Being a top motion graphics artist requires a high level of technical expertise, but technical skill alone is not enough. In this first episode of The Business of Motion we start with the fundamentals by discussing the 3 key skills that all of us must understand to be successful in our careers.
Watch Video Discussion (14 minutes, 48MB) Read Robin’s Post
Discussion Summary
In terms of maximum return on the time and effort you invest, there are 3 skills that increase your value to customers, employees and colleagues:
- Commercial skill: your ability to manage all the things that control the money in people’s pockets—your pockets!
- Expert skill: your ability to do what makes you the expert in your job—able to solve problems, generate ideas and share detailed information.
- On-trepreneurial skill: your ability to turn others on when you communicate face-to-face, voice-to-voice or screen-to-screen.
Take the first letter of each of these skills—Commercial, Expert, On-trepreneur and they spell C.E.O. Now is the perfect time to become the C.E.O. of your career and develop your C.E.O. skills. Start by rating and prioritizing them—then work a plan to become strong in all three.
20 Responses to this post
May 31, 2009 at 2:27 am |
Great first episode John / Robin! Really informative and I’m really looking forward to part two.
Not seen anything like this out there tailored towards this industry. Brilliant resource!
May 31, 2009 at 5:42 am |
Enjoyed the chat, John and Robin. I rated myself as average in the skills and entrepenerial catagories. Where I really need to work is the accounting / margin area. Math and figures have never been my friends (unless they’re fonts in a motion graphics gig).
I’ll be interested in hearing about some of the resources. I have considered taking a few business courses at the local college, but just can’t find the time to fit it into my busy freelance schedule – got to make the client deadlines. It’s a real Catch 22 situation.
I’ll be watching the whole series and thanks to you both for sharing some hard earned knowledge!
Brett
May 31, 2009 at 7:35 am |
very instructive interview.
thanks a lot for sharing.
May 31, 2009 at 10:40 am |
Thanks for sharing.
I just wished that the quicklime controls did not disappear, I wanted to scrub through pretty annoying also.
Thanks & Keep it up!
May 31, 2009 at 4:00 pm |
Thanks for all the info guys….
I’m new to motion design and am very enthusiastic about the industry. Currently I have been thinking of starting my own studio or get some experience in a studio first to get the feel of the industry. What is you opinion on that subject?
I am super excited for the next episode.
keep on keep’n on
May 31, 2009 at 5:13 pm |
Thanks for posting this guys. I’m curious to hear the info included within, it seems relevant to what I do, but I don’t think the format is quite working for me. I usually don’t have time to sit through 14 minutes of two guys talking. Maybe consider a quick blog entry to go along with the conversation? You can pique my interest with the text and then if I feel there’s something useful within, I could watch the video. Or perhaps cut out the non-relevant bits and get the video down to two or three minutes.
As it stood, you lost me after a couple minutes of chit-chat and I’ve moved on to the next thing.
Maybe others would disagree, but a linear conversation format like this might not be the ideal way to convey the information.
I appreciate the effort none-the-less and like the blog!
May 31, 2009 at 5:32 pm |
Thanks for your considered comments everyone, keep them coming. Tex, we’ll be adding a key points text summary to each post for those who don’t want to watch the full discussion. Also, not all discussions will run this long, we’ll be working to keep them as short as possible.
Denis, starting your own studio is a big step, perhaps getting your feet wet might be a good first step? Feel free to contact me if you’d like to discuss further.
Noelle, you can download any movie on the site by right-clicking on the link and choosing to download.
May 31, 2009 at 7:07 pm |
I really wish I had heard this when I was first doing freelance. Great knowledge, thanks for sharing.
June 1, 2009 at 3:52 am |
Hi Robin and John,
Great first discussion… myself rating wise I think would be:
1. Commercial Skills: 5
2. Techincal Skills: in motion graphics 4; design in general a 6
3. On-trepreneurial skill: 5
I think in the design industry in general, with everyday people having access to the programs and higher end machines, it is hard to put across to “some” clients the value of good design and the strategic thinking behind it.
I have had clients say to me why should they pay me $X amount to brand their business when they could get their teenage child to do it at home on their MacBook in PS Elements. It is very hard to not to be offened and say something you will regret. It is all about education and having the skills to communicate the value of your service without sound like a knowitall or belittling the client.. Really looking forward to the next installment.
Thanks again guys
Cheers
Ben
June 1, 2009 at 3:13 pm |
great stuff robin/john! I’ve only realized the importance of knowing the business side when I tried to start freelancing. I could do great work but couldn’t get people interested. I then realized I needed to focus more time on relationships and building confidence with clients – then it all happened.
June 4, 2009 at 5:55 am |
Nice post, but you forgot lying as a key skill.
June 4, 2009 at 11:24 pm |
^ Cameron
Key skill if you want to be in the unemployment line after a few months.
June 9, 2009 at 12:02 pm |
Great discussion, thanks !
I found out what my skills are currently :
technical skills : less than the average,
commercial skills : the average,
on-trepreneurial skills : more than the average.
For the technical skills, no surprise since I’m new in this career, after 10 years spent in sets and sceneries (real 3D ones !).
Maybe I’m not so bad, since people are happy with my work !
)
But that’s where on-trepreneurial skills come into play : before passionned, being profoundly happy while working on AE, being eager to enter a new career, giving its own enthousiasm to all the people around, and especially to clients and employers… making collegues feeling like working with you…. That’s absolutely critical, not only to get the job but also for everyone -others and yourself- , just to live happier … 
But the truth is that I spent each time a few nights before looking for tutorials and trying and learning… to be able to make good works that I would have been unable to make a few days before !!!
It’s really fun to live like that ! … Well… when it works of course !
June 10, 2009 at 3:29 pm |
Reading your comments Boreale it’s clear you are indeed a passionate person. Good to have you in the Motionworks community.
July 1, 2009 at 9:25 am |
That was a great episode, and I’m glad you’re handling this subject. On the Commercial Skills, I would rate myself as a 5. On Expert skills, I would be a 6, and on On-trepeneur skills, I would put myself as a 3.
The business end of graphics/editing is becoming a lot more exciting for me, and I’m tending to shy away from the technical end.
Thanks so much for providing your resources.
Sincerely,
Peter Baker
September 29, 2009 at 10:32 pm |
Wow
January 23, 2010 at 4:53 am |
thanks for this guys, i’m setting up a business so this is really helpful
∑:-3
January 26, 2010 at 2:24 pm |
Great to hear Ashcat!
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