Why make stuff?
I’m Jared Flynn. I am an After Effects and Cinema 4D artist, amateur thereminist, and avid solo TTRPG player. I write, draw, and cook.
But why?
I’m in my forties.
In lieu of purchasing a boat to help me navigate the seas of an uncertain mid-life identity transition*, I carve out this space to reflect on the role creativity plays in my life. How does being creative define, feed and clothe, anger and inspire, abandon and reclaim?
Why Make Stuff? is part professional portfolio, part playground, and part old-school personal homepage.
Why Make Stuff? is about pursuing purposeful work and joyful play.
Why Make Stuff? is an invitation to get lost for a few minutes in a lifetime of one dude’s artifacts. It is the key to my garage.
*One could also argue that the theremin thing and my growing collection of tabletop RPG books are also symptoms of the whole mid-life escapism business, but we can leave that unexamined for now.