Let's Get A Job

This week Ashley Gutierrez, a junior producer at Fresh Tape, a sports media production company based in Denver, walks us through her role in a recent project between Twitter, HBCUs, and the NBA. She sees her role as the blueprint to everything – from the pitch, to planning, finding the right people to execute her idea, managing the talent and clients, and even picking up a camera or editing when necessary. Living in the “we just have to make it happen” world, she makes sure the projects get done on time and, most importantly, within budget. Originally from Miami, Ashley and I discuss moving to Denver during the pandemic and the transition from intern to full time. Her advice is don’t think too much about what’s on your reel, putting the experimental stuff you do in your free time is what gets you a job doing what you really want to do. Also, learn how to light a set… it’s what makes an image beautiful. 

SHOW NOTES

• NBAxHBCU 
• Lauren London x Puma
• Avalanche Hype Video
• Gondola.cc - IMDB for social media
• Jobs at Fresh Tape

This week, Patrick Drake, a product designer for Dealerware, an automotive tech company located in Austin, discusses how you can’t separate UI from UX because they inherently enhance each other towards a product’s overall goals. He discusses why demonstrating sound problem solving in your work and the ability to walk someone through your thought process is the most effective skill a designer can develop. Patrick shares his process for usability testing, downplaying biometric eye tracking in favor of fast, high-fidelity prototypes because you don’t have to guess what someone is thinking after a biometrics test. We talk about using parallel work examples to get a job doing something new and how sending perfect work isn’t as important as just showing some level of competency when starting out.  Lastly Patrick compares the autonomy and depth within an in-house design role vs the fast turnaround of project based freelance work at a design agency - it’s all about the iterative self-sustaining loop of finding and improving novel problems.

SHOW NOTES

• Dovetail - A User Research Platform
• Johnathan Stark - Freelance Mentor 
• Articulating Design Decisions, by Tom Greene

This week, Corey Zucco (@czooksmedia), a recent graduate from the spring of 2021, talks about moving back to her hometown and how she landed her first full-time job as a digital designer at Red Ventures. We tackle mental health breaks, personal branding and network utilization. Corey also shares her journey through the virtual interview process, her fears about never landing a job, and her relatable disdain for LinkedIn. Lastly, Corey gives her tips for navigating the job market, including patience and persistence.

This week Dan Liu, director for TV shows like AMC's The Walking Dead and Netflix's Shadow & Bone, discusses how his job is to get everyone on board with his vision while still being respectful to each department by never forcing his technical knowledge on them. We talk about capturing the moments he is happy with on film while creating a space for the actors to give the ones he did not expect and how it is more important to capture the intention and tone of a scene even when it's not exactly the way you planned in. Dan details the process of directing a TV show from being hired through delivery, working with writers, and how the budget affects all decisions made. Lastly, we talk about being intentional in selecting independent projects, the interconnected industry network in Hollywood, and having a personal project as a calling card to show that you can do what you are trying to be hired to do.

This week Sara Lowe (@sara_lowe17), Art Director at BBDO in Atlanta, talks about how art direction is more than just design; it's a concept with big ideas and making them come to life as a way to get someone to like something. We discuss being creative within the restrictions of a client brief and using Instagram as a morning design scroll for daily inspiration. She digs into working with a copywriter and how it’s more than just a partnership; it’s a relationship that you work on all the time. We attempt to keep on top of current social media platforms as Sara explains the need to know not just how they work but why they work and what will work on them beyond knowing the TikTok dances. Lastly, Sara shares the magic words to guide a client through production drafts when you don’t see eye to eye and the importance of compromise in creating great work. 

Show Notes

• Honey Baked Ham campaign
• #StopTraffic experiential campaign

This week Justin Law (@TweetJustinLaw), a Senior Producer for South Carolina Athletics, talks about how content creation is more than just fan engagement but primarily used as a recruitment tool for 16-18 year-olds considering playing for the University of South Carolina. We talk about keeping current in trends without being cheesy and putting the viewer in the shoes of a player on and off the field, which is more than quick cuts and catchy music. Justin talks about going to school for biology and the difficulty of studying for four years to do something only to realize you hate it, how it felt like a waste of time, and dealing with the quarter-life crisis. We discuss his path from the PAC 12 to the BIG 10 and finally the SEC, applying for jobs through Twitter DMs, and the best strategies for doing so. We break down his most recent demo reel and his thoughts on how to best showcase your talents in 50 seconds. Lastly, we dig into keeping creative throughout shooting the same type of video over and over, and freeing yourself from perfection by not putting too much weight into each video - if you mess up, just move onto the next one.

Show Notes

• Sandstorm video
• Welding Themed Battle Armor Video
• The Columbus Ohio MixTape
• 2020 Demo Reel

This week Autumn Moore, editor at Trailer Park in Los Angeles, talks about the full scope of what it takes to get a trailer on screen and how she loves that her ideas are the first thing you see on a project. We discuss how you can edit the beats of a trailer’s story in several ways, and breaking the formula is where cool work comes from, but you have to first know the editing formula to justify why you broke it. Autumn details the how assistant editing is the best way to become an editor, but editing is something you do on your own time because their skill-set is completely different. Lastly, we watch and dissect Autumn’s favorite current trailer breaking down why they work and why she loves them. 

