Interview with Shilo

Hello everyone. Please introduce yourself, a short biography. How did you start?
Tracy Chandler: Hi, I'm Tracy Chandler, Head of Production for Shilo. Shilo is a collective of designers, producers, directors, and animators with a similiar vision. We are diverse in our backgrounds, but similiar in our approach. At the core of this extensive team are the two creative leads, Jose and Andre.

Our areas of expertise cover the full spectrum of design-oriented production. This includes concepting,live-action direction, animation, compositing, editorial, and design. Although these mediums comprise the bulk of our work, Shilo prides itself in constantly reinventing its methodology within the visual marketplace to meet the needs of its ever-changing client-base.

As a group, we create solutions that are fun, technically challenging, visually exciting, and excruciatingly brand aware. This, coupled with the shared belief in the power of collaboration and the enthusiasm to drive powerful initiatives, is what makes Shilo the cohesive team that it is.

Andre Stringer: Hi, I'm Andre Stringer, Co-Founder and creative director of Shilo East Coast.

I am a graphic artist, animator, director, and creative director. Originally from Annapolis, Maryland, in 1997, I moved to Washington, DC where I started my career in action sports cinematography, and independent filmmaking. After spending two years contributing to numerous video projects in the skateboarding market, I joined forces with Cassidy Gearhart to form Staticopy, a collaborative effort to further promote their increasingly varied design and filmmaking pursuits. Our main long-form creative endeavor was the hour-long underground hip hop documentary called “Open Transport”, which was recognized internationally as a benchmark for independent hip-hop videography. Continuing to collaborate, Staticopy was contracted for two and a half years to help reinvigorate Black Entertainment Television’s branding campaigns.

In 2001, I moved to Chicago to take on the larger market of advertising as a creative director at Digital Kitchen, working for clients such as HBO, BET, Budwieser, Esso/Exxon, Orbitz, Saturn, Goodby, DDB, UPN, Microsoft Xbox, TLC, Quickrete, Fitzgerald & Co., ESPN, Earthlink, and Cartoon Network.

After two years working in Chicago, in May of 2004, I moved to New York City to found Shilo’s Big Apple office as Creative Director. For me, Shilo is the culmination of all my work in many mediums, for many clients, over the past ten years in the graphic and film production business.

Jose Gomez: Hi, I'm Jose Gomez, Co-Founder and creative director of Shilo West Coast.

I've done everything from graphics for print and web to industrial design for products and installations to animation for movies and commercials. In 1990 I went to work for action sports manufacturer, Giant Distribution, as an in-house designer and soon became creative director. After a few years of building brands for Giant I found myself in Atlanta as partner and lead creative director for urban marketing and design firm Urbanistics. Working on campaigns and visual assets for mostly music industry clients such as Arista, BMG, and Sony.

In 1994 I moved out west to start an action sports company called Rhythm. Overlooking all aspects of design and production, I spent 3 years on this incredible project. In 1997 I sold the company to global sports powerhouse K2 inc. and soon began work on development for a new footwear brand. The year was 1998 and my new project was called Adio. As chief creative director I set out to construct a new kind of footwear brand. In charge of all creative apsects for the brand, Adio is still continueing to thrive to this day.

Shilo, my latest endeavor, is the evolution of the idea that great stories are built with a strong, clear message wrapped in beautiful and functional design. Since co-founding Shilo, and creative directing our west coast office, I have had the pleasure to build a company built around these principles.

Tell us, how do you guys start to work on a project until when its complete? Step by step.
Tracy Chandler: We usually go though an extensive concepting and design boarding process where we give the client a few directions to choose from.
Andre Stringer: After the client decides on a direction and we feel we have a firm creative base, we move forward into shooting, editorial, 3D, or whatever the project entails.We work with our client to ensure that we are meeting their needs, while pushing the creative to limits of our imagination.Typically our work has many levels to the execution and this rarely is extremely simple to explain.
Jose Gomez: This process is fluid, and reinvention is our only motto.From beginning to end, or work is a piece in constant evolution.

What are the plans for future? Company goals?
Jose Gomez: From a company stand point I would say the goals for the future are largely based on the work and the continual reinvention and progression of that aspect of our business.Our ulimate goal is to continue to raise the creative bar and everything else will follow.

What are your machines and software you use?
Jose Gomez: Mostly we are on Mac G5s - Viva Apple!
Andre Stringer: Although our tools are very important to us, we feel that they fall in a very important second to our imaginations.

Why did you choose broadcast design instead of web design for example? Where do you find your inspiration?
Andre Stringer: Broadcast design was for me, a culmination of a number of years designing and simultaneously editing and directing. Once the connection was made, it only seemed natural.
Jose Gomez: Well I think Broadcast is just the avenue that best suits our need for a fully engaging experience. The limits are only based your imagination.Also for me coming from print, industrial and web design. Broadcast and film based work really opens up a lot of doors creatively for me that are not found in any other medium.

So whats the inspiration?
Jose Gomez: Well, we find inspiration in all sorts of avenues but I would say our friends and experiences effect us the most.
Andre Stringer: We draw inspiration from our environment and our friends.Our internal teams and close collaborators as well as, Ryan Holsten, Cassidy Gearhart, Mike Young, Mike Cina, Vince Haycock, FSC, Danny Yount, Jason Goodman and Graphic Havoc.


Well, I'm starting to learn motion graphics now. What would you suggest me to do? How to start?
Jose Gomez: If your starting out in motion, it's like anything else. Learn your tools but don't forget to focus on the root ideas. Try to steer away from cliche tricks and plugins and concentrate on your message and story.
Andre Stringer: The best way to learn is to DO. Experiment. Don't limit yourself, and study the richness of the world around you. Animation and design have a rich history and this is a perfect place to start.

How many hours do you guys work? And how do you guys rest?
Andre Stringer: At times, too few hours sleeping, but usually it all balances out. Rest gives you the reinvigoration you need to constantly move forward, so it's as important to us as the work is.
Jose Gomez: I try to get at least 6 hours of sleep and dinner with the family after that all bets are off.

What do you guys do when you are out of inspiration and you have to complete the project?
Andre Stringer: A constant source of caffeinated beverages helps enthuse our creative process.
Jose Gomez: Well since i don't smoke anymore I'm out of luck.

How do you guys rest? After a day of long hard work?
Jose Gomez: I try to hang out my wife and kids as much as I can. And Andre goes clubin'.
Andre Stringer: At this point, I'm not at liberty to disclose that kind of information, but Jose's completely lying, not much clubbing for me.

Ok, whats your favorite movies and music?
Andre Stringer: Movies: Anything Tarkovsky, anything Kubrick. Music: Central Services, Kopernick, TVontheRadio, RJD2, El-P, G. Scott Herren.
Jose Gomez: Movies: Blade-Runner, and everything from Kubrick. Music: Prefuse 73, Air, Tricky.

Ok, thats all, would you like to say anthing else?
Jose Gomez: We would also like to thank our past and present clients for giving us such wonderful opportunities.
Andre Stringer: Thanks to all the people who have linked us and continue to check out our work.