Motion Hatch: Helping Motion Designers Do Better Business

Sometimes we create outstanding work that doesn’t mean that much to us personally. Should you include it on your site anyway? Today’s guest suggests that we cut that out and only include the type of work that we really truly want to make. That will get you to the heart of using your unique voice to drive your business. About Monique Wray Monique Wray is a San Francisco based animator, illustrator, and director. She specializes in creating character-focused illustrated and animated content for a wide range of companies. What Makes You Unique is an Asset As Monique pivoted her business from freelance to studio owner, she went on a mission of discovery to find her unique voice. There is something that differentiates everyone and sets us all apart. Monique found that focusing on that not only helps her get noticed by clients but also leads to more personally fulfilling work. Simply put, when you present the work that you want to do the most, you’ll attract the clients who want to hire you to do that sort of work. Being Yourself to Find the Right Clients for You We all want to create work that gets us hired. Monique finds that doing so should not be separated from your values, identity, and the impact that you want to make. It may take intentional work to discover or rediscover what those elements are, but it’s worth it. When your work is imbued with your values and identity, the right clients will resonate with it and be all the more eager to work with you. Read the full show notes Links and resources Find Monique Wray online Follow Monique on Instagram Find Your Artistic Voice by Lisa Congdon The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck by Mark Manson Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Related episodes Episode 77: How to Plan Your Best Motion Design Year Ever Additional resources Podcast music licensed by Big Waves sonosanctus.com dankoch.net Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

I have some news for you this week...We are taking a short break from the podcast and YouTube channel until the Autumn (fall). We'll be coming back even bigger and better with the second half of season 2. I hope you have a wonderful summer, and thank you so much for supporting Motion Hatch! Links mentioned:🚀 Join the self-paced version of Client Quest Live💬 Leave us your feedback and suggestionsFree resources to grow your career:💸 Get your next client in 5 days!📲 Download our free social media guideConnect with Motion Hatch:✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter📸 Follow us on Instagram🖥️ Find more free resources on our websiteRate this podcast

Flow Creative is an award-winning animation and branding studio based in Manchester, UK.In this episode, Karl Doran, owner and founder, shares his insights into running Flow Creative, along with key points on his journey from freelancer to studio owner. In this episode, you'll learn:How to start an animation studioThe difference between freelancer and studio ownerHow to get clients as a studioHow freelancers can get hired by studiosTransitioning from a creative to a management roleFollow Flow Creative: Website | InstagramFree resources to grow your career:💸 Get your next client in 5 days!📲 Download our free social media guideConnect with Motion Hatch:✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter📸 Follow us on Instagram🖥️ Find more free resources on our websiteRate this podcast

Caleb and Shelby Ward founded Curious Refuge after going viral for using AI to create a fake Wes Anderson x Star Wars movie trailer.In this episode, I ask Caleb and Shelby how motion designers can realistically utilise AI in their workflows, the best AI tools to use and how we can future-proof our careers against the rise of AI.In this episode, you’ll learn:How Caleb and Shelby went viral with their AI projectHow they formed Curious RefugeWill AI make roles in animation redundant?What AI tools should motion designers be using?How can you implement AI into your pipeline?How can you future-proof your motion design career against AI?Follow Curious Refuge: Website | InstagramFree resources to grow your career:💸 Get your next client in 5 days!📲 Download our free social media guideConnect with Motion Hatch:✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter📸 Follow us on Instagram🖥️ Find more free resources on our websiteRate this podcast

HaZ Dulull, founder of HaZimation, is a multi award-winning Film and Games Director, developing & producing feature films, tv and video games using Unreal Engine. In this episode, HaZ shares his journey from in-house VFX artist to indie film director. We also discuss how to access funding for original content/IP, how to win pitches, and how to start your own studio.In this episode, you'll learn:How HaZ went from VFX artist to indie film director/studio ownerTechniques and strategies for winning pitchesHow HaZ wrote/directed a fully animated film released on NetflixThe importance of networking at conferencesHow HaZ transitioned from indie filmmaking to building a game in FortniteHow HaZ fully utilised Unreal Engine in his careerFollow HaZimation: Website | InstagramFree resources to grow your career:💸 Get your next client in 5 days!📲 Download our free social media guideConnect with Motion Hatch:✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter📸 Follow us on Instagram🖥️ Find more free resources on our websiteRate this podcast

