Advertise here via BSA

How do you fall in love?

Yolanda Santosa and her crew at Ferroconcrete know the answer to this question, because each time they take on a project they fall in love with it. They spend countless hours memorizing each detail, even the smallest, most trivial piece. They go past what’s on the outside and find what’s underneath–the true, unbiased story–and then, without thinking, they make it their own. They find the personality in whatever they are working with, then, and only then, they create something truly beautiful–something that will stand the test of time.

It’s this attention to detail and love of creation that has solidified Ferroconcrete, a branding studio located in Los Angeles, California, as a go to company for creating excellent brands, and it shows in their past work with companies such as Pinkberry, Hustler, éple and, most recently, TBS.

A Solid Foundation

This foundation was set in place early in Yolanda’s life. She was always inspired by great branding and knew it was something that she wanted to be a part of. After graduating with a degree in Graphic Design, she got a job in a large branding firm where she worked on strictly on logos day after day. She soon tired of the monotony and yearned for more ways to express her passion which lead her into the world of motion graphics and a home at yu+co.

Working with motion was something that rejuvenated Yolanda and proved to be a integral part of her career. Through the six and a half years she spent in motion graphics she learned the importance of story and the impact motion can have on design. This all culminated in such memorable projects as the end credits for the feature film 300 and the title sequences for Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives, to name a few.

Some of Yolanda's work at Yu+co

The Start of Something Beautiful

However, Yolanda felt something was missing. Seeing great brands taking off such as Apple and yearning to get back into her first love, Yolanda set off to create her own company, something she wanted to do since she began working in the industry. When she heard that Pinkberry was looking for a branding company, she jumped at the chance. She took vacation time off from work and got in touch with the company and, in that week, she created and presented her idea to Pinkberry, who loved it. With that, Yolanda left her job at yu+co and Ferroconcrete was born.

At Ferroconcrete, she was finally able to express her passion without restraint, bringing out the personality in the products that she chose to work with. However, she knew she couldn’t do it alone. Needing to hire employees and understanding a company is only as good as the sum of its parts, Yolanda gathered together a group extremely talented designers from different fields who shared her love of creativity and story. Not wanting to create more cogs in the system like she had been when she first started out, she gave them all creative say in the initial design of the brand making an energetic, friendly and competitive work environment. Finally, Ferroconcrete had a truly solid foundation to support it. And, with that, they transformed Pinkberry from a one store shop into an over 70 store national chain (for more on this, check out the great AIGA video on how she created the brand).

Ferroconcrete

Since its grand opening in 2006, Ferroconcrete has gone on to create brands for companies all over the spectrum including Coola suncare products, Skywatch watches, TFO Architecture, City Center on 6th and even Hustler Toys. In each project, they managed to bring a full sense of design and personality to it, capturing just the right elements and bringing them to the forefront. This can be seen in everything they have created from menus and brochures to packaging and labeling; from websites and photos to motion graphics and video. Even shirts and bags. All along the way, they have fallen in love over and over again.

By the time Ferroconcrete was hired to rebrand TBS, Yolanda and her crew were moving in strides. Being somewhat of a return to form for her, Yolanda knew exactly what was needed. Working with the previous static half circle (smiling) logo, Ferroconcrete did what they do best–they brought it to life. Instead of creating just a logo, they created a character all on its own. With that single character, they managed to give the entire TBS company a unique personality evoked every time you watch a their channel or visit their website.

They did this by recreating the TBS smiley face logo in Maxon Cinema 4D, animating it into a mischievous and fun loving character that danced and interacted with various actors from the many different shows on TBS including George Lopez, the cast of The Big Band Theory and Peter from Family Guy. They made a star who loved to have fun, and that made TBS fun. Much like all of Ferroconcrete’s designs, it was simple, but it managed to say so much.

What Dreams May Come

Even though Ferroconcrete already has many awards and accolades under their belt for the work they have already accomplished, they are in it because they truly love everything that they do, and they don’t plan on slowing down any time soon. Along with continuing their branding and motion graphics projects, they are already working on integrating interior design elements into their branding studio as well as iphone application programming and design, among other things.

One could say, they are adding additions on to their already strong home.

Advertise here via BSA

If you haven’t heard the name Kook Ewo, perhaps you have seen some of his work in films such as Silent Hill, Fracture and the recently released Splice featuring Adrian Brody and Sarah Polley. Hailing from beautiful Paris, France, Kook is carving out a name for himself designing and creating film title sequences with his amazing sense of style, wonderful typography and gorgeous colors. On top of that, he’s moved into the director’s chair for commercials and short films such as Sept. and Black Night is Falling. When we were given the opportunity to interview Kook Ewo, we jumped at it with open arms. It’s not every day you can get inside the mind of a modern marvel.

First, I want to thank you very much for doing this interview. It is an honor!

Thank you very much. I love your website. You really provide interesting reflections about the motion graphics world… Love your article about preproduction by the way.

Thank you! When did you decide you wanted to become a motion graphics/vfx artist and what spurred your decision?

I never really decided to be in motion graphics. It came through years, by meeting people.
But I knew early that I wanted to focus on title sequences.

Did you attend college or are you self-taught, and do you continue your education today through online, traditional or other methods?

I’m a self-taught person. I started working at 18 and i always did my education through new projects.
I love to test a software. I like to think, “What if i want to make that specific thing and spend hours to do it without been shown by someone?” I know it’s during this process that i learn–by making mistakes–and once I’ve found it, I can think efficiently and start to find the better way. That’s how I know some tricky things in software. Plus, I always talk to some friends who are into motion design and show me good stuff! Tutorials are amazing to learn but, as they’re telling you one common way of making things, they could also prevent to think your own way.

