In this open discussion episode, host Lee Smalt shares insights from his experience as a Minnesota State Arts Board grant reviewer and leads conversations about funding creative projects, film festival submissions, and navigating AI's impact on independent artistic work.

This episode covers:

• Art grant fundamentals: How state arts boards evaluate applications based on qualifications and narrative strength rather than artistic merit, with grants ranging from $2,000-$10,000 for individual artists and up to $400,000 for organizations
• Grant reviewer perspective: Lee's two-year experience reviewing 60+ applications annually revealed that successful grants require clear budgets, realistic timelines, and strong community impact narratives rather than artistic credentials
• Film festival strategy: Understanding that festival submissions require significant time and financial investment, with entry fees ranging $25-$150+ and competitions often favoring established filmmakers or specific aesthetic preferences
• Narrative crafting for grants: The importance of articulating why your project matters, who it serves, and how it contributes to cultural preservation or community engagement beyond personal artistic expression
• AI's role in creative work: Discussions about using AI tools strategically for ideation and reference while maintaining human craftsmanship and authenticity, with concerns about oversaturation and the need for "meat" in artistic work
• Balancing artistic vision with audience: The challenge of staying true to creative instincts while remaining accessible to audiences
• Tactile art resurgence: Growing interest in hands-on, mixed media work as a response to AI-generated content, emphasizing physical craftsmanship and human imperfection as differentiators

Upcoming Events:

• Game Night: Wednesday, October 22nd at 6:30pm PST (Gartic Phone)
• Next week: Personal identity and masking discussion, hosted by Jen Van Horn

Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!

SHOW NOTES:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter⁠
• Call For Entry and Application Management for the Arts
• Global Open Call for Artists

In this open discussion episode, host Kendall Hotchkiss leads a conversation about participating in and organizing art and design challenges, from daily prompts like Peachtober and Inktober to collaborative projects and personal growth experiments.

This episode covers:

• Managing time constraints in daily challenges: Set 15-minute time limits, work in grayscale only, and batch multiple prompts on weekends to maintain consistency without burning out
• Design Before Motion and Food in Motion: Both Mark Lawrence and Jen Van Horn run collaborative challenges that pair animators with sound designers to create short animations from vintage imagery
• The reality of organizing challenges: Running a challenge requires managing participants and creating templates, which often means stepping back from creating your own work
• Constraints spark creativity: Limiting yourself to specific tools, color palettes, or techniques forces problem-solving and can help you rediscover joy in your creative work
• Playground Files as exploration time: Spend an hour just clicking buttons and testing unused plugins in your software without trying to create anything finished
• Challenges build portfolio work: Approach prompts like client briefs by documenting your process and creating professional presentations that showcase skills to potential clients
• Embrace imperfection publicly: Announcing a challenge on day one gives you permission to post imperfect work, and some days producing "duds" is simply part of the growth process

Upcoming Events:

Game Night: Wednesday, October 22nd at 6:30pm Pacific - Gartic Phone returns! Meet us on our Discord!

Help Wanted:

Monday Meeting is looking for volunteer hosts for upcoming episodes, as well as volunteers to join the team with editing, social media, and other tasks. The team is also planning to create a comprehensive 2025 challenge calendar and welcomes suggestions.

Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!

SHOW NOTES:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter⁠
• 
  
• Peachtober
• Inktober
• March of Robots
• MerMay
• Rando Render
• Kendall's Collabs
• Jen's Collabs
• Good Brief Generator
• Jen's After Effects Plugin Tracker
• Kit Kat Kanvas
• Nine Squares

In this open discussion episode, host Lee Smalt and guest Austin Saylor (freelance motion designer and creator of Project 200K) explore practical strategies for networking, building community, and connecting authentically in the motion design industry.