Trailers we discuss:

• The Social Network (2010) - trailer #1 
• Little Children (2006) - trailer #1 
• Promising Young Woman (2019) - trailer #1 
• Ratched (2020) - teaser trailer 

This week Adam Johnson (@the_creative_explorer), a Senior Graphic Designer at Nike, talks about the balance between branding and appeal in apparel graphic design and how that ties into the overall narrative story. We discuss working two years ahead of real-life and how he designs outside of trend while using the combination of cyclical fashion and innovating performance technology to be on-trend in the future. He explains the collaborative ecosystem between the roles that make a piece of apparel happen and how he allows himself to explore new ideas within its boundaries and restrictions. Adam reminisces on feeling completely unprepared right before graduating college, how exhausting applying for jobs is, and his strategy on faking it to land a job. Lastly, we dig into his creative process, abandoning the idea of perfection and how hard it is to let a side project be a thing instead of trying to make it A THING. 

Show notes 

• Fishing Jersey project
• Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight
• Camp Mug Supply Co. 

This week Chelsea Lee (@kaijulekramp), Art Director for Brand and Purpose Communications at Square, talks about the holistic nature of art direction and how the story you tell is impacted, not defined by the medium chosen to tell it; taste and style can translate across any medium. We discuss the future (not death) of print, and the cultural shift in our relationship with physical things - all while acknowledging that most, if not all, current print projects have a digital aspect to them. Chelsea breaks down the difference between editorial and corporate spaces and the balancing act of having an opinion in each. We dig into mentorship and how you don’t need to be Versace to work in fashion; there are a lot of jobs in your dream industry without being at the top of the food chain. Chelsea opens up about the difficulty of finding internships, tricks for breaking the code of office emails, and not worrying about something being too “student-y” - good work is good work. Lastly, we discuss finding the balance between expressing your voice and knowing what you bring to the table is special and unique, all while allowing the space for others to have theirs in the creative process. 

Show Notes

• Saint Valiant Vintage Store 
• Making Change - Digital White Paper examining the use of Cash v Credit across the US
• The Reader - Square’s first-ever brand magazine
• 150th edition of The Nation
• Society of Publication Designers 
• Remembering Milton Glaser by the Cooper Union 

This week, Jessica (@jessicahische), lettering artist, author, and professional procrastiworker, talks about knowing when your freelance job is your full-time job. We get in the weeds with artist reps and making connections to people at places that want to hire you and, more importantly, work that people know how to hire for in the future. In the end, we agree to not worry about having your shit together in five years; it’s not a race to the top.

This week Tori Richman (@toririchman_photography), Team Photographer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, talks about the trust she’s developed with the players, coaches, and content team to photograph past the helmets and numbers on the field to better humanize their experience. We discuss shooting Super Bowls for the Bucs and NFL,  game day routines, and the comfort of being nervous. As one of 3 female team photographers in the NFL, Tori speaks to the importance of representation in a male prevalent field and getting over the fear some women have of “not knowing enough about sports” to be successful in shooting them. We dig into trimming down student photography portfolios and the idea that having 150 best photos means you’re lying to yourself; being able to take the L on a photo that’s almost there but isn’t technically correct is more important than filling your portfolio with fluff. Lastly, we discuss building confidence in your work and giving yourself a break because if the first thing doesn’t work out, something else will. 

Show Notes:

• Color Rush Pirate Ship shoot 
• Holiday Polaroid shoot

This week Alex Lang (@destroy.design), Augmented Reality expert and Director of Visual Propaganda at Liquid Death, and I nerd out about the future of Augmented Reality and how it involves flipping your camera around to augment the world instead of our faces. We discuss how the technology is in its creative infancy and we need to move past the “fart app” stage of AR where we produce the first thing that comes to our mind. Alex explains the idea behind being a Creative Technologist, someone who can translate between the coders and designers, and how it allows him to take a big idea and dissect it into how it actually works. We dig into the world of branded AR, how difficult it is to pitch clients interactive ideas, and the absolute necessity of prototyping. Lastly, Alex discusses the AR experiments he's working on and how he embraces technology as “the digital guy” to push the vision and visuals of a project. 

Show Notes

• Ingress (Niantic app)
• Fast Food AR work 
• Snapchat in London
• Southwest Airlines 175 Stories
• Liquid Death AR Shirt

This week Lauren Jonas (@laurenjonas_), a Charleston-based Wedding Photographer, breaks down what it means to be a hybrid photographer and breaks down what she loves about shooting on film. We discuss being a third shooter to build up your skills and how being a second shooter has the same level of responsibility (and pressure) as the first shooter. Lauren fondly remembers her mentors and how you can’t be afraid to ask them ALL the questions; they only want to help make you better. We dive into building a network, both on and offline, and how word of mouth is the only advertising you need. She talks about the day-of timeline and gives us a peek into her amazing equipment kit, detailing all the well-thought-out extras she brings to simply wow her clients. Lastly, Lauren talks about why she fell in love with creating an heirloom not just for the couple but for their future family - it’s a legacy you’re helping capture. 