Splice title sequence

How did you get your start in the industry?

user submitted question by @stealingsand

As a teenager, I wanted to be a photographer or journalist.

At 19, I set up a small company with a friend doing corporate and short films in which I learned editing, then After Effects. Then I wrote articles about compositing software in broadcast magazines. Then I taught After Effect and Final Cut lessons in a training center. Then, at the same time during 5 years, I worked at TF1 (TV), Hk video (DVD menus) and at yeast Films (Vjing, doc, music video company based in London). Then I did some titles for documentaries, shorts and low budget features. Then Christophe Gans called me to work on Silent Hill and I did the title sequence. Then I did Previz supervisor during 2 years, and some titles for film. Then V. Natali called me to do Splice and I worked on some other big features… Now I’m beginning to direct some commercials in Paris and I’m trying to work out how to make my first feature film to happen.

What made you decide to focus on becoming a title sequence designer and director?

Title sequences excite me because they’re all about fitting into an existing universe. You have to bring a new note into a melody. I don’t think I’ve one specific, very strong style (except some obsessions/gimics) and that’s what helps me the most in this job. I’m not obsessed by showing beautiful looking things, I’m obsessed to stay in the melody; in the right mood. My work is all about that.

Also, that explains why a lot of very good motion designers don’t make title sequence for films; It’s because they don’t want to fit. They want to put their own style into it. I heard many times good designers telling me they feel frustrated by a reject, but i’m telling them it’s not about their work (which is brilliant); it’s about feeling the movie. It’s about you getting into it, not the opposite. That’s also explains why very good title sequences done by those amazing designers are most of the time for festivals.

Directing is my other passions. I can’t really explain why; it’s from my teenager period! I think I just love the idea of telling a story that will keep people thinking about it.

Each title sequence you’ve worked on has a specific style that fits the project perfectly. Where do you get your inspiration?

FYM and user submitted question by @stealingsand

Yes, I try to fit. That’s the main thing. I mostly get my inspiration from music. I try to find the good track for the mood, then I try to resolve an equation considering all the parameters: what the director wants to feel in the sequence, what it could narratively express, what he wants to prevent… then the film itself, its mood, the director sensitivity, etc. Then I find an approximative result. This result is a concept of what the sequence could look like and could narratively tell. Then if the director accepts it, we add ideas and shots; that’s the fun part. Then, once we’re happy with it, I do all storyboards (with a storyboarder) and we make it (I always did that part myself except on Splice, which was full 3 mins CG). I think the director feels happy to work this way as it’s not about someone taking a part of his film an showing the result; it’s about someone who will help to make the sequence happen the way he wants.

Silent Hill title sequence

What is your creative process like/How does a project progress creatively for you?

user submitted question by @stealingsand

I try to not to take my tablet pen and look at the last trends on internet. I try to escape from the office, to remember all the details of my conversation with the director and I try to let it come through music. And most of all, I try to not to think I’m in a creative process. It’s like thinking about how to fall asleep before sleeping–you’ll never sleep.

How important is the pre-production process in designing and directing your title sequences?

Pre production is essential and it should be 80 % of work in a perfect world. That’s the main reason why I want to keep being a freelancer as I think it’s really hard to convince a design company to allow me to spend time to actually think without producing. That’s where you will think of the story before the style; it’s so essential. Once again, we often see the opposite: style before what it tells. It has to look good first. I’m forcing myself to not to show any picture reference at the very beginning of my work. I’m writing down what I’d like to see, to feel, to tell; not how that it will look like. And on top of that, you’re talking to a film director! So the guy knows how to imagine shots or concept; no need for big references I think. For Splice, everything was locked and greenlighted by text before any storyboard or references.

How do you go about finding work in the industry?

Sometimes directors contact me directly, but most of the time i’m the one who is trying to get in contact. It’s not easy. Directors are used to be contacted by companies, not by freelancers. They don’t really know how to deal with it. So I’m trying to make things as simple as possible for them. I’m just asking to have the opportunity to make a pitch, that’s  all! Also, I hope “Splice” will help… !

Fracture title sequence

Looking through you body of work, I couldn’t help but notice you amazing use of typography and color. How do you go about choosing the appropriate typefaces and colors for a project?

I sincerely love typography. It’s the simplest way to express complex, subtle ideas… And of course a good title sequence can be based only on typography. The other great thing is that everybody can tell what he can feel when he looks at them. That amazing, very powerful. Now, talking of the process, until now, choosing a font is quite simple to me and the directors. First, we find what he want to express. Then I suggest between 15-30 different fonts in that mood. Then we choose. 90% of the time, the director agrees on the 2 or 3 fonts I prefer of the 30. It’s important he sees 30 fonts because he really can see what works and what doesn’t. That can comfort him into the right choice.

That’s funny you talk about colors in my work because I think it’s a really one of the hardest part to me. I choose the colors real instinctively; i’ve no method for that.

Horror is difficult, I think – How do you know where the line is between cheesy and creepy, specifically with titles like Splice?

user submitted question by @stealingsand

Wow, hard question. Mmm, my taste/instinct I would say!

You do a lot of work from home. What hardware (computer, wacom tablet, etc.) applications and plug-ins do you use?

I’ve got a Mac Intel last generation with a lot of CPU’s, a 30 inch screen, another 24 for viewing HD at 1:1, a lot of RAM, some RAID O hard drives so I can work with DPX files (200 Mo/s), a wacom tablet, a boss soundsystem and a Spottify account; all i need. I work on After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, Final Cut, Syntheses, iView Media Pro. In After Effects, the background render script (amazing and free) completely changed my way of working. I’m rendering pre comp continuously now. For plug ins, I use what everybody’s got: Trapcode, Frischluft, Video Copilot Flares.

