The Learning & Development industry is constantly evolving, and we have to find new ways to present information to our clients’ audiences. At Olano, we like to expand knowledge, improve skills and build abilities in order to continuously provide innovative and creative products for our clients. Last month we expanded the team and welcomed Ben, our new Senior Motion Graphic Designer. He specialises in animation and has expert knowledge in problem solving.
We caught up with Ben to learn more about his previous experience and what he’s looking forward to about his new role…
What will your role as Senior Motion Graphic Designer involve?
“As a Senior Motion Graphic Designer, I will be involved in storyboarding and animation but also leading the team to develop animation within their projects too. Essentially injecting movement into as many projects as possible to improve the viewer’s engagement.
In terms of the development process, ideas and scripts will filter through to me. It will then be my job to put a concept and storyboard together. Once this is approved by the client, I will start animating and turning them into a video.”
What have you been doing previously to joining Olano?
“I’m a self-taught animator, with the help from others within the industry who provided me with hints and tips along the way. I’ve been doing animation for around 14 years now.
My original background was in video editing and filming but then I stumbled across animation and fell in love with it straight away.
At my previous place of work developed and became more cutting edge within its industry, I ended up creating a lot of animations for global clients.
I count myself so fortunate as I love what I get to do for a job so I will still play around most evenings making animations just for the fun of it.”
What attracted you to join Olano?
“A few different things really. It’s a good opportunity for to me to share my knowledge. I enjoy teaching people, so that was a big attraction for me.
I actually have the opportunity to work for Olano on a side project before I joined the team. This was a great insight and a valuable experience. I enjoyed the project I worked on, and the work was more along the lines of what I enjoyed doing.
Previously I was doing a lot more video editing towards the end of my tenure but the role with Olano presented opportunities to do more animation which is where my passion is.
Also, moving here means I’ve got face-to-face communication with my manager Kris and that’s a massive plus for me. My previous company was based just outside Portsmouth which is a big distance from me.
I’m from Sheffield, so I love working in Sheffield and being around. It provides me with a great work/life balance with having a family.”
Which aspects of the role are you most looking forward to?
“In terms of animation, I love just getting into keyframes. I love adding my personality to projects.
I always think as a creative you give something of yourself to your craft and what you create has something of your personality, so I love putting my own stamp on things.”
But I think something else I love doing is sharing knowledge.
I’ve got to where I am because people have helped me along the way, which is something I’m looking forward to giving back to the rest of the team.”
What do you get up to when you’re not a Senior Motion Graphic Designer?
“I’ve got a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter so I enjoy going to the parks, farms and other places with her and my wife.
A lot of my family live nearby, so family time is massive for me.
I’m involved in my church too. I run the camera team there, so every Sunday I would be there.
I like to stay active too which a challenge with a two-and-a-half-year-old! In the summer, most of my evenings are spent on the golf course or going for a little run.
I also used to do jujitsu and kickboxing when I was younger, so I enjoy watching UFC due to these passions. It’s a good excuse for a cheeky takeaway too!”
So, that’s our new Senior Motion Graphic Designer! Alongside Ben, we have a team of experts within the field of learning and development, allowing us to meet each client’s needs. Find out more about the team in our About Us section!
