Motion Graphics Resources

10 things I've learned by working in this field 

1. Never ever let your software, hardware, or media of any type to dictate the look of your design. Stick to what you see in your head, not with what you see in front of your eyes. Keep control.
2. Listen to advice, opinions, and direction . . . but stick to your gut above all things.
3. Sketch, storyboard, and flesh out your concepts clearly before going into production. I can't stress this enough. Everyone wins when you know what you're doing.
4. If it's uncomfortable, strange, risky, or unrelated to anything you have seen before, go for it.
5. Your starting point will influence your final result. For this reason, try not to start from the same exact point every time.
6. Try not to stick too strongly to "your own personal style". It might not be true that you have a style; it might just be that you're unconsciously submitting to your own habits, fears, and comfort.
7. If you see something that's being done by everybody else, by the time you do it, it will already be too late. By the time you realize a trend, it's probably already walking out the door. Create the next trend.
8. Corporate branding guidelines are for corporations to protect themselves from guys (gals) like you, who are dying for a chance to give them a fresh new look. Break the rules, but do it gracefully, and above all things, be ready to explain why you chose to break a rule.
9. Heck, be ready to explain everything you show, even if the explanation is not particularly convincing to you. Having an explanation, whatever it is, is better than not having one.
10. Afraid to defend your ideas? Too bad for you, because nobody else is going to be afraid to shred them to pieces.

How to live happily with a great designer 

by Seth Godin

1. If you want average (mediocre) work, ask for it. Be really clear up front that you want something beyond reproach, that's in the middle of the road, that will cause no controversy and will echo your competition. It'll save everyone a lot of time.
2. On the other hand, if you want great work, you'll need to embrace some simple facts.
3. It's going to offend someone. If it doesn't offend them, then it will make them nervous. The Vietnam Vets memorial offended a lot of people. The design of Google made plenty of people nervous. Great work from a design time means new work, refreshing and remarkable and bit scary.
4. It's not going to be easy to sell to your boss. That's your job, by the way, not mine. If you want me to do something great, you've got to be prepared to protect it and defend it. Come back too many times for one little compromise, and you'll make it clear that #1 was what you wanted all along.
5. You can't tell me you'll know it when you see it. First, you won't. Second, it wastes too much time. Instead, you'll need to have the patience to invest twenty minutes in accurately describing the strategy. That means you need to be abstract (what is this work trying to accomplish) resistant to pleasing everyone (it needs to do this, this and that) and willing, if the work meets your strategic goal, to embrace it even if it's not to your taste.
6. Help me out by pointing out the work you'd like this to be on a peer with. If you want a website to be like three others (in tone, not in execution) then point it out. In advance.
7. Be clear about dates and costs. Not what you hope for, but what you can live with!
8. You don't know a lot about accounting so you don't backseat drive your accountant. You hired a great designer, please don't backseat drive here, either.
9. If you want to be part of the process, please go to school. Read design magazines or take a course from Milton Glaser or get a subscription to
10. This one may surprise you: don't change your existing design so often Not when your kids or your colleagues tell you it's time. Do it when your accountant says so.
11. Don't get stressed about your logo.
12. Get very stressed about user interface and product design. And your packaging.
13. Say thank you.