In this open discussion episode, host Sam Judelson leads conversations about personal creative spaces, inspiration sources, and community resilience.This episode covers:Workspace personalization: How motion designers curate their environments with meaningful objects, from family artwork and memorial pieces to collections like vintage Nancy Drew books, field notes, and anime figurines that fuel creativityCommunity over negativity: Intentionally creating positive spaces by avoiding divisive online engagement, prioritizing people over algorithms, and actively promoting fellow creatives instead of participating in fear-driven discussionsAI narrative construction: Understanding how tech industry narratives are pushed by design to create urgency around adoption, while recognizing that community power remains strong when people band togetherBooks and analog inspiration: Seeking creative fuel from physical media including art books (Spider-Man 2 concept art, Cuphead), typography guides, and philosophy texts rather than feeding from the same online sourcesStrategic online boundaries: Recognizing when social media arguments serve engagement rather than truth, choosing to invest energy in direct relationships and meaningful work instead of public debatesPeer support systems: Building authentic relationships where creatives can share unfiltered experiences and seek advice without judgment, emphasizing that helping others grows the entire communityUpcoming Events:Game night Wednesday, December 3rd - Details on DiscordNext week's call: Bring paper and pencil for a creative exercise led by SamVisit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!SHOW NOTES:Monday Meeting PatreonMonday Meeting DiscordMondayMeeting LinkedInMondayMeeting InstagramMondayMeeting BlueskyMondayMeeting NewsletterWell Control PegboardBrickBlingLogos That LastHope for the FlowersFreedom to CreateThe Last Question short storyThe Art of LoishThe Animator’s Survival KitClassic Human Anatomy in MotionAdvertising Concepts and Copy by George FeltonJapanese Design MotiffsThe Power of your Subconscious MindThe War of ArtThe Nordic Theory of EverythingThe Art of Marvel's Spider-Man 2Brandon Zachary Indie Animation InterviewSunny Side Down AnimationJumpStart Designers
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Strengthening Systems to Snag Clients with Hayley Akins | Nov 24, 2025
In this episode, host Jen Van Horn welcomes Hayley Akins, founder of Motion Hatch, to discuss business systems, client relationship management, and social media strategies that help motion designers build sustainable freelance careers.This episode covers:The power of systems: How implementing basic business systems like CRMs and client outreach processes prevents the feast-or-famine cycle that plagues freelancers, with real examples of designers discovering lost opportunities worth thousandsClient relationship management: Why a CRM is the single most important system for freelancers, tracking past clients, prospects, and networking contacts to ensure consistent follow-up and relationship buildingLinkedIn strategy evolution: Current best practices including posting native video content, using polls for engagement, maintaining authentic voice over AI-polished writing, and understanding the 4 A's framework (awareness, attraction, action, advocacy)Niche positioning without perfection: How to start establishing expertise in a specific area by posting about your interests before having everything figured out, using personal projects as proof of conceptReaching direct clients: Strategies for targeting dream clients including researching their Facebook page transparency for active ad campaigns, finding the right company size, and connecting with marketing managers on LinkedInEnd-of-year planning: The importance of starting client outreach now for 2026 projects, as brands are currently planning beyond Q1 and have year-end budgets to allocateUpcoming Events:Gartic Phone Game Night - December 3rdSam Judelson (LUX3D) hosting for DecemberBlack Friday deals available including Motion Hatch's Client Magnet Bundle at 60% offVisit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!SHOW NOTES:Monday Meeting PatreonMonday Meeting DiscordMondayMeeting LinkedInMondayMeeting InstagramMondayMeeting BlueskyMondayMeeting NewsletterMotion HatchHayley’s EmailBlack Friday Deal Motion HatchCreative and CoinSchool of Motion Black Friday
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Pro Tips for Pro Bono | Nov 17, 2025
In this open discussion episode, host Kendall Hotchkiss leads a candid conversation about navigating challenging client relationships on pro bono projects!This episode covers:Pro bono work requires boundaries too: Even volunteer projects need contracts, timelines, and scope definitions to prevent scope creep and maintain professional relationshipsThe contract as your bouncer: Setting up agreements after a project starts is still valuable - frame it as helping everyone get organized rather than creating frictionDesign by committee challenges: When working with clients who have some technical knowledge but lack expertise, lead with questions about their goals rather than telling them what's wrongTime as leverage: When there's no payment involved, your availability and timeline become your primary negotiating tools for maintaining boundariesThe 50% rule for resistance: If clients consistently push back on expert recommendations, especially on accessibility standards, you may need to accept their limitations and focus energy elsewhereWalking away professionally: Always have a referral ready and offer project files when exiting a difficult engagement - how you leave matters as much as how you startClient communication strategies: Mirror client language back to them, keep emails brief with links to detailed notes, and break feedback into specific review rounds to manage expectationsUpcoming Events:Next week's guest: Haley Akins from Motion Hatch!Garlic Phone Game Night: December 3rdOpen call for volunteers: Monday Meeting is seeking hosts and behind-the-scenes help for 2026Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!SHOW NOTES:Monday Meeting PatreonMonday Meeting DiscordMondayMeeting LinkedInMondayMeeting InstagramMondayMeeting BlueskyMondayMeeting Newsletter
