Exclusive interview with Marcelo Moyano

WideGroup.net

Boasting a client list that includes DreamWorks SKG, Marcelo Moyano offers seasoned advice to beginners. He personally achieves breathtaking effects by mixing motion graphics and audio, and since 2001 has been into shocking visitors at his broadband website -- WideGroup -- which targets entertainment industry clients. He has won, among other things, awards from Macromedia for his work. Notwithstanding, he remains humble and even gives credit to his wife, Ana, for being "the artist behind the scenes."

WDL: Give us a brief bio please. How did you start designing?

Marcelo Moyano: Well, in the year 1998 I was looking for something cool to do with my life. I had always been interested in Sound & Visual FX. I was doing technical support for Internet access that year :-) (yes!). At that time I had also been working in nightclubs as a bar man for 3 years.
But my relation with design was born when one of my friends showed me Gabocorp.com. Yeap, I have to admit that I was shocked to view something in movement inside the Web. And from that moment, I said, I have to do this. I have to learn this. Then I got a trial of Macromedia Flash 3, and that was the big start :-). I didn't start alone: Ana, who is my wife now, was the artist behind the scenes. She has been the Art Director for all the projects that we have made.

WDL: Your web site is amazing. Describe your design style.

Marcelo Moyano: Thank you very much. All the works that I make in WideGroup have similar styles, but the WideGroup website has a very cinematic style. I'm always looking to make breathtaking effects to shock the audience, just like when you watch a movie trailer in theaters. Through motion graphics, high impact animations, music mixing and voiceovers in the intro (I remember that our intro was one of the first using voiceover), I intended to give life to the Web in that moment.
We have 2 versions of the WideGroup website: the 2001-2002, which I called The Broadband Experience, and the 2003-2004, working under the name of Corporate Broadband .
This Corporate Broadband was made to show other angles of design, using windows and smooth effects with a "techie" interface, conceptual backgrounds and branding like animations mixed with really great music. I really like mixing music on my websites, because you can feel each part of the experience with different beats :-).
I have to let you know a very important thing: in WideGroup's websites all the animations, compositing, music mixing, audio fx, visual fx and interactivity, as well as all the demos that you can watch in the 2001-2002 website, were done by myself. Also all the work for our clients was done by me, and I can't forget one very important thing: all the graphics, conceptual backgrounds, colors, and visual style were done by Ana. She has an impressive talent, and nothing of these could have been done without her :-).
If you add it all up, you’ll understand that was an impressive amount of work, yes. But our passion for creating and designing is even greater than this :-).

WideGroup wallpaper

WideGroup wallpaper

WDL: What did your very first project look like?

Marcelo Moyano: Wow. Hehe. Our first project (I say our, for Ana and me) was a website for a store that sold sweet food and things like that. :-). Hopefully, it's not online anymore. Hehehe.

WDL: What is your current project?

Marcelo Moyano: I can't say anything right now, but I can assure you that when I finish this current project, it will blow your minds away :-).

WDL: We noticed DreamWorks SKG in your client list. What job did you do for them?

Marcelo Moyano: Yes, for DreamWorks SKG, we made a complete campaign experience for a movie with Jackie Chan, The Tuxedo. We made the website and the online advertising campaign. That website was awarded by Macromedia with the Site of the Day because DreamWorks was the first using Flash Video for the movie trailer. And then we made floating ads for the movie using the eyeblaster technology. And also, that was the first time that DreamWorks used eyeblaster for an online campaign with floating ads.
The website was really cool because you could interact with Jackie Chan (we made it like a cartoon). And we mixed that with the interfaces shown in the movie. We recreated all those interfaces and the result was really great.

The Tuxedo intro page

The Tuxedo main page

WDL: What designs do you like the most and why?

Marcelo Moyano: I really like several designs. But I have to admit that 2advanced and Fantasy Interactive are really great. You can see the work done for their clients. Very professional. Each one has its own target audience, but I think that their work is very well done. A lot of designers around the world have been inspired by these 2 companies, and also have been inspired by WideGroup. That's something great; I like seeing people trying to grow (not stealing) and using our style of animation, etc. My inspiration didn't come from the Web. There are a lot of things out there that can inspire you more than anything on the Web.

WDL: What is your favorite work?

Marcelo Moyano: The next one ;-).
For my creation? I think that would have to be WideGroup 2001-2002 intro and website. That was my favorite because all the things that surrounded that work. And because today people are still talking about it and sending emails, saying: “Wow, the best of all time!" With that website, WideGroup appears everywhere in the design community websites. That makes me very proud.

WideGroup wallpaper

WDL: What are some of the common mistakes beginners make when they design their websites? Any advice? Marcelo Moyano: If you are trying to make your website, the first thing is: NEVER, never try to make something like others. I mean like WG, 2A, FI, etc. Try to make something new, if you are interested in great effects and things like that; you can always morph anything into something new. Try to play games (pc games, console games) 30 min/day. That will refresh your mind. And the most important: listen to music, it would be great if you had headphones, heard it louder, felt the beat. And then make "Tests". Try some particular things, and save it, close it, and open it tomorrow and go on. Then at the end of the day check what you do. You will improve your skills day by day.

WDL: What software couldn't you live without?

Marcelo Moyano: This one is easy :-). Macromedia Flash - After effects - Discreet Combustion Maya

WDL: If at the request of the US Government you were entrusted to redesign the national flag, what would you change and why?

Marcelo Moyano: I would just remove the stars and put the earth on it, so it would be just like the Futurama flag in the year 3000. Hehe (just kidding) :-). I don't know what to say. I think I wouldn't be able to do it :-).

WDL: Thank you for your time.

WideGroup.net old website