received. Sabrina and I go on to discuss what it’s like working at a huge company and how they foster a supportive work-culture so that everyone feels comfortable sharing their creative ideas. There’s so much valuable advice in this interview. I’m so glad that Sabrina could come on and share it with us all! Have you learned any important lessons by sharing your work with others? Tell us about it in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode: The process behind landing a job at a major company like Facebook The importance of asking for constant feedback on your work Advice for interviewing at a large creative or tech company How sharing your work and getting feedback is absolutely crucial Sabrina’s strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome   Quotes: “Sharing your work is the best thing you can do, whether it’s good or bad. Sharing my work over the years has been the reason I’ve been able to get anywhere. You can’t get opportunities if you're hiding from them.” [12:25] “What is good and what isn’t can be completely different to someone viewing your work. So I think it’s best to get comfortable with sharing your worst sometimes. You might be surprised with how it resonates with some people.” [14:28] “Understanding that you’re always going to be in this constant cycle of learning and growth helps you get more comfortable with knowing that you’re not an imposter. You’re just in one of those fields where you’re always going to be a student, and that’s okay.” [26:47]   Links The Freelance Contract Bundle Is LIVE! Get all the info on it here!   Sabrina’s Website Follow Sabrina on Instagram Punanimation Watch Sabrina in a College Humor sketch!   Find the full show notes here Keep up with everything Motion Hatch   Follow Motion Hatch on Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, would you mind leaving us a rating and review? It really helps!

Let’s face it, we’re motion designers, not legal experts. But in this business, there are myriad legal concerns from understanding contracts to protecting intellectual property. This all may seem scary, but as my guest will tell you, they are nothing to be afraid of. Jamie Lieberman is a founder and partner in the US-based law firm Hashtag-Legal. She specializes in working with creatives, content providers, and service professionals, many of whom work online. Jamie is an expert in copyright and trademark law and helps make sure her clients are informed and protected in these important areas. As motion designers, there is a ton to consider when it comes to protecting intellectual property. We discuss how a lawyer can be essential in making sure everything is in order in regards to protecting your work. It’s important that we have good contracts that are very specific when it comes to who owns what is being created. Jamie speaks to the importance of creating a business, such as an LLC, to protect yourself as a professional and its importance for anyone in the creative fields. How comfortable are you that your work and business is protected legally? Let me know if the comments on the episode page!   In this episode How lawyers can help motion designers with their businesses Forming an entity, such as an LLC, to protect yourself and your business What you need to consider if you’re starting your own studio or have employees The role of contracts in protecting yourself and lending your business legitimacy How to use your network to find the lawyer who is right for you What intellectual property is and how to think about it from a legal and business point of view What should be included in every contract you enter into   Quotes “If you’re generating income it’s important to form a business in order to protect your personal assets.” [9:45] “Your lawyer should be a partner in your business, and that I cannot stress enough. So if you approach a lawyer and they feel scary to you, walk away, look for somebody new.” [18:28] “Saying no to deals is not bad. It has to be the right deal. You can’t just take deals just because you’re getting deals, because you’ll end up resenting that client and it won’t make sense for you.” [29:09]   Links The Freelance Contract Bundle Is LIVE! Get all the info on it here! Hashtag-Legal Motion Hatch Interview with Silvia Baumgart Part 1 and Part 2 Shutterstock music library   Find the full show notes here Keep up with everything Motion Hatch   Follow Motion Hatch on Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, would you mind leaving us a rating and review? It really helps!

As freelancers, we often miss out on the team building and community that people in companies and studios have. There’s so much we can learn from each other, but miss out on because we are off on our own. I know this is something I’ve experienced. Today, we’re diving into the topic of how to build those connections and how it will support you in your work. Jorge Canedo AKA Jr.canest is a freelance animator and creative director in Vancouver, Canada. Also the Founder of Wine After Coffee and Blend Festival, which I’m sure you have heard of! Before setting out on his own, Jorge worked for some big studios like Giant Ant and Buck. He has a lot of insight to share on making the transition from working for a company to doing it in your own and building his own studio. He also shares with us how and why he started Blend and Wine After Coffee. In this episode, we discuss how to work well with other people, a skill that is often overlooked in this industry. Jorge reminds us of why teamwork is an indispensable skill to practice, even if you spend most of your time working on your own. How do you build your professional relationships as a freelancer? Leave a comment on the episode page and let us know!   In this episode The advantages of working with others Why you need to be an effective communicator as an animator How Jorge started a Festival and why it’s important to build communities Tips and tricks on managing your time when it comes to side-projects How to manage your work/life balance.   Quotes “It helps you grow immensely. When you’re freelancing, a lot of the times you’re on your own. I’ve found that the best way to grow is by having someone next to you, even if just to quickly glance at what you’re doing.”  [8:44] “Communication is so big because you can be an incredible animator and have all the ideas in your head and be able to do it all, but that only goes so far if you can’t communicate that properly.”  [13:52] “We need to be mindful that there’s a certain amount of good pressure to do good work and there’s a fine line between that and focussing more on work than on life.” [35:38] Links Keep up to date with the upcoming Freelance Contract Bundle Find Jorge Online Follow Jorge on Twitter | Vimeo Wine After Coffee Blend Festival Giant Ant Buck   Find the full show notes here Keep up with everything Motion Hatch   Follow Motion Hatch on Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, would you mind leaving us a rating and review? It really helps!