This episode covers:

• "Never not networking" philosophy: How networking becomes natural rather than forced when you view every interaction as an opportunity to genuinely connect, treating it like keeping your eyes open for people rather than completing a checklist
• Getting comfortable with discomfort: Why pushing through the uncomfortable feeling of reaching out, attending events, or putting yourself out there is essential for growth—and how that discomfort lessens with practice
• Relationships first, opportunities second: Understanding the difference between outreach (seeking opportunities) and networking (building relationships that may lead to opportunities), with emphasis on authentic connection over transactional exchanges
• Practical networking tactics for introverts: Using the 10-minute rule at events (stay 10 more minutes before leaving), creating challenges or excuses to connect (like asking for quotes or taking selfies), and being honest about nervousness
• Client Relationship Managers (CRMs) for freelancers: How tools like Notion can help track client interactions, project history, and schedule regular check-ins to maintain relationships without letting connections fade
• Building your peer network matters: Why connecting with people at your experience level is just as valuable as connecting with established professionals, since you're all growing together and will refer each other for years

Help Wanted:

Monday Meeting is looking for volunteer hosts for November and December episodes, as well as volunteers to join the team to help with editing, social media, and other tasks!

Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!

SHOW NOTES:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter⁠
• Full Harbor
• Austin Saylor
• Motion Design Discord and Slack groups
• The Way of Integrity book
• Digital Body Language book
• Tiny Experiments book
• Basic CRM setup in Excel
• The $1.80 Insta Strategy

In this episode, host Lee Smalt interviews Amy Sundin Unger, Executive Director of Gunner School, about building accessible motion design education and fostering community connections, with Camp MoGraph recaps from Jen, EJ, Kons, and Moe.

This episode covers:

• Camp MoGraph highlights: Creative community activities including yearbook creation, projection mapping experiences, scavenger hunts, and the return of authentic networking magic at Silver Beach YMCA
• Accessible education model: Gunner School's 12-week choose-your-own-adventure curriculum combining in-studio and online learning, focusing on soft skills alongside technical development
• Community-first learning philosophy: How removing barriers like cost and location while emphasizing peer connections creates stronger educational outcomes than traditional programs
• Studio partnership expansion: Current model with Box Fort Detroit and Lunar North, seeking 5 additional partner studios across the US
• Mentorship network building: Practical advice for emerging artists to build peer networks and overcome anxiety about reaching out to industry professionals
• Flexible curriculum design: Why rapid adaptation to industry changes and feedback loops are essential for modern creative education programs

Upcoming Events:

• Next Monday: Open discussion on community building with Austin Saylor 
• Game night planning for October (Gartic Phone returns)
• Gunner School seeking mentor volunteers and studio partnerships nationwide

Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!

SHOW NOTES:

• ⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter⁠

• Gunner School

• Amy’s LinkedIn

• Sync Sketch

In this episode, host Lee Smalt interviews Alicia Allen (formerly Alicia Reece), co-founder of Nice Moves Minnesota and head of operations at Modular, for an in-depth look at building and sustaining creative communities.

This episode covers:

• Nice Moves origins: Casual conversations between Mike Nelson, Mike Zugshwort, and Alicia at bars and barbecues converged into an official organization, launching in 2016 with just a logo and Facebook page
• Infrastructure development: Transition from informal friend groups to structured nonprofits, including fiscal sponsorship with Minneapolis Television Network and establishing boards with term limits to handle member transitions
• Pandemic growth: 2020 forced rapid formalization and the move to Discord, expanding reach beyond Minneapolis 
• Leadership transitions: The challenges of stepping away as founders while ensuring continuity, emphasizing early documentation and accepting that organizations evolve beyond original vision
• Mentorship scaling: Ongoing challenge of mentor demand outpacing availability, with new Tally-Notion integration helping match participants based on specific skills and career goals
• Community impact: Salary surveys that forced local studios to raise compensation levels, and recognition from MCAD professors as a legitimate professional development organization
• Technical skills gained: Documentation, systems thinking, change management, and strategic planning as transferable skills from community work to professional operations

Upcoming Schedule:

• No meeting Monday, September 15th (Camp MoGraph attendance)
• Regular programming resumes September 22nd

Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!

