Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
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 started out, tips on managing your business and career advice.
For more info on how to take control of your motion graphics career and to join our community of amazing, talented designers, head over to http://motionhatch.com.
So when I was seeing emails coming in, especially from the US and the UK because predominantly that was where I was going to all the events, it was really good for me to have the reassurance that I wasn't gonna be basically unemployed. A lot of people don't know a lot of freelance character animators. So when I started telling people that that's what I do, it was like, oh, I've had so many jobs that I've been looking for a cinema 4 d character rigor or a character animator or something like that and I'm like, oh, yeah. Yeah. Here's my here's my email or my well, this year I've had stickers, so I've been giving out stickers to everyone.
Jess:That's Jess Herrera, also known as Herrera saurus. We also talked to Jess on episode 75 of this podcast, so you can check that out there. But this is a mini bonus episode that Jess and I recorded at Camp Mograph, which is sort of like a summer camp for motion designers in the US. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I did 6 workshops about discovering your dream clients over there, and it was such a fantastic event.
Jess:Jess and I grabbed some mics with the help of some other campers. Quick thanks to Augustin Aguirre for helping to film this episode and also for audio cleanup and also for Jen Van Horn for assisting with the setup of the podcast space at Camp Mograph. We just recorded this little mini episode for you to share what Camp Mograph is like, but also talk about why you might want to go to more events and how that can help you to get more clients. But right before we get into this, I just wanna quickly tell you what I've been working on behind the scenes. We've just opened some spots for our coaching program, balanced business boot camp.
Jess:And one of the things that's had the biggest impact on my business is having a coach. Someone in your back pocket who really understands you and your business, and most importantly, can help you to work towards goals like working on more fun and creative projects, making more money, and having more free time to do what you love. It's really easy to get distracted by the day to day busy work and let why you got started in this industry disappear. I wanna help you to build a sustainable stress free motion design business so you can work less, make more, and spend more time on what matters most to you. So if you're struggling to build an effective marketing strategy for your studio or maybe you're finding it hard to connect with bigger and better clients as a motion designer, there's a few spots left to join at Balanced Business Boot Camp in October.
Jess:So to apply and see if it's the best next step for your motion design business, go to motion hatch.comforward/coaching. I hope that you're gonna enjoy this mini bonus episode, and we are gonna be back in the next few weeks with some more episodes for you. So stay tuned, and make sure you subscribe to our newsletter at motionhatch.comforward/newsletter. Now let's get into this episode with Jess Herrera and myself at Camp McGrath. Hey, everyone.
Jess:We are here with Jess Herrera Soros Hi. At Camp McGrath today. As you can hear, I have lost my voice, so apologies if you're listening to this. I'm doing my best. I'm doing my best, but we I've been doing a lot of workshops, so, I've ended up losing my voice.
Jess:But I wanted to ask you, why would you come all the way from Australia all the way to Camograph in the United
Hayley:States. Yeah. Why not?
Jess:Yeah. Well, why not? Yeah. But why particularly for you do you feel like it's important to kind of come from far? Because obviously, we know there's lots of people here who are, you know, from the states.
Jess:But, I thought it would be interesting for us to quickly about, you know, why we might come from a bit further afield and kind of what's, like, unique about this event and what you think it brings to your career.
Hayley:Yeah. So a little bit of context. I met a bunch of the mograph.com guys back at SIGGRAPH 2019, and I just fell in love with Americans. Like, I had never been to America. They loved making fun of me, and I thought it was funny.
Hayley:To be honest, in Australia, I just sound like everyone else. So everyone's like, you know, get a, mate. Like, that kind of stuff. Honestly, I don't actually say that at home. But so it was like kind of like novelty.
Hayley:And then also, like, from meeting them, it was the year that they had their 1st camp, and they invited me to go to the 1st camp. And I was a bit skeptical at the start because people were like, oh, you're going all the way to America by yourself. You don't know anyone. But, honestly, I felt really safe and, like, especially for females, sharing cabins. We have a same sex cabin.
Hayley:We're in the same cabin together. And, yeah, everyone's like really nice, like, even last night, I had some random bug bite on my leg and it swelled up and everyone was there to try and help me. And I was like, seriously, it's okay. I'm not gonna die. So, yeah, I felt comfortable and it was so fun.