So you want to be a motion designer. To go to art school or not? There is a healthy debate over whether or not a formal education is worth your time and money. Especially now with the proliferation of online courses, many aspiring designers are wondering if art school is still worthwhile, and today we’re diving into the topic with Dorca Musseb and Ryan Summers. Dorca and Ryan have been in the field for many years and offer a wealth of experience and advice on the topic of arts education, and we get deep into the pros and cons of different arts educations. Dorca is a designer and animator based in New York and Ryan is a creative director at Digital Kitchen. In this episode, we discuss the importance of going to art school to learn design principles and make important connections, but also the limits and the false expectations that these schools leave their graduates with. We go on to discuss how the proliferation of online classes has changed the game, but also its limitations. If you’re thinking about going to art school or taking a course, this episode is a must listen! Did you go to art school or decide against it? Was that the right decision for you? Let us know in the comments on the episode page! In this episode Where art schools fall short in providing a thorough education for motion designers and where they provide the best value How education has changed now that there are more online courses available The consequences of the homogeneity that art schools foster and the advantages of diversity Why personal and professional connections are perhaps the most important part of having a thriving career   Quotes “The thing that I see the biggest dearth of is schools not teaching people how to be a working professional artist. They’re not teaching people how to become a freelancer. I think it goes even a step beyond that, just how to work well with others. These are the soft skills that I don’t see a lot of people coming out with.” [12:46] “I’m excited about where the online classes are going because now people are starting to realize that this is something that they can actually do and more voices are coming in and more voices are being heard.” [34:54] “If you don’t have people in a creative industry I don’t think any amount of education, any amount of software knowledge, any amount of raw talent will really get you through your career and get you where you want to go.”  [46:45]   Related Links Find Dorca Online Follow Dorca on Instagram   Find Ryan Online Follow Ryan on Twitter Book a chat with Ryan   “Don’t become another unhireable designer” article School of Motion Design Bootcamp Mo-Graph Mentor   Find the full show notes here Keep up with everything Motion Hatch   Follow Motion Hatch on Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, would you mind leaving us a rating and review? It really helps!

As a freelancer, it can be tricky finding the right balance between pleasing your clients and building the work-life balance that is best for you. Tom Davis joins us today to discuss how he has built a business that is fulfilling on both a personal and professional level. Tom is a freelance motion designer and creator of Loop, an online store full of his own creative resources for other motion designers and an outlet for his passion projects. He’s recently transitioned into working remotely and we talk about that transition, its challenges and advantages.   We also talk about how you can build your business to be truly satisfying on a personal level. Tom offers insights into how to keep your clients happy while staying true to your values and lifestyle. Do you work remotely? If so, how do you manage your clients’ concerns? Let me know in the comments on the episode page! In this episode How having more than one income stream can keep you busy during the lulls of freelance work Why donating a percentage of your profits to charity is a great thing to do both personally and professionally The ways in which working while traveling and can feed your productivity while offering a great break from the routine How you can adjust your rates to encourage clients to allow you to work remotely The importance of being part of a community while working remotely How to build client trust and assuage their fears about hiring remote workers   Quotes “I think ultimately, being freelance when a business takes you on, they are making an investment in you, so if you are donating a percentage [to charity], that is saying this is who I am, and if that adds a plus point on my side, then power to it. Ultimately, as long as we do that good work, that’s the best thing possible.” [13:51] “It’s definitely tricky [to work remotely] if you haven't worked with an agency before because they’ll usually want you onsite. But as soon as they trust you and know how you work then they are more receptive to remote work.”  [28:35] “You’ve got to try to build the work life that is the best possible one for you. We spend a lot of our time working, so why not try to make that really good.”  [39:14]   Related Links Tom’s website Made by Loop Follow Tom on Instagram | Twitter   Nomad House WifiTribe Trusted Housesitters Location Indie     Find the full show notes here Keep up with everything Motion Hatch   Follow Motion Hatch on Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, would you mind leaving us a rating and review? It really helps!