Mothers of Mograph are trying to combat feeling alone as moms in the creative industry. Parenthood is often considered a taboo topic in the creative industry, something Jennie Davis and Kaci Smith are on a mission to change with Mothers of Mograph. In this episode, Jennie and Kaci share challenges and solutions to being a creative while being a parent, how they manage their schedules and how they've both benefitted in their careers since having children.Jennie and Kaci discuss:What is Mothers of Mograph?The impact that becoming a parent can have on your careerHow to better manage your time with kidsThe positive outcomes of being a parent and a motion designerHow the creative industry can better support parentsFollow Mothers of Mograph: Website | Instagram Free resources to grow your career:💸 Get your next client in 5 days!📲 Download our free social media guideConnect with Motion Hatch:✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter📸 Follow us on Instagram🖥️ Find more free resources on our websiteRate this podcast

Kwame Christian is an expert in negotiation. He is the Founder and CEO of the American Negotiation Institute, host of the world's most popular negotiation podcast and author of two best-selling books. He is also a contributor at Forbes, and his TEDx Talk, Finding Confidence in Conflict, was one of the most popular TED Talks in 2017.In this episode, Kwame shares his negotiation secrets to better discuss rates/budgets with your clients, how to adopt an abundance mindset and setting expectations with clients with better communication.We also share a Q&A with Kwame from a call with our Motion Hatch students in Balanced Business Bootcamp.In this episode, you'll learn:How to negotiate with your clientsHow to raise prices without losing clientsCommon negotiation mistakes and how to avoid themHow to be confident in saying 'no'Maintaining client relationships through the negotiation processNegotiating expectations, not just transactions.Techniques for negotiating with stubborn individualsThe role of likeability and leverage in negotiationsFollow Kwame: Instagram | Linkedin Links: American Negotiation Institute | Negotiate Anything PodcastFree resources to grow your career:💸 Get your next client in 5 days!📲 Download our free social media guideConnect with Motion Hatch:✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter📸 Follow us on Instagram🖥️ Find more free resources on our websiteRate this podcast

Jessica Hische is a lettering artist, freelancer and author, selling books and craft supplies in two brick and mortar stores in the US. Jessica has built an incredible personal brand by building a following on social media, writing her own children's books and speaking at events such as OFFF and Adobe Max. Her network has helped her to land huge clients, including working on titles for director Wes Anderson.In this episode, Jessica shares her networking secrets to land big clients - including the benefits that smaller clients can offer. She also discusses how to make the most of pitching to clients, how newsletters may be the future of communicating to clients and how to avoid social media burnout.In this episode, you'll learn:How Jessica worked with Wes AndersonWhy networking is important as a designerHow to make the most of pitching to clientsHow to avoid social media burnoutBehind the scenes of Jessica's brick and mortar storesHow to land big clientsFollow Jessica: Website | InstagramLinks: My First Book of Fancy Letters Free resources to grow your career:💸 Get your next client in 5 days!📲 Download our free social media guideConnect with Motion Hatch:✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter📸 Follow us on Instagram🖥️ Find more free resources on our websiteRate this podcast

Kevin Rapp made $500,000 in his first year freelancing after discovering the value of content systems and passing this on to high-profile tech companies.Kevin is an award-winning, multi-disciplinary creative director with vast experience ranging from start-up disruptors to Fortune 500 companies.In this episode, Kevin shares his unique approach to building video content systems. We also discuss strategies for attracting clients on LinkedIn and practical tips for motion designers to transition to a more business-oriented mindset.Since recording this episode, Kevin reached an astonishing $1 million in sales!In this episode, you'll learn:How Kevin made $500,000 in his first year as a freelancerWhat are scalable content systems?How to shift your mindset into the business side of motion designHow to get clients using social mediaHow to efficiently get clients from LinkedInHow to negotiate with clientsFollow Kevin: Website | LinkedInFree resources to grow your career:💸 Get your next client in 5 days!📲 Download our free social media guide Connect with Motion Hatch:✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter📸 Follow us on Instagram🖥️ Find more free resources on our website

