STUDIO INSIGHTS / INTERVIEW September 26, 2017
We were asked by a student from Hyper Island, Sweden, to contribute to their exhibition and of course want to share our Q&A with all of you. Here is our interview:
What kind of work are you doing?
JORINNA STUDIO is a boutique design studio that brands products with film and motion graphics. Our clients are TV networks, fashion magazines, music festivals, luxury and lifestyle brands.
What is motion graphics used for? What industries are interested in working with you and what do you think is the purpose of using motion for them?
We use motion graphics – or may I say “motion design“, because my approaches are also based on film and 3D – in many different fields. For example packaging the Electronic Beats Festival, that tours around Europe. By creating animated content like stage openers and animated time tables, we complement and expand the printed design and not only deliver additional information to the visitors, but also brand the festival emotionally. Animated content is many times more captivating and immersive than still images. The so called „magic of motion design“ lies within the fact, that messages and brand values can be absorbed very easy by the audience. Using text, images and audio is the best way to communicate no matter if it is complex information, abstract values, or an emotional experience.
Motion design can be found in I would say every industry. Our clients range from luxury brands to engineering companies. Whenever still life imagery is „not enough“, motion design can be used as an easy but powerful tool.
What potential does the industry of motion graphics have?
Motion design has become an inherent part of creating brands and brand awareness. I think it should be integrated in every design process, even if it is „only“ an animated logo.
What do you think the motion industry will become? Where is it headed?
Well, I am not a fortune-teller and my prognoses about the motion and advertising industry might be totally wrong. My personal experience is, that the way how consumers behave have been changing dramatically in the last years. Everything is online and mobile now, and social platforms like Instagram and Youtube are as big as never before. The boundary between user and industry generated content is dissolving more and more. Nowadays every advanced YouTuber has his own animated channel opener, and if you want to see it that way, everyone with certain apps on his phone can be more or less a motion designer. Having that said I don’t want to discourage you in the midst of your motion design studies. Because the opposing trend to all this are brands with strong values. And motion design is key to communicate fast and efficiently what the brand is all about, if it is done well.
What is the current trend with music and motion? And where do you think it’s headed?
A current trend with music and motion is hard to tell. I think the use of music in animated pieces has always been at least 50% percent of the general impact, sometimes even more. Audio is something very powerful, and always will be. Every good motion designer is also a musician at heart, recognizing when video and audio are complementing and nourishing each other in a great way.
What hard skills and soft skills do you think will be in demand?
(hard skills such as what software you know and technical knowledge, and soft skills such as group facilitation and brainstorming techniques for example)
I think the hard skills are a matter of personal taste: use the hard- and software that you feel comfortable with. If you have some technical limitations that narrow you visually, look for what it needs to solve those problems. I personally do great with using C4D and After Effects, and a lot of Plugins. Technical knowledge is something that comes with time, and it always has to grow with time, because hard- and software are evolving constantly.
Your question about soft skills for motion designers is an interesting topic, because there is a certain amount of nerd in every motion designer. 😉 I think the big socials skills are equal to every other job working in advertising:
1) learn how to work in teams
2) be able to convince others of your ideas
3) always communicate friendly
4) find a healthy way how to deal with stress
Do you have any other insights in the industry that you want to share?
Thanks for asking, there actually is something that I would like to share and discuss. When I got your email, I really appreciated it being send by a female motion designer. What I experienced so far, is, that there are many woman working as art directors and producers, but when it comes to motion design and more technical related jobs like 3d artists or camera work, the imbalance between woman and man is still huge. The few female motion designers that I know are really talented though! Another aspect is, that it is very important and absolutely permitted to compare day’s rates. Times, when it was uncool to talk about money are out-dated. Ask your (male) colleagues with comparable skills what they earn, and do not hesitate to claim the same amount of money, because there is no reason, why women should still earn less than men. I had to learn that myself, and many times made excuses why my day rate would do better if I keep it a bit lower. But luckily the times of insecurity about my skills belong to the past. So, all the ladies: Be aware of the quality of your work and your skills and go out and harvest what you are worth on the market!
Thanks for letting me share my thoughts.
