We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Desmond Du a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Desmond thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.
Inception
This year, I was given the incredible opportunity to launch my first online video course, “Advanced After Effects: Coding for Motion Design,” on Domestika, the biggest creative community for curated courses and short documentaries. Domestika discovered me through my YouTube channel, NoSleepCreative, which I have been running since late 2019. Our collaboration began in mid-October 2021 when they invited me to produce a course about my work and creative process, taking care of all the workload and cost of filming, editing, and promoting the course. Financially, Domestika provides their creatives with advanced payments and then earnings based on commissions from course sales. From my end, I was asked to produce the written content in preparation for the filming, which captured my process and tips as a creative. Domestika guided me through that process and invited me to their studios in either Madrid or New York, covering the cost of travel and stay.
I was extremely excited to take on this project because I had always wanted to do a video course or series of tutorials teaching a subject, but I had been too busy with graduate school. The opportunity to visit Madrid was also very appealing to me, as I had never been to Europe before. Some people may underestimate the difficulty of producing tutorial or teaching videos because they believe that instructors just hit the record button and the right words come out of their mouth. However, this is not the case. There is a lot of preparation involved in producing teaching video content, such as planning, prototyping, developing teaching outcomes, scripting, recording, editing, and publishing. Producing this course was a six-month process (October 2021 to March 2022), followed by another five months (April to August) for Domestika to edit the video course, prepare all promotional materials, and decide on a launch date. This article details the process of producing the video course and other responsibilities I performed that may not be commonly known to others.
Pre-production
The project began with the creation of the “Course Index”: a proposal that includes details about the “Course Project,” the final project developed during the course, what the course will cover, and any complementary materials I would teach or provide. Domestika gave me complete creative freedom in terms of what I planned to teach and what the course project would be. The only requirement they gave me was to have the course content to be within three hours, so I had to be careful not to overcomplicate the course project so that I could comfortably teach it to students.
Once the Course Index was approved, I was assigned a producer (Arantxa Madiola) to work together on the “Course Structure”: a detailed version of the Course Index broken down into units consisting of several lessons. Domestika provided me with a template to write in various details, such as the topics covered in each unit/lesson, practice exercises, resource hyperlinks, and a description for the webpage. This was the most meticulous step in the whole process because there was so much to write and it had to be organized properly. It also served partly as a script for the intro and outro video shoots that would take place later in Madrid.
At the same time, I also had to begin working on the Course Project, which was a 25-second title sequence for a fictional documentary show based on technology, advertising, and attention as a commodity. The project made use of expressions and mathematical equations to create complex animation rigs. Using these techniques, students will learn how to make a series of abstract geometric animations that will be assembled and composited into the final project. I used the same design process as I would in a school project at SCAD: a creative treatment, mood boards for art direction, and designing style frames as proof of concepts. I spent about two months working on the title sequence on and off because of my trip back to my home country, Singapore, in December. The sound design and music were created by Federico Franco (@federicomarianofranco) who had contacted me at an opportune time for collaboration, as well as Abraham E. (abraham___3) for animation feedback.
The production of these two items happened concurrently: as I worked on the title sequence, I documented the steps I took to produce the techniques or effects in the Course Structure, and I simplified the title sequence when the process got too complicated and might be difficult to teach to students. My producer and I met online every two weeks to discuss my progress and ensure I was on track to have everything completed before flying to Madrid for the shoot.
I encountered some resistance in the early phase of designing the title sequence because I had high expectations for myself to teach people to create something amazing and also uphold the standard that I demonstrated on my YouTube channel. I had so much knowledge that I wanted to impart to the students, but I wasn’t sure what to include. I was unsure of whether to produce a course that focused on a specific skill or technique (e.g. step repetition) or a survey of different techniques; I ultimately chose the latter. As this was my first time producing a video course, I could only trust the process and the amount of time I was able to dedicate to the project because I was also attending school.
After completing the Course Project, it was time to record the video tutorials for each lesson in the course. Producing a course was more challenging than producing a single tutorial for YouTube because there were many more things to cover across a series of videos, and each of them had to fit into the broader context of creating the Course Project. The biggest challenge in this part of the process was time management and motivation. As I was also attending school, Domestika could not be my main priority, and there were times when my motivation dipped. However, my regular meetings with the producer helped me stay on schedule. Luckily, I was able to finish recording all of the course content before my flight to Madrid.
Production
The production of marketing materials was the primary focus of my trip to Madrid. There, I met my producer Arantxa in person for the first time and worked with two filmmakers, Jesús Rodríguez Lluch and Jon Urchegui. They were a joy to work with, and the Domestika staff were very welcoming and friendly. They often found ways to make me feel comfortable, such as chatting with me and asking questions about my life and my home country Singapore while offering recommendations on what to do in Madrid.
The first two days were dedicated to filming the intros and outros for each lesson. I felt awkward being in front of the camera in the beginning, despite having recorded many tutorials in the past. I realized later that I was jet-lagged, which affected my memory and improvisational skills. There was also a shoot for social and editorial content, in which the team recorded me doing quick tips and tricks in After Effects for organic marketing. Each day of shooting usually lasted until around 4 or 5 pm, after which I had the rest of the evening to enjoy the city. Once I finished the shoot, I returned home and waited for Domestika to edit all of the material for the course content.
