Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Aydin.
Ali, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
To tell my story, I must take you back to my student years in Turkey, my home country. I graduated from Marmara University with a major in Communications and Public Relations. During my third year of college, I was exposed to the business world and gained experience with advertising agencies that specialized in magazine publications. This is when I discovered my personal interest in design. I was taken by surprise by my own curiosity and quickly became deeply passionate about it. I had to explore my potential and learn more about design, so I worked hard to master graphic design. Before I knew it, I had graduated university and gained valuable experience in visual communications design through internships at local magazines and agencies. It was a bit of a departure from my original major, but it was worth it and it soon led to a surprising job offer from a large publication group to design for national magazines. This eventually grew into becoming a Visual Director for many renowned publications in Turkey.
Excited by the prospect of furthering my creative journey, I set my sights higher and decided to look beyond the borders of my home country. After extensive research into advertising companies in New York City and entertainment agencies in Los Angeles, I reached out to Emrah Yücel, whose work I deeply respect and admire. To my delight, he saw potential in my portfolio and invited me to join his design agency, “Iconisus”, in Los Angeles. For many years, I was part of numerous world-renowned films and television projects within the agency, eventually rising to the title of Art Director. It was an incredible journey, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have been part of such an inspiring creative environment.
After seven remarkable years, I knew it was time to take the next step in my career. As a Creative Director, I had the opportunity to build my own brand, turning down lucrative offers from other agencies in order to focus on individual projects that would strengthen my portfolio and personal brand. Driven by my passion, curiosity, and excitement to create something truly unique, I founded MOT Creative, my Key Art design agency, in 2016. With an incredible team assembled, we focused heavily on our marketing efforts and, most importantly, the quality of our work. That same year, a producer saw our portfolio and offered us the job of designing the international poster campaign for “Hacksaw Ridge”, a major title directed by Mel Gibson. This project was awarded not one but two Academy Awards shortly after. This was a fantastic start for our team and we knew that, as long as we continued to deliver quality artwork, more and more companies would be intrigued. I am passionate about what I do and this passion has enabled me to chase after my dream. With a full book of big studio clients that I could only have dreamed of before, I am now living this dream.
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?
Starting a new life on the other side of the world is no small feat. It requires a great deal of determination and courage to take that leap. When I decided to start my own agency and build it from the ground up, I knew it would be a challenge. There are so many responsibilities to manage, from managing expectations to ensuring the happiness of my team and the satisfaction of customers. As Creative Director, I am responsible for every aspect of the agency, and the more successful it becomes, the greater the responsibilities.
Yet, I find strength in taking action, pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and striving to do my best. I had always envisioned taking the leap of starting my own agency, and after years of systematic planning and learning, I knew the time was right. Seeing what me and my team have achieved today is a powerful motivator for the future. It proves that with dedication and hard work, anything is possible.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
MOT Creative is a Key Art design agency founded in 2016 in Hollywood’s vibrant and buzzing Entertainment Industry that designs conceptual artworks and poster campaigns for prestigious movies, television series and online streaming platforms.
We take the quality of our work very seriously. Our team is highly experienced and dedicated, having grown together over the past seven years. We are a tight-knit group, which allows us to work together seamlessly and creatively. We love to think outside the box and gathering unique ideas to create artwork across all genres.
Our client portfolio is something to be proud of. We have been running successful Netflix campaigns for years, and have partnered with many world-famous studios such as Lionsgate, Disney+, National Geographic, History Channel, Peacock, and NBC Universal. Notable projects we have recently worked on are “Welcome to Earth”, “A Friend of the Family”, “Vikings Valhalla”, and “1899”. Our collaborations have been honored with multiple CLIO Entertainment Award wins, the highest honor in our field.
You can check out our website motcreative.com to view our latest entertainment endeavors!
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Chase your passions and stay true to yourself. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some incredibly talented creatives, each of whom is unique and inspiring in their own way. When you’re just starting out, it can take a lot of courage to find your footing, but never give up and believe in yourself! Take risks, push yourself out of your comfort zone, and do what makes you happy. Unlock the potential within yourself and dream of what could be.
Keep creating your art and strive to deliver the best work you can. If you stay consistent and believe in yourself, the rest will follow and your dreams will become reality.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.motcreative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motcreative/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-aydin-a10a24116/
Image Credits
Photo by: Berat Simsek
