3D motion-graphic designer EJ Hassenfratz is a three-time Emmy award-winner specializing in Maxon Cinema 4D whose résumé includes collaborations with top-tier clients as well as presentations and instruction aimed at helping other designers up their skills. He’s a regular presenter at NAB and SIGGRAPH and a LinkedIn Learning instructor who runs a Colorado C4D user group based in Denver, Colorado — as well as an avid home brewer. His design blog [eyedesyn.com] features more than 100 tutorials on C4D techniques. www.eyedesyn.com
What will be the biggest challenge of 2017 for the media industry? I think the biggest challenge will be adapting to the ever-changing new media landscape and the new ways companies will effectively advertise on these new media platforms. Digital advertising is now dominated by Google and Facebook and, while major brands still make :30 traditional TV ad buys, there’s a lot of room for disruption via these other online advertising markets. For motion graphics artists, effectively leveraging these new platforms, like Instagram and Facebook, will determine who gets noticed.
What do you like to do when you’re not working? I live in Colorado so I am always outdoors with my wife and pug, hiking, biking, snowboarding and just taking in the fresh air. When you’re on a computer all day, its important to enjoy the analogue world.
What movie, TV show, book, music, or other media would you most recommend to your colleagues? If you want to see where the future of media is, you need to check out what brands are doing in the VR space. It’ll be another 10-15 years to really mature, but there are some exciting uses being explored. And if you’ve never played with Google Tilt Brush, you need to give that a whirl! One thing I’m obsessed with right now is this bi-daily live safari Youtube broadcast called Safari Live. A group of safari guides takes viewers on a live safari inside of Kruger National Park, answering questions from schools from across the globe that tune in, as well as viewers who post questions on Twitter & Youtube. The hosts are really entertaining and are great sharing their knowledge on all the flora, fauna, and wildlife they encounter in the African bush. I always geek out a bit when they run into a herd of elephants! The technology they use to broadcast a live show in the middle of a huge National Park in the middle of Africa is really fascinating. Right now they’re in the middle of testing some 360 VR cameras as well as night-vision solutions so they can capture moments when the sun goes down! It’s really interesting to see how media can allow people from all around the globe a window into something as amazing as an African safari!
What’s your best advice for others in this business? Don’t compare yourself to others, because that can lead to discouragement. Realize that the only person you’re competing with is yourself. Only you can stop yourself from improving, from achieving your goals, or working to get to where you want to be. There are so many resources out there for you to learn anything you want to learn and so many people like myself who are willing and love sharing their knowledge. I created my motion graphics training blog, Eyedesyn.com, as well as regularly contribute to other great learning resources like LinkedIn Learning and Cineversity.com because of the fact that so many before me were willing to help me learn.
