Michael Brown
Creative Director + Motion Graphics

An experienced Creative Director, Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Motion Graphics Animator, involved in all areas of TV graphic design at the highest levels including comedy, news, promotion, commercials, main titles, and special effects. 20+ years experience in regional, national, and international work from bases in Washington, DC, New York, and Los Angeles. Expert-level proficiency in variety of design and production software; proven aptitude for learning new systems. Excels at translating concepts into design and moving pictures, from initial discussions to sketches, storyboards, and final animation. Adept at Client Interaction and Managing Creative Personnel. Primarily freelance since 1993 for a wide variety of clients, with a couple of short-term contracts for full-time jobs. Many long-term relationships with clients who value my knack for on-time delivery and appreciation for a deadline in addition to quirky and eye-popping graphics which are often infused with humor.

Experience

Creative Director + Motion Graphics + Illustrator – Freelance
Los Angeles | August 2005 – Present

Currently delivering bold and exciting typographical treatments and animations for such clients as The Price Is Right (logo redesign/facelift and set elements), The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Young and The Restless, The Bold and The Beautiful (practical prop elements, all through CBS Graphics), Gossip Girl and Aliens in America (main title pitch frames, both through CBS Digital), and through Design Boutique Blissium: Macy’s, AMC, Live Earth India, Spike TV, and Sincerely, Ted L. Nancy. Also create Graphic Clothing and various other projects for local independent businesses Helen’s Cycles/I. Martin Imports (Bicycle Industry), and Doc’s Ski Haus of Santa Monica. Design and Animation clients also include American Honda (through effects house A52), Pacific Title, KingWorld/CBS Entertainment (Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy), along with continuing work on a freelance basis for existing clients including E!

Graphic Designer + VFX Artist – Last Call with Carson Daly
Burbank | November 2006 – February 2007

Helped to ridicule social norms and tweak societal sensibilities by creating funny and smart Comedy Graphics for this late night show on NBC. Photographed talent for use in graphic bits, oversaw Props Department and Printers in creation of elements, worked closely with Writers in creating full screen and OTS Doctored Stills and Animations, plus Props.

Art Director – On-Air Design, E! Networks
Los Angeles | June 2004 – July 2005

Delivered stunning and effective Design, Effects, and Art Direction for E! Networks, including their Style channel. Oversaw and Directed work by Senior and Junior Designers to help bring projects to fruition. Coordinated communications with Designers, Graphic Producers, and Show Producers. Concentration on logo design and branding for various shows, including The Soup and Life is Great with Brooke Burke. Developed On-Air Bug look and animation. Created series of Animated IDs, including several awards contenders and a Promax Gold-winning E! International True Hollywood Stories ID. Freelanced for E! before this term and since.

Creative Director + Motion Graphics + VFX Artist – Freelance
Los Angeles, New York, Chicago | October 1993 – May 2004

Several long-term and continuing, current client relationships as Creative Director and Motion Graphics creator. Continuing work with former full-time employer Charlex in New York, including work on-site in New York for up to six weeks at a stretch. IBM, Kodak, American Express, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, NBC, The Cartoon Network, National Geographic, GTE, Lucent Technologies, NorthWest Airlines are just a few clients through work with Charlex. Collaborated with Spike Lee on design for two Michael Jackson music videos, Def-Jam impresario Russell Simmons on his late night TV pilot, and with famed Graphic Designer David Carson on his Commercial Directorial debut, all at Charlex. Several stints with Filmworker’s Club in Chicago for effects work onsite at their Chicago offices for clients McDonald’s and General Motors, among others. Multiple advertising design jobs at Editel-Los Angeles for clients Nike, Toyota, and others. Design and effects work at Novocom on projects from Entertainment Tonight to yet more Michael Jackson videos. Developed mad skills at compositing and was highly sought-after to provide Motion Graphics Editing and Effects for several other designers in collaborative projects during this period as an elite-level Henry artist. Jeff Boortz and others at Pittard Sullivan and Three Ring Circus were frequent Designer Collaborators, and their projects included Lifetime, Pro Sieben, RTL, DirecTV, CBS On-Air Promo, and many other national and international clients. Served as Senior Effects Artist for one season (1997) on The Outer Limits TV show as part of continuing freelance work. Continued and grew relationship with E! Networks during this period. Provided NBC On-Air Promotion (today known as part of The NBC Agency) with effects supervision, effects compositing and design for several Fall Campaigns and Specials Promotions. Also, branding and logo design for several internet startups and independent businesses, plus User Interface + Graphic Design and Photography for Wells Fargo Bank’s financial literacy initiative.

