BackCreative Talk with Fox & Con
This month we talk with Phyo Thu from Fox & Co, a Wellington based creative motion studio - working with international clients, and very proud to be based in Aotearoa.
How did Fox & Co evolve?
It’s always been my dream to work for a cool motion design studio that creates good projects with a tight-knit team and a great culture. But those companies don’t really exist here in Wellington so I decided to start my own. So, the journey of a pack of critters begins with a fox.
Do you find being based in Wellington has limitations, or just the opposite?
It has some limits as we know we can reach out and collaborate with more agencies and businesses if we were in a bigger and busier city, but at the same time, we can do great work remotely these days with fast internet and face-time meetings. So, location is not an issue anymore.
You have a great selection of international clients – how do you find them – or do they find you?
It’s a combination of doing great work and paying it forward. Before Fox & Co, I helped out some friends and work mates with their personal projects during my time at agencies and freelancing. Now, they are in different places and still happy to recommend Fox & Co as a go to motion design studio because they know me personally. Also we do great work and always deliver.
When finding staff and freelancers, do you find enough talent in the Wellington market to draw from?
It depends on the project. We have a core team who can produce work from concept to execution. We also have our go-to freelancers who are specialised in a core skill like 3D modelling or cell animation for a unique project.
I have personally organised the motion design meetups here in Wellington since 2012 to connect with like-minded creative people, and now we have over 100 members in the group. We reach out to the talents from the meetup when things get too hectic.
You are specialists in motion design – any thoughts of branching out from this?
Not quite. It might sound cliché, but we are passionate about what we do and love being known as specialists in motion design. We never settle for stills (it’s an inside joke), but we always like to explore ideas of integrating motion design to other mediums. For example, projection mapping a motion design piece to a physical object was very popular a few years back. Now, we are thinking of ways to create motion design content that integrates well with emerging technology like VR. In saying that, motion design will always be the core of our creativity.
Do you work with agencies – or direct to clients?
Both. We also work closely with broadcast networks and production houses.
Do you have a favourite project?
It’s hard to say. Generally speaking, we enjoy working with our existing clients and solving their problems, but we’re never satisfied because we feel that we can still give and do more every time we deliver projects.
A favourite project is still yet to be discovered, it can’t be just an eye candy piece; it also has to tell a meaningful story.
What would be your one piece of advice that you would give to graduates about to forge their career in the motion industry?
Do more personal projects that excites you most. We are in a creative industry where portfolios/showreels matter more than CVs. Personal projects are a great way to build up portfolios and experiences. The fact that aspiring motion designers are doing it in their own time shows that they are passionate about what they do.
Client you would most like to nab?
We would be keen to collaborate with an organization like WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) and create meaningful content, which would raise awareness and help to keep our woodlands green and safe. We want to present ourselves as small critters who see the bigger picture.