Hayley:Then, the, heck, COVID, happened and I didn't get to go back to the US until now. Basically, I did a workshop at the Brisbane camp, which was absolutely awesome, and didn't know that there was an American camp. And I was like, well, now I've rekindled all my friendships with my American friends who came down. Why not just YOLO and come to Chicago? I've never been here.
Hayley:So, yeah, that's kind of why I came. It's also it's like, I guess, great networking but also making lots of friendships because I work from home by myself. I'm freelance so it can get a little bit lonely And I know my group in Melbourne of people, and I love them to bits if you guys are listening. Oh, love you all. But, you know, you you you have the same conversations with them.
Hayley:And then also, when you come to something like this, there's not just Americans here, like, Brits, Europeans, like, people from all around the world. And they all have, like, slightly different takes on, like, mograph and animation or there's even web designers. And and there was a engineer for, like, Adobe. Like, you don't meet those kind of people anywhere. So, yeah, that's kinda why I come.
Jess:Yeah. I think, for me, it was really interesting, like, the format having, you know, the workshops, but you all also have, like, quite a lot of chill time. Yeah. Like, we we, we weren't gonna do this podcast, but, we we, we got costed to do a podcast. And I'm pleased that we did it because I think, that it's good to, like, you know, we're about to go out on a boat, hopefully.
Jess:And, like, stuff like that for me, like, relaxing with your peers, and you get to, like, have a beer and have a chat about, like, the industry and stuff like that. Sometimes when I go to conferences, I feel like they're too formal, you know? Yeah. Almost They're not
Hayley:have to talk about work.
Jess:Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. I mean, I'm I'm kinda worried that we haven't talked about work enough, to be on you know what I mean? Like, we obviously, in the workshops, we talked a lot about, like, how to get your dream clients and stuff like that, and, like, ever there's been so many great workshops, but I feel like you kind of just end up talking about, like, anything really as well, and just getting to know people.
Jess:And I think that's really important for your career, you know, as a motion designer. Do you feel like, you know, you worked in London, you come to these kind of events, you seem to do a lot of traveling. Do you think that's really had an impact on your career
Hayley:and the clients that you have? 100%. So, when I went to the first camp, I was still employed full time. And I think after I met so many people, especially because what I specialize in is characters, and I use Maya or Cinema 4 d, slightly better blender now, but like a lot of people don't know a lot of freelance character animators. So when I started telling people that that's what I do, it was like, oh, I've had so many jobs that I've been looking for a cinema 4 d character rigor or a character animator or something like that.
Hayley:And I'm like, oh, yeah. Yeah. Here's my here's my email or my well, this year I've had stickers, so I've been giving out stickers to everyone. And it's kinda like on a I didn't feel like I'm like, please please take my email or whatever. It's been kind of like natural that we're talking about something else or I'm like getting to know someone else.
Hayley:To be honest, when I went freelance, which was the same year that I went to the first camp, I was getting quite a lot of emails, before I even went freelance asking my availabilities and that was like kind of I don't know, heartfelt that I was needed in some way and it kind of also helped me go freelance because, not not gonna lie, it is very scary. I never thought I would go freelance. I thought no one would ever hire me because they don't know who I am. I'm in my little, you know, studio back back in Melbourne, you know, in some random time zone, but thanks COVID. That's one thing that you did that remote work is so good.
Hayley:But, like, it was always like a fear of mine that, you know, when when you work for yourself and I'm very, very bad at marketing myself. We talked about it last night. I find it very intimidating doing the cold emails and I I feel like if I'm gonna ask for work, I sound desperate even though a lot of people do that anyway, but I think it's an internal thing of mine. So when I was seeing emails coming in, especially from the US and the UK because predominantly that was where I was going to all the events, it was really good for me to have the reassurance that I wasn't gonna be basically unemployed. Just branded as freelance, you know?
Jess:Yeah. So
Hayley:yeah. I I highly recommend people like, I I teach at uni and I'm always encouraging even the I have a lot of students that are so reserved. They're even scared to ask me questions And I'm like, go to events. There's so many like, in Melbourne, there's so many events. It's like, just go and get out there, meet people, network.