SHOW NOTES:

• ⁠⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter⁠




Nice Moves webpage: https://nicemoves.org/

NM Discord: https://discord.gg/X2TRASPkv8Modular webpage: https://www.modularstudio.tv/

Foreign Fauna webpage: https://foreignfauna.com/

Tally: https://tally.so/

Zapier: https://zapier.com/

Make: https://www.make.com/

In this open discussion episode, host Lee Smalt leads conversations about community building, professional boundaries, and the role of AI in creative work, with contributions from EJ Brieva, Kendall Hotchkiss, Moose, and Sam J.

This episode covers:

• Authentic community building: How Camp MoGraph creates genuine connections by focusing on shared activities rather than networking transactions
• Professional boundaries: Why doing free work when clients request it devalues your services, and the importance of 50-25-25 payment structures and contracts for all projects
• Industry collaboration culture: Why motion designers share processes and files more openly than graphic designers, attributed to specialized skills and less market saturation
• AI limitations and reality: Understanding AI as a reference tool rather than creative collaborator
• Strategic thinking in motion design: The importance of asking "why" and understanding client goals beyond just technical execution, especially for designers without advertising backgrounds
• Social media community building: Treating online relationships like real-life interactions with authenticity and boundaries, rather than chasing viral content or shortcuts

Upcoming Events:

• No meeting Monday, September 15th (Camp MoGraph conflicts)
• Next week's guest: Alicia Allen, Co-founder of Nice Moves Minnesota - discussing Discord community building and the Minneapolis motion design scene

Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!

SHOW NOTES:

• ⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠
• ⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠
• ⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠
• ⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠
• ⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter⁠
• Simon Sinek’s Start with Why
• Give First

In this open discussion episode, host Jen Van Horn is joined by regular contributors Kendall Hotchkiss and Lee Smalt for a wide-ranging conversation covering branding strategies, community building, and creative industry trends.

This episode covers:

• Event marketing insights: Jen and Kendall share their experience at Denver Brunch Fest, discussing design elements that stood out across 40+ vendor booths and the importance of legibility and strong color contrast for event signage
• Bartering for business growth: How Jen traded motion design services for VIP festival tickets, creating a mutually beneficial relationship with an event planner while building a portfolio in the event space and networking with vendors
• Standing out through bold branding: Discussion of a punk rock printer company that increased sales 25% by embracing an unexpected brand personality, emphasizing that "the most unsafe thing you can do these days is be safe"
• Creative tool evolution: Exploration of emerging software like Moho for character animation, Adobe's new 3D vector capabilities in Illustrator, and the growing market demand for alternatives to Adobe Creative Suite
• Interactive content challenges: The limitations of current platforms for interactive video content and the potential for tools like Rive to bridge the gap between linear content and user engagement
• Animation's resilience: Analysis of K-pop: Demon Hunters' theatrical success as evidence that animation remains king in entertainment, with discussion of how creativity and human connection differentiate motion designers from AI tools
• Industry adaptation strategies: Advice on finding your niche, embracing change as creatives, and viewing AI as a supporting tool rather than a replacement for human creativity

Next month, Lee Smalt will host episodes focused on community building, exploring the technical and strategic aspects of creating engaged communities with insights from industry leaders who've successfully built and managed creative communities.

Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!

SHOW NOTES:

• ⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠
• ⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠
• ⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠
• ⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠
• ⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter⁠
• Denver Brunchfest
• Grumpy Monkey Moho Animator

In this final episode of the anonymous stories series, host Jen Van Horn is joined by mystery co-host Luis Miranda to share more listener submissions and Reddit finds covering everything from LinkedIn hypocrisy to cash payments gone wrong.

