Meet the Membership Board in Motion: Christopher Golden
WORKING NOT WORKING
Simply put, Working Not Working doesn’t work without our members. Every single creative that builds a profile on WNW is further bolstering the elite talent pool we’re known for with their unique skillset and perspective in tow. With our community growing exponentially to include more than 50,000 creatives all over the world, our very own Membership Board has become especially invaluable. Members of our Membership Board are not only some of the most talented and experienced creatives on the platform; they also take time out of their busy schedules to proactively vet creative talent on WNW and offer personalized feedback to help fellow members strengthen their profiles.
This recurring WNW Magazine feature will introduce you to creatives on our Membership Board. It will celebrate their work and give them the mic to offer advice on how to elevate your own WNW profile. This feature is NOT meant to introduce you to creatives you should beg, bribe, or badger to review your profile. Our Membership Board includes hundred of members and the profiles they review are randomized.
Which project in your portfolio are you proudest of and why?
Last year I worked on a pretty fun project for Nike with Pitch Studios. We worked together to create a 3D animation which was projection-mapped onto one of Melbourne's most iconic buildings and acted as a beacon for the series of Air Max Day events in the city. Nike was one of those great clients who was really open to our ideas and allowed us to interpret an almost open brief. It was super inspiring!
What's your creative mission at this stage of your career?
Last year I focused on a lot of world-building projects and this year I’m harnessing that output and exploring a more mediative quality that is rooted in nature. My upcoming projects will explore ideas of connecting to digital nature or peace. I want to create works that add to the audience’s lives.
“Last year I focused on a lot of world-building projects and this year I’m harnessing that output and exploring a more mediative quality that is rooted in nature. My upcoming projects will explore ideas of connecting to digital nature or peace. I want to create works that add to the audience’s lives.”
Who is your creative inspiration?
I’m fascinated by a lot of other mediums of design: Sam Ross of a A Cold Wall, Frank Gehry the architect, Oki Sato of Nendo. People that are doing unexpected work in their field and pushing what is expected. That's what I find most interesting.
Any tips for how to discover your voice, evolve as a Motion Artist, and continue to get exposure to new opportunities?
What I've been working towards has been building a strong ethos and narrative of why I do what I do. That kind of dialogue that you open with yourself will help you understand what makes you different from others in your field. Your ethos should be something you always look back to and ensure that your work is true to your values. Find out what you stand for and stick to it.
“What I’ve been working towards has been building a strong ethos and narrative of WHY I do what I do. That kind of dialogue that you open with yourself will help you understand what makes you different from others in your field...Find out what you stand for and stick to it.”
What do you look for in a WNW profile when vetting talent?
A professional presentation of work is a must, but also if you have that level of uniqueness and ethos that you can visually communicate, that will really make your work explode!
Your work often offers entirely alternative or futuristic worlds. Can you share a bit about the inspiration for these kinds of world-building projects in particular and how you balance wonder with connectability?
I'm interested in exploring nature in more of a surrealist or hyperreal tone, where you mix the real and imaginative environments to create a new form of context. It's using this idea as a base for my composition. By having these worlds feel familiar, it allows me to then warp and twist the rest of the composition.
How do you balance your motion practice and personal projects?
I mostly build on worlds I've created in personal projects for my commercial projects. I'm constantly generating new ideas which will eventually form into something more commercial. Or it may not — depends on the project.
