INTERVIEWED BY MASHA ZHDANOVA

PHOTOGRAPHED BY CONRAD MAXWELL-GIROD

How would you describe your work?

It’s more of a reflection of my personality, which is constantly changing. I will say with every piece I create, I try to take the assignment and bend it to my will. I’m always fascinated in seeing how much I can push the limits within each piece, and I think that’s why my work differs from others. It is what I would consider my biggest strength and weakness, in that sometimes pushing the limits can make the piece more interesting but also more challenging.

What’s the most rewarding project you’ve done so far?

It’s hard to choose just one project. Each piece that I work on has very special meaning to me and were all rewarding for different reasons. However, I will say that some of my most rewarding work comes when I’m faced with a project that terrifies me. I just recently completed a piece that required me to utilize cinematography. It was a title sequence remake, and I was terrified because I am not comfortable with my skills as a cinematographer, but after diving in and spending sleepless days working on it, the piece came out looking a lot better than I expected.

What’s your favorite aspect of the creative process?

My favorite aspect of the creative process is the initial brainstorming. Sometimes you will beat yourself up trying to come up with a solution to the creative problem. Sometimes the idea will pop into your head instantly. A lot of the times my bettter ideas come when I am under stress.

What’s some advice you can give to aspiring motion media artists?

Some advice I would give for any aspiring motion media artists would be to consume a lot of media. This is something I struggle with personally but am actively trying to do. By consuming more media, you are building up a library of visuals, styles and techniques that you can access later when working on your own pieces. It may feel like you may not have time to devote to that, but consider it a part of your training and set aside time for yourself to do it. You will benefit from it whether consciously or unconsciously.

What’s one of the best experiences you’ve had at SCAD?

One of the best experiences I’ve had at SCAD would have to be my CLC class last quarter. Our class got to work with Adult Swim and we got to create some awesome work for them. It’s always nice working with companies, but being able to work with a company that you have admired your entire life is awesome, and I’m so grateful to have been apart of it.

What are your goals for after SCAD?

After SCAD I hope to get a job with a studio and continue to create work and build up clientele. Later on, I would love to get my M.F.A. and teach at a university to help shape the next generation of motion media designers.