I don’t know about you, but it often feels to me like there’s a pressure in our industry to always be doing absolutely everything at once. Client work, personal projects, posting daily to Instagram, reaching out to potential clients, updating websites, and oh, don’t forget about family, friends and actually living your life! With all there is to do to move our careers forward, it’s easy to burn out and end up moving backward, so this episode I want to share 6 tips to avoid burnout and achieve your goals. In this solo episode, I’m going to dive into some techniques and strategies I use to help me move my business and career forward, that you can apply to your own career. I share some of my favourite tools, both online and physical, how to use your environment to de-stress and focus on long-term goals, plus one of the most useful time management strategies I’ve ever come across. I’d love to hear which of these strategies you’re already using, what jumped out at you, or any other tips you have for avoiding burnout and moving forward in your career! Leave me a comment on the episode page!   In this episode: How to avoid the pressure to always be doing everything at once which can lead to burnout How to set up your physical space to help you disconnect, reflect, and strategize The importance of establishing an accountability partner or group Why you need to be writing your goals down and sharing them   Quotes: “Take a week off and sit down and focus on your goals, where you’re going with your career and in your business, and think about what you want to focus on next. I think it’s really important to focus on the bigger picture and try to figure out what we want to do with our lives.” (2:50) “Have a space that you associate in your mind with relaxing, so you don’t have tv there, maybe it’s just a certain chair in the corner of the room and you have some nice plants there.” (5:32) “What’s the one thing you can do today in your career so that everything else will become easier or unnecessary. It kind of works like a domino effect, so what’s going to create that effect where if you knock down that first domino, it’s going to make all those other dominos go down easier?” (6:32)? “People with written goals are 42% more likely to achieve them than people without written goals, and if you tell a friend that goes up to 78%” (8:09)   Links: Keep up to date with the upcoming Freelance Contract Bundle   Episode 8 w/ Austin Saylor Episode 18 w/ Michelle Higa Fox The One Thing MiGoals Goal Digger Planner Asana Trello The Sweet Ass Journal To Develop Your Happiness Muscle in 100 days   Find the full show notes here Keep up with everything Motion Hatch   Follow Motion Hatch on Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, would you mind leaving us a rating and review? It really helps!

How much networking do you do in the motion community? Have you ever done a speaking gig? Even though these might not be first things that come to mind when it comes to advancing your career, they’re the kinds of practices that can make a huge difference, especially if you don’t live in a location with a lot of motion designers. Caitlin Cadieux is currently an animator for The Atlantic. She grew up in Oklahoma and currently lives in upstate New York, both locations which are lacking in much of a motion design community. Today she tells us about how she integrated herself into the motion community online instead, and how that’s helped her move forward in her career. She also talks to us about convincing a more traditional company to let her work remotely, as well as where the motion community is currently hanging out online. We also discuss her recent appearance as a speaker at the NAB Conference, and how speaking can open up doors for you! How has the online motion community added to your life or career? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode: The changing perception of remote working in a traditional company How she broke into the motion design industry living somewhere with no motion community Where the motion community hangs out online The power speaking gigs can have on your role in the community   Quotes: “I’ve done stuff with physical media [while working remotely] that would be a lot harder to do in the office.” 5:34 “I’m pretty introverted… but cultivating an extroverted side is really beneficial in a lot of ways.” 24:16 “I don’t have a cool Nike campaign to show, but there’s an audience out there that’s similar to how I was not too long ago, and that’s who I want to talk to.” 33:47   Links: Caitlin’s website  Follow Caitlin on Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Dribbble  The interview with Jeff VanderMeer NAB Conference   Find the full show notes here Keep up with everything Motion Hatch   Follow Motion Hatch on Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, would you mind leaving us a rating and review? It really helps!

Over the course of an entire career, spanning different jobs, companies and goals, a lot of people find that their priorities shift, and so do their personal definitions of success. Michelle Higa Fox joins us today to talk about how those concepts have shifted for her throughout her career working as a freelancer, collaborator, agency owner, and now parent. Michelle is the founder and Executive Creative Director for Slanted Studios, which creates mixed-media animation for emerging technology. She was also a co-founder of the animation group Mixtape Club, with whom she co-directed music videos, produced commercials for clients like Google and Showtime, and whom she helped win several awards. Today, we talk about having representation as a director versus going it alone, the balance of doing personal projects while working full time, and what it’s like to collaborate with people over several years. She also goes into her thoughts on being a parent and an entrepreneur or team member, the mindset shift of being a business owner versus being a freelancer, and the shifting idea of success and what it is. How do you define success? Has your idea of success changed over time? Let us know in the comments!   In this episode: Working with collaborators on a single brand Getting representation as a director How to justify time for personal projects while working full time Being a business owner vs being a freelancer Being a parent and an entrepreneur or a parent in the workplace Evolution of your personal concept of success   Quotes: “It was more about finally getting the opportunity to make the thing that was in our heads as opposed to just realizing the storyboards we were getting handed at work every day.” 9:28 “Every time you learn a new angle, you draw on all the experiences you had previously.” 23:11 “The way I used to solve problems was always with time... Now that I’m a parent, that’s just not an option.” 33:19   Links: Slanted Studios Follow Slanted Studios on Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Vimeo | Behance | Instagram  Michelle’s Personal Site  Mixtape Club What Is My Day Rate?   Find the full show notes here Keep up with everything Motion Hatch   Follow Motion Hatch on Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, would you mind leaving us a rating and review? It really helps!