Senior Effects Artist – Unitel Video + UniFX
Los Angeles | March 1991 – September 1993

Produced Design and Effects for many TV shows, including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Simpsons, various Fox Children’s Network shows, and many other shows and pilots. Unitel was primarily a television show film transfer and editorial facility, and were keen to add graphics and effects to their roster. Upon arrival there, Star Trek producers requested help in designing the first Borg phaser; other assignments followed. Hand-wrote the graphics (actual words on the chalkboard) and designed new and improved tracking for The Simpsons (beginning in Season 3) chalkboard Open to better integrate with Cell Animation. In an unusual move at the time, contracted with E! Networks to provide exclusive motion graphics animation/editing to their staff and freelance designers. Many E! projects were created in this Collaboration, including show packages, promos, and the award-winning The Howard Stern Interview main title. Created opening titles with Andy Hann and Amy Nagasawa for landmark Oprah Winfrey Michael Jackson Interview special on ABC. A typical day might have included both Playboy and Disney Imagineering (including projects for EuroDisney and Tokyo Disney). Developed many long-term relationships with Commercial and Television Directors during this time.

Graphic Designer + VFX Artist – Charlex
New York | December 1989 – February 1991

Moved on up to NYC to accept position at this pioneering and elite Animation-Effects house. Continued development of technique and style on the Quantel Harry and Paintbox. Worked directly with Owner/Creative Director Alex Weil and the talented writer-producers there to create smashing storyboards and pitch frames, sizzling animations, and astounding effects. Charlex clients are Madison Avenue and International Agency Powerhouses (for nearly every product imaginable), National Networks and Network Shows. Turner Classic Movies, TNT, Nickelodeon, National Geographic, NBC On-Air Promotions, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Howard Stern’s Channel 9 Show, American Experience (PBS), Channel One, American Express, Kodak, IBM, and many more award-winning projects.

Graphic Designer + Motion Graphics – USA Today On TV
Washington, DC | July 1988 – November 1989

Created fun and exuberant full screen and OTS still Graphics and Animations for this lifestyle show. Selected for the job as one of four from a national ad response of thousands, and seized the opportunity to become among the first 200 in the world to learn Quantel Harry + Paintbox and GV Kaleidoscope, the first non-linear, digital graphics compositing suite of substance. Experienced tremendous professional growth and developed many long-term friendships in the short time the show was on the air.

Art Director – Capitol Video
Washington, DC | February 1987 – June 1988

Political campaigns, National Trade Associations, Local Ad Agencies, Semi-Secret Federal Agencies, PBS, and National TV shows based in Washington were some of the many clients. Worked closely with the Creative Director and Account Execs in not only providing Design Guidance to clients but in obtaining and retaining them as well. Personal initiative and design pitches resulted in new client (and brand-new show at the time), America’s Most Wanted. Designed and then composited the on-air wanted posters as an on-going weekly, and often last-minute, assignment. Worked with Graphics Coordinator on the show to obtain, retouch and improve original source photos from local police agencies, the FBI, and Interpol. Worked with PBS Design Director to create fall campaign graphics and animations. Local Emmy nomination for work on local variety show.

Graphic Designer – WTTG Channel 5
Washington, DC | September 1985 – January 1987

Created news graphics for The Ten O’Clock news, including collages using magazine and wire photos with type overlays before an Aurora Digital Paint System was acquired. Also designed print ads for TV Guide and Sales Department. An exciting first job in TV, was on-call and often required to work odd hours during Breaking News events.

Education

Selected Coursework – The Corcoran School of Art
(now the Corcoran College of Art and Design) Washington, DC
1984-1985

Visual Communications – The Art Institute of Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
1980

Advanced placement, 1/2 day Communication Arts courses
for two years at Regional Magnet High School
Virginia Beach, VA
1977-1979

References

Excellent references available on request
Michael Brown 323-938-6242 or michael[at]frankxray[dot]com
or Skype: frankxray
Los Angeles, June 2009

LOS ANGELES – To see my latest reel, please visit my Movies! I Show Movies! page. To see more of the B.L.O.G. graphics, check out my Gallery of B.L.O.G. Art, and to see an even more diverse portfolio of my work, come on over to my primary website for FrankXray Studio.