Hayley:It's like, you don't have to be like, I don't know, trying to shield yourself out there, but just have natural conversations. And if someone really likes your personality, they might be more conversations. And if someone really likes your personality, they might be more inclined to, hey, that person was really cool. I'd love to work with them because they're actually, like, really laid back or they're really chill or they're really funny or they're really, like, career driven. They might be really good on some job that comes through.
Hayley:So I'm not a studio owner or agency, so I can't say. But I feel like that's the vibe that I get talking to other people. So
Jess:For sure. I think what was interesting about, you know, like, people don't come here. They're not, like, giving out their business card. You know? That's, like, one big bit of advice.
Jess:There's, like, a lot of stickers. It's kind of become, like, a bit of a culture thing here. But also, like, Nyssa, I don't know whether I've got it on, You know, who we met, she made some little bracelets, you know, instead with her name on, so like, you can remember who she is. And you're like, oh, yeah. And she's like giving them out to everyone.
Jess:And I feel like stuff like that is really smart. Maybe, like, people won't think of things like that. You know, they think, like, oh, I have to take a business card, and I have to, like, be desperate in giving, a business card to everyone. But I think just trying to go to events and being a nice, friendly person and and really just trying to connect with people on a personal level is, like, so incredible for your career. Like, I I wouldn't have been invited here as well if I didn't meet, you know, all the camograph people at NAB and stuff like that.
Jess:So like, it's worth, like, taking some trips. Like, I know it's, for some people, it's not accessible, but even in your local area, you know, I think I think you can kind of get out there and try not to be, like, afraid. So I just wanted to kind of finally talk a bit about, like, you and your style, and how you feel like that has impacted your career, because you obviously do, like, 3 d characters. I don't know tons of people who do what you do and kind of in in your style. So, yeah, I just wanted you to talk a little bit about that and if you feel like that's really helped you to get more jobs as well.
Hayley:I I've seen more people, especially online, and maybe it's I I feel like maybe Blender has helped with that because it is free. Like, the programs in their prices, especially if you're not a student, can be pretty limiting. So now that I've seen a lot of people using, like, Blender and stuff, I feel like I've seen more people getting more excited about characters. But I think traditionally, even, like, back in I don't know. I'm not that old.
Hayley:So like, you know, cartoons back in the day, like, they were well, originally, I I watched a lot of stuff about the history of like animation with cartoons, and I think the the kind of western world have kind of made cartoons more childish, but I feel like it's coming back in fashion that cut character design and and and all that kind of stuff. It is becoming more like adult and not not necessarily like, you know, not safe for work stuff, but I mean like in your brands and stuff like that. Characters are more like relatable, putting a face or to a logo, that kind of thing. So I feel like it's becoming more of a bigger thing that I don't own a business, but a lot of people come to me and they're like small businesses, and they're like, I wanna have a logo because I think it's like more approachable and people can like link to a a character, a face. And and I guess also it helps that I'm very niche that I can use many different programs to do the same thing.
Hayley:So I'm very flexible with, all the studios because when I speak to some people, especially my artists, they usually just specialize in one thing. Whereas I can do I only specialize in characters because it's my favorite thing, but I can, you know, texture, model, look dev, rig, animate, you know, all the jazz of just characters, and that's what I absolutely love. So I feel like when people find that out, they're like, oh, yeah. You could totally, like, come in with the workflow without our team because they might already be a designer or they might already be an animator or, you know, I can kind of, like, merge between. I think I'm kinda lucky in that way.
Hayley:I don't know. But did that answer your question?
Jess:I don't Yeah. I think so. It's like your own process and your style, like, helps you to stand up. Yeah. I think it's important.
Jess:Yeah. Well, do you wanna tell everyone, like, where they could find out about more about you and and your work?
Hayley:Yeah. So, on my Instagram handle is at herrerasaurus. My website is herrerasaurus.work. You can find basically anywhere like my LinkedIn. I even have Vimeo.
Hayley:Like, do people use Vimeo anymore? I don't know. My YouTube channel, that kind of stuff. I don't have anything on YouTube at the moment. Sorry, guys.
Hayley:But, yeah, just shout out. I've got my email on there.
Jess:Oh, yeah. Well, yeah, thanks so much for joining me. I appreciate it, and it's been also wonderful tying out with the account. Oh, hell yeah. Yeah.