We were lucky to catch up with Gavin Holmes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gavin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I was fortunate to finally find my passion using digital tools in my last couple of years at Georgia Tech. I had started as an industrial design student and at the time we were using traditional drafting tools and making physical models in the basement shop. Don’t get me wrong. There is something to the physicality of that process, but once I understood what 3d animation was all about, I chucked the bondo and foamcore in the dumpster.

The cost of buying a computer and the software was only attainable because I was able to get a great student discount at the campus store. I left Tech with a portfolio of terribly drawn products (computer mice, coffee pots, etc.) and a couple of still printouts of 3d renderings that were part experimental and part ‘tutorial’ work that I snuck home to do instead of finishing out my last month of co-op at a Bellsouth training facility (yawn…).

I didn’t really know about motion graphics then, so I looked in the phone book and started looking for print, multi-media and special effects shops (explosions, car chases, etc.) The local sfx houses hadn’t even started looking at computer animation yet, so that was a waste of time. I eventually ended up getting hired at a very small firm I found through the Georgia Film Book that did 3d animation, video editing and sound design/music. Part of the deal to obtain a miniscule wage was that I had to bring my computer and software until I could ‘prove’ myself. I used that/my system for three years!

No matter, I was making enough to pay my rent, car payment and food eating habit, so SCORE! The raises weren’t much, and the pay continued to suck for the seven years I was there, but I absolutely LOVED the work and (most of) the people I worked with. I’m still great friends with the guy who hired me and a few of the other lackeys from back in the day, too.

The next job I had was not a bump, either, and I went with the ‘promise’ that they would give me a significant raise in 6 months. Unfortunately, 911 happened in-between and I never got a really big raise. It went up somewhat, and definitely enough to put a down payment on a house, etc. But, it would take me another 10 or so years of working for companies, sharpening my skills, and meeting people (super important), so that when I did go on my own I was able to start invoicing out of the gate and instantly started making two to three times what I had ever made as a salary.

Now, my invoicing is up/down over the fiscal year, but all in all I am in a much better financial situation than I ever was at a studio. I highly suggest going out on your own after you’ve done your time.

Gavin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was originally wanting to be an architect, then changed to industrial design after the first quarter. Desktop software was just coming into reach for the average artist around that time, and I started using Photoshop and Aldus Freehand early on. On my last year, I took a 3D Studio class when it was still a DOS based software. After that, it was all over. I loved 3D animation and motion in general!

Working for a small boutique out of school, I got to work on Ryan Seacrest’s first gig ‘Reality Check’ which required a ton of 3D, and that’s when I did my first character animation. So. Much. FUN! When they decided to go fully interactive, I moved on to a post-production house called Todd AO (soon to be Riot Atlanta). There, I cut my chops on advertising, broadcast branding, and corporate communications. I jumped into a Flame suite, and did VFX and motion graphics for the next 7 years.

After that, I went to Weather Channel for a couple of years and enjoyed doing science explainers and more broadcast design than I had previously done. I value all the varied experiences and embrace being a ‘generalist’ when it comes to the tools. I value design overall because if it doesn’t look good in a thumbnail sketch, it isn’t going to look good moving.

I feel I stand out due to my unique style and my dedication to completing jobs creatively and on budget/time.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish AI had been around earlier. I think it is a complete game-changer and will render the future of motion in a completely new way. As well, I wish I had a proper color theory class before entering the field.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

It took a bit to get the small (~$10k) I needed to get a good computer and the software. A couple of banks turned me down (even though I owned a house!), until one bank got ‘creative’ and suggest I open a line of credit using my house as a mark (duh!). I got the loan and paid it off after a few months.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gavinholmes.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eyedfy/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinholmes1/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gavinholmes7768
• Other: https://vimeo.com/gavinholmes

Image Credits
Gavin Holmes