Conversations with Syndrome Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Syndrome Studio.

Syndrome Studio is a boutique creative studio founded by designers/directors Mars Sandoval and Micah Hancock, paralleling our friendship and collaboration over the past two decades. We met working at a small design studio that created rave flyers for events in LA and across the US in the late 90’s. A hugely influential time for us, there was a ton of creative freedom that allowed us to really push ourselves to develop our style, skills and define who we are as designers. Building on what we had learned and applying it toward non-commercial pieces for fun, we began collaborating on artwork and large-scale video installations as part of the booming gallery art scene of the early 2000’s. In 2002, we established Syndrome as a creative multi-discipline studio and, for the past 20 years, have been designing, animating, and directing projects across all forms of media. We have designed graphics for movie trailers, created dozens of music videos, designed opening titles for films and documentaries, directed commercials, designed broadcast and stage graphics for award shows, concerts and festivals, and even helped to design a theme park attraction in Japan. From our home base in DTLA, we continue to grow and expand our capabilities while seeking out interesting work and collaborations that we are passionate about.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has never been a smooth road, lots of sweat and sacrifice, but every step has been worth it in the big picture. Over our studio’s lifetime, we have seen the overall landscape of design, technology, and how media is consumed shift dramatically several times over. Entire segments of the industry have come and gone in recent years, while new avenues for design and animation open up all the time. Any design studio from 2002 (that has survived) looks a lot different now, as the industry has gone through a few major transitions. Keeping pace with this constant and rapid evolution can be demanding and sometimes puzzling, but it is also super exciting and keeps us fresh, embracing new ideas, and always looking ahead.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are mostly known for our design and animation work in broadcast and film, with motion design being our main specialty. We have directed, designed, and animated projects for AT&T, Amazon, MTV, Paramount, Coachella, Universal Studios Japan, Netflix, Disney, Insomniac Events, Facebook, New Balance, Ubisoft, Shakira, Unicef and many many more. We take pride in being able to bring a wide range of skills to the table on any project, in any form of media, at any scale – everything from 3D animation to live-action directing and editing to photography to straight-up graphic design. With these capabilities in-house, we are able to tackle any project from end-to-end while keeping the focus on creating compelling visuals and good work for our clients.

How do you define success?
Success is being able to do what you love full-time while living comfortably and building a future for your family. It’s also jamming side by side, for 20 years, with your best friend, creating work that gets you excited and motivated to level up the concept or visuals on each and every project.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://syndromestudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syndromestudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SyndromeStudio

Image Credits:
1. Syndrome Studio “Activate” 2. Syndrome Studio “I Learned It By Watching You” gallery piece 3. Syndrome Studio “Cubic” 4. “Bumblebee” trailer title by Syndrome Studio 5. Coachella streaming graphics by Syndrome Studio 6. Hooligans fashion spread by Syndrome Studio 7. “Herb Alpert Is…” documentary title sequence by Syndrome Studio 8. Minion Park Universal Studios Japan by Syndrome Studio 9. Shakira “El Dorado” world tour stage graphics by Syndrome Studio 10. FRCE Japan illustration by Syndrome Studio