School of Motion Podcast

The design and animation industry is rapidly evolving. As the tools of the industry become available to more artists around the world, innovation and growth follow. One of the most exciting developments has been the proliferation of cryptoart, but it is still an area rife with confusion and speculation. What do NFTs really mean for the future of our industry? We have Buck's Justin Cone here to discuss what's coming next.

Doing personal projects is a great way to experiment and flex your creative muscles. Personal projects can also be part of a strategy of beefing up your portfolio or reel, especially if you're just starting out in the industry. Our guest today is Nicolaj Larsson, the founder and creative director of the Copenhagen based studio ccccccc.tv.

If you've been on social media looking at 3D renders, you've probably seen something like this in the description: #octane #octanerender #gpu #gpurender #redshift #redshiftrender Aside from just a hashtag overload, what does that all mean? What exactly are Octane and Redshift? Do you need a third-party renderer? Are you falling behind the curve?  Today EJ is going to chat with Chad Ashley from Greyscale Gorilla to help you understand the Render Engine Revolution.

How much money can you make in the creative world? No matter what career you’re aiming for, it can be hard to find a direct answer. So how can you find out the real dollar value of your work? That’s why we reached out to Carole Neal, the Marketing Director at Aquent. If you've ever been confused about your finances, you need to listen to this one!

Do you ever wonder why you don't hear back when you send a demo reel or a resume for a prospective job? While there isn’t a secret sauce for separating from the pack, there are some tried and true methods for putting your work front and center. We’re bringing Frank Suarez on today to talk about what he thinks makes for standout work.

Are you still looking for work? If you can’t find a job in commercials, film, or with a studio, what else is out there? Our community of artists is incredibly versatile, but often we put on blinders outside of our preferred lanes. There is a world of work out there in the most unlikely of places, and it can be just as satisfying—and lucrative—to take on. Today, we’re honored to welcome Leeanne Brennan to talk about the uncharted territory of uncommon design and animation gigs.

You may have listened to our end of the year podcast where we covered the evolving relationship between artists and studios in the age of NFTs, mid-six-figure freelancers, and social media fame. Listening back, we wondered if maybe the picture we painted was a bit bleaker than the actual reality. And we weren’t the only ones who felt that way. Jay Grandin—co-founder and creative director of Giant Ant—had some words to say about it, and you're gonna want to hear this!

Have you ever wanted to direct for the biggest name in tech? Is it even possibly to juggle design and animation with a directing career? What is it like to work in After Effects and Cinema 4D in the morning and step onto a set at night? We sat down with Shane Griffin, an artist and director out of New York, about running the Apple live event for the launch of the M1 Max chip. Don't miss this one!

Many artists don’t take time to develop their personal projects. They worry they can’t find an audience, or that there just isn’t enough time in the day. We’re joined by the wonderfully talented Sarah Beth Morgan, Taylor Yontz, and Rebekah Hamilton to share their journey in creating Between Lines, a short film that explores the harmful effects of schoolgirl bullying, and the long road to recovery.

All great art starts with design. Understanding the fundamentals of scale, contrast, and other principles allows you to create evocative and inspiring work that dazzles clients and elicits emotion. Once you have confidence in your design, you'll be amazed at how quickly the other pieces fall into place. We talked with The Futur's Greg Gunn to learn how design built the foundations of his art...and his career.