
About
I’m a Motion Designer with expertise in animation direction, technical direction, and project management. My focus includes JSX expression rigging, developing custom studio workflow, tool kitting, automation, and organizational and knowledge management.
Also known as “NoSleepCreative“, a passion of mine is teaching and making motion design YouTube tutorials! I feel immense joy and fulfillment from sharing knowledge with my peers and seeing them succeed and do their best work! I even did a Domestika Course “Advanced After Effects: Coding for Motion Design” which has over 2500 students to date!
Showreel
Expertise & Capabilities
Production
After Effects Animation
3D Animation (Cinema 4D, Unreal, Houdini)
Manage & direct animation team
Collaborate with writers, artists & stakeholders
Communicate with clients, stakeholders & producers
Ensure project stays within budget & schedule
Work with sound & music teams to integrate audio
Supervise post-production
Technical Direction & Organization
Workflow Optimization
Rigging & Expressions for Motion Graphics
Data-driven Animation & Visualization
Design & Implementation of Custom Scripts
Creation of Reusable Assets & Templates
Render Optimization
Documenting Best Practices
Demonstration of tools and skills
Tutorial recording
Creative leadership & Project management
Onboarding
Talent management & development
Knowledge management
Time management & task delegation
Risk management
Budget management
Communication & stakeholder management
Performance tracking & reporting
Resource allocation
Continuous improvement and optimization.
Recruitment & referrals
Software Skills
Design & Creativity Tools
Adobe After Effects
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Media Encoder
HandBrake
Figma
Procreate
PureRef
3D Animation & VFX Software
Cinema 4D
Houdini
Unreal Engine
Autodesk Maya
Blender
Mixamo
Nuke
Mandelbulb 3D
Programming & Scripting
JavaScript (Fluent)
Extendscripting (Comfortable)
Python (Comfortable)
Regex (Comfortable)
HTML (Basic)
CSS (Basic)
VEX (Comfortable)
Processing (Basic)
OSL (Basic)
C++ Shader Development (Basic)
Atom
Productivity Tools
Google Docs
Google Sheets
Formulas & Functions
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
Slack
Notion
Trello
Frame.io
Miro
Shotgun
AE Third-Party Tools
Trapcode Particular
Red Giant Magic Bullet
Red Giant Universe
FXConsole
Element 3D
Optical Flares
3D Render Engines
Physical Renderer
Mantra
Pixar Renderman
Redshift
Octane
Audio & Video Editing
Davinci Resolve
Adobe Premiere
Adobe Audition
Pro Tools
GarageBand
OBS Studio
Streamlab OBS
Others
EbSynth
MadMapper
TouchDesigner
Selected Projects
FAQs
How do I fit within your organization
Short-term: I can join your team as an Animator and Toolkit Expert focusing on production by utilizing both my animation skills and my technical skills in tool kitting, expressions, automation procedures. I can handle complex shots and want to learn more about the company, its culture, and people. I aim to contribute more value by leveraging my other expertise and capabilities, building a mutually beneficial relationship that could lead to a permanent role.
Long-term: As our confidence in and understanding of one another grow, I can take a DesignOps role, which may involve, but not limited to, directing teams and projects, being an active participant in conversations with clients, enhancing organizational and knowledge management. I also aspire to attract and groom new talent, grow the studio and business, optimize workflow, develop career-leveling opportunities for team members.
Absolutely! I have previously organized and led software workshops and training sessions for both beginners and professionals. Therefore, I am more than willing to share my knowledge and insights with your team to help them advance and thrive in their roles.
- You may consider me for contract work in the near future.
- You can connect with me people who might be interested in working with me, who can mentor me, or resources or events I should be aware of.
How do I fit within Production
I am passionate about utilizing both artistic and technical skills in my work. For instance, I would excel in branding and design systems, where I create customized rigs and toolkits to automate the process of delivering multiple versions of a project. My ultimate goal is to explore and work in diverse fields that intersect creative, technical, hardware, research, and immersive experiences. I’m very curious and would like to investigate how to harness the power of AI to design and animate at the speed of imagination. I also like to start to involve more 3D work in my practice.
Cel animation can be a tedious process, and I personally find it challenging to have the patience required to execute it effectively. Although I enjoy working in an illustrative style, I often prefer to take a procedural approach rather than hand-drawing each frame myself.
While I can do both, I prefer and am stronger in animation. Within a team or a production, I prefer to tackle the most complex shot because I love figuring the impossible. To me a complex shot is a like a Math equation, and I love the challenge of solving it.
