Brand of Brothers
Brand of Brothers
From the Vault: Derek Deal
Brand of brothers is coming back next year. In the meantime, here's an interview from the vault recorded back in November of 2020, please welcome the amazing Derek Deal. Former motion designer turned creative director at universal studios.
Doug Berger:Sorry. I'm like bringing up the questions and such. Oh, it's all good. All right, here we go. Hey, Derek. Thanks for joining us.
Derek Deal:Thank you. Happy to be
Doug Berger:here. So, let's, uh, let's dive right in. Um, So, we all end up, and this is especially true for creatives, just finding ourselves in the world of design. For some, this is through a sort of early discovery, and, and others, It happens a little later in life. You obviously figured it out prior to going to art school. Do you remember how you stumbled into this realization, you know, that you're an artist? And when did you make the decision to pursue some sort of an art oriented craft?
Derek Deal:Uh, well, I always was really into drawing when I was a kid. Um, and, uh, I would just spend, you know, Hours just drawing from comic books, drawing cartoon characters, just stuff I liked, like shit I was into, um, and I think as I kind of, you know, got older and progressed in school, um, more people kind of, um, reacted to my drawings and, uh, responded to them like in a really positive way, asking me to, you know, draw things for them and like, Hey, can you help me with a project? And I started, uh, I don't know, I started getting kind of like recognition from it and, um, I guess a little bit more attention, um, which is always, you know, a good incentive for a kid to keep doing something. Um, so, I mean, that's basically how it started. It wasn't until later, um, I guess I was in high school where I thought that maybe I could actually make a career out of it. I mean, there was never really another thing. Like there was never other thing that I was like super good at. Shitty at math, like okay, student. Um, otherwise, um, but there was never really anything that, uh, kind of, uh, uh, seemed like the right path for me other than art. So I am really thankful in that regard because I always kind of knew that I wanted a career in the arts. I didn't necessarily know how that was going to manifest itself. Um, I've course corrected several times. in my career. Um, just because there's lots of stuff that I'm into and lots of things that I like to explore. Um, but it's always been a thing that I've, that's been kind of a part of who I am and something that I wanted to pursue. So there was never like a light bulb moment. Um, it was just always felt natural to me.
Doug Berger:Sure. So you mentioned the whole comic book thing and there's definitely a comic book vibe that seems to be evident across your array of designs. You know, whether it's in a flat and graphic context or a shaded and dimensional, uh, perspective, even in your motion graphics, um, what do you, what do you find has inspired your overall aesthetic?
Derek Deal:Well, I'm, I'm a kid of the, uh, the eighties and nineties. So, I mean, all that, you know, really cool visceral stuff of the era. I mean, I was really into Garbage Pail Kids and Madballs and, um, uh, Punk rock and, um, animation, I mean, I, I feel like I've probably watched every Looney Tunes that exists. Uh, I mean, all that stuff, I was just a, you know, a pop culture sponge in those days. Um, when my parents would work long hours, I would spend long hours in front of the TV or Nintendo, so. All that stuff just kind of, uh, manipulated my brain. And, uh, that's the stuff that I'm usually drawn to. Um, and then as I, as I mentioned earlier, I spent a lot of time drawing. So I would, you know, crack open, um, Mad Magazine or, or Cracked or, uh, Marvel Comics. And I would just like spend a long time just trying to draw, learning to draw from, from those characters, um, on those pages. Um, and then like, as I got older, um, I just. And like the skills kind of, you know, uh, started adapting. Um, I still like to kind of revisit that stuff cause I just find it really fun to draw. I mean, um, as I got more into like music, I still saw a lot of kind of, um, correlation between the things that I was really into when a kid with the stuff that would, that I would see on the album artwork and t shirts and, you know, And all that kind of stuff. So as I got older, I kind of got into more, um, drawing in that style for, for, for bands and merch and album covers and things like that.
Doug Berger:And did you ever get the chance to do that kind of stuff with regard to playing with album covers and merch? I know that, that you actually have merch available on your website, but, um, did you ever get to play with stuff in the music industry?
Derek Deal:Um, I spent several years basically just doing illustration for the music industry. Um, uh, poster designs, album covers, t shirts, um, mostly like in that kind of, uh, skater punk type of genre. I've done a few, you know, metal bands, uh, rock man. I've done a couple of big acts. Um, There was a, there was a website for a while called empties. com, which was basically like just this hub for, um, merch designers and, um, clothing lines. And it was like a, a big kind of source of revenue for a lot of us, um, uh, to make like really, um, interesting merch designs. So that I was kind of, I was doing a lot of that kind of work, um, in the middle of my career. Right on. Care
Doug Berger:to name drop?