The Horde title sequence

Are there any people or companies in the motion industry that inspire you or that you are consistently amazed by?

In the motion industry, there’s a lot of good ones. In title sequences, I would say only Prologue as they are always respecting the movies. Others are great but more into the general mood/trends and that makes a big difference to me. I would say those companies are inspiring one each other which is good for a certain time, but at some point everybody does quite the same, I think. Companies from South America and Spain are more promising to me as they seem to get used to experiments.

What is your “dream sequence” – the title sequence you would love (or would have loved) to work on? Which directors ?

user submitted question by @stealingsand

I would have loved to work on Barbarella’s title sequence. Partly for the joy to see the full footage of the sequence!
Now, more seriously, my dream sequence is the one I’ll have the chance to prepare before the actual shooting of the film! I know this will happen someday, but i’m eager ! I would love to work with so many directors the list would be too big… but here’s a top 10, dream list!

David Fincher – Guillermo Del Toro – Alejandro González Iñárritu – Alfonso Cuaron – Martin Scorsese – Sofia Coppola – David Lynch – James Cameron – Quentin tarantino – Michael Mann!

Is there anything you want to do with you career inside or outside of motion graphics/vfx?

I want to direct a feature film and a documentary. I also would like to spend more time in photography.

Black Night is Falling directed by Kook Ewo

Is there anything upcoming projects you are working on that you can share with us?

I can’t share project but only titles! I’m now working on “30 beats” (directed by A.Lloyd, taking place in NYC) and “The Divide” (directed by X. Gens, a movie about people after the end of the world – view the trailer).

Upcoming (i hope, in discussions now) would be :
Fantomas (C. Gans)
The Tall Man (P. Laugier).
Another american movie (i can’t talk about).

What advice do you have for any future motionographers?

If you want to be a good designer, working for a lot of companies. Spend some time on tutorials because you’ll know how to do what people will ask. This would be your job and you can be happy with it. Now if you want to be happy in another way, get out, see other arts and never think you’re in the right place. I would add: don’t think you’re a killer because you know how to produce something that has already been done many times; try to make a simple thing that looks like who you are. That’s harder.

What do you think about the motion design community ?

I think that’s an amazing community and it can help so much for resolving problems and spread new ideas. Now, the problem is people are copying each other a lot. So, sometimes when you look at different reels, you find the same gimics, trends etc.. That’s a shame i think.

Ice People title sequence

You’re a busy man. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview!

It’s a real pleasure. Thanks again!

You can view more of Kook Ewo’s work on his website The French Title. You can also contact him on his Facebook page, or email him: kewoweb @ mistice.com

All photos and work represented on this page created by Kook Ewo. Photos edited by John Kostrzewski.
Special thanks to @stealingsand for submitting the User Submitted Questions.

Advertise here via BSA

Timmy Allen is no stranger to the motion graphics and visual effects lifestyle, and no stranger to helping others with the knowledge he has gained over the years. Since graduating from Full Sail University, he has gone on to star in the Revision 3 podcast Film Riot and started the internet show KeyframeTV, two excellent resources for furthering your knowledge of film effects. Now, after the announcement that he is joining the Fuel Your Motionography team as contributing writer, I wanted to take the time to get to know Timmy Allen better and let all of you get to know him as well.

Fuel Your Motionography: I would first like to welcome you to the Fuel Your Motionography team and thank you for doing this interview; we are honored to have you!

TIMMY ALLEN: Thank you so much. You have no idea how crazy this is to me. Before we started talking about me coming on and doing some stuff for FYM, the site was always a place I visited to come and check out what is new and exciting in the world of motionography. To, in some way, be contributing to that is wild.

FYM: Have you always known you wanted to work in the motion graphics/visual effects industry, or was there a point in your life that spurred your decision?

TA: I have not known for very long that this is what I was going to end up doing as a career. Right out of High School I thought I was going to be a rock star. I was touring and playing music and hanging out 5 nights a week and I simply thought that was going to be it for me. When it all ended and I was standing in South Florida with no job and no degree, I decided to go to Full Sail University because the only other interest I had besides music was web development and design, and it would only take me two years to get my Bachelors. It was at Full Sail that I had one single class in After Effects, and it just stuck with me. Of all the design and web classes I was in, that single After Effects class made the biggest impact on me. So, that’s when I realized that motion graphics and broadcast design was going to be the path I wanted to take for my career. I still play music a lot and would love to tour when and if the opportunity comes around, but I’ve been bitten by this motion bug. I’ll never be able to stop.

FYM: You gained a lot of recognition from the Revision 3 podcast Film Riot along with Ryan and Josh Connolly, among others. How did your involvement with the show come about?

TA: Ryan and I have known each other since we were younger and have been really close most of our “adult” life. He’s my room mate right now, and he’s actually marrying my sister. So yeah, there’s a lot of connection there between the two of us. We both grew up goofing off in front of a camera and doing stupid crap to make our families laugh. I couldn’t imagine if any of those ever saw the light of day. I think it would be kind of like George Michael’s lightsaber video getting out… Yeah, like that. Film Riot is the brain child of Ryan with little ideas and tidbits from the rest of us. It is a blast to be involved (as I’m sure one would imagine). We literally get to go in front of the camera and act like idiots and people watch. Some of us get more naked than others, because what’s more funny than a naked dude? Correct, nothing. I win.

FYM: You also created the show KeyframeTV, an excellent show aimed at those who want to learn motion design and animation, along with Nick Campbell and Pasquale D’Silva. What inspired you to create that show?