1. Overplayed strength: My weakness lies in taking on too many tasks due to my broad skill set and not delegating enough to my team, especially to producers or project managers. While being able to handle multiple responsibilities is a valuable trait, I recognize that it can lead to burnout and hinder the overall success of the team.
2. ‘If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.’ While I excel in technical proficiency and coding abilities, I sometimes tend to overcomplicate the animation process or create a system that is too complex for others to use. This may lead to inefficiencies and difficulties when working with a team or when others need to operate the system. To address this, I am working on simplifying my approach and ensuring that my solutions are user-friendly and accessible to all team members.
Hiring international employees
As a recent graduate, I am eligible to work in the United States for up to one year under OPT. If your company is enrolled in E-Verify, I am eligible for an additional two years of work authorization under the STEM extension. Hence, 3 years of employment without visa sponsorship!
If you’re interested in hiring me for a longer-term position, we can explore the possibility of obtaining an H-1B or H-1B1 visa. The H-1B visa allows U.S. employers to hire international individuals in specialized occupations for up to 3 years, with the possibility of extension for an additional 3 years. The process may involve some paperwork and fees, but it’s relatively straightforward and can be handled by an immigration attorney or HR specialist!
OPT stands for Optional Practical Training, which is a program that allows international students who have completed a degree program in the United States to work for up to 12 months in a job related to their field of study. OPT is typically available to F-1 visa holders, and it must be completed within 14 months of completing their degree program.
E-Verify is an electronic system that allows employers to check if their employees are authorized to work in the United States. When an employer uses E-Verify, they enter their employee’s information into the system, which then checks it against government databases to verify their eligibility to work in the US. E-Verify is used to help ensure that employers are hiring employees who are legally authorized to work in the US.
STEM extension, also known as the OPT STEM extension, is a 24-month extension of the OPT program for individuals who have graduated with a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields. This allows them to work for an additional 24 months after their initial OPT period, for a total of 36 months of work authorization. To be eligible for the STEM extension, individuals must work for an employer who is enrolled in the E-Verify program and meet other requirements.
H-1B is a non-immigrant work visa that allows U.S. employers to hire international individuals in specialized occupations. H-1B visas are typically used for individuals with a bachelor’s degree or higher in a specific field of study, and the employer must demonstrate that there are no qualified U.S. workers available for the position. H-1B visas are typically issued for a period of up to 3 years and can be extended for an additional 3 years. There is an annual cap on the number of H-1B visas that are available, and the application process can be competitive.
In summary, if you are considering hiring a recent international graduate, they may be eligible for OPT or the STEM extension, which allows them to work for a period of time in the United States after completing their degree. If you are interested in hiring them for a longer period of time, an H-1B visa may be an option to consider.
You can use this key information:
“Desmond Du, a Singaporean and recent Master of Fine Arts graduate from SCAD, is being considered for a staff position. He holds an F-1 visa and is eligible for STEM Extension, H-1B, and O-1 programs.”
1. If you are interested in hiring international individuals but are unfamiliar with the regulations and laws regarding employment, you can familiarize yourself with them by visiting the Department of Homeland Security’s site Study in the States.
2. You can refer me to any contacts, business, opportunities who are inclined and confident to hire international individuals.
3. Register your company for the E-verify program so that your company can hire international people up for an additional two years. The process is easy, overall, the process of enrolling in E-Verify involves registering on the E-Verify website, signing a Memorandum of Understanding with DHS, and using the system to verify the employment eligibility of new hires.
We, as international individuals, greatly appreciate any support you can provide in our journey to work and live in the United States.
What does Desmond Du
Watch Anime, read Manga, drink beer, skating on my Onewheel, calisthenics, singing and karaoke, blogging, reading, drinking coffee, recording YouTube tutorials, hiking, hiding Dragonballs around the world.
Yes, I’m a Disney Princess in heart, and I have been taking vocal lessons for more than 3 years now. I have a recording of my recital singing “Somewhere only We know” by Keane on YouTube.
Contact & INFO
Availability: 17 April 2023
Visa Status: F-1 (eligible for STEM Extension, H-1B, H-1B, O-1 Program)
Open to: Staff and Freelance
Location: Open to relocate / remote
Preferred Position: Mid/Senior Level Motion Designer
Preferred Type of Work: A mixture of technical production (eg. toolkits), creative production, and processes (Workflow, pipelines, process, knowledge management)
Freelancing Rate: 700/Day