Steven De Loenen
Hello Steven, first of all, please describe how did you start your career as a designer. What is your position now and what kind of goals do you have?
After school I took the first multimedia job I could get and got very frustrated and eventually fired :) took another job and got fired again. That kind of forced me into becoming an independent designer .. so thank god .. The problem was with most agencies you tend to develop a routine and that's deadly for creativity I think.
I'm an independent designer since about 5 years now. Nowadays I'm focussed more and more on animation.
By looking at your site (www.stoav.be) portfolio page, we noticed that you do a lot of stuff for Holywood movies. Is it hard to work on that kind of project? I bet it takes all of your time?
Hybridstudio is one of my main clients since about 3 years now .. we do mostly dvd sites or theatrical sites for Fox, Paramount and WB movies.
It's hard work because we try to re-invent ourselves all the time. Every single Movie site demands a high surprise factor ..
It's not hard because it's what I like to do .. I love to get in an atmosphere and find an appropriate language for it .. exploring new ways of telling the story
Could you tell us the work process, how do you start to build a design?
It's very specific to every project .. but most of the time I start with flat comps to find the right atmosphere .. then I start experimenting with 2d or 3d animation and eventually it's built in flash .. but it doesn't have to be in that order.
What are your thoughts – where the web design is going? How do you see that in 2010?
I think it will keep getting more and more fractal. In the early days you could try to do most of the stuff yourself .. but as possibilities of every aspect of multimedia grow you have to specialize. I hope animation will keep getting more important.
What is essential for you, when you work?
Good music and isolation.
Tell us, please, a bit about your offline life – how do you rest, do you have any hobbies?
I'm afraid there's not much time to rest .. I also try to make music and paint as well but can't find enough time since my graphic work already takes most of my time.
My hobby is my job so I'm working and playing all the time.
Ok, back to work – what gives you the biggest inspiration? And what would you do if you are out of inspiration and you have deadlines?
Music, movies, art, life…Listen to some music, watch a movie, read an art magazine, go out live a little
How do you feel when people steal your design work?
I feel sorry for them.
Ever thought to build your design studio? Why?
I'm my own one-man-studio and I'd like to keep it that way since I want to stay designing not managing people
There are plenty of web designers around the world. Lots of similar work. Lots of them have the same skills. How do you think designers could be unique?
Applications are just tools .. originality is in the way you tell the story .. I don't believe in having one recognizable style
Do you get job offers trough your site? Are they serious and enough to keep you busy?
Yes, yes for 5 years now
What was the worst client and work you have done?
Before I was independent .. the second company I worked for
What was the most interesting project you worked in?
www.prisonbreakdvd.com
http://www.x-menthelaststand.com/movie/
intro for tv show GO 4
Well, ok, it’s enough. What would you suggest to young designers, how do they should start? Thanks!
when I was studying graphic design in the late 90's at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp/Belgium we didn't get a proper multimedia training. So we started experimenting ourselves. Tom Muller (Kleber London) and Wim Geysels (MTV networks Belgium) were two of my closest friends and fellow students at that time. Until today we've been swapping ideas and knowledge. Because we didn't have much experience we didn't always use the applications in a way they we're meant to be .. I feel this was very good for developing an original and creative approach.