TA: When I was brainstorming some way to get involved with the motion community, I thought some sort of an off script discussion between people that know what’s up would be useful. I don’t assume that I am someone who “knows what’s up”; I approached it as someone who didn’t know much of anything, and I’d get to sit there and tear apart cool pieces of work and listen to Nick and Pas be brilliant and feed my brain all sorts of knowledge-type goodness. I really just wanted to put content out there that I knew I was looking for myself. To see people in the industry professionally talking about what is “hot” and relevant in the community is something that I would find very valuable. However, my take on it was more as an “average” motionographer; how would I approach some of these big spots that seemed to be out of my reach. So I was watching Nick do the GSG stuff and thought I’d take a shot in the dark to see if he’d be down, and I was surprised at how excited he got at the idea. Pas is a buddy of mine that I met around the time that FR came out and we did some work together, and I felt that his knowledge of the traditional animation side of things would also be invaluable. Then, kaboom; Keyframe.

FYM: You’re a part of Film Riot, KeyframeTV, and now Fuel Your Motionography on top of having a successful career in motion design. What is your ultimate goal in all of this?

TA: Well, I don’t want to say, “Fame and money, of course”. To be able to love what I’m doing, and to pay the bills doing it is really the ultimate goal. A secondary goal would be to be someone that the beginner or average motionographer would come to for advice on general stuff. The grand circle of life in our community–watch and discuss with other people how to do amazing things in the applications I use, then to turn around and be that guy I went to for knowledge for some other person. I think to hoard knowledge and keep it all for yourself is really crappy. If you have knowledge that someone else wants to know and has a genuine thirst for and you keep it to yourself, you suck. I don’t want to suck. I want to share and grow with all the people around me and in the motion community.

FYM: What people, companies and/or projects are your biggest inspirations in the motion industry and why?

TA: When I was going through Full Sail University the iPod Nano commercial that J. Whitmore did with the light streaks wrinkled my brain! I saw that piece and became super obsessed with it. How did he light the talent w/ the light streaks? How did he generate those streaks off of the iPods? I just really became crazy with picking the thing apart and trying to learn how J. got that accomplished. Another big one was the Gap commercial from a year or so back when the dancers were surrounded by all the sketched animated art work, and their clothes kept morphing into other clothes. The style of the assets and the color correction that was done for that piece really had this great retro feel that I adopted into my “style”. I also loved the Coldplay iPod commercial… I mean, there are so many to mention and talk about, but I won’t bore you with them all.

FYM: What applications and plug-ins do you use and are there any that you are looking forward to?

TA: I use the normal applications to get my work done. Adobe CS5, and Cinema4D. In the areas I work in, there just isn’t an easier, more user friendly 3D app than C4D, and it’s integration with After Effects just can’t be touched. I use all of Trapcode’s stuff inside of AE. This recent CS5 update is mind blowing. Everything works so fast, and the render times have been slashed so dramatically. I love how I can spend more time working and being creative, and less time waiting on my computer to figure out what it is that I’m doing just to show it back to me. I use Nick’s HDRI Light Kit Pro inside of C4D. He really created something special there with the lights and controls that he implemented. Being able to see your lights modeled out inside of your scene really helps with positioning and scale. The last one I’ll mention is kind of a big one for me. If you’re someone who HATES rendering motion blur out of C4D because it takes for ever, there is an AE plugin called ReelSmart Motion Blur by RE:Vision Effects. That plugin has to have saved me hours and hours of rendering time. The best part about it is how beautiful it works and how accurately it gets me motion blur.

FYM: What do you feel are your strongest skills and your weakest points?

TA: Not sure if this is a “cop-out” type answer, but I really feel like a huge plus for me is that I am so crazy hungry to learn as much of this awesome stuff as I can. I am excited to learn new things and realize that maybe some things I thought I knew, I really did not know. Something weak about me is that I am very very easily distracted. It’s sad. With E3 being this week as you can imagine, I am just all over the place with all the new announcements of games and hardware and toys. I’m a child, I know. Pretty much, if I would just stay focused on learning and practicing my craft instead of things like video games, I would be a monster. Its something I’m trying to fix. I promise. Seriously, Gears of War 3…. MOMMA!

FYM: What are your goals for the future?

TA: I am actually about to incorporate and become something a little more legit than just “Timmy Allen”. So, to build up a studio of cool dudes that love what they do that has a great body of work would be the end all super cool goal. I’d like to get married too. Totally nothing to do with motion, but yeah. That’d be cool.

FYM: What advice do you have for any future motionographers?

TA: Practice. Learn. Freakin’ comb the internet for all the knowledge you can find in the areas you want to be active in. You can literally learn any area of motionography on the internet now. People like Nick, Rob Redman, and Robert Leger; they’re all putting out amazing content and tutorials on how to achieve some of the coolest stuff around, and its free. Just go there and watch. Its so simple! However, when watching these tutorials make sure you’re not just copy/pasting what they’re doing. Figure out how to use what you’ve learned and apply it to a project of your own. Follow people on twitter that constantly share great ideas and articles that they’ve found that have helped them out on their growth. All the knowledge in the world is out there for you to get exposed to and learn from. You just have to be proactive and get out there and find it.

FYM: You’re a busy man. Thank you for taking the time and welcome to the Fuel team!

TA: Thank you so much! I am so excited about all of this, and I’ll do my best to share and help everyone out however I can. I love talking to people that are hungry to learn and grow in their craft, and I will never shut anyone down. As long as it is in my pool of knowledge, I will happily share anything and everything I’ve got if someone wants it. I’ll see you around. Be good.

