How to get started with zero experience

This is the first one of this series that I have watched. That’s your brother huh? Cool.

There are lots of different kinds of people in the world but I’ve identified two distinct types. There is the guy who gets in the boat and sails it to a specific destination. Straight line, no deviations, no stops. Very efficient. Then there is the guy who has a destination in mind but is not totally married to it. Kind of out for an adventure. Come what may. There is nothing inherently wrong or right with either fellow. The key is being satisfied with where you end up. Free from regret at having chosen one path or the other. No “Okay I’m here now what?” or “Hey, what am I doing here I was supposed to be over there?”

I think the biggest trap for all of us humans is comparing ourselves to others.

If you want “monetary” success in any field – try this – hard focused work, clear specific destination in mind (very important – make a poster with pictures if it helps you see it clearly), pleasing personality and above all else “persistence” – these I believe – are the time worn and tested – best principles to achieving that end.

My worthless two cents. The end. : – )

I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank JD, and many others just like him. The internet and his online tutorials opened up a world for me that helped position me into my 2nd career.

The same year that I started using After Effects 6.5, I also discovered Motionworks. Watching the tutorials, even the very early ones, I soon discovered that there was more to motion graphics than just moving objects around: you also needed to posses this undefinable quality called, ‘design.’ And so it was that I would sit for hours on end at home on my computer, privately trying to take it all in. Thus began my formal education in motion graphics.

Fast forward to CS3 and a challenging economy. My 20+ year television career in front of the camera came to an unexpected end. I didn’t have long to wait, or far to go, to find my 2nd career. Thanks to JD and many others, all those years spent practicing and freelancing gave me the motion graphic confidence to go behind the camera. And that’s when a whole new world opened up to me.

In this edition of BOD, JD talked about the interview that helped him land his job as a Senior Broadcast Designer. He was also describing my interview for the job that I now have. I currently work as Creative Services Producer for a CBS-TV station in South Florida. I make :15 and :30 TV commercials for the station’s most important clients. For any given project I may be required to be the director, producer, editor, writer, or sound designer. But the thread that connects them all is motion graphics designer.

For my interview, I played my motion graphics reel, as JD did at his. I also possessed the self-confidence, and saw the job ‘as if’ I was already doing it. During the interview, the director showed me a design that he was particularly keen on. When I arrived home after the interview, I got proactive and re-created the design he liked. Then I emailed him a quicktime render and the project file. It helped land me the job.

JD and Robin talked about many things that will get you to this point, and it’s all good stuff. But there is one more point: it takes someone to see all those skills and more in you. Someone who will say, ‘you’re hired.’ My director has a keen eye for design, and building a strong creative team. He took a chance on me, and I am grateful that he did.

But, to get here it took people like JD, Maltaannon, Harry Frank and many others.
And to one and all, I am eternally grateful to be living the dream.

Best,
J