This episode covers:

• Social media authenticity: A client who posts about work-life balance on LinkedIn while messaging across multiple platforms at all hours, highlighting the disconnect between public personas and actual behavior
• Toxic workplace dynamics: Stories of companies using layoffs as manipulation tactics, promotions without pay raises, and the satisfaction of watching terrible employers fail
• Professional boundaries: The importance of setting clear communication limits, using proper contracts, and not answering work calls/emails outside business hours
• Screen sharing disasters: A hilarious tale of a client accidentally showing 23 porn tabs during a presentation while doing "research" for a Pornhub marketing campaign
• Payment nightmares: A marijuana company client paying $5,000 in cash through a bikini-clad girlfriend at a hotel, leading to awkward money-splitting scenarios and eventual ghosting
• Budget overruns: An account manager caught with a $50,000 project overage, emphasizing the importance of transparent client communication about costs
• Sales vs. creative tensions: Stories of sales teams over-promising while sidelining creatives, and the rare satisfaction when clients demand to hear directly from the creative team
• Payment structures: Detailed discussion of 50-25-25 payment schedules, the importance of upfront payments, and strategies for protecting yourself from difficult clients

Join us next week for an open discussion! Bring your questions about the motion design industry, career advice, tools, or anything else you'd like to discuss with the community.

Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!

SHOW NOTES:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter⁠⁠
• Luis Miranda
• Luis Miranda IG

In this episode of Monday Meeting, host Jen Van Horn is joined by mystery co-host Donavon Brutus to share more anonymous stories from listeners, covering everything from compliance nightmares to creative misunderstandings.

This episode covers:

• Compliance chaos: A financial company's compliance manager who refused to approve scripts until seeing the final video, leading to expensive VO retakes and rushed deadlines
• Mystical decision-making: A client who said bad ideas were right because the time was 11:11 AM and warned about the world ending in 7 days during a business call
• Creative workflow insights: How to stage feedback rounds, write down creative decisions for future reference, and balance client expectations with personal artistic vision
• Cross-medium challenges: A face-painting disaster that reminded us that being good at one art form doesn't automatically translate to others
• Equipment and workspace struggles: Being forced to bring personal computers to jobs, render failures requiring remote work, and the challenges of working with inadequate company hardware
• Religious workplace dynamics: From percentage signs deemed "too sexual" to requests for crosses in logos at religious institutions
• Scope creep nightmares: Projects with mismatched stock assets; clients misleading you about having "fully illustrated boards," and the importance of protecting your reputation even on difficult projects
• Creative director challenges: ECDs who ignore briefs and push for unnecessary reconcepting, leading to off-brand presentations and wasted creative effort

Send us your anonymous motion design stories for next week! Whether they're client horror stories, funny mishaps, positive collaborations, or industry insights - we want to hear them all. Submit with our form link here!

Visit mondaymeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!

SHOW NOTES:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter⁠⁠
• Donavon Brutus
• Donavon Brutus IG

In this episode of Monday Meeting, host Jen Van Horn is joined by co-host Sara Wade to read and discuss anonymous stories submitted by listeners, plus some relatable tales found on Reddit.

This episode covers:

• Equipment nightmares: Stories of dragging 27-inch iMacs back and forth to cheap clients, computer fans catching fire, and the logistics of working with your own gear
• Communication chaos: Clients who only use WhatsApp voice notes at all hours, British bosses having hour-long outbursts over American spelling, and the importance of setting boundaries
• Rejection letter absurdity: A hilariously insulting job rejection that mentions "rock paper scissors" decision-making and tries too hard to be creative and positive
• Workplace gratitude gone wrong: How past favors can be weaponized to silence employees and the difficulty of leaving toxic situations when you feel indebted
• Success stories: Clients who appreciate good work with bonus payments, clients giving rare compliments, and mentors who have your back when scope creep happens
• Office culture insights: From snack hierarchies and crafty supplies to the pros and cons of remote vs. in-office work, plus advice on short contracts and regular check-ins

The conversation explores everything from setting professional boundaries and staging feedback rounds to recognizing when it's time to walk away from clients or jobs - even when the situation isn't entirely black and white.

Keep the anonymous stories coming for more episodes this month! Whether they're crazy client tales, positive collaborations, funny mishaps, or industry insights - we want to hear them all. Submit at:  https://form.jotform.com/251874068207057

Join us for our monthly Game Night, playing Gartic Phone NEXT WEEK on Wednesday evening, August 13th! More details on our Discord server!

Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!

SHOW NOTES:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter⁠⁠
• Sara Wade's Portfolio
• Sara Wade on LinkedIn