If you want more of Timmy Allen (and, really, who doesn’t?!) you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook, see his work on his website IamTim.me, watch his shows Film Riot and KeyframeTV and, of course, read his articles right here at Fuel Your Motionography!

Photos by Timmy Allen, edited by John Kostrzewski

Advertise here via BSA

Things are always evolving.

Anyone in the motion graphics or visual effects industry knows this is the truth, and with social networks popping up left and right on the internet, the methods of promoting yourself are no exception; but what does this mean for the more traditional methods of promotion such as the business card?

These days we are not all sitting around the conference table ogling each others business card like in the movie American Psycho. With the way the internet and technology in general has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few decades, we are jumping on our laptops, tablet computers and smart phones connecting to wi-fi hubs in every corner coffee shop and 3G and 4G networks virtually everywhere else for business and for pleasure. We are consuming more online data than ever before, and with this new technology comes new ways to promote ourselves.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to many. Newspapers and magazines felt the crunch as traditional paper subscriptions were dwindling, but they found a new resurgence online and through apps for various devices such as smart phones and the Apple iPad. Burning your reel onto a DVD and mailing it out to companies is a thing of the past as online video sharing sites and personal websites become the method of distributing your reel, as I mentioned in my previous article, Get Your Video to the Masses; and, with more people using online search to find what they are looking for versus more traditional methods, websites such as Reel Roulette (Spin the Wheel on Reel Roulette) allow anybody to quickly search through many reels in a very short period of time allowing more content consumption with less work.

So, what does all this mean for the more traditional methods of promotion such as the business card? Are business cards obsolete, being taken over by online promotional methods, or is there still a  place for them in this digital world? To find the answer, I asked some movers and shakers in the motion graphics and visual effects industry this same question.

Nick Campbell / GreyScaleGorilla.com and CreamyOrange.com (among many others)

“I think that biz cards are DEAD for people in creative and technology driven industries. They are a hold over from another age. If people REALLY want to get your info and you made a personal connection, they can put your info directly on their phone or ask their friend about you later. They could even follow you on twitter directly from their iPhone. THIS is the way I connect. Not in a heap of cards on my dresser when I get home from an event.” He goes on to add, “If your in a creative business and under 40, lose the cards.”

Eric Alba / 24LiesPerSecond.com

“I would say that Google-ing my name is good. But if someone with a more common name it might be difficult to find them. As far as social network/services, I wouldn’t rely on that to promote my self/business. But I have found LinkedIn to be a good way to find people in terms of searching for a skillset/business.” He adds, “My business cards have helped if only in face to face situations and I’m networking or don’t want to write down a number… [They're] part of a bigger machine of promotion which includes my work web site and word of mouth.”

Brad Chmielewski / DigitalHitchhiker.com

“I feel like the business card is most useful in social or networking event. You don’t want to have take a break from the conversation to pull out your phone, follow that person on twitter and get them to follow you. I take their business card, put in my pocket and then re-visit it tomorrow or later in the week when I’m in front of the computer. It’s also a great leave behind, if that person follows me on twitter when I first meet them in two weeks they may have forgotten who I was. But with the business card at least they think of me again when we are not together.”

Oscar Dante Beckman / OscarDante.com

“I think that business cards are a really important way to promote myself. Also I feel that business cards shows the person you are giving it to that you are more serious, not only saying your Twitter or Vimeo name.” He goes on to say about using Google search, “It’s a great source to find information and people. However it’s easy to get lost in the woods of information.”

Zack Lovatt / ZackLovatt.com

“Handing somebody a business card carries a certain weight with it, even to the point of giving an appearance of professionalism. Does it hearken back to the older days where cards were king? To be sure, but from what I’ve seen in the design industry (and, to a lesser extent, the visual effects field) is that as so few are doing the business card thing simply having one is enough to make an impression, and from a networking angle, that’s the whole point.” He also adds, “Cards aren’t a one-stop solution; you need to follow them up with adequate branding, self-promotion (and these days) an online identity and so on; they’re a piece of the larger puzzle, a stepping stone, as it were. My cards boast no skills, no software and no industry; they’ve got a logo on the one side and contact information on the back. By my reckoning I’ll have given all this information to a person prior to handing them my card.”

Mars Sanford / MarsSanford.com

“Personally I like having the business card on hand for events.  I always prefer to add/follow right there in the moment, but if the conversation isn’t heading that way, its a good thing to leave someone with. I don’t think they need to be as jam packed with info as they once were, as Nick pointed out over a year ago!”

John Kostrzewski / JohnKostrzewski.com

“I personally don’t think business cards are dead at the moment, but they are on the way out fast. Apps such as Bump on the iPhone have shown sharing information is as easy as bumping two phones together, and everybody has an email address, Facebook account, Twitter name or some other social media account to connect through. As time goes on, the simplicity of handing someone a card with your information on it will be replaced with a simple bump of our phones, a friend request online or a drag and drop of our contact information on our potential clients name. A Google search isn’t always accurate, especially if the search is for someone with a name as crazy as mine, and even a business card doesn’t help in that respect as they will have to type out what’s printed on the card. Why not make it easier for them by giving them a link they can click on or one “Accept Friend” button to push. The idea of a business card is to make it easier for the client to find you, after all.”

The Verdict

It would seem business cards aren’t completely dead and still have a place in promotion of yourself and your business, but don’t be surprised when the time comes when they are completely obsolete. As technology continues to advance so will the method of promotion; and just like newspapers, magazines and other forms of traditional media the push is going online. It’s important to remember, as was mentioned repeatedly throughout this article, that business cards are just a small part of the bigger promotional machine. It’s only a device that shows people where to go. It’s up to you to give them a place to go, and have what they are looking for.

