In early 2022 I was hired to join CNN+ as the senior motion designer for the longform team. Branded as Flashdocs, our team’s focus was on creating quality, full-length, quick-turnaround documentaries that illuminated current issues in popular culture. In the months before I joined the crew, my colleagues had been developing narrative, visual, and technical approaches that were equipped to respond to the breakneck pace of our modern zeitgeist. By chance or by luck, I was able to join in that exploratory process right as they were transitioning into full production. We took the early work that had been done in developing graphic templates and MOGRTs; adapting and expanding it to fit breaking stories.
While the platform was unfortunately short-lived, we managed to bring one story to air: Chicago vs. Jussie Smollett. We also completed two other features. I’m immensely proud of the work we did, and I hope that all of it soon finds a home where audiences can watch. I learned a lot about MOGRT-making during this time—an invaluable skillset that I am excited to carry forward in my career.
RUIN: The Sam Bankman Fried Story
From Bloomberg Originals: “RUIN is a feature documentary about Sam Bankman-Fried and the stunning collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, as narrated by Bloomberg journalists and some of the central players in the rise of digital assets.”
My role: In addition to some early visual exploration for the film, I was responsible for designing the final thumbnail/poster image for marketing and digital platforms.
THE TAYLOR SWIFT DEFENSE
A deep-dive into copyright law, as well music and cultural appropriation, this doc is as high-tempo as the the song “Playas Gonna Play.” My colleagues Taylor Su and Jackie Moreno had already developed a vivid pop style for this piece when I came onto the project. I really enjoyed spinning that look into various other graphics.
My role: Working within an existing design framework to develop numerous headline and photo montage treatments, such as the text slate from Taylor Swift’s spokesperson featured left/above.
Canceling Karen: Beyond The meme
This documentary used the cultural phenomenon of Karens as a lens through which to view race, gender, privilege, and social justice. We faced the design challenge of balancing internet humor with the realities of racism in society.
My role: Adapting playful designs into an aesthetic more suitable for serious subject matter, creating rigs and MOGRT templates for large scale social media animations and screen treatments, directing other motion designers on the project.