Show Notes: 

•  FStoppers 
• AmeriCorps
• Contax 645 medium format camera

This week, Leigh Rubin, creator of the daily comic RUBES, talks about the challenge of creating something new every day and how you can’t wait for inspiration when your mortgage is dependent on it. He breaks down his process of daily action which he says is necessary to deliberately develop a creative practice. We discuss constructing an idea to achieve maximum impact and minimum verbiage: a balance between keeping an idea fresh and working it to death. To stand out amount the noise, Leigh muses about finding ways around the established systems and gatekeepers, and how there are no rules to getting your work in front of the people who need to see it. Lastly, we dig into the patience required when chasing your dream and not exhausting yourself because the world isn’t moving at your expected pace.

Show Notes:

• Creators Syndicate 
• Drawing Inspiration (TV Pilot)
• Comic discussed during the episode - HERE

 IS PORTFOLIO SCHOOL WORTH IT?

Myka Betts, 2020 Miami Ad School NY grad and Art Director at The Bam Connection in Brooklyn, Beth Hughes, 2017 VCU Brandcenter grad and Senior Art Director for Capitol One in Richmond, VA, Rachel Carlson, 2011 The Creative Circus grad and Creative Director at Mekanism in Seattle, and I figure it out. We talk about choosing a portfolio school and why the wash out rates are so high. They discuss the importance of having a specific end goal before starting and the doors opened by the network you make in portfolio school. Myka and Beth open up about the reality of long hours and harsh critiques, while Rachel brings up the lack of diversity and homogeneous perspective of portfolio school graduates. Lastly they discuss the importance of side projects and a well written “about me” section. 

This week, Louisa Lawler (@weezyweasley), Background Artist for animated TV shows discusses how no one just “makes it” in their career and details her year long journey from of moving across the country to landing at Bojack Horseman. We talk about the idea of “Lie and Learn It Later” while laughing about the promises we’ve all made in an interview in order to get the job. She shares her thoughts on getting involved in your professional community and using networking, no matter how awkward, to your advantage. We compare the dreaded “skill test” to the technical challenge of the Great British Bake-off while admitting your day-to-day reality of your jobs is more like the  signature challenge. Lastly, Louisa says it’s okay to not be at the top of your game starting out because there’s no way but to grow when you’re working.

Show Notes -
- Natalie Nourigat's graphic novel "I moved to Los Angeles to work in Animation"
- Women in Animation
- Backgrounds Louisa talks about drawing for practice before landing BoJack

This week Adam Hale (@adam_hale_design), branding expert and Director of Visual Design at Enlisted in Salt Lake City, explains what he hears when a brand says they want to be the Apple of something and how to interpret that request. He speaks to the importance of research and strategy when developing a brand, and how you need to articulate your design choices through the problem and solution instead of font and color choices. We discuss the differences between an Ad Agency and Design Boutique in terms of wide vs deep experience, while bringing to light the challenges of working for a tech startup. Lastly, Adam talks about his first portfolio and how a good concept project needs to be based in reality in order to be taken seriously. 

This week, Megan (greydanusdesign.com), a graphic designer for TV and Film (This Is Us, The OA, Real Steel, Fast & Furious 8 ), explains her ability to mimic any style by being an expert in faking expertise, and how her work is like putting the design frosting on the production cake. She and I discuss the speed and versatility required to created props while discussing the all important question - will the camera see it? She details her strategy for breaking into the industry when you don’t live in LA, and how to find production designers that you want to work for. Lastly we recognize that it’s okay to not know what you want to do but acknowledge that no one is going to find a job for you - you need to show you can do the work before they pay you to do it.

Show Notes -
- Art Directors Guild Perspective Magazine - Here
- Marc Worthington, Umbrella Academy write up - Here

This week Kim Smith (@kimsmithphoto) talks about why architectural and interiors photography is the most difficult of the photography niches. She digs into the big issues that separate the good from the amateur and offers some clever tips for building your portfolio. We discuss the importance of supplemental light and that you’d better have some post production tricks up your sleeve without it. She shares her love for contemporary and vernacular design and the philosophy behind it while also examining into the fleeting nature of interior design. Lastly, we talk about self-publishing and giving women architectural photographers their place in the sun. 

Show Notes

• Mike Kelly - Where Art Meets Architecture
• Scott Hargis - Lighting for Real Estate Photography
• A House in the Woods
• Women Architectural Photographers on Instagram

Nem (@nemperez) talks about awards, making your own opportunity, putting out the work you want to create, using the equipment you have on hand, the importance of pivoting, and getting comfortable talking about money.

http://nemperez.com

Show Notes: 

• Medium article about hacking SnapChat to create the first game experience using Spectacles 
• COMPLEXCON video #1
• COMPLEXCON video #2
• Disney project