Author Interview: Alex1985
An interview with our featured Author of the month for February - AlexG1985
Žare Petkov
Hi Alex, congratulations on becoming the featured author of the month for February 2021, Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
AlexG
Hello everyone! My name is Alexander, I am 34 years old. I was born and live in Ukraine. I have been working as a motion designer for 7 years. At the moment this is my main job, as it has grown from a hobby into my main source of income.
Žare Petkov
What got you interested in motion graphics, when did you start your education and at what age did you create your first video/video template.
AlexG
In 2014, I decided to make a video for YouTube. I wanted to make walkthroughs of games, and when I was looking for a splash screen for my future channel, I mannaged to get to lessons from Andrew Kramer. At that moment, the magical world of computer graphics opened up for me. I always wanted to learn to draw by hand... but I did it badly. Even though I saw a clear picture in my head, I did not have enough experience to transfer it to paper. With the help of After Effects, as I began to study, suddenly all my ideas could be realized in two clicks. For me, as for any other beginner motion designer, it was magical.
Žare Petkov
I see a lot of your logo animations are based on comics & hand drawings, is this something that you personally love? How does a professional intro maker like you come up with intro ideas generally?
AlexG
Some things I really draw by hand, but mostly I have a mixed style. I do not adhere to a certain style, I do not like to put myself in frames, as can be seen in my portfolio. I understand that you need to follow market trends and make templates that are needed, but I don’t like that so much. In my work, I express my own vision more. As for inspiration, it comes suddenly, sometimes after watching a movie, or it can be just a picture or a billboard I’ve seen through a car window.
Žare Petkov
When and how did you join the Videobolt author community? What got you to apply?
AlexG
I actually received an invitation to my email, since I was already selling templates on other sites. After I was approved as the author of Videobolt, I went to the discord channel, where I was warmly greeted. I was amazed at how open the curators are and how simple t is to talk to everyone. You can ask them any question about any problem with uploading a template to the site, they will always help you, at any time. I decided to upload my one work to support the guys. And I was surprised by the dynamics of sales. That later became my motivation.
Žare Petkov
And how are you enjoying the ride so far?
AlexG
Today, I have taken several courses, and little by little I am mastering unreal engine 4 since, in my opinion, the future belongs to 3d engines. This is a breakthrough time in the 3d industry. From my works, I try to squeeze the maximum out of my work, achieve a beautiful picture that will catch the eye from the first seconds.
Žare Petkov
Your intros have been killing it lately, do you maybe plan to expand your offer with other categories of video templates or would you call yourself exclusively an intro maker?
AlexG
At the moment, I do not plan to create new video templates, although I have several works in my portfolio. I always liked short intros, such as they do for games and films, in my opinion, they are more dynamic. Since my view is more focused on 3D animation, and most of my work was done using 3D programs, it is easier for me to express my vision through intro templates.
Žare Petkov
Finally, do you have a message for any aspiring motion designer, who’s possibly thinking of applying for Videobolt’s author program?
AlexG
Videobolt is a rapidly developing platform with great potential due to the fact that the client does not need third-party programs like After Effects for editing and processing the template (everything can be done inside the browser). I think this is the perfect platform for a budding motion designer, with little competition at the moment compared to other huge competitors with thousands of creators. And this competition will grow rapidly from year to year. If a budding motion designer has an aspiration and desire to create, then Videobolt is a great opportunity to start his creative potential.
Thanks, Alex, it was great talking to you. Keep up the good work, and I’m sure we’ll talk more about Unreal Engine in the future.