If you choose to promote yourself using a business card and are looking for ideas on designs for your cards to set them off from the rest, here are a few more cards from people in the industry that might spark your creative juices. However, it’s good to note that ideas don’t have to come from people in the industry at all. Flickr has a great set of photos called The Business Card Pool that features many great designs from people in many different industries, and websites such as Designrfix.com has a series of posts that will inspire as well.

Justin Younger / JustinYounger.com

Michael Blank / BlankSight.net

Seth Hay / OrangesDesigns.com

What do you think? Are business cards completely gone from your promotional efforts? Are they a waste of time and money? Please, share what you think and tell us what methods you prefer over handing out business cards.

Advertise here via BSA

RECAP

In my last post, I featured a handful of visually alluring motion reels, including that of Paris motion studio Gkaster. Pierre Magnol, the founder of Gkaster, is not easy to track down, but I’ve managed to finagle a brief interview with the man behind the stunning portfolio. Pierre mentioned that he’d be posting his latest reel any day now (which has got me on tenterhooks), but unfortunately we’ll have to wait just a little longer. Meanwhile, for those of you who haven’t seen Gkaster’s reel, feast your eyes:

PIERRE MAGNOL, IN HIS OWN WORDS:

Hi! My name is Pierre Magnol. I’m a graphic designer and animator. I founded Gkaster.com studio with Pierre Fabre (typographer and also mattepainter). I have a wide range of experience because I am self-taught. I started as an editor for Canal plus, then worked for Ultime, Limoges (where I discovered motion design) as an editor, a special effects specialist and multimedia project director. After that I became a freelancer and took my first step into motion graphics as a director with my first company name, Kurtzmedias. I did a lot of short movies and contemporary productions, even “corporate” animation.

THE INTERVIEW

First of all, thank you for this interview. Who and/or what inspired you to become a motion designer?

The movies Bladerunner, Tron, Akira, and conceptual designs of Syd Mead. There are no specific things that I could point out in those masterpieces, but it’s a global approach; about the design, the interfaces, the perception of the future, and the robotics that I really like.

How did you get started in this industry?

I’m totally self-taught. First, like many others, I learned a lot of things through forums where you can find many tutorials and very pleasant people who share their time and expertise with you. I would like to thank Creative COW and many other forums like it.

With the many disciplines you’re involved in, which has been your favorite to explore, and for what reasons?

Gkaster’s main discipline is to make motion design, and the second is the reason why I partnered with Pierre Fabre, to promote his skills in matte painting and his approach to typography. Today, what’s most important for us is to simply create images and pictures, whether they move or not.

What advice would you give to young creatives just starting out in motion design?

I have no specific advice, sorry. :) But you know, I would say, it’s a mix between a bunch of hours in front of our screens, trying to learn new techniques, a lot of emails and rendezvous trying to promote our works. It’s also nice meeting with people through the internet who give you advice about your works, and on and on… there are no specific secrets, just passion and coffee. :)

Where do you go for design inspiration?

I have no specific place I go. I take a look everywhere on the internet, and within many art fields. Like everybody I guess :). I take a peek from time to time at Computer Luv, Motionographer, Mograph Forum, and so on. In France, we have FUBIZ. But you know, you have plenty of other web sites which talk about contemporary arts and architecture.

How do you typically start a new project?

Like everybody, with an empty screen.

What are the tools you couldn’t live without?

My tools:

• A MAC
• After Effects
• CINEMA 4D  (a special thanks to Peder Norrby, creator of Trapcode plugins)

Is there an area of the creative world you wish you were more active in?

Film, I mean I recently bought a camcorder and I started to film the nature around me; it’s a great experience.

What have you found to be the most effective ways to market yourself to potential clients?

All the websites I talked about, motionographer and others, they are well known and give you the opportunity to be seen all the over the world.

Advertise here via BSA

A brief history of Polish Poster art

For more than a century, Polish Poster art painted a chronology of Poland’s social, political, and historic landscape. By the end of World War II, eight out of every ten buildings in Warsaw was destroyed. The Stalinist era marked an artistic shift to Socio-Realism, a movement which depicted social & racial injustice and economic hardship. From the 50s into the 80s, cultural events such as film, opera, and theatre became the impetus behind the memorable poster work. This was a period that became known as the Polish School of Posters, a time when the Communist State maintained a strict censorship policy on all printed media. In expression of their opposition, Polish artists created posters of irony, surrealism, and elements of abstraction, setting a new path for artistic innovation and international admiration. Warsaw, gray and crumbled by destruction, served as a backdrop to the miles of colorful posters plastered onto construction fences; fences of posters that would represent Poland’s struggle for unbridled freedom.

Left: Tadeuz Trepkowski Nie! (1952); Right: Jan Lenica Wozzeck (1964)

Left: Waldemar Świerzy - Midnight Cowbow (1973); Right: Mieczysław Górowski - Police (1982)

Freedom on the Fence

The documentary Freedom on the Fence, directed by Andrea Marks and Glenn Holsten, captures the paradox of how this unique art form flourished within a Communist regime. The film has been shown at several film festivals including the Santa Fe Film Festival and the Los Angeles Polish Film Festival. The documentary is being shown as part of an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, running from May 2009 through November 2009.

