Hello
I'm a seasoned and highly versatile art director and motion graphics designer with a focus in entertainment marketing. My experience spans a wide spectrum—from visual effects for feature films to comedic graphics for late-night television, home entertainment campaigns, and everything in between.
I bring a creative, concept-driven approach to every project, always aiming to find fresh perspectives while refining and reimagining proven visual strategies. Whether it’s building something bold from the ground up or elevating established formats, I’m passionate about crafting compelling, effective visuals that resonate.
My Story (so far)
Film and music have been my two greatest passions for as long as I can remember.
After high school, I left my small rural town in Northern California and moved to Southern California to pursue my dreams of working in the film industry—along with my more ambitious dream of rock and roll stardom.
While attending film school, I immersed myself in every aspect of the filmmaking process: pre-production, production, and post-production. Though I enjoyed all phases, I found myself especially drawn to visual effects and motion graphics during post. After graduating with a BA in Film and TV Production, I dove into post-production work, eventually finding my niche in late-night comedy graphics.
Over the years, I freelanced for agencies on trailers and VFX projects, but most of my work—and income—came from television. Some of the shows I contributed to include:
Talkshow with Spike Feresten, Frank TV, Tosh.0, Lopez Tonight, Conan, and others.
Working on these fast-paced, comedy-driven shows taught me a few invaluable lessons:
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How to work fast—really fast.
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The importance of balancing aesthetic appeal with clear communication, especially when a graphic serves as the punchline or setup for a joke.
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The necessity of staying organized and collaborative, to support iteration and future-proofing in a team environment.
These skills served me well when I transitioned from television to a full-time role at an agency specializing in trailer graphics. A few years later, at the beginning of 2020 (yeah that 2020) —I stepped into a leadership role, taking over the Home Entertainment Graphics Department after my boss moved on. Since then, I’ve led and often solely designed major campaigns for top-tier studios.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to take on a wide range of projects—whether theatrical trailers, streaming or TV ads, home entertainment, social campaigns, interactive/gaming content, or whatever new creative challenge comes next.
In addition to my visual design experience, I bring a diverse set of complementary skills I’d love to integrate into future work:
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Songwriting, composition, and music production
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Project management
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Copywriting
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Large-scale, "big picture" concept development
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Dad jokes (seriously, I’m elite in this category)
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Communicating through GIFs (a true 21st-century superpower)
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
stevemakesgraphics.com