How to build a tight-Knit Keyframe Crew [Issue 40]
Since being a freelance motion designer can be quite lonely, even with social media friends, I suggest you build a small crew of motion designers. A keyframe crew if you will.
Here’s how I would start building a crew today if I had to do it from scratch
Start small (you + 2 others) - Think of a couple motion friends you’ve made (in person or online) who you get along with - Throw the idea out to them - Don’t get discouraged if you get a “no thanks”… we’re all busy and adding one more thing to the pile of things to keep up with might be too daunting for some
Choose a way to stay connected - iMessage - WhatsApp - Slack - Discord - Zoom - Etc.
Grow slowly - The reason I suggest this is because it allows you to keep the group small and intimate - Big Discords are fun, but if you add people too quickly, it will lose the tight-nit feel
Then...
Support each other like crazy - Create channels for things like 2D, 3D, $, just for fun, etc. - Ask for advice and give advice - Hop on calls every month or so to catch up
Send work to each other - When you’re busy or you’re not the right fit for a project, pass it on to someone in your crew
Make your own collab projects - Have one person take the lead - Create parameters - Make a general timeline (this will likely get pushed back and that’s ok) - When it’s done, share and tag each other
Have fun - Sometimes social media can feel like a job (it kind of is when you are a freelancer) - So let loose inside the walls of your keyframe crew
Stay secret - You don’t have to tell the world about your keyframe crew - The point isn’t to have a public facing secret society - The point is to have a small group to connect on a deeper level
I love the idea of there being 100s or 1000s of little keyframe crews all around the world. Everybody’s warm and cozy, feeling less lonely and growing together.
Bonus notes:
- I’m guessing most motion pods like this start and grow more organically… so this step-by-step how-to is just a guide to motivate you and get you started.
- Another fun thing to do with a group is give it a fun(ny) name, possibly based on an inside joke. This allows for an instant inside joke when people join (not to exclude, but to join together).
MidJourney exploration of what dozens of Keyframe Crews would look like in a fantasy world.
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