Derek Deal:Uh, I'm trying, you know it's funny because some of these, um, these merch places, um, they'll just throw like a bunch of big name acts for you, at you, and you'll generate designs, um, uh, basically for a kill fee sometimes, like you'll get like 150 bucks just to like produce a comp, um, and they may not pick it up or whatnot. Um, so I've done a ton of things for artists that never actually got bought and I can't even remember which ones did but I know I've done designs for like Motley Crue, ZZ Top, I did a design for Shakira, uh, I did a design for um, Oh, what's that chick? Who's the one that Seinfeld didn't want to hug? Uh, you know what I'm talking about? I can't remember
Doug Berger:her name. I totally remember when it comes up to him, and he's like, can I have a hug? And he's like, no. No, I don't want to.
Derek Deal:Yeah, I can't remember her name now, which is classic.
Doug Berger:The reporter was like, do you know who that was? And he's like, no. Okay, well. Yeah, Kesha,
Derek Deal:it's Kesha. Yeah, I did that.
Doug Berger:Well, I don't know if I'd want to hug her either. I don't know. I don't think so, yeah. Well, so one of my, my personal favorite designs of yours, and to be completely candid, I didn't even know who did it when I saw the poster at my friend Nick's print shop back in like 2010 or so. Um, So I totally fell in love with it. I framed it. In fact, it's still hanging in my studio somewhere. I think it's in the lobby or somewhere. Um, but anyhow, I'm talking about the, and, and forgive me if I got the title wrong, the American gentleman, the one, the Boston Terrier, um, can you first, can you describe it to our listeners? Um, I, you sound like you remember it. And then for selfish reasons, um, may you please tell me the story behind it?
Derek Deal:Yeah, it's a, um, it's a poster design I did. It's a Boston Terrier. Um, and he is a, uh, very smug looking Boston Terrier. He has a monocle and a top hat. And he's, uh, he's, uh, dressed to the nines in a tuxedo. And, uh, I think he's smoking a cigar. I don't remember. Um, but yeah, I mean, it's a, it's a poster I did for my dog. I had a, um, I had a Boston Terrier for many years. Oops. Sorry, got an alarm going off in my phone. Uh, yeah, he's my Boston Terrier. His name was Meatloaf. Um, unfortunately, he's no longer with us, but, uh, it was kind of my tribute to him. Uh, apparently, Bostons have this, uh, surname of the American Gentleman, because it looks like they're always wearing a tux. So, I thought that was kind of a fun image to play with. Um, he's one of the first, uh, illustrations that I, I forced myself to do that illustration because I was becoming really reliant on like the hard black outlines and it, I wanted to kind of play around with just breaking away from those and playing more with shape. Um, it's, it's still a lot like my other illustration work, but I really kind of forced myself to, to push away from that. And then since then I do a little bit more kind of flat, like, like, um, area based like Illustrations a little not like your comic book or like your mocha inspired like hard outline type illustration stuff
Doug Berger:Sure So thank you for for Pandering to me. I appreciate that
Derek Deal:No, it's cool that you you have that poster like it's always it's still flattering to me when I hear that someone actually like Has a piece of mind in their house Where they have to look at it every day. Like I could never do that because I see all the flaws, but, uh, it's great that somebody else has an appreciation for it.
Doug Berger:Yeah, in my studio, we don't have any of the work that we've actually done. It's all work that's been done by other designers, um, ranging from, uh, Charles Spencer Anderson, uh, to, uh, Art Chantry and, and, you know, so you happen to be among those and, and, uh, and it's pretty great. Um, so, uh, I want to delve a little bit deeper into story time. Um, we've spent quite a bit talking about your two dimensional and static work, but you studied computer art at SCAD, and for those who aren't familiar, that's the Savannah College of Art and Design, and you started doing motion design straight out of art school. How did you get introduced to motion design and what influenced your decision to be a motion designer rather than, um, dare I say, a lowly graphic designer like me?
