From Sidewalk to Spotlight: Already Been Chewed and the Journey to Motion Design Success

EJ jams with Barton Damer, the top creative muscle behind Already Been Chewed (ABC)...basically the Tony Hawk of motion design.

This dude turned his skateboarding obsession into a full-blown 3D animation studio that now cranks out mind-blowing work for Nike, Adidas, Star Wars, and Marvel:

🛹 Kickflip Your Career: Barton's Brain Dumps

Show What You Wanna Grow

"Stop posting those boring explainer videos if you're sick of making 'em!" Barton keeps it real – your portfolio is basically a vision board for future clients. Only post stuff you wouldn't mind doing again and again.

Slide Into Those DMs (With Purpose)

Barton didn't wait around for the phone to ring. He straight-up told Street League why they needed him: "You need skateboarding stuff designed by actual skateboarders!" Ballsy move that totally paid off.

Boundaries Are Superpowers

Nothing kills creativity faster than a client texting you at midnight about "one tiny change." Barton learned the hard way that contracts aren't just boring paperwork – they're your sanity savers.

Squad Goals Matter

Eventually, you'll hit a ceiling as a solo artist. Barton built his dream team but warns against jumping into partnerships too quick: "Too many cooks in the kitchen can burn down the whole restaurant."

9-to-5 Isn't a Dirty Phrase

Contrary to the hustle-till-you-drop mentality, Barton keeps ABC running on a chill 40-45 hour workweek. No weekend emergency texts. No midnight revisions. And guess what? They're still crushing it.

Post or Disappear

"Instagram is my love language," Barton admits. If clients can't find your work online, do you even exist? Stop overthinking and start posting.

Wanna hear how this skateboarding enthusiast bamboozled his way into the big leagues and built one of the coolest studios around? Hit play on the full episode above.

Shownotes

Artists

Barton Damer
EJ Hassenfratz
Nick Campbell
Paul Babb
Rob Dyrdek
Mark Fancher
Dan Arsham
PJ Richardson
Jonathan Winbush

Studios

Already Been Chewed (ABC)
Greyscale Gorilla
Maxon
LRG
Nike
Adidas
Under Armour
Street League Skateboarding
MTV
ESPN
Discovery Channel
New Balance
Louis Vuitton
Tiffany and Co.
Legwork
Laundry Studio
SoFi Stadium

Work

Fantasy Factory
Rob & Big
Snack Off
Ridiculousness
Digital Artist of the Year

Resources

NAB
Cinema 4D
After Effects
Computer Arts Magazine
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Final Cut Pro
iMovie
Houdini
Unreal Engine
Behance
Nixon
Rob & Bart Interview