We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andrew Dudko. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andrew below.

Andrew, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us a story about a time you failed?

Sure, here’s the translation:

In 2015, my best friend and I decided to bring our dream to life and founded a workshop for producing designer lamps made of wood, metal, and glass. We came up with the designs and manufactured the lamps ourselves. While working on the lamps, I started studying motion design to better advertise our products and attract more attention to our work.

The first few months were full of enthusiasm. Our lamps started to attract attention, and we participated in exhibitions across the country. Everything seemed to be going great.

However, difficulties gradually arose. We began to argue frequently and misunderstand each other. Disagreements about the direction of the business and ways to solve problems became more frequent and intense. Instead of working, we spent more time resolving conflicts.

After two years, we made the difficult decision to close the workshop. It was a bitter experience, especially after we had invested so much effort and time into our venture. But the constant arguments and conflicts were destroying both the business and our friendship.

This experience taught me a lot. Firstly, I realized that personal relationships and business are better kept separate — mixing them can lead to disappointment on both fronts. Secondly, I learned that failures are part of the journey. Closing the workshop was not the end for me. I continued to look for new opportunities and to grow.

In the end, despite the failure, I became wiser and stronger. I learned not to give up after setbacks and to keep moving forward, even when the path seems difficult. Life goes on, and every experience, even the most painful one, helps us grow and become better.

It was then that I found a new passion, something I truly love and that makes my eyes light up — motion design and animation. In this field, I found myself. Working with moving images and creating animations brought me true satisfaction and joy. I realized that I had found my true calling.

Now, looking back, I see that every stage of my journey was important. Even failures and disappointments helped me find what truly inspires and motivates me. Life goes on, and I continue to grow and develop in what I truly love.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Andrew Dudko, and I come from Kharkiv, Ukraine. I am a motion designer and 2D/3D animator. I’ve always been fascinated by the design industry, particularly animated videos and original advertisements with animation elements. I started learning motion design on my own, watching tutorials, taking courses, and attending master classes to understand the basics of design and composition.

After gaining experience, I worked at a design studio for four years. Eventually, I decided to venture into freelance work with my wife, who is also a motion designer. This decision allowed us to think outside the box and offer clients unique and creative ideas. Through freelancing, we’ve had the opportunity to work on projects for companies such as HP, Novo Nordisk, UBER, Starbucks, and many others.

I specialize in 2D and 3D animation, while my wife, Kseniia, focuses on illustrations. Together, we’ve formed a great team capable of creating fully animated videos from scratch. We are selective about the projects we take on, ensuring they do not harm people or mislead them. Our goal is always to exceed client expectations and deliver the best possible results. Despite being husband and wife working together, we’ve learned to separate work and personal life and always strive to find compromises.

We have been freelancing for over four years now and recently faced a turning point when we had to leave Ukraine due to the war and temporarily relocate to the USA. We are grateful for the support of the kind and supportive people we’ve met along our journey.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

As a motion designer, my primary task is to create videos and content that not only showcase the client’s product or service but also help solve their problems. It’s a true art of balance: I aim to effectively present the product while making the video visually appealing and memorable.

Every designer strives for their work to be not only beneficial to the client but also up to their own high standards. However, working in this format often comes with many challenges. Client comments and feedback can significantly alter the final video, requiring me to persuade and argue my viewpoint.

For me, the greatest reward after completing work on an animated video is knowing that my creativity has helped the client achieve their goals and solve their challenges.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

Initially, motion design was my hobby. At first, I studied it for myself, creating short animations of logos and small projects for friends. Gradually, I delved deeper into the fundamentals of design, attending masterclasses and seeking opportunities to start a career in an animation studio as a junior motion designer.

After some time, I was offered an internship which soon turned into a full-time job. Over two years, my skills significantly improved, and I was entrusted with more complex and challenging projects. Alongside my work, I began teaching animation basics in After Effects at a school affiliated with the studio where I worked.

This experience not only strengthened my knowledge and professional skills but also helped me uncover my potential in teaching and sharing knowledge with others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.behance.net/dudkoandrii