CG Chatter Episode 032: Run, Kick, Shout!

Released Wednesday, 15th March 2017

Good episode? Give it some love!

CG Chatter Episode 032: Run, Kick, Shout!

Wednesday, 15th March 2017

Good episode? Give it some love!

Rate Episode

Welcome to the CG Chatter Podcast episode #32! In this episode I chat with the founders and creative directors of Run, Kick, Shout!, Erik Jensen & Nick Hopkins.

They’ve created awesome work for some very prominent companies like NFL, Wells Fargo, Jolly Rancher, and Foursquare, and have some serious 3D chops. I’m excited for you to see the work we discussed in today’s interview, which can be found further down in the show notes.

This was the first time I interviewed two guests at once, and it was a lot of fun hearing their unique perspective on starting a company with a friend and how to make that work. They also offered some great breakdowns of how they approached technical aspects of various projects, as well as some late-night anecdotes that arose in a discussion about work-life balance.

Episode Guide:

2:14 – Erik and Nick give a brief background on their motion design studio, Run, Kick, Shout!
5:07 – Nick grew up in Indiana and got into making videos with his friends in high school
6:33 – He went to college for a directing degree, and found himself playing more and more with effects and animation
7:15 – He had set up a green screen in his parents’ garage
7:24 – Following an internship, Nick got his first full-time job as a senior in school and was there for four years, then freelanced for five
8:05 – Erik grew up in a Chicago suburb called Wheaton, and was introduced to video by a friend in early high school
9:09 – He made lots of creative projects with friends in high school, using techniques like stop motion, green screen, and 3D
9:44 – He went to school at Indiana University in Bloomington for Telecommunications with a focus in Design & Animation
10:20 – After graduating, Erik found work at a local agency in Bloomington
10:44 – Erik went to Chicago during the recession in 2008 to find work, and when it didn’t pan out he decided to go freelance
11:06 – He met Nick when he freelanced at Protokulture, where Nick was working full time
11:38 – The project they first worked on together was incredibly stressful
13:05 – They had both been commuting into the city and decided to become roommates
15:25 – Nick’s mom was very supportive of him pursuing a creative career, especially as she also had an art background
17:11 – His school, Columbia College, had animation and 3D classes taught by folks from Midway Games
17:57 – Nick loved the freedom of animation, and how easy it is to jump right into as opposed to film
18:47 – Erik’s parents were very supportive as well, and knew how invested he was in creative projects
20:18 – He appreciated that his college teachers ensured a well-rounded education, without simply letting him “go down a rabbit hole”
20:46 Having even just one or two standout teachers can really help make for a positive and successful college experience
21:31 – What are the qualities of a great teacher?
22:55 – Nick had a very intense project toward the end of school that was a good intro to industry crunch
23:53 – If you want to freelance or run a business, it’s very important to gain an understanding of basic accounting and business practices
26:01 – How they came up with the name “Run, Kick, Shout!”
28:21 – They got an office for Run, Kick, Shout! in December
29:21 – Being able to work together in one space as opposed to remotely has been a really positive change
30:52 – They do all rendering in-house
31:48 – They built a particularly beefy machine called “The Beast” (see picture below)
32:27 – Switching from Mac to PC
34:49 – Erik & Nick wear many hats at Run, Kick, Shout!, and are working on work/life balance
38:59 – Run, Kick, Shout!’s work for the NFL Experience (see video & images below)
41:22 – There can be a tendency to always push your current technology to its limits
44:35 – The fact that Erik & Nick have similar skillsets (as opposed to a business person + a creative person) has generally been an advantage
49:12 – The pros & cons of being a generalist as opposed to a specialist
50:52 – Run, Kick, Shout!’s work on the Reliance Entertainment Intro (see video & images below)
52:54 – What it was like working on a 4k stereoscopic piece
56:53 – Technical challenges of setting up an expansive 3D ocean
59:26 – Run, Kick, Shout!’s work for Desert Schools (see video & images below)
1:00:16 – This project led to the founding of Run, Kick, Shout!
1:06:03 – Creating a piece with a constantly moving camera and seamless transitions
1:09:19 – Run, Kick, Shout!’s work for Rocket Fuel (see video & images below), and why it has to be password-protected
1:12:28 – This project was uniquely challenging because it was created in both 3ds Max and Cinema 4D
1:18:31 – Run, Kick, Shout!’s work on the Monster Project (see images below)
1:26:32 – Why long work days/late nights can occur, and how Erik & Nick work to maintain a healthy work/life balance with their new studio
1:37:49 – Erik talks about how he balances Run, Kick, Shout! obligations with being a parent
1:39:53 – They recommend checking out Greyscale Gorilla for C4D training, particularly their intro training series if you’re just starting out
1:40:16 – The best way to learn and grow is to have a specific goal/problem to solve, and schedule it in your calendar
1:44:04 – Erik & Nick share their thoughts on starting a company with a friend