Motion Hatch: Helping Motion Designers Do Better Business

Want to know how to get big motion design clients by doing personal work? We spoke to Nick DenBoer AKA Smearballs about how his weird and incredible personal work led him to work with major brands.

Social media is a powerful tool for getting your animations out there and finding more work as a freelancer. However, actually connecting with the right people is not a straightforward task. To clear up any confusion, We’ve brought on a freelance motion designer who has 25k followers on Instagram to share how to use Instagram as a motion graphic designer.

Most of us got into motion design because we like to create. But to stay in business, we need to know how to sell what we do and how to price your work as a motion designer. Selling can feel like a dirty word, but I’ve brought in a guest who explains how its actually a creative tool for offering great value to your clients.

With the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, life is full of uncertainty. This causes a lot of anxiety which is a real mental health burden. Being a freelancer right now adds another layer of unpredictability. To assist in navigating these unprecedented times, I’ve brought on a special guest to help us make sense of our concerns.

Today I want to talk to you about the number one thing that changed my business and career. It’s masterminds! In case you don’t know what a mastermind is or aren’t clear how they work, I’m here to tell you all about it.

Tech companies are creating more and more opportunities for motion designers to work in UX design. Instead of the traditional studio work, this means working with one company on a specific product. But what does it mean to do this work and how is it different from other types of motion design?

As motion designers, our primary goal is often centered on delivering our animations to clients. However, that’s not always enough to stay in business. Increasingly, there are more opportunities to work with clients beyond motion design and get involved in the design side of brand strategy. We also talk about how to use partnerships and content to get more clients.

Creating tutorials is a great way to get your name out there and promote your work. Social media channels like YouTube are wonderful platforms for making this happen, but figuring out where to start can be a challenge. Today’s guest started his tutorial channel just under a year ago and he’s already amassed an incredible following.

It seems that every year or so something major changes in the world of motion design and freelancing in general. Keeping up with the changes means staying flexible as well as resolute in the way you work and find clients. Today’s guest has not only weathered these changes but continues to thrive.

Virtual reality is one of the newest and most promising fields in motion design. There’s huge potential for growth as well as exciting opportunities to create unique art. But, if you’re like me, you may have more questions than answers about just what’s involved in being an animator in this exciting new field. Today’s episode is going to answer those questions for you and hopefully point you in the right direction to discover how to use VR in motion design.

Many of us creatives have diverse interests and passions. Yet, often enough, we find ourselves spending our time and energy doing client work and leaving our passion projects on the backburner. But what if it's actually that client work that can make your personal projects a reality? Today’s guest has mastered doing just that.

Any freelancer knows that there’s instability in their work. Finding clients, managing your time, keeping your finances in order are all big tasks. And with the looming threat of recession, things might seem really scary. But it’s not all doom and gloom. My guest on this episode has taken a close look at all these issues and has some great insight to share.

As with anything, there’s a learning curve to 3D animation. There’s always more to learn and more ways for expertise to be honed. Knowing where to look for education and new skills can be tricky. Today’s guest knows this well and has created many resources that any 3D animator can start using right away. Nick and I also spoke about how to promote and market yourself as a motion designer.

Most of us weren’t always freelance motion graphic designers. For those of us that once worked for another company, the change wasn’t straight-forward. Finding new work and having the right support may not have been easy to come by. Today, I’m chatting with someone who recently made this transition to becoming a motion graphic designer what he’s learned in the process.

As we approach the end of the year, I want to talk to you a bit about goals. Maybe you feel like you haven’t achieved all you wanted to or don’t exactly know what your next steps are. You’re not alone if you feel overwhelmed and exhausted. I certainly have these feelings, but I’ve found some things that help.