Every kind of restriction brings creativity. – Rafal Olbinski

Interview with Andrea Marks

Andrea Marks is currently an Associate Professor and the coordinator of the Graphic Design program at Oregon State University. She received a BFA in graphic design from University of the Arts in Philadelphia and did her post-graduate work at the Basel School of Design in Basel, Switzerland. Her interests in design curriculum extend to exploring new ways in which students engage in learning. Her ebook Writing for Visual Thinkers was published in 2008 by AIGA/New Riders Press, and explores the many ways artists and designers can use writing in their work.

I spoke with Andrea Marks about the documentary, what inspired her, and her own challenges in making the film.

Why Polish posters?

I am often asked this question. I first became aware of Polish posters through a former Polish student of mine at Oregon State University named Anka Kolodziej. She and I worked on an exchange project together between graphic design students at OSU and students at the Warsaw Academy of Art. Students in both schools created posters on the theme of air and water and then sent them to one another’s school for an exhibition. It was during this time that Anka introduced me to some of her books on Polish posters. Not only were the posters amazing visually, but I also found the story of how and why these posters flourished in Communist Poland very interesting.

Left: Franciszek Starowieyski - Lulu (1980); Right: Wiktor Górka - Cabaret (1973)

Stasys Eidrigevicius - Film Poster, Zwierciadło (Reflection) 1989

How did you prepare and research for the film?

Since I am a graphic designer by training and had not made a film before, I contacted Glenn Holsten, a friend of mine who is an independent filmmaker in Philadelphia. I pitched the story to him and he was interested in collaborating. I read a few articles and looked over the books Anka provided, but I soon realized that I needed to go to Poland to meet the artists and see if they were interested in being part of the film. I also wanted to make sure the story was interesting enough for a documentary. In 1998, I applied for a grant from IREX, an international grant organization, for funds to travel to Poland for a pre-production trip, and with the $2,500 grant, three of us traveled to Poland for an intensive two-week trip to meet artists. The mistake we made was going there in November, one of the coldest and grayest months. I knew that when we eventually returned to shoot the final film, we absolutely needed to return in the summer! Glenn brought a very low-end video camera and shot footage that was useful in creating a short presentation. My thought all along with this project was that it could take some time and it was important to have visual presentations at each stage. I used these presentations (a combination of video and multimedia) to give lectures on the topic and also for fundraising purposes. I think it is very important when embarking on a large and complex project to make short-term goals. This can help give you a sense of accomplishment along the way and also create interest for your project.

What kind of equipment and software did you use to shoot and edit the footage?

It actually took three more years to raise the money to shoot the final footage. I returned to Poland in the summer of 2002, with Glenn and Jeff Hino, another friend who is a videographer at my university. In order to keep costs down and make travel easier, we shot the Poland footage with a small Canon Digital camera and rented a set of lights and a monitor in Warsaw. Editing was done for the most part in Final Cut Pro.

What were some of the key challenges faced before, during and after the filming?

I am a graphic designer, so a key challenge for me was to learn about the various steps necessary in making a film. As producer of the film, I had to also figure out how to raise money for travel and production. Logistics were challenging in Poland. Neither Glenn or I speak Polish, so we had to hire a translator and it was a bit tricky organizing meeting meetings and interviews with artists. All of my interviews were done with a translator I hired in Poland and then I had to transcribe all interviews on paper. It was an incredibly tedious process that took dozens of hours, but it was the only way I could view the various voices and understand how to string these voices together to tell a story. Archival footage was an important element in the film and I hadn’t realized the expense before developing the story. Funds for the film were raised year by year and some years were better than others, so it was sometimes difficult to keep momentum going with the project year to year. Now that the film is done, the challenge has been finding the best avenue for independent marketing and distribution. The internet has been enormously helpful in getting the word out on the status of the film. I continue to receive emails from all over the world asking to be put on the mailing list when the film is released.

In what ways has this experience shaped your creative outlook and/or teachings?

As cliché as this may sound, I think the story of the Polish poster shows the strength of the human spirit, and it’s great to share that with my students. Polish posters gained international recognition for many reasons. On one level, these posters can be viewed for their pure, imagistic beauty. Students are typically very inspired by the visual strength of the Polish posters. I think the fact that they were drawn and painted, including the typography, speaks to the students of today. For many students, the idea of working off the computer on a poster is a bit of revelation. The next level is the content of the posters. Though these are for the most part cultural posters, announcing theater, film, opera, etc., the message on the poster is never literal. In fact, the posters are wonderful examples of how not to be literal, as they use metaphor, irony, satire and humor in very clever ways. The third level is examining the history and how the time period played a pivotal role in the development of these powerful posters. One might say that the added constraints of Communism and the fact that each poster had to go before a censor board pushed the artists to dig a little deeper. These are all inspirational pieces that I have taken away from the project and I share with my students.

What are you hoping to achieve with your film?

My intent was always to create a documentary for historic preservation, as the Fall of Communism brought radical changes to the Polish poster. Once cultural institutions became privatized, the numbers of posters commissioned really dwindled. I knew that the first generation of poster artists were also aging. Two of the older artists I interviewed, Wiktor Gorka and Henryk Tomaszewski have since passed away, and I feel very fortunate to have met them and documented their words. In fact, I may have had the last interview with Tomaszweski, one of the most influential artists in the history of the Polish posters. I think the film gives a glimpse into an important historical period that students may know little about. The film begins with black and white footage of the destruction of Warsaw during WWII. This is sobering stuff to watch, and helps set up the context for how these powerful posters sprung up on the streets. I also think the film works very well when shown in conjunction with an exhibition of Polish posters and I have realized that there is still an amazing amount of interest in Polish posters. The film is currently being shown with an exhibition of polish posters at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City through the end of November, 2009.

When will Freedom on the Fence be released?

The film will be released within the first couple of weeks of October and can be purchased from the website freedomonthefence.com. It has also been shown at several film festivals over the past year.

