We recently connected with Drysen Carsten and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Drysen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Ah, I love this question. I’m looking back on my career, I’ve consistently put myself in seemingly emotionally and mentally risky situations. In high school, I was terrified of social interactions, along with public speaking. To overcome it, I intentionally ran for State VP of the South Dakota Future Business Leaders of America, which obviously, required being social and public speaking. Even though I was shaking in my shoes, this was a life-changing moment that taught me to be comfortable in my own skin and the power of putting myself in uncomfortable situations. The growth that comes from being uncomfortable is powerful. For example:

In 2018, I was working for a local marketing agency. It was a cool gig – I got to travel, direct commercials, and animate until my heart was content. Unfortunately, one of the partners seemingly had a vendetta against me. One day she pulled a co-worker into my office and berated me in front of an audience. After, I thanked her partner for the opportunity and walked out – Knowing I had no savings and needed the health insurance for our (at the time) soon-to-be-born daughter. This taught me to bet on myself, no matter what. Though it was an expensive lesson to learn, I know I can bet on myself to get crafty, make ends meet, and provide for my family.

My favorite was In 2019 when I bought the first ticket ever sold for an event that no one had heard of – Camp MoGraph. I went solo and I was terrified. I didn’t know anyone and frankly, I wasn’t sure I was cut out to be a motion designer. This was single-handedly the best investment in my career to date because it directly led to meeting some of my best friends, starting my studio & podcast, and this year they even invited me to be the emcee of Camp Mograph 2023, where I was able to interview
Elyse Kelly of Neon Zoo and David Levine, the Creative Strategist at NASA JPL.

I co-own Hyperfocus Motion, along with being a volunteer firefighter in my local community. I seemingly love to put myself in risky situations because I know I’m going to push myself to my limits and grow.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Today I am the co-owner of Hyperfocus Motion, a motion design studio in South Dakota. We create ads & explainers for finance, food & beverage, and entertainment, but I am oddly in love with the ag-technology projects we get to work on. Not only was I raised on our family farm, but my career has allowed me to work alongside some of the best farmers in the world, including a nationally aired 50-episode documentary following world record growers. It’s safe to say we know a thing or two about farming!

I am fascinated by agriculture as it uses some of the most technologically advanced machines on the planet. The products we’ve worked with at HF are literally the technology of tomorrow, so most days it feels like we’re living in the future. Knowing that Hyperfocus Motion is able to play a small role in shaping the voice of those who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, along with educating folks on where our food and resources come from, is super rewarding.

How’d you meet your business partner?

In 2019, I was working as a video editor & motion designer at IFA Productions. During my three years of working on TV shows and broadcast commercials, I developed a strong friendship with my graphic designing colleague Courtney Haberl, who was creating digital ads, large format print materials, magazines, apparel, and so much more. On the days we needed a break from our computer, we’d spend time capturing b-roll & photography for the company’s marketing library. We found we worked well together, and had similar interests. I was impressed by (and honestly a little jealous of) her design abilities.

As time passed, I felt a growing desire to dedicate my career completely to motion graphics. After a nasty back injury, I knew my time working with heavy cameras was coming to an end. An opportunity to freelance with one of my dream studios popped up, and I jumped at the opportunity. Courtney and I stayed in touch. I freelanced for roughly a year. I began to realize that as a freelancer, my role was confined to a specific role in each project. I deeply missed being involved in the entire creative process and longed for direct client interaction, The idea of starting a studio was starting to form in my mind, and Courtney shared she was starting her own freelance journey. When a large project landed in my lap, I knew it was the right moment to start Hyperfocus Motion, but I needed a partner who excelled in areas where I had limitations. I was determined to collaborate with a woman to ensure we built a well-balanced studio, and Courtney was at the top of a very short list of remarkable people.

Since launching Hyperfocus in January 2023, I can confidently say that without Courtney’s insights, wisdom, and design skills, Hyperfocus Motion wouldn’t be the studio it is today.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

As the concept of launching Hyperfocus Motion began to take shape, it became clear that although we were skilled in creating exceptional 2D and 3D work, we were pretty clueless when it came to running a studio! I had taken classes from Sarofsky Labs, but I needed more guidance. It was during a Camp Mograph 2022 chat with Amanda Russell from Cream Studio who casually mentioned, “Hey, you should start a podcast!” The next morning, a conversation with Nick Cambell of Greyscale Gorilla had a similar suggestion. Taking these signs from the universe seriously, I decided to kick off FrameOne to interview folks who had achieved what I aspired to. And, since I was already recording it, I thought, “Why not share it with the world in case others find the information valuable?”

Through these interviews, I stumbled upon a book called “Traction” by Gino Wickman, which eventually led me to explore “Entrepreneurial Leap” and “Rocketfuel.” These aren’t design books; they’re roadmaps on how to build a functional team, all working towards a shared goal of propelling your business forward. These books have been pivotal in helping me understand who I am as an individual and my role in advancing Hyperfocus, while also shedding light on the areas where I could use some assistance.

Contact Info:

• Website: hyperfocusmotion.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hyperfocus_motion/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearehyperfocused
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drysen-carsten/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@frameoneshow
• Other: Frameoneshow.com

Image Credits
Hyperfocus Motion