Often we don’t have to reinvent the wheel to learn something new – we can just ask experts in the field who can draw on their experience to enlighten us. Below, we’ve shared insights insiders from various industries have shared with us.

Maria Luisa Castellanos | Architect and Realtor

People think that providing plans or construction documents, which is what the industry calls plan, are easy to put together. This cannot be further from the truth. Plans are from different disciplines, the architect and various engineers. A normal project will have the architectural plan, the structural plans, the mechanical plans, which include plumbing and air-conditioning, and the electrical plans. If it is a commercial or institutional project, it will likely also have a civil engineer. So these different disciplines have to coordinate in order to have a successful project. Most clients have no idea how complicated this aspect can get. Then, there are the plans themselves that have to be detailed, and again, that can also be very complex and intricate. Read more>>

Dan Stiglmayer | Animator and Motion Designer

The motion design and animation industry is a very supportive community. From fellow co-workers to artists I’ve met online, their willingness to share insight, constructive criticism and technique has helped continue to inspire and improve my work. I think the majority of talented people working in the animation field are excited and also very open to share their experience and skillset. This helps other artists excel, but also continues to push the boundaries of motion design. Read more>>

Frank Calcaterra | DieAlps! Guitarist and Vocalist

“We understand the game. Either way, there’s something to lose. We sacrifice the race, anyway, it’s nothing new.” These lyrics from our song “Something to Lose” offer some honest insight about what it’s really like to be in a band. There’s a lot of personal sacrifice involved, especially when it’s very likely that you’re not going to “make it” – at least in a financial sense. The truth of the matter is that the members of your average indie band, even the one that recently had that write-up in Rolling Stone, are almost certainly serving tables at your favorite breakfast nook during the week. The global pandemic has more than emphasized my point. There’s simply not a lot of money in music these days. There comes a time (usually after you’re reached your 30s) when you begin to see your friends starting families of their own, or beginning to flourish in their careers (aka “real jobs”). You really start to question how much time you’ve invested, even though music is the thing you love most. Read more>>