Today we’d like to introduce you to Eugene Seo.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I ended up where I am through chance at pivotal moments. I’m grateful for where I’m at and think regularly about how my life could have headed in entirely different directions. Those pivotal moments were from being around specific friends that enabled, inspired, and guided my career and lifestyle path.
In high school, I was below a mediocre level in most studies. I wasn’t sure of what goal or direction I’d want to head in after graduation. I didn’t try. I slept through math classes and played cards to gamble in other classes. One day, sitting me down, my mom suggested looking into the arts/design industry. Which I had gone to some form of art classes throughout childhood. This suggestion eventually led me to Art Center College of Design. I was rejected on the first try and accepted on the second try.
Over my working years, I’m grateful to have had the experience moving through a large range of design studios, agencies, and companies. I truly enjoyed working side by side with talented creatives in their specific niches, whether in a tight-knit team or a large corporation or with designers, developers, composers, or writers.
Since 2018, I’ve loved the challenges, growth, and team building my motion studio, Massive Assembly. Co-founded together with Jason Yeh, with whom in the years prior we had either together or individually made leaps at multiple failed business ideas. From ventures in consumer goods to digital products to apps to apparel. Throughout the years of Massive, friends such as Yo Santosa of design studio Ferroconcrete and illustrator Anna Pak were great sources of guidance/examples in building a creative business. Talented creatives at Massive, along with fellow creative colleagues I’ve met along the way, have been key to making the journey and current day rewarding and simply fun.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In present day, I fuck up every day. I sometimes make the wrong decisions. Some small, some big. It’s constantly course-correcting and solving those challenges. To a degree, it’s part of what I enjoy. To solve problems that come up, whether creative or logistical ones.
The studio, Massive, is never in an ideal place. And it never will be. There’s always plenty to improve and a current struggle to get through. We’re mindful of bringing in projects that are creatively rewarding for everyone on our team, enabling growth and fun in our day-to-day, and building genuine relationships with clients and colleagues. We know we can do better and are still figuring it out.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Our design and motion studio, Massive Assembly, specializes in campaigns with fashion and gaming brands. We come from a foundational core in typographic sensibilities and 3D technical roots. We shine with projects and partners where these two factors of strong graphic design and 3D storytelling come together.
I’m lucky and thankful to be creative directing with niche specialty talents within our team that are able to solve creative and technical challenges. Whether it’s in a branding capacity, character animation, or building 3D environments. The convergence of such differing top creatives coming together makes the work coming out of Massive exciting to be a part of.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the COVID-19 crisis?
Times of crisis and dramatic change include hardships as well as opportunities.
Opportunities for those that quickly adapt and fill in the gap for new needs. We embraced remote and leaned into its advantages. We worked on creating a smooth and collaborative remote workflow and team culture. That willingness to commit to the change, even when uncomfortable, has worked out.
Contact Info:
- Website: Massive.work
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eugeneseo
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugeneseo
