257 episodes
- In this guest episode, Danny Robashkin, Creative Director of Minneapolis animation studio MAKE, joins Monday Meeting to talk about building original IP inside a commercial studio, what he looks for in collaborators, and how the industry is navigating a chaotic year of budgets, influencers, and AI.
This episode covers:
Why a commercial studio makes its own IP: How MAKE Originals went from side projects to a scheduled YouTube slate, and why that matters more now than ever.
The "unusual pairing" formula: The storytelling trick behind adorable characters with grim fates and anime action sequences that land somewhere unexpected.
Originals as a calling card: What happens when a client discovers your passion project before your reel.
Giving back to students: The MAKE Thesis Grant, a new commercial workshop, and the career path many animation students never consider.
Making the hard call: What it's really like to tell a team to start over, and the lesson that changed how Danny makes creative decisions.
Leaving the keyframes behind: Why Danny hasn't touched a shot since 2012, and a word of caution about climbing the ladder.
What MAKE looks for in freelancers: The quality that separates a one-off hire from a repeat collaborator ("the lights are on and someone is home").
Budgets, influencers & AI: A candid take on this year's budget whiplash, "brand depreciation," and why behind-the-scenes content is becoming a deliverable of its own.
Upcoming Events:
Monday, November 9: Our last Open Discussion of 2026
Wednesday, November 18: Game Night (a week early because of Thanksgiving)
No Monday Meetings in December
Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!
SHOW NOTES:
Monday Meeting Patreon
Monday Meeting Discord
MondayMeeting LinkedIn
MondayMeeting Instagram
MondayMeeting Bluesky
MondayMeeting Newsletter
Prada’s Hand Holiday drawn animation commercials
Connect with Danny & MAKE:
Website: makevisual.com
MAKE Originals on YouTube: youtube.com/@makeoriginals
Instagram: instagram.com/makegallery - In this guest episode, motion designer and toolkit creator Scott Black joins Monday Meeting to talk about going from freelance animator to After Effects plugin developer, the ADHD hyperfixation that started it all, and the tools he's built to make AE faster and more fun to use.
This episode covers:
Working with ADHD as a motion designer: Tips and tricks from the group on managing focus, task stacking, and dopamine.
How a cold-outreach macro turned into a plugin business: The Keyboard Maestro rabbit hole that changed Scott's career.
Control Groups: Bringing RTS-game-style layer selection to After Effects.
Compstronaut: A back button for After Effects.
Command Frame (free): A command palette that goes a few steps beyond FX Console and Quick Apply.
Stream Deck and beyond: Why Scott's hardware integration works differently from the preset packs.
Control surfaces for motion designers: Dials, foot pedals, and the gear that doesn't exist yet for AE.
Find Scott's tools:
scottblack.me/software
aescripts.com/authors/scott-black (Select Every Other Layer, Control Groups, Compstronaut, Command Frame)
Upcoming Events:
Game Night: Wednesday, October 28 — costumes encouraged!
Next Open Discussion: Monday, November 9
Open Office Hours: Monday mornings when we're not recording — portfolio reviews and hangouts
Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!
SHOW NOTES:
Monday Meeting Patreon
Monday Meeting Discord
MondayMeeting LinkedIn
MondayMeeting Instagram
MondayMeeting Bluesky
MondayMeeting Newsletter
Command Frame
Scott on AE Scripts
Keyboard Maestro
Zack Lovatt’s Site - This open discussion episode recaps Camp Mograph Colorado, digs into personal development systems that actually work for creative brains, and features the podcast's first-ever live showreel review.
This episode covers:
Camp Mograph Colorado recap: What makes camp magic by day two, the women-of-camp circle that might become its own retreat, and a scavenger hunt that gets more unhinged every year.
The Anti-Planner and ADHD-friendly productivity: What happened when Dani Donovan's workshop made a room full of motion designers cry, and the unpacking trick that actually worked.
"Discipline doesn't exist": Why the thing we call discipline might really be ten separate skills, and what that changes about building habits.
Live showreel critique: The podcast's first on-air reel review, with notes a beginner can act on today, from one mislabeled effect to what's missing from the end card.
Personal branding and the logline: The one sentence every designer should write before touching their brand, and why being obviously human is now an edge.
Networking beats cold-applying: Where freelance jobs actually come from, and the offer that gets new designers their first repeat clients.
Where to host and find reels: Which showreel site everyone's migrating to, and why rushing to the newest AI tools might be a mistake.