Derek Deal:Um, so I, I grew up in central Florida and, you know, Disney is, you know, a rock's throwaway. And I guess, you know, a kid who loves to draw, um, I guess my idea of success was to become a Disney animator. Like, that was no, you know, large feat. Um, uh, Disney, um, But when I, when I got to school, like I kind of realized that there was a lot more things that I was, I was interested in. Um, a lot of my friends were in the film and video department. So, uh, I was really into film. Um, uh, I started understanding what design was when I went to school. Like before I thought it was just, you know, like page layout, but, uh, Found out that it's, you know, it's composition, it's color, it's branding. It's like all these, these things that I'm, I'm really into. Um, and, uh, and I found that motion design was kind of like this really cool marriage of all those things, like the filmmaking, the design, and even sometimes the illustration. So I felt like it was kind of like a really cool, uh, niche where I didn't have to get pitch and hold into one particular thing. Particular medium, and I didn't have to, you know, draw all day long, which was something I found that I didn't really have the patience for. Um, I think I might have gotten into 3D animation, but at the time, like we're talking, um, I guess, you know, late 90s, early 2000s. So it was still kind of clunky and laborious to produce 3D. So, um, it's not as accessible as it is now. Um, But yeah, it was called broadcast design at the time. And I thought you only could do it on television, which was the case. Um, but it's interesting because as I've, as the industry has kind of changed and video has become more ubiquitous with everything we do, um, it's, it's really like fortuitous that I went down that path because there's just so many opportunities for video. It's, it's, you know, it's on our phones, it's in front of our faces all day long. So, uh, I kind of like went in and out of broadcast design, like throughout my career, like I didn't, I did a little bit of it right after I got out of school, but it's something that I keep kind of circling back to, um, because of all the reasons I stated before, because there's so much you can do with it. So, yeah, it's, it's interesting that, um, I kind of picked it back then, and it's, it's ended up being kind of, uh, this through line through my entire career.
Doug Berger:Right on. So. Well, obviously, after doing this for a couple of decades, um, you know, refining your craft, uh, along the way, you've undoubtedly experienced, uh, two things that, uh, you may or may not want to talk about. So, first Can you talk to me about what you might think is your most epic and, and potentially most unprofessional fuck up? And, uh, and then can you tell me about your greatest success or successes?
Derek Deal:Oh, man. Uh.
Doug Berger:I know people love talking about this. It's
Derek Deal:so, it's, it's good that you bring it up though. I mean, because we all have them. Um. I don't, I don't know that I've ever really screwed the pooch with a client. Um, thankfully, I mean, we've all forgotten to save and lost, you know, a day's worth of work, right? Um, so that's happened a few times. Um, okay, so one, one time I remember that I, I still think about, like, and get cold sweats every once in a while. Um, is, uh, I was working at Time Warner and there was, uh, Like a restructuring and, um, like me and a lot of people in the group I was in, we were kind of looking at our options. Um, so I reached out to one of the recruiters that were on staff and, um, HBO was a, um, was a, uh, subsidiary of ours. So I was kind of asking like, Hey, like, do you know if there's any opportunities at HBO? And she's like, well, let me, let me ask my recruiter friend over there and see if I can find anything for you. Um, so sure enough, like recruiter hits me up says, Hey, you know, do you have time next week? Come by chat. Um, yada, yada, yada. And I'm like, yeah, cool. Great. Sounds awesome. So I go down there and I don't know if I missed an email or what, but I didn't bring a portfolio. Uh, I was not prepared at all. I thought I was just going to go have a chat, uh, with a recruiter. And it so happens that they had lined up eight different interviews for that day. Um, starting with someone in HR and then ramping all the way up to the executive and creative director. So I was like, okay, great. Uh, so I had one interview after another and every single time, uh, they wanted to see my portfolio. Didn't have one, had to explain why I didn't have one and had to like rehash the story and basically look like a complete asshole because I looked arrogant. I felt like I looked arrogant because I just came in without a portfolio. I looked unprepared. Um, so I had to do this for eight different people, like all the way up to the, the creative director. And I mean, to their credit, like everybody was, was super nice and, um, understanding. Um, but to me, I just felt like the biggest fuck up in the world. And obviously I never got a call afterwards. So, I mean, I still think about it all the time because like, uh, ever since that day, like, I just always make sure that I have my shit together. Um, I, I never assume anything. Um, and, uh, And usually it's because, like, I'll make sure to follow up beforehand to make sure that, like, my understanding is correct. Um, but, uh, but yeah, every once in a while, I still, I still, like, kind of have nightmares about that whole experience. And think of what might have been if I actually took a portfolio to HBO that day.
Doug Berger:Well, you know, it, it, it, In this context, certainly no regrets, right? You've, you've ended, no doubt, in, in a great position, and so, it all worked out for the best, and, and lesson learned, um, so, now let's flip it. What would you qualify as perhaps your greatest success or successes?