Any plans in the future for another film?

At this point, I am just working on keeping up with screenings, presentations and marketing of the film and haven’t given much thought to another project. Having said that, I do think there are so many great stories out there to be told about art and design and it is exciting to think about the possibilities of documenting them.

Advertise here via BSA

In these tough financial times, many companies have suffered, and others have managed to forge ahead despite obstacles. In what ways have smaller studios and freelancers coped with the economic downturn? I interviewed several UK-based people within the motion industry to determine how the credit crunch has affected them and their creative business, and more importantly, how optimistic they are for the future.

NATHAN LAUD

Various works by Squash and Stretch

Squash and Stretch is in it’s 2nd year of trading focusing on 3d animation, taking on freelancers as and when needed. I spoke with Animation Director Nathan Laud on how his company has performed during the recession.

Have you noticed a significant downturn in the last 12 months?

No not really. I have quiet periods and extremely busy periods. If anything the quantity of work has increased. This is probably due to the fact I’m only in my second year of trading and the first year took a little while to get going.

Have you noticed a change in clients expectations, attitudes and budgets?

If I compare them to budgets for work when I was at a larger company then yes, but then that is why I set up on my own. Even before the economic downturn I could see that people wanted more for their money and using big post production companies was becoming too expensive. By setting up on my own without any of the overheads it has allowed me to produce the same level of work but for about half the rate. They don’t get to come and sit in a nice office but they are happy to sacrifice this.

Are you optimistic that the next 12 months will see an upturn in business?

Yes. I feel I’m ideally positioned to take advantage of the fact that budgets have been falling. More and more clients are realising that they can still get the high quality from a skilled individual.

DEBBIE DARBY

Debbie Darby has been a Producer for over 20 years working for companies such as Lambie-Nairn and Smoke and Mirrors. She is now a Freelance Producer at COI.

Have you noticed a significant downturn in the last 12 months?

Yes, Work slowed down for me in March 2009

What cost saving measures have you introduced, if any?

Business life – to cut down on travel costs I only come into London when there’s more than one meeting/production to be done. Personal life – Shopping at Asda rather than Sainsburys (!)

Have you noticed a change in clients expectations, attitudes and budgets?

Clients want it all with a much shorter schedule and for much less money than before.

Have you noticed an increase in competition? Are your competitors reducing rates to win business?

I guess all producer’s fees are dropping, there are lots of people out there ready to work for a lower daily rate.

JOHN PENNEY

John Penney is Creative Director at Writemedia employing 10 people working in web design, flash animation and motion graphics.

Has the type of work you’ve taken on changed in any way, if so how?

We take on less large scale projects with several smaller, quick turnaround jobs replacing them.

Have you noticed a change in clients expectations, attitudes and budgets?

Budgets have definitely been trimmed so it’s a case of what you can do in that time. As we don’t want the quality of work to suffer, we ultimately end up spending more time than quoted to get the job done to keep clients happy and the standard of work high.

Have you noticed an increase in competition? Are your competitors reducing rates to win business and are you, in turn, expected to follow suit?

Competitors are increasing their efforts but by keeping our working relationships on a good basis we hope this (combined with a high standard of work and competitive prices) will sway them to stay.

Are you optimistic that the next 12 months will see an upturn in business?

Definitely optimistic. You have to be in this industry!

STUART SIMPSON

Various works by Stuart Simpson

Stuart Simpson is a freelance designer / animator based in London, UK.

Have you noticed a significant downturn in the last 12 months? Within that period have you noticed a particular time when business was slow or picking up?

The last 6 months of 2008 were non-stop, and in comparison I had always expected a quiet period at the start of this year. It extended slightly longer than I’d thought and work didn’t really start picking up again until the end of February and beginning of March.

Has the type of work you’ve taken on changed in any way, if so how?

It’s become more varied. A large part of last year was spent on DVD menu work. Which is surprising given the lower budgets compared to a few years ago. The quieter periods for in house work have given me the time to focus on operating as an independent studio. I can take on multiple projects and really devote quality time to them. The Hotel Trubble title sequence for the BBC and advertising shorts for an American insurance firm were two of the highlights.

Have you noticed a change in clients expectations, attitudes and budgets?

Expectations are always high! I think there is a tendancy to negotiate fees more. It depends on the nature of the client, B2B and corporate work seems more financially stable at the moment.

Have you noticed an increase in competition? Are your competitors reducing rates to win business and are you, in turn, expected to follow suit?

It is very competative at the moment. I’ve seen a lot of new showreels out there. The problem is motion graphics covers a large area of technical knowledge and design creativity. The first hurdle is – do you meet the clients needs? The most important question for the client is can you do the job? and are you available? Once on that shortlist it might become a rates race but I think it usually gets decided before it reaches that stage.

Are you optimistic that the next 12 months will see an upturn in business?

I’m a glass half full kind of guy! I have goals in mind and so far things are on track. It’s well known the industry is evolving. I think it might be tough times for large companies, but I think it can only give people like myself exciting opportunities.

CLOSING

After talking with Nathan, Debbie, John and Stuart, it’s clear that they have all embraced this downturn and are trying to do something positive about it. We’ve probably all been affected by the recession in one way or another, and know someone who has been laid off. We can either sit back and hope it will ride out, or positively try to make a change and look for new opportunities.

When asked what he thought about the recession, fashion designer John Galliano simply said, “There is a credit crunch, not a creative crunch. It’s our job to make people dream, and to provide the value in quality, cut, and imagination.” Words wisely spoken.

We’d love to hear about how your creative business has coped with the recession.