Today we’d like to introduce you to Adreon Patterson.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Being an awkward Black kid from South Carolina, the only thing that saved me from utter loneliness and boredom was art. Drawing pictures allowed me to create my own world. As my talent for drawing grew, a pivotal moment happened to me when my second teacher saw a ship scene I was drawing. She immediately took me to the art teacher where my artistic skills began to be nurtured.
From then on, I spent my junior high and high school years taking as many art courses as possible leading to my artwork published in a magazine at age sixteen. While drawing was my gift, my true obsession was animation and writing.
The 1990’s Disney Renaissance, Fox Television’s “The Simpsons,” 1990’s Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network lineups and Hayao Miyazaki’s films pushed me towards a career in 2D animation. These influences led me to pursue my Bachelor’s degree in Animation from SCAD where I was taught and mentored by industry veterans like Gregg Azzopardi and Keith Ingham.
Reading feed my love of writing and storytelling through the likes of Gertrude Chandler Warner, Mark Twain, Harper Lee, Joseph Heller, Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale Hurston, and Walter Dean Myers. This quest for storytelling and screenwriting led me to pursue my Master’s degree in Writing from SCAD.
For the past few years, I have worked as a freelance artist and writer, I created content for companies like Green Cage Security and independent artist Chyle along with writing pieces for outlets like Seoulbeats, GameSkinny, and Paste Magazine. Just recently, I decided to pursue my dreams under Adreon Patterson to help shake up the TV and writing landscape.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Like many creatives, it hasn’t been a smooth road for me as it took me three tries within academia before following my heart to attend SCAD. Before SCAD, I tried to follow a traditional career path like architecture (even though my math skills were sub-par at best). I was and still am a people pleaser who put everyone else’s wants and dreams before mine.
My academic failure led me to a severe two-year depression filled with lackluster job searches and an internet coma. On top of that, I lost my biggest supporter – my mom – at age 21 right when my life was starting to get back on track. I pushed back my college dreams for a moment as my brother finished high school.
After receiving my BFA from SCAD, I found freelancing to be difficult for me with a lack of negotiation and business skills. So after a few bad freelance experiences, I spent a few years working a variety of menial jobs to pay the bills while living with my dad.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Adreon Patterson – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Under the name Adreon Patterson, I am pursuing my multi-faceted career as a writer/animator/artist where I create written and visual content for my growing client base. I specialize in 2D and digital art and design, 2D animation, motion design and writing (creative nonfiction, fiction, and screenplay),
Many of my clients are visually based as I am sought after for my logo, and graphic designs with my reputation as a blogger and writer continue to grow.
As a startup, I am proud that my content reflects my culture in a positive light outside of the world’s prejudices and biases. Creating content I never saw as a kid is the ultimate goal for me as children need to see themselves reflected in film and television.
In order to set me apart from the pack, I am able to combine visual and written content into an effortless package without sacrificing the integrity of either medium. To me, these aspects go hand in hand when creating content that reflects society as a whole.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Over the next year or so, I want to concentrate more on my freelance career as a full-time job rather than a side hustle. With a growing client base and a support system of fellow artists, I hope to collaborate with more brands and individuals so we can grow together.
By this time next year, I hope to have more content online based on a few screenwriting projects I am working on. I am currently working on a musical drama, an animated children’s series, an animated teen dramedy, and an animated superhero series. Of course, all of them line up with my outlook on positive portrayals of minorities in media.
In the next few years, I want to turn my business from a sole proprietor into a full-blown production studio and agency catering to the underrepresented and marginalized.
Pricing:
- Animation – $250 – 1000 (depending on production time and project length)
- Writing – prices vary depending on turnaround and project length
- Art and Design – starts at $25 (depends on the scope of project)
Contact Info:
- Website: adreonpatterson.net
- Phone: 6786814069
- Email: adreonp@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_aniwriter/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adreontheaniwriter/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_aniwriter
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adreon-patterson-4b800027/
Image Credit:
Elizabeth Henry
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
