Pixel Retentive Podcast

Joe Weaver is an entrepreneur and the Founder of Oceanty LLC, a mobile gaming studio that makes games for all ages. He created and sold his spatial communication platform (Ario) in 2022 and secured $1M from Verizon to build the platform for 5G. He is a Unity-certified developer and even worked as a spatial computing specialist.

Before these ventures, Joe worked as a software developer for Huntington Ingalls Industries and Newport News Shipbuilding. Passionate about mobile gaming, Joe's development of Tough Turtles, a physics-based puzzle game for all ages, promises to captivate audiences worldwide.

Businesses and creative endeavors need monetary support to prosper. While a handful are self-sufficient, the majority need funding and investments to get off the ground. It becomes the familiar and daunting task of acquiring funds. Everyone wants to know who to talk to and how to create a financial foundation for their project. So what does this look like in practice?

Joe Weaver is an entrepreneur who started a business, nurtured it through funding, and was able to scale successfully as a result. His experience covers the reality of finances for artistic projects. He acknowledges that entrepreneurship demands long hours and hard work, reminding us that success comes to those who are willing to go the extra mile. The lessons he learned are now yours to benefit from.

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl Cleanthes and Ross Ciuppa interact with Joe Weaver, the Founder of Oceanty LLC, on how to position your projects to investors. They talk about the art of pitching, where to find potential investors, and expanding your team. They also touch on freemium models and how AI relates to video games.

Carl Cleanthes is a lifelong artist and an entrepreneur, founding his creative studio, Epic Made, in 2006. With over 15 years of experience in animation, illustration, and design, the studio has worked with beloved brands such as SYFY, Nickelodeon, USA Network, WWE, TNT, and many more. In addition to his work with Epic Made, he volunteers for the Hampton Roads Chapter of AIGA and is the current sitting President.

Ross Ciuppa is a digital painter, 3D animator, and modeler. As the Creative Director at Epic Made, he is responsible for leading the studio's creative vision and ensuring the quality of its output. With a background in sales and the arts, including set design and direction for short films, Ross brings a unique perspective to his role at Epic Made.

It's a common saying to "trust the process," but how many professionals take this to heart? Genuine progress is often hindered by a rush to move on to the next thing, finding success at any cost. The result is either unsustainable or lacking in quality. For creatives and business leaders alike, working through the process will always yield the best fruit in the long run.

Carl Cleanthes and Ross Ciuppa, who work in the creative and corporate fields, believe in this concept. They have acquired their process through hard-earned experience by initiating and completing diverse projects. So what can be learned from their system? In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl Cleanthes and Ross Ciuppa discuss how they design their process. They work through the lessons they've accumulated, why it's crucial to get started, and ways to improve. The two also discuss how to use advice and why social media can hinder success.

Rebecca Blake is a professional graphic designer with more than 30 years of experience. As the Design Director at Optimum Design & Consulting, she leads the creation of original graphic design, including logos, website interfaces, brochures, publications, mail, and advertising.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Rebecca has dedicated herself to championing the rights and concerns of visual artists. Since September 2016, she has served as Advocacy Liaison for the Graphic Artists Guild, where she monitors upcoming legislation on copyrights and writes articles on design for the Guild's news blog.

The elephant in the room for most industries is AI. It is especially true for artists since copyright and unique abilities are valued above all. Pressing questions concerning fair use, the future of art, and the effect on creatives everywhere need answers. Many people are weighing in, but few are qualified on both the artistic and business sides of the equation.

Rebecca Blake has represented artists and worked on designs for more than two decades. She is not only familiar with the impact of AI but is actively working through the implications of the experience to contextualize this new moment. So what can concerned or interested artists learn about this burgeoning technology?

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl Cleanthes and Ross Ciuppa are joined by Rebecca Blake, an Advocacy Liaison at The Graphic Artist Guild, to talk about AI and how it relates to artists. They discuss how copyright affects AI, the four Cs of fair use, what counts as transformative, and how to use it properly. They also touch on Rebecca's most valued project and how she got to her current position in the industry.

Carl Cleanthes is a lifelong artist and an entrepreneur, founding his creative studio, Epic Made, in 2006. With over 15 years of experience in animation, illustration, and design, the studio has worked with beloved brands such as SYFY, Nickelodeon, USA Network, WWE, TNT, and many more. In addition to his work with Epic Made, he volunteers for the Hampton Roads Chapter of AIGA and is the current sitting President.

Ross Ciuppa is a digital painter, 3D animator, and modeler. As the Creative Director at Epic Made, he is responsible for leading the studio's creative vision and ensuring the quality of its output. With a background in sales and the arts, including set design and direction for short films, Ross brings a unique perspective to his role at Epic Made.

Even if it can be challenging to place, people know when they have experienced a meaningful story. There is a difference between simple entertainment and something that leaves a lasting mark on the audience. Whether for advertising, production, or personal creativity, imbuing meaning into stories will always make something memorable. So how do you create something with genuine meaning?

By delving into the intricacies of meaningful storytelling, Carl Cleanthes and Ross Ciuppa provide valuable insights that can empower creators to craft narratives that resonate with audiences on a profound level. They underscore the importance of storytelling in comprehending and navigating life, noting that stories have served as fundamental elements in various cultures throughout history.

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl Cleanthes and Ross Ciuppa discuss meaningful storytelling and how to do it well. They break down the relationship between entertainment and pure storytelling, why being surprising is not always best, and leaving the audience on the right note. The two also touch on how these concepts relate to their webcomic and the new D&D movie.

Carl Cleanthes is a lifelong artist and an entrepreneur, founding his creative studio, Epic Made, in 2006. With over 15 years of experience in animation, illustration, and design, the studio has worked with beloved brands such as SYFY, Nickelodeon, USA Network, WWE, TNT, and many more. In addition to his work with Epic Made, he volunteers for the Hampton Roads Chapter of AIGA and is the current sitting President.

Ross Ciuppa is a digital painter, 3D animator, and modeler. As the Creative Director at Epic Made, he is responsible for leading the studio's creative vision and ensuring the quality of its output. With a background in sales and the arts, including set design and direction for short films, Ross brings a unique perspective to his role at Epic Made.

For creative studios, a single high-profile project can change everything. Establishing credibility and expertise is vital for creative businesses, and often, it comes in the form of a one-time breakthrough.

At Epic Made, the studio gained more business and notoriety after a successful project for one of SYFY Network's campaigns. The team poured itself into the opportunity and was able to advance its careers as a result. So what did the process look like, and how did it create the ad spot?

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Chad Franzen of Rise25 returns to interview Carl Cleanthes and Ross Ciuppa of Epic Made to discuss their breakthrough project. They share insights on their pitch, the tools they use, their approach to creations, and the results of the opportunity.

For the last 25 years, Marci Selsberg has specialized in representing animation, VFX, and motion design studios. She has spent most of her career as a Partner and Agent for BlahUSA, a brand that represents a variety of animation and visual FX studios. Her first positions were with an ad agency and as a live-action director before moving to animation. Marci has worked hands-on with studios and creatives worldwide in commercial, broadcasting, and digital spaces.

For professional artists and creatives, a demo reel is one of the most valuable tools you can hone. Whether expanding the content or refining the presentation, a demo reel is often the first opportunity for creatives to showcase their work. That first impression is crucial, and you want to make it count.

Marci Selsberg has spent much of her extensive career working with studios and reviewing countless demo reels. In her over 25 years of experience, she has learned firsthand the power of an effective demo reel — and the common mistakes professionals make. So what should you be aware of when creating yours?

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl Cleanthes and Ross Ciuppa interview Marci Selsberg, a Partner and Agent at BlahUSA, to discuss the art of demo reels. They break down the best practices of creating and curating a demo reel, mistakes that are easy to avoid, and proving you can create a compelling story. They also discuss communication and how to talk to potential employers.

Carl Cleanthes is a lifelong artist and an entrepreneur, founding his creative studio, Epic Made, in 2006. With over 15 years of experience in animation, illustration, and design, the studio has worked with beloved brands such as SYFY, Nickelodeon, USA Network, WWE, TNT, and many more. In addition to his work with Epic Made, he volunteers for the Hampton Roads Chapter of AIGA and is the current sitting President.

Ross Ciuppa is a digital painter, 3D animator, and modeler. As the Creative Director at Epic Made, he is responsible for leading the studio's creative vision and ensuring the quality of its output. With a background in sales and the arts, including set design and direction for short films, Ross brings a unique perspective to his role at Epic Made.

Epic Made is an established digital art and animation studio that has worked with beloved brands like Nickelodeon, TNT, WWE, and more for over 15 years. This studio has grown and is taking things to the next level with an exciting new venture — a podcast.

Carl Cleanthes is the Founder of Epic Made, and Ross Ciuppa is its Creative Director. Together, they are looking to interview some of the brightest figures in the entertainment and art communities. Before they learn about the journeys of others, this is their story.

In this debut episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl Cleanthes and Ross Ciuppa are interviewed by Chad Franzen of Rise25. They walk through the origins of Epic Made, their careers as artists, and how they approach their projects. The two also touch on confidence in the art community and why it matters for your artists. Get ready to join the journey of Epic Made's visionary leaders and discover the stories that inspired their rise to the top.