We're back with a brand new season of the Motion Hatch Podcast featuring some incredible guests! Motion Hatch helps motion designers to start and scale their businesses.We dive deep into the challenges freelancers and studio owners come up against and have conversations with a wide range of business and marketing experts through the lens of motion design, as well as designers, animators, and artists who are just a few steps ahead of you.Together, we uncover the exact next steps you can take to a thriving and sustainable motion design business. If you're new to Motion Hatch, you might not know that the podcast already has over 100+ episodes in its back catalogue.This season, we're taking it up a notch, exploring the tough questions freelancers and studio owners face every day.

The Motion Hatch Podcast is BACK! We're thrilled to announce that Season Two of the podcast will return on the 28th March! We have some incredible guests lined up for you too, we can't wait to share it with you!

Should you niche down as a designer? We’ve all heard this advice! So, does niching down help you to win more clients or empower you to be seen as an expert? In this podcast, Hayley speaks with one of our Accelerator students, Giuseppe about how he niched down his animation studio Motion Aptitude to work on projects he loves. About Giuseppe Forestieri Giuseppe Forestieri is the Animation Director of his own studio, Motion Aptitude and has a background in visual communication, specialising in animation and Illustration. Motion Aptitude is the fusion of two of Giuseppe’s biggest passions in life: creativity, and the great outdoors. In this episode, he explains how he found his niche and hopes he can inspire other designers to pursue the work they love.  Read the full shownotes

When Motion Hatch first started it was a side hustle, now it's a company! Have you considered starting your own motion design project to help you grow your career? Our founder Hayley Akins explains how and why she started this motion design podcast and what she’s learnt along the way. About Hayley Akins Hayley started Motion Hatch with the aim of helping freelance motion designers with the business side of motion design – but she wasn’t sure how to achieve this. At the time, Hayley felt she had three choices for a motion design project: a podcast, blog or YouTube channel (she now has all three!). Initially Hayley didn’t feel confident filming videos and writing wasn’t her passion, so she decided to focus on creating her own motion design podcast. Read the full shownotes.

Looking to pursue motion design side projects but unsure how to find balance with your day job? In today’s episode Charli Marie explains how side projects can help motion designers to improve their craft and process. About Charli Marie Charli Marie is a Youtuber, podcast host and Creative Director at email marketing company ConvertKit.  Throughout her working career, Charli has always pursued some side projects outside of her 9-5 role. Currently she creates weekly content on her YouTube channel and podcast, Design Life, sharing insights into life as a professional designer alongside tutorials and advice on design tools and concepts. Read the full shownotes 

Ever wondered how motion design studios become known worldwide for their work? In today’s episode Jay Grandin explains how he built Giant Ant from the ground up and why he feels the studio has been so successful. About Jay Grandin Jay is Co-Founder of Giant Ant, an animation studio in Vancouver. As Creative Director, Jay oversees nearly every project in the studio—leading the concept development and script writing processes, as well as being actively involved in design and animation. In 2006, after unexpectedly creating a series of viral videos with his wife Leah, the married couple found themselves quitting their full-time jobs and working on a freelance basis for MySpace. Slowly Jay and Leah’s videos evolved from low budget live-action content to videos starring other people. Over time, the pair found themselves hiring team members and expanding into animation too.  Eventually (after the arrival of twins!) Jay and Leah split the business into two: one for live-action and the other is the Giant Ant we know and love today. Jay’s story shows how even the top motion design studios have humble beginnings. Apply for our Accelerator Programme Read the full shownotes

