We recently connected with Jen Van Horn and have shared our conversation below.

Jen, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

When I was a new motion designer, I didn’t have the option to go full time. I freelanced for YEARS before I was given the opportunity to join a team full time, so I was already well versed in building up my network, setting boundaries with my contracts, and living that remote lifestyle when the pandemic hit. I suddenly found myself in a unique situation as I witnessed motion designers who were forced into freelance and struggling all around me -I could help! I started giving advice on various podcasts and Clubhouse chats, I helped start “The Keyframers Club” on Discord, I joined School of Motion as a teaching assistant, and I launched my first online course, “Time and Project Management for Creative Freelancers” on SkillShare. I preached the importance of staying organized, keeping “office hours”, prioritizing basic health needs, creating an accountability group for emotional support, and remembering that “soft skills pay the bills”.

After a few years of spilling all of my knowledge to whoever reached out to ask, something happened that I didn’t expect -I started being recognized at various conferences and I somehow earned a low key celebrity status in the industry. Motion designers were taking my advice to the bank and growing their confidence, and they were coming up to thank me. As an introvert, it still kind of blows my mind that I’ve been memorable in any way, but it fills my heart that I was able to reach so many in just a few years. Life really does reward you when you try and put as much good as you can out into the world, and I hope I can keep that going as long as possible! I never set out to become an educator or a mentor, but now that I am one, it’s the most meaningful part of my career!

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?

I am a Freelance Senior Motion Designer, an Animation Mentor, and a Digital Artist living in Loveland, Colorado. I’m also known as the “Queen of Explainers”, because I’ve animated over 150 explainer videos, and it’s still my favorite kind of project to animate (especially when there are characters involved). I mostly animate pre-approved vector artwork in After Effects, but I have been flexing my design skills for certain clients and friends. I love working in After Effects because there always seems to be multiple ways to solve a creative motion problem, and troubleshooting the solution is half of the fun for me. I have a large referral list, so even when I’m not available, I can usually find you someone who is -I love connecting creatives to clients! I spent the last year and a half working full time, but I’ve missed freelancing too much and I’m so excited to be back! I have big plans to make more time for “play”, take those classes that I never got around to taking, and explore new animation styles. I look forward to seeing where this next chapter in my career will lead!

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I had more emotional support resources when I first started out as a motion designer. It took me a few years to recognize the importance of building an accountability group, and once I did, I couldn’t imagine getting by without them. Our weekly goal setting calls and our daily Discord chats have built up our confidence and helped us expand in ways we never dreamed possible from when we first started.

Salaried motion designers often think freelancing sounds risky and downright terrifying, but after working full time for awhile, I couldn’t wait to get back to freelancing, and it was because of my accountability group that I was able to dip right back in the freelancing flow. Some salaried motion designers wouldn’t have it any other way, but freelancing has given me the freedom and flexibility I needed to build up my reputation and add so much more variety to my portfolio. I did learn a lot while working along side a team, but if you know where to look, you can create those collaborative environments virtually via Discord, Slack, Zoom, etc.

I also wish I had prioritized going to smaller motion design conferences earlier on -Camp Mograph and DashBash are now on my list to go every year! These smaller conferences allow pockets of connection with “your people” that get lost with the bigger, more over-whelming events. They are a wonderful source of creative inspiration!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

“Soft skills pay the bills” -clients find their way to me because of my reputation in the industry for being easy to work with. I don’t cause drama, I’m friendly, I work quickly, I always deliver on time, I’m an excellent creative problem solver, and I can be as communicative as you’d like. I have the concept, design, and animation skills, but it’s my soft skills that puts everyone at ease. They know I can get it done well, on time, and with a smile. Never discount previous jobs that seem unrelated to motion design -you can build your soft skills with ANY job.

I also make sure that I write great testimonials when a project goes well, and ask for one in return. My creditability is precious to me, and I make it a point to illustrate a small special portrait for every client and colleague who writes a positive testimonial for my website.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jenjenvanhorn.myportfolio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenjen64/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jvanhorn64/