Motion Hatch: Helping Motion Designers Do Better Business

Because so many of us work online and across borders, sometimes laws in one country might affect you whether or not you live there. A lot of people who do business or promotion internationally are panicking about the new GDPR law that’s coming into effect in the UK & EU at the end of May and how best to make sure their businesses comply. Today Silvia Baumgart returns to walk us through how thi...

As freelance designers, many of us remain generalists, afraid we’ll lose project opportunities and income if we specialize too much. Unfortunately, that also means we’re competing against the countless other general designers out there, not sure how to set ourselves apart. Jess Peterson has found a different way to do things. Jess is the Founder, CEO and Creative Producer at Mighty Oak , a boutiqu...

Have you ever felt freaked out and overwhelmed at the idea of creating a contract? If you already have standard terms and conditions, do you feel confident in them, or could they be tighter? Are you even aware of all the legal ramifications that can come from your creative works if not protected properly? Silvia Baumgart breaks down all of these issues and more in this second part of our series on...

Disclaimer:  This podcast is for general guidance only and discusses the legal position in the UK at the time of publication unless stated otherwise. You must take legal advice and not rely on the information provided in this podcast before taking action. We do not update our podcasts and therefore, past podcasts may not reflect the current legal position. Are you a whiz at all things legal when i...

As designers, a lot of us love to think that we are in complete control over the outcome and success of our projects. But how many times have you been blown away after the sound designer worked their magic on it? As I share in the episode, I experience this on pretty much every project I work on. Today we’re diving into the audio side of the animation world with one of the most popular sound desig...

Many of us struggle to make the transition and shift from agency or studio work to independent freelancer. In today’s conversation, we go in-depth on that first year of freelancing and all the mindset shifts that it requires. Mitch Myers is a freelance motion designer who specializes in 3D. He talks to us about his transition from agency designer to freelancer, including the fears he had when maki...

We’ve all wanted something more from of our work at one time or another, but how many of us actually take it upon ourselves to create what we’re looking for? TJ Kearney did just that with the help of four friends when they founded Oddfellows and purposely changed their lives and constructed the careers they wanted. TJ Kearney was a founding member of Oddfellows Studio and is now the EP at Instrume...

One of the things so many of us creatives struggle with is how to charge what we’re worth. Many of us are in the habit of thinking of ourselves as freelancers, but Chris Do joins us today to talk us through how to change our mindset to think of ourselves as independent business owners instead, and why we should be viewing our careers through that lens. Find the full show notes at https://motionhat...

What's the one thing that many of us artists and creatives dread more than all else every year? That’s right, it’s tax time! As creatives we would rather put all our energy towards our work instead of stressing out about our accounting (or lack thereof). Luckily for us, today’s guest cuts right through the jargon and gives us some accounting tips in plain English.* *That’s kind of an awesome (if u...

This week on Motion Hatch we’re getting festive and reflective with Austin Saylor , as we reflect on our top 3 lessons learned in 2017 and our top 3 things we want to achieve in our motion design careers in 2018. We also have a bit of fun with a motion design gift exchange! Austin Saylor is a freelance motion designer, and creator of The Lettering Animation Course which will be launching in 2018....

If you’ve ever thought about going into business with a friend or business partner, you’re probably aware that it’s not always as rosy as it might seem at first. Competing goals, styles and personalities can make it hard to go into business with even close friends, and we’ve all heard stories of friendships ruined by bad business partnerships. In today’s episode, we talk with London-based Wednesda...

Are you brand new and figuring out how to start your freelance career? Maybe you’re at the point where you’re trying to decide if you should attempt to scale your business to become a studio as opposed to an individual freelancer? Wherever you’re at, we cover it all with one of the top motion design educators in our industry! Joey Korenman is the founder and head instructor at School of Motion , a...

When we first get started in the world of motion graphics, we often have dreams of working on endlessly fulfilling creative projects, always working in our preferred style. Needless to say, it doesn’t take most of us long to realize that this isn’t the way the industry works. This, however, is all the more reason to continue refining and experimenting with our own style, to keep inspired, and even...

Any freelancer knows that the freelance life is filled with sacrifice, struggle, and risk, especially when we’re first trying to get established. Andrew Embury is no stranger to these challenges, and joins us on the podcast to give us some insight into his personal struggles and the tools that helped establish him as one of the best-known motion designers around.  Andrew is a self-taught director,...

Have you ever dreamed of working on the road? Do think it is even possible to work as a motion designer or illustrator digital nomad? Our guest today is the perfect example not only that it’s possible but that it can positively influence your work as well. While originally from Barcelona, Magoz calls himself a nomadic illustrator because he has built his career while traveling pretty much non-stop...

It’s no secret that when it comes to careers and business, the pay, opportunities, and accolades are not always distributed equally. It’s often easy to point to the corporate world as the prime example of this, and overlook that these same inequalities are present in the creative fields as well. Lilian Darmono joins us again for part 2 of our discussion, and in this conversation we dive deep into...

As freelancers, we have to live with the fact that work often comes in waves. We might be really busy for stretches of the year, and then face a lean month or two. Learning to predict and work through these cycles is a big factor in creating a successful freelance career. Lilian Darmono is an Art Director who’s made a career spanning both the freelance and corporate worlds. In this, the first of a...

Motion Hatch is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by veteran motion designer Hayley Akins, discussing the business side of animation and motion design that so many creatives struggle with. Offering quality practical advice and insight for freelance, full-time or aspiring animators, illustrators and motion designers, hear from a wide range of voices within the industry, including how leading animators sta...