I was recently asked to Art Direct a video project for one of our clients. I have formal training as a designer (aka creative problem solver) in print, package, and information graphics; but this was new territory. Feeding off of the adrenaline that came from the opportunity to grow, I happily accepted the challenge, unofficial title of Creative Problem Solver empowering me.
When you have no idea where to start, the most natural starting place is with the things you know. I knew that this ten minute video had to clearly communicate a lot of information. I knew that lots of information is best cataloged with information graphics. So the idea of a colorful, kinetic infographic clearly made sense to me, in a creative problem solving kind of way.
As I familiarized myself with designing for movement, I vastly expanded my wealth of knowledge. I filled my brian with everything I could read, all the tutorials I could do, and all the brain power I could engage with. But I think the real gem in this project was adapting to a new role — that of an Art Director.
As a semi-recent graduate, I have played a fair amount of roles (Student, Intern, Production Artist, Apprentice, Freelancer, Graphic Designer) but none that gave me the amount of influence of an Art Director. As an Art Director, you don’t just focus on the look of the project, you own the entire thing; the good and the bad. You help guide the process and shape the outcome. After a dropkick lesson from our creative director, I was deemed ready. After all, experience is sometimes the best teacher.
I will share the top three things I learned in my new role:
1. You have to shape the way you share your vision — start where you left off the last time you met with your audience, whether that be internally or with the client. If you jump too far ahead in your thought process without cluing them in on it, key concepts and elements get left out.
2. Let your audience know their roles — You can’t expect a critique if that person doesn’t know they’re a critic.
3. Make sure you communicate the project’s necessities — If the typeface is what makes the project, tell your audience up front. The little things that make it work might get cut if they’re unclear.
Here is the final product. Of course there are things I would do differently (an Art Director is hard to satisfy), but the process and growth I experienced is not one of them. Enjoy!
