Back in the year 2000 I faced a crucial decision while building out my broadcast pipeline. Initially I thought I’d track down a used SGI Indigo2 or Octane running Discreet Logic Flint or Flame. The hourly rate for a system of this caliber averaged around $250. However, I had a bit of trepidation in my decision. Apple QuickTime was finally maturing for broadcast-quality delivery, tapeless, and easily delivered on hard drives or DVD-ROM disks. No need for a tape machine for output changed the game for me immediately. I decided to build out a four workstation render farm for Adobe After Effects (AE) and Electric Image Animation System (EIAS). I did end up adding a BetaSP machine for $10K. As fate would have it, I only used it once or twice because my clients, for the most part, were already delivering me stack reels of footage to use in our projects on portable hard drives.
Building out a Watch Folder AE render farm was effortless, as was EIAS. My hourly rate, that to this day remains the same, was set at $100 an hour. My first year garnered a six-figure salary, but for me it was never about the money. I was given a precious gift that allowed me to follow my curiosities and passions for storytelling. Bringing stories to life in the form of broadcast promos and show branding was my jam, and I built up a reputation for never settling for second best. One job naturally led to another. Word of mouth advertising served me well. The only marketing I ever spent any money on were two runs of business cards and a simple website. I think I handed out less than ten cards at trade shows like NAB and Siggraph. Instead I fostered friendships with various vendors ranging from motion capture technologies to editing and compositing software. One card I gave to Steve, the After Effects Project Manager at Adobe.
That following year I answered his call to join him and three other artists at NAB. We all brought projects showing off our various production and animation techniques with the crowds at the entertainment industry’s most revered trade show in Las Vegas. I think it was also around the same time I joined the After Effects Prerelease Program…