Derek Deal:Um, I don't know. I mean, it's hard to kind of distill it. There's been a few that I'm like, I still get chuffed about when I think about, um, I, I did a poster for, for, uh, a Weird Al Yankovic show at gallery in 1988. And that poster ended up in his biography. Um, like an actual hard bound book that you can flip through and see my work in, which is amazing being a huge fan of his growing up. Um, I also did a poster for, uh, Eastbound and down that TV show on HBO that ended up being, uh, uh, the cover art for the soundtrack. Um, there's just like little things like that, that, that give me pleasure to think back on. And then, I mean, ultimately, you know, now I'm, I'm working at Universal Orlando, which is just, I've always been a dream of mine to work in the theme park industry, just having been a child of, you know, this, this area. Um, so those are big successes. Um, I, and I take the small wins too. Like anytime I get something approved, like I'm, I'm happy. So, so, uh, it, like the big stuff is nice, but I mean, just knowing that I have a job in, in this field is, is reward.
Doug Berger:I can totally relate. So now one of the cool things about what you've done. is that you sometimes get to see the work out in the wild, much like what you were just talking about. And you even get to perhaps witness people experiencing your work. But, and, and again, maybe it's one of the things you just mentioned. What, what is the most rewarding aspect of what you do? Like, what makes you want to keep creating? What fuels your creative desires?
Derek Deal:You know, it's, uh, I, I've been thinking about this. And, you know, it seems like such a cliche, but I really do love the process. Like, I really love collaborating and, um, discovering that, that, that idea. And then once you have the idea, it's fighting through the execution. Um, And then ultimately it's, uh, it's that stamp of approval you get from either the, the clients or, or the leadership or, or whoever it is that, that controls the decision making it's, it's getting that, like, um, that confirmation that you, you know, you did a good job and it's gonna work and everybody's happy. Like that's when I can relax and have a beer and just chill and not think about it and, and then the other stuff is just gravy, right? Like, I mean. So many things can happen between when a project is completed and when it's actually in the environment. I mean, I've seen things never go live. I've seen things, uh, be portrayed in a way that isn't the way you intended. Um, so I don't like resting, you know, my happiness on, you know, on that final piece of, of the production. Like I am just happy when it's done, to be honest with you. It's like, it's always, it's always a fight. So it's, I'm just. I breathe a sigh of relief when it's done, and that's when I'm happy.
Doug Berger:Awesome. Well, Derek, thank you so much for dropping by. Do you have any words, uh, you care to impart before we go?
Derek Deal:Uh, is this like the advice portion of the show for like young designers and stuff, or were you? Sure. I don't know. Okay. Um, yeah, I don't know. I mean, like, uh, I look, I look at people who, um, who have, I've had careers where they've, um, where they've really kind of latched on to a personal style and then that becomes, you know, uh, the ethos of their, their career. And I've, I've always had a lot of adulation for that. Um, but that's not, you know, the path for everybody. I mean, my, my path certainly hasn't been a straight line. And I think if. You know, if, if you're just getting out of school or you're, maybe you're not going to school, but you want to pursue a, um, a career in the arts, or maybe if you're just in a rut, like I would say, you know, um, like just keep working on what it is that you love doing, you know, like just keep making stuff and then use that momentum from that project to ramp up into another project and just keep learning and growing and doing your thing. And. Uh, growing and having fun with what you do. And eventually, hopefully, you'll end up somewhere that, you know, that, that makes you happy and somewhere that's, uh, fruitful for you as, as a creator. Um, but, you know, don't worry about, like, you know, going to school, getting the internship, getting the job, and then hopping around, you know, leveling up constantly. Like, I think there's more joy in, uh, pursuing the things that interest you. Um, and developing those skills than there is and constantly trying to get to that, you know, that creative director level where you feel it's like the pinnacle of the design world. Like it's, it's not important. What's important is just loving what you do.
Doug Berger:And I think that you can even strip away the creative aspect of what you're talking about. And I feel like it applies universally to everyone. Absolutely. If you focus on what brings you happiness, the success will just fall into place. And just go with what will fulfill you. Yeah, I believe that.
Derek Deal:Yeah, I believe good things come to you whenever you're just Following the path that makes the most sense to you personally. Absolutely. Thank you
Doug Berger:again for coming by today.
Derek Deal:Thanks for asking. I mean, this is actually my first podcast, so not listening, but, uh, talking on one, so right on. So thank you.
Doug Berger:Yeah, it's, it's been a pleasure.