Looking to make six figures as a motion designer, but not sure where to start? Motion designer John Filipkowski discusses how he hit this financial goal and how other freelance motion designers can achieve six figures too. About John Filipkowski John Filipkowski is a freelance motion designer based in Chicagoland, USA. He specialises in both 2D and 3D motion design and has worked with some amazing clients - from Sony, to Paypal and Samsung! After already achieving a six-figure salary through full-time employment, John wanted to make the move to freelancing and gain more working freedom, but he also wanted to be sure he could match his salary. Through extensive outreach, building a large network of fellow motion designers and potential clients, and most of all, keeping a level-headed approach, John has achieved this goal. He hopes he can inspire other freelance creatives through his story, helping them to make six figures as a motion designer and find a more rewarding way of working. Read the full shownotes

Do you ever feel like you’ve hit the ceiling in your motion design freelance business in terms of how much money you can make? Web designer, online educator and digital marketing consultant, Brad Hussey, presents a whole new way of thinking about how motion designers can do business and productize their services.  About Brad Hussey  Brad Hussey started his career as a freelance web designer and spent time working at an agency, where he worked as a front-end developer collaborating with motion designers and other creatives to develop everything from apps through to mini games. Disenchanted by the fluctuation of freelance income, he decided to explore ways to add another income stream to his web design business. He started to run his own online courses, leveraging his expertise and helping creatives build their own websites, learn to code and design their own websites. Over time he had unlocked a new way of working – productizing – something that Brad has turned into a career both as a web designer and a coach. Now, he has taught more than 600,000 indie designers, developers and professionals how to get better at their craft and make a living doing work they love.  Read the full shownotes

Many motion designers dream of making passive income. But how do you actually go about doing it? Justin Archer is a freelance motion designer who also makes passive income selling templates for final cut pro editors. He has almost 22k sales from Envato alone! In this episode, we explore how he started making money through After Effects templates and how you can still be successful even if a market is saturated.  About Justin Archer Justin Archer has been a professional motion designer for the past nine years. For half of this time he worked for companies and for the other half, he’s been freelance whilst also pursuing different personal projects. He started building templates for Final Cut Pro more as a way for him to start commissioning his own personal projects. He wasn’t getting enough work for 3D projects at the time and so he started using Envato as a way to make his portfolio more diverse - if he sold anything, that was simply a bonus. He did some research and noticed that it was more multi-purpose motion graphics that seemed to sell well, so he started creating these - things like titles and lower thirds. Before he knew it, he had a thriving side hustle that was generating him passive income. Here’s how he did it. Read the full shownotes.

For some people, the idea of working with an agent who helps you to find work seems like a dream come true. But how do you even go about getting signed by a motion graphic design agent?  Join Hayley and Drew Melton, Founder of artist representation agency Closer and Closer as he shares his tips on how to find the perfect agent and foster an amazing partnership with them. About Drew Melton Drew Melton started out his career as a graphic designer. He dropped out of college and started freelancing full-time. He started a blog called The Phraseology Project. People could submit their work and he used this to practice his typography and grow his following at the same time. He started Closer and Closer out of an attempt to get out there and meet people - he felt like he lived in a beautiful, extroverted city but he spent all his time indoors in front of a computer screen. He decided to leverage his natural people skills and his experience to bring people together to accomplish more than they could on their own. Read the full shownotes.

Ryan Koral has spent the past 13 years telling brand stories through video storytelling. In that time, he’s learned a thing or two about working with all different kinds of clients. Join us as he shares his top takeaways on how to build a great working relationship, no matter the brief or project. About Ryan Koral Ryan Koral has always loved shooting video. He started his business 17 years ago and what started as a $300 one-off shoot for his first client quickly lead to him and his team flying all around the world shooting beautiful weddings. But as time went on and he started a family, he wanted to grow his business without the need to travel so frequently. A friend of his said “Ryan, you can tell peoples’ stories through video - it doesn’t have to be the story of their wedding.” and this opened his eyes to the possibilities in front of him. He then rebranded his business, which is now called Tell Studios and 5 years ago he started another business called Studio Sherpas, where he talks about the business side of growing a video business. He also has a weekly podcast called Grow Your Video Business. Read the full shownotes here.