Adam Plouff & RubberHose

If you're into motion graphics and animation on any level, you need to be following Adam Plouff. Adam is an Atlanta-based designer and animator who runs the small studio called Battle Axe. I love following Adam's work because he is the epitome of the "work smarter not harder" expression.

Adam has started releasing beta versions and teasers of some of tools he's developing. I got to play with the beta release of ChemTrails and love it.  Recently, Adam's been posting character animation tests for a tool called RubberHose. While it still hasn't been released, he did post a teaser screencast of him using it and it looks incredible.

It looks as if RubberHose isn't far from release, so make sure you head over to BattleAxe.co and subscribe to the newsletter. I can testify that I don't get any useless emails from it and have thankfully been able to play with some of the beta releases he's sent out. 

Derek Lieu's Keyboard Shortcuts

The easiest way to become a more efficient video editor is to take the time to customize your keyboard shortcuts and then use them. It's simple, but effective and Derek Lieu gives some great suggestions on where to start if you're not already doing this.

While the video below is focused on Premiere Pro CC, his full post gives a breakdown of the same shortcuts in Final Cut Pro 7, FCPX, and Avid Media Composer. It's definitely worth your time, even if you prefer one of those.

Creative Work First

For years I've spent the first part of my day, and likely the most creative part of my day, checking emails, catching up on blogs and tweets, and knocking out administrative tasks. Usually by the time I checked these items off my list, I had a whole new list of tasks that were someone else's priorities...and just like that, my plans for the day were shot.

Over the past year and a half I've wondered how can I be more productive, specifically in the areas that mattered to me and not someone else. I've tried a lot of different things, but recently I came across this quote by Mark McGuinness in 99u's Mange Your Day-To-Day:

"The single most important change you can make in your working habits is to switch to creative work first, reactive work second. This means blocking off a large chunk of time every day for creative work on your own priorities, with the phone and e-mail off." (Mark McGuinness, Laying The Groundwork For An Effective Routine, Manage Your Day-To-Day p.26)

While this is extremely difficult in practice, especially since my first reaction when I wake up is to grab my iPhone and see what emails are waiting, it has been working for me. The days I start with the "creative work" and do the "reactive work" second, I find that I accomplish more of the work that is important to me. Those are the days I really enjoy work and am able to leave it behind when I get home to family.

I would challenge you to give this a shot and see if it helps you to accomplish more of your creative work as well.

Intentional Social Media

It's no secret that since I've had an iPhone, I have struggled to be present in the moment. Just ask my wife. There have been countless occasions where she's given me the nudge or the "What you doing, babe?" question, which really translates to "Put your phone away."

The real problem is not that I engage with social media, but rather I'm not engaged with my actual life happening in front of me. 

"With one eye on our gadgets, we're unable to give our full attention to who and what is in front of us-meaning that we miss out on the details of our lives, ironically, while responding to our fear of missing out." (Lori Deschene, Using Social Media Mindfully, p.133)

While I have gone between extremes of deleting social accounts to near social addiction, I have landed in a place where I believe the answer is intentionality with social media. 

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