Upcoming Events:
Monday, October 19: Guest episode with motion designer and toolkit creator Scott Black
Wednesday, October 28: Online Game Night, costumes encouraged
Monday, November 9: Next open discussion
An additional guest episode in November, to be announced
Office hours continue on the Discord voice channel on off Mondays
Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!
SHOW NOTES:
Monday Meeting Patreon
Monday Meeting Discord
MondayMeeting LinkedIn
MondayMeeting Instagram
MondayMeeting Bluesky
MondayMeeting Newsletter
Shrisha’s Show Reel
Camp Mograph
Dani’s Anti Planner
Change Academy/Body Brain Alliance
Karin Nordin, CEO of Brain Body Alliance’s Instagram (full of so many helpful tips)
Post about what Self-Discipline is
Free Course ”Time and Task Management for Creative Freelancers” - Our last open discussion episode of the summer wanders from focus rituals and sleep tech into cult psychology, library inspiration hauls, and an honest look at running a volunteer-powered creative community.
This episode covers:
What motion designers listen to while working: Silence, podcasts, ambient soundscapes — and one unexpected kaiju-based approach.
Sleep tech for creatives who can't shut off: Sleep buds, earplugs, and the tricky problem of waking up once you've blocked out the world.
Cults, true crime, and the language of persuasion: Why influencer culture feels so culty — and what that has to do with staying human in the age of AI.
Analog inspiration is back: Libraries, kids' books, vintage layouts, and slowing down offline.
The Monday Meeting bookshelf: Community book recs keep stacking up, and a browsable bookshelf page is coming to the site.
Tips on running a volunteer community: Burnout, the nonprofit question, and why growth isn't always the primary goal.
Ways to get involved: Newsletter sections, the listener spotlight, and guest hosting opportunities.
Upcoming Events:
No game night this month
Next Open Discussion: October 12th
Open office hours continue on Discord on non-recording Mondays
Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!
SHOW NOTES:
Monday Meeting Patreon
Monday Meeting Discord
MondayMeeting LinkedIn
MondayMeeting Instagram
MondayMeeting Bluesky
MondayMeeting Newsletter
Sleep headphones Illya suggested! - In this guest episode, Nick and Sam Snyder of Snaggletooth Creative join Monday Meeting to talk about launching a public-facing motion design studio, making the award-winning folk horror short Nurture, navigating the film festival circuit, and how live-action filmmaking sharpens the storytelling skills motion designers bring to client work.
This episode covers:
How to finish a personal project when client work keeps winning: The scheduling mindset that finally got a years-long film idea out the door.
From freelancer billing name to public-facing studio: What actually changes when you stop talking like a freelancer and start talking like a studio owner.
Why a mascot character can carry a brand beyond its founders: How Snaggy came to be, and the part of the process nobody warns you about.
Bringing motion design tricks to live-action: The pre-production habits from mograph that made a 3–4 day shoot possible.
Why horror is a smart genre for first-time filmmakers: Creative constraints, community, and a surprisingly welcoming room.
How to navigate the film festival circuit: Where to submit, how to figure out where your film fits, and how to make festivals work for your business.
The festival market motion designers overlook: A whole category of clients that need exactly what you do.
Building the promotion muscle when imposter syndrome hits: A low-stakes way to get comfortable putting yourself out there.
DaVinci Resolve vs. Adobe for color: Why the final conform didn't happen in Premiere.
How cinema language levels up your motion design portfolio: What live-action storytelling teaches you that client work won't.
How to get on a film set with zero experience: Free, local, and closer than you think.
Follow Nurture on Instagram at nurture.film and find behind-the-scenes breakdowns at snaggletooth.tv.
Upcoming Events:
Open Discussion: Monday, September 14
Game Night (usually the last Wednesday of the month): TBA for September — watch the website, newsletter, or Discord
Office Hours voice channel on Discord on off-Mondays — unrecorded, drop-in co-working and hangout
Additional guest episodes to be announced
Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!
SHOW NOTES:
Monday Meeting Patreon
Monday Meeting Discord
MondayMeeting LinkedIn
MondayMeeting Instagram
MondayMeeting Bluesky
MondayMeeting Newsletter
Snaggletooth.tv
"Nuture" Film
Film Festival Submission Resource
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About Monday Meeting
Monday Meeting is a weekly virtual gathering where motion designers, animators, and visual effects artists come together to discuss industry trends, share their experiences, and learn from one another.
This creative community provides a platform for networking, collaboration, and skill development. By participating in Monday Meeting, motion design professionals can stay up-to-date on the latest techniques, tools, and software while also expanding their professional networks and growing their careers in this exciting and dynamic field.
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