Post-launch
Some people may think that the process ends at this point, but there is still the launch of the course and marketing to consider. Several months passed since the shoot in Madrid, and I was informed by my Domestika account manager, Monica Martinez, that I needed to review my course landing page content before the pre-launch campaign began within a week. What really impressed me about Domestika was that they had personnel dedicated to every aspect of the process from the start: recruitment, course direction, project management, filmmakers, and marketing. In addition, they provided many guidelines in the form of PDFs and videos to help creatives get comfortable with working with the team at Domestika. Everyone seemed highly knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities, which inspired confidence in me to work with them more in the future. They fulfilled what they promised at the start: to handle every aspect of production so that I could focus on making great educational materials.
Once the course was completed and launched, it was time to promote it to the world. Domestika helped to market the course through their own channels and network. They featured my course and profile on their website, and also ran ads on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. In addition to their marketing efforts, they encouraged me to share my course with my own followers on social media to increase visibility and generate interest among potential students. Monica, my account manager, provided me with guidelines and a calendar indicating when and where to post, as well as sharing promotional content that Domestika had created. This made the process easier for me, and I appreciated their support.
I used my existing social media channels, such as my YouTube channel, LinkedIn, and Instagram, to promote the course and attract potential students. This helped to reach a wider audience and increase the chances of the course being discovered by potential students. Overall, the launch of my course was a success. I received positive feedback from students and was able to get about 2,000 students signed up as of December. I am grateful to Domestika for providing me with the opportunity to produce the course and for their support throughout the process. I look forward to working with them again in the future.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Desmond Du, I’m a Motion Designer and a Singaporean based in Savannah, Georgia, and I am currently pursuing an MFA degree in Motion Media Design at Savannah College of Art & Design (and I am expected to graduate in March 2023), so I can get into teaching professionally at a college level in the future. I specialize in animation direction and animation using Javascript expression rigging and scripting, procedural workflow, tool kitting, and automation. My past working experience includes working in broadcast motion graphics at WarnerMedia Studios for brands and networks such as NBA, Turner Classic Movies, E-League, Cartoon Network, Bleacher Report, etc. I have also done animation work for clients and studios such as STATE Design, ThinkMojo, Saatchi & Saatchi, MTV, Salesforce, SCAD, and ACI worldwide.
I love Motion Design, but my passion is teaching, and I believe my mission is to help everyone realize their true potential and transform their design career for the better! I primarily do this through my After Effects tutorials on my Youtube channel, NoSleepCreative, where I teach the power of coding and expressions in creating complex and amazing animation. I also have an online video course “Advanced After Effects: Coding for Motion Design” on Domestika (https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/3818-advanced-after-effects-coding-for-motion-design/units/14177-taking-it-to-the-next-level#course_lesson_44212), where I teach student show to take their motion design skills to the next level by learning to code expressions with JavaScript to create complex animation rigs with style.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
As a creative professional, teaching has been a huge driving force in my journey. I believe that sharing knowledge and expertise is one of the most valuable things we can do as artists, and I am passionate about helping others succeed in their own creative endeavors. As American physicist Richard Feynman once said, “If you want to master something, teach it.” This quote resonates with me because it reminds me that mastering something involves not just doing the work, but also teaching it to others. By teaching, I am able to better understand and master my craft, and I also get the joy of seeing others grow and succeed.
Furthermore, teaching allows me to stay curious and engaged with my work. It challenges me to constantly learn and improve, and to communicate complex ideas in a way that is accessible and engaging for my students. This mindset has helped me to embrace my strengths and weaknesses, and to focus on my own unique path and abilities. It has also allowed me to appreciate the value of teaching and sharing my knowledge with others, as it not only helps them to grow but also helps me to deepen my own understanding.
Overall, my goal as a creative is to inspire and empower others through my work, and to continuously learn and grow as an artist and a teacher. By sharing my knowledge and experiences, I hope to help others realize their own potential and to achieve their goals. This is the driving force behind my creative journey, and it is what motivates me to constantly push myself and to seek out new opportunities for growth and learning.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Having a passion for teaching and running a YouTube channel has been instrumental in building my reputation as a Motion Designer. My channel, NoSleepCreative, focuses on After Effects and motion graphics tutorials and has helped me gain credibility in the industry. As a result, I have received several freelance and job offers and my reputation has only grown since I published my course on Domestika. The success of my channel did not happen overnight, but rather took months of consistent hard work, as I detailed in this article: https://desmonddu.medium.com/nosleepcreative-a-year-in-retrospect-5c98fb9edd4c. Today, my channel has around 16,000 subscribers and continues to grow steadily, despite being on hiatus for the past two years due to my studies. In conclusion, my YouTube channel and passion for teaching have been invaluable in building my reputation as a Motion Designer and opening up new opportunities for me in the industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://duitbetter.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedesmonddu/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desmonddu/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/nosleepcreative
- Other: Domestika “Advanced After Effects: Coding for Motion Design” course” https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/3818-advanced-after-effects-coding-for-motion-design/thedesmonddu
Image Credits
Photo courtesy of Domestika