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How Jake Bartlett Found His Flow | Nov 10, 2025
In this episode, host Kendall Hotchkiss welcomes Jake Bartlett, and they discuss his journey from motion designer to educator, his latest course launch, and his embrace of AI tools for creative work.This episode covers:Animation Principles course launch: Jake's new course focusing on 8 core principles of motion design (condensed from the original 12 Disney principles), featuring projects like the Ease-N-Out Burger animation made with Blender and After Effects' Advanced 3D render engineGenerous course giveaway: Jake offered free access to his Animation Principles course to all live attendees, demonstrating his commitment to education and community supportAI-powered tool development: Jake's exploration of vibe coding with Claude AI and Claude Code to create After Effects scripts and extensions, marking a significant shift in how motion designers can build custom toolsCareer evolution through generalist experience: How starting as a generalist at a production company (doing motion design, editing, camera work, and graphic design) helped Jake identify his passion for kinetic text and animated lyric videosLyric video specialization: Jake's journey to becoming known for lyric videos, culminating in work for Norah Jones and establishing a niche that combined his motion design skills with his music backgroundSoftware exploration beyond After Effects: Jake's experiments with Blender, Rive, Figma, and interest in DaVinci Resolve's Fusion, while maintaining After Effects as his primary toolYouTube content strategy: Jake's spontaneous approach to video creation based on excitement rather than strict planning, and his upcoming 30-day series covering every panel in After EffectsEfficient production workflow: How Jake optimizes his home studio setup with integrated camera, lighting, and teleprompter to streamline the tutorial creation process from recording to editingTeaching as ultimate career path: Jake's progression from full-time motion designer to freelancer to full-time educator, discovering that teaching was his true passion after trying different rolesUpcoming Events:Game Night: Wednesday, December 3rd - Gartic Phone and other games (watch for announcement in Monday Meeting channels)Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!SHOW NOTES:Monday Meeting PatreonMonday Meeting DiscordMondayMeeting LinkedInMondayMeeting InstagramMondayMeeting BlueskyMondayMeeting NewsletterJake’s YouTubeJake’s website“Level Up” Free SOM CourseNorah Jones - Flipside (Lyric Video)MUTEMATH - Walking Paranoia (Lyric Video)Plastic Planets - Useless (Official Lyric Video)The Pink Dust - Night Vices (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)The Pink Dust - Open Your Eyes (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)Jordyn Jones - I'm Dappin (Lyric Video)
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Render, Roast, Repeat | Nov 3, 2025
In this open discussion episode, host Jen Van Horn chats with community members sharing Halloween stories, Adobe MAX updates, professional wins, and seasonal projects.This episode covers:Halloween and seasonal celebrations: Community costume sharing including K-pop Demon Hunters and sensory rope bunny looks, plus discussion of declining trick-or-treaters and the rise of trunk-or-treat events replacing traditional door-to-door visitsAdobe MAX announcements: Firefly boards emerging as collaborative mood boarding tools combining inspiration collection with AI generation, Content Aware Fill advances enabling 3D subject rotation, and increased availability of sneaks content for remote attendeesIndustry alternatives gaining ground: Affinity design suite now permanently free for all users with newly added vector trace functionality, challenging Adobe's market position for design-focused workflowsProfessional wins across the community: First-time live panel moderation at major industry events, unexpected client partnerships from social media posts, recovery milestones enabling return to full creative work, and Monday Meeting team expansion with new editors and hostsPersonal project momentum: Custom streaming setups with animated alert boxes and Arduino integration, year-end business strategy development for 2026 launches, hand-drawn animation work for independent films, and TA positions providing skill refreshersVisit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!SHOW NOTES:Monday Meeting PatreonMonday Meeting DiscordMondayMeeting LinkedInMondayMeeting InstagramMondayMeeting BlueskyMondayMeeting NewsletterAdobe MAX SneaksThe Lemelson FoundationMotion Hatch's Creative and Coin Community
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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