January 8, 2017

Meet Reynoldstown Graphic Designer & Filmmaker: James Martin

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to James Martin.

James, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I studied graphic design in college and graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2009. Although it wasn’t the best timing to graduate in regard to actually finding a job, it did grant me the opportunity to partake in several workshops focused on design. One workshop was a two-week immersive program called Project M that took place in Maine.

While there, I met a designer from Atlanta and he and I, along with a writer, started a small studio called Cardinal & Company. We were fortunate enough to work on some really great projects together during that time, including the branding for American Spirit Whiskey. About six months into C&C, I took part in a weekend-long hackathon in which someone pitches a concept, and you have 48 hours to create a proof of concept. I worked with a few teams, doing their branding and UI work. One of the teams I worked on, called TripLingo, won and we were asked to compete in a pitch competition. After winning that, we realized that this thing had some legs. So for about six months, I was working two jobs. 10am – 5pm at C&C, and 6pm – 3am at TripLingo. The creative energy was amazing at that time, and I was excited to see how it would all unfold.

Being in a new city during all of this was also exciting. It was a fresh start for me creatively, but also granted me time to explore all of the amazing local establishments and meet amazing artists in the city. I found myself enthralled with burgers and cocktails and started a couple side-projects called The Burger Coaliition and The Sipologist. The Burger Coalition brought together 6 people each month at a different restaurant over burgers and casual conversation. It was through that that I met some of my favorite people in Atlanta. The Sipologist was a blog started to document the ingredients that make up cocktails. I knew I enjoyed them but wanted to dig up some of their backstories.

In school, I had a focus in video and film and so when the opportunity to collaborate with two Atlanta artists on a documentary around the Southeast presented itself, I was excited to jump on board. Something in Particular, went to 19 cities in 30 days and interviewed over 250 artists in the South, with the mission of finding out what it was about their environment that kept them creative. While on that trip, I met my girlfriend Jen West, who is an amazing filmmaker. She and I began collaborating on film in 2013, creating Four x Productions, and have made several short narrative films, music videos, and a recent documentary on the Sazerac cocktail that played as part of the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at Cannes Film Festival this past spring. We’re currently in development of Jen’s first narrative feature called Electric Bleau, as well as the development of a series of short documentary films on classic cocktails.

Ohhh, and at the beginning of this year, we began converting a 1988 Chevy school bus into a tiny house to travel around to film and music festivals with. Check it out here: https://www.instagram.com/eldonthebus/

Has it been a smooth road?
When you look back on everything, it’s such an adventure. However, sometimes, while you’re in it, it can be a little stressful at times. After balancing Cardinal & Company and TripLingo for six months, we at C&C realized we each needed to do our own thing, mostly for the sake of income, but also for creative opportunities beyond design. That was tough in the midst of it all, but undoubtedly was the best thing for all of us. Additionally, on the design side, as a freelance graphic designer, it’s always interesting finding the balance between great clients and projects and those that will just bring in a little extra money that can go toward that whole school bus conversion I mentioned. It’s always the little things in the moment that can be bumpy, but the overall journey is great.

Any predictions for the industry over the next few years?
Both graphic design and filmmaking have been around for some time, and even though there are shifts in aesthetics or style, the underlying foundations remain. I believe that both fields will continue to create amazing works that are inspiring to those that view them. Design is often a reaction to whatever the problems of the time might be, so I can see a continued exploration of work that reaches an audience yearning for change or growth. I think more politically charged design over the next few years will really come to fruition.

Has there been a particular challenge that you’ve faced over the years?
For any creative, a huge challenge is to stay hungry and focused on what you’re doing. For a lot of us, that means taking on side projects or initiatives that keep us fresh and motivated. I think I’ll continue taking on projects that inspire me and push me out of my comfort zone a bit.

What advice do you wish to give to those thinking about pursuing a path similar to yours?
If you’ve got an idea you’re contemplating, whether it be a weekend project or something that may take years, make sure to do it. Don’t just think about the idea, but get out there and make it happen. Even if it’s something minor in the grand scheme, you’ve got to get your hands on it. Collaborate with people, reach out to your inspirations, find mentors, help each other, and stay positive!

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