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Interview with Ali Alfaifi |
Home > Designer Interviews > Ali Alfaifi |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Ali Alfaifi (AA) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Ali Alfaifi by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
AA: My passion for art and design started in filmmaking and specially the editing part of it. I believe editing in movies is an art by its own. So that led me to the world of motion design and animation which I found myself in love with. The beauty of motion design is that it combines design and filmmaking into one unique field that people like me could express themselves in.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
AA: I started my journey in motion design back in 2012-2013. At the time I had a government job in a different field and I used to freelance on the side doing motion design work for various clients. By 2016 I was already doing work for respected Saudi companies and agencies and also some government sectors. In 2017 I started giving workshops in motion design. The same year I switched career to be a full time Art Director at a Saudi advertising agency leading the motion department.
FS: What is "design" for you?
AA: Everything around us and everything we use and everything we have was designed and then made. The houses we live in, the cars we drive and the technology we use were all there because they were designed. Design makes life easier and more beautiful. Life is about creation, and creation is done through design.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
AA: I like designing motion and delivering messages and ideas through them. The beauty of motion design is that you could explain ideas, express feelings and move people through the power of visuals and sound combined.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
AA: Lately I’m drown more towards Main Title Design for films and TV shows. This area of motion design is very powerful since it has so much to do with filmmaking and Design. Every Main Title Design gives messages and hints about the show/film that is about to start. It sets the mode of it and excite the audience.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
AA: One of the first projects I did was a music video for a local singer that wanted his video to be animated.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
AA: In our field of design Behance is considered one of the most popular platforms for showcasing works and getting inspired. As far as technology, it would be the software I use to create and design which include After Effects, Illustrator, Premier Pro and Cinema4D.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
AA: The most creative moments for me are when I have a challenging project that would need a totally new direction, and when the project is about a cause that I believe in. As far as creative periods of the day, that would be in the early morning and midnight. I think it has more to do with them being quite times that I’m rarely interrupted.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
AA: I focus a lot on the motion part and how things move according to real life. But in general, producing a motion video considers attention to concept, designs, animating, editing and sound.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
AA: When I design and animate, I feel excited and lifted. I always see it as composing a song, it moves me and excites me and sometimes it makes me dance, especially as the whole project is rhythmically coming together.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
AA: One of the main reasons designers do what they do, is to show others what they have accomplished. When my work is being realized, it makes me satisfied and happy and want to do more.
FS: What makes a design successful?
AA: In my filed “animation and motion design” that would be a collection of “touching idea or message, excellent art direction, beautiful animation, good sound effects and attention to details”.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
AA: From my won perspective, I first notice the animation and what techniques the artist used, then I focus on the design and the art direction, finally I look at what kind of message is communicated and how am I affected by it.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
AA: In the field of animation and motion design, experimenting is always the way to go to explore new styles. The environment around me has a big impact on my work. The things that inspire me are mostly outside of my field, they could come from music I listen to, a movie I watch, or an outdoor scene.
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
AA: I see myself more in animation and compositing, and as working in the advertising world I have to explore different styles all the time. With every project or campaign, there are new challenges and problems that we have to solve through design, and that where we develop and get to try new ideas and approaches.
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
AA: I live in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and comparing to the neighboring countries we are ahead in many ways, and advertising is no different. That gave us the opportunities to learn and develop our skills and get to know new technologies and software that are being used worldwide. The only downside that comes in mind is the lack of pro companies and studios that we could learn from, especially that animation and motion design is a field that is important in many areas such as the Film Industry and the Advertising Industry.
FS: How do you work with companies?
AA: I’m usually contacted for single project or a collaboration on several projects, although I’m needed for specific area such as direction and motion design, but I like to get as much details as passible from the early stages of the project so I could come up. With the best solution.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
AA: Companies are ultimately humans working together to accomplish certain goals, so successful collaborations with designers happen when you treat them as humans and as part of the team.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
AA: First, if there is no brief, there is no project, even when the project is a personal one you still need a brief for yourself. After that and based on the brief I do my research which cover all aspects of the project from the idea to the art direction. Then I get to the experimentation stage where I try different techniques and what would work for me. Then I get to the normal process of storyboarding, designing, animating and editing the final piece.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
AA: Those would be my sketchbook, computer, After Effects, Illustrator, and the whole office. Lately I’m adding a new tool which will be Cinema4D for 3D design and animation.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
AA: Attention to details is the key to beautiful design.Simple is harder, and more beautiful.Lastly, discipline is more important than talent.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
AA: Being a designer gives you the opportunity to understand life better. And the biggest benefit is that you get to do what you love and get paid. I can’t really see any negatives of being a designer as long as you keep a balance of your social life, especially your family, because design is going to take your work time as well as your free time. It’s your job and your hobby, so balance is important.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
AA: Discipline is more important than talent.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
AA: Time management, and good eye.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
AA: Those would be my sketchbook, computer, After Effects, Illustrator, and the whole office. Lately I’m adding a new tool which will be Cinema4D for 3D design and animation.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
AA: Time management is usually not a priority to most artist, But I think it’s the key to a successful career. Design process is all about solving problems, so I deal with the time factor as one of them. A project direction and what would go into it will depend on the time that is given either from me of from a client.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
AA: It always depends, but a good piece of animation or motion design would take somewhere between four days to two weeks. It will also differ if it’s a team work or a solo one.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
AA: I always get asked how I learned, and the answer is always the same, practice every single day. Another one would be what kind of software I use and what sources of learning I know. With this age of information nothing is impossible.
FS: What was your most important job experience?
AA: My current job has taught me a lot, starting by working with and managing artists, and ending with working with big clients and seeing the market from different angles.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
AA: I worked and collaborated with private companies like Myrkots, Misk org and Heights agency. And with the government sector like Center for Government Communication, Saudi Energy Efficiency Center. And with celebrities like football player Captain Yasser Alqahtani which I got the A’ Design Award for.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
AA: Any motion design project that is related to the film industry.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
AA: I’m taking my first steps in the world of 3D animation, and my plan is to get into the film industry by working in visual effects and motion design.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
AA: In the agency I work with my team that I manage and it’s taking most of my time now. As far as the freelance work I mostly work alone and develop my designs in my own.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
AA: Agency work in never finished, but I’m working on an advanced motion design course that would help new people that are interested in my country since we still don’t have an official complete education in the subject, and the online content in my language is still poor.
FS: How can people contact you?
AA: People can always contact me through my website or email at any time.Website: alialfaifi.netEmail: hello@alialfaifi.net
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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