Today I'm speaking with Tyler Williams, the founder of Frame Rate, a new creator-first video platform built for motion designers, filmmakers, animators, and editors.

Tyler previously co-founded Motion Array, the template and asset library that grew into a huge part of the creator ecosystem and was later acquired by Artlist.

In this conversation, we talk about why Frame Rate exists in the first place, what Tyler thinks broke in the video hosting world as Vimeo shifted away from the community that built it, and what it means to design a platform that puts the work first.

We also get into the early decisions behind the product, curation versus algorithms, creator trust in the AI era, and where Tyler hopes Frame Rate can go over the next few years.

• The Vimeo shift and why it felt cultural, not just product-level.
• Motion Array, the exit, identity loss, and why other projects did not stick.
• Building FrameRate from scratch and what "creator-first" really means in practice.
• Curation versus algorithms, and resisting distraction mechanics.
• The two-sided ambition: helping artists get hired, not just host work.
• AI anxiety, protection limits, and the reality of robots.txt.
• Early traction: first 1,000 users, Discord loop, embeds, and product iteration.
• Lessons from Motion Array scaling, and what he wants to do differently this time.

Hayley Akins is the founder of Motion Hatch, a school that helps motion designers and creatives grow their business.

Hayley is one of the originals in this space. She's been active since 2017 and has helped many people in the industry. I wanted to bring her on to discuss marketing, how it's evolving for creatives, and how to effectively connect with prospects online and on social media. We also talked about how her business has grown, the journey of motion designers, and the importance of alignment and authenticity online, among other topics.

As always, if you want to support the show, you can leave a rating on Spotify or wherever you listen, or share it with a friend.

Learn more about Justin at https://www.youtube.com/@CleoAbram

Learn more about the podcast at ⁠https://jackvaughan.com

Today I’m speaking with Justin Poore — an animator and the producer of Huge if True — a show by Cleo Abram that’s had a ton of attention and engagement over the last few years, recently reaching 6 million subscribers on YouTube.

Cleo is one of the fastest growing YouTube channels about tech and science, and Justin’s work plays a huge part in it.

We spoke about:

- The origins of Justin and Cleo’s collaboration

- The team they have

- Their processes for pitching, script writing, on-set production, and more

- What they’ve learned about engagement on social media — and they really know!

- Their strategy around shorts and repurposing content

- And of course, a deep dive into Justin’s skillset as an animator and producer

Summary (AI generated)

In this conversation, Justin Poore, animator and producer of the YouTube show Huge If True, discusses the rapid growth of the channel, the creative processes behind their engaging content, and the importance of audience connection. He shares insights into their collaborative work, the evolution of their team, and the strategies that have contributed to their success. Justin also delves into the technical aspects of animation, the impact of short-form content, and the exciting experiences from field shoots. Looking ahead, he expresses enthusiasm for the future of Huge If True and the potential for further growth.

Chapters (AI generated)

00:00 Introduction to Justin Poore and Huge If True

00:51 Scripting and Storytelling Techniques

11:25 Story Selection and Idea Generation

13:53 Team Structure and Roles

17:00 Engagement Strategies and Early Success

19:59 Shorts and Content Repurposing

22:25 Field Shoots and On-Site Experiences

25:06 Approaching Big Organizations for Collaborations

27:31 Design and Animation Style

35:27 The Animation Process: From Sketch to Screen

38:24 Design Principles in Animation

39:33 Exploring 3D Animation Techniques

41:15 Rendering Challenges and Solutions

43:46 The Production Workflow: Animation and Review

45:04 Utilizing Assets: Stock vs. Custom Models

46:55 The Art of 3D Modeling and Rigging

48:05 Tools of the Trade: Software and Techniques

52:06 Engagement Strategies for Content Creation

56:22 Looking Ahead: The Future of Huge of True