Hayley Akins, Founder:

“After studying Film Production at Staffordshire University, I moved down to London looking for work. With my experience of After Effects and Photoshop, I was lucky enough to land my first job in a graphics department.

I then moved into a Junior role at the internal production company for Google. I spent 4 years there, learning from other designers and meeting lots more freelancers. I finally made the jump into freelance myself.

At first it felt daunting to go freelance. I had to network and buy beers for motion designers in return for information on what I should be doing to get work, and what to charge clients etc.

Thankfully, because I had made a lot of connections in my previous jobs, and worked hard for a number of years, my jump into freelance went fairly smoothly and I have had regular work ever since. If this hadn’t been the case I'm not sure how I’d have got started.

Having run my own business for 3 years now, I find it frustrating that there isn’t more useful business information available for freelance motion designers.

This is why I’ve launched Motion Hatch, to help motion designers and animators get advice and support with the things that sometimes seem hard and boring – like knowing what to charge clients, how to protect your business with contracts and much more!”