Meet Christian of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian.

Hi Christian, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My introduction to design began as a freelance illustrator, working primarily on movie posters. I enjoyed working for employers like the legendary comic book artist Neal Adams and creating work for Spike Lee and his art directors in advertising.

In those days, movie poster ideas (one-sheets) were drafted by hand—hundreds at a breakneck pace—and presented to the studio for approval. Once the studio signed off on what best sold the movie, the agency or art director would create the final design.

I often worked on-site between two advertising houses, hunched in a cubicle—drawing, drawing, drawing. During breaks, I’d wander into the graphic design department and watch the designers at their computers. They were creating one-sheets too, at a slower pace, but I could see the writing on the wall.

Eventually, much of the hand illustration work was phased out. I took graphic design courses at UCLA and later founded Old Hat Designs. I returned to working with agencies, however, I also started working directly with producers and directors, designing high-quality pitch decks and look books. Freelancing in this capacity and having the flexibility to work from my desk at home has been a great joy.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Yes, there have been challenges. But anyone with wisdom understands that most obstacles are simply lessons in disguise. If you are patient with problems along the road, they will peel away to reveal an unexpected perspective, and your career and your life will be all the better on the other side.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The main service I provide is designing pitch decks. What is a pitch deck? A pitch deck is a visual tool that confidently sells the vision of a client’s project. The entertainment business has always been responsive to visuals. It has operated this way ever since producers hustled distribution deals to greenlight movies with only a single poster mock-up in hand. The pitch deck is the modern iteration of that—in approximately 10 to 15 colorful slides.

A pitch deck functions like a movie trailer. It should be a concise, seductive way of telling your story through visuals—so much so that the text becomes secondary. It should feel editorial, like a splashy magazine, leaving the production company or producer without a shred of doubt about what they are getting. It’s not just about getting people excited about your story or script. Many people in entertainment don’t read scripts; they prefer your pitch deck to show them the story instead.

The decks I build definitely have my signature illustrative flair. I want my clients to know they have a tool that will instantly draw a person’s attention. Pitch decks abide by the law of first impressions—you’re only going to get one.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck is and has always been the artist’s best friend. However, showing up prepared is mandatory. This goes for my practice as a designer, as well as for many of my clients’ aspirations. Of course, I’m not saying anything new here. The entertainment industry is a roulette wheel. It’s predicated on luck.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://oldhatdesigns.org
• Instagram: old_hat_designs
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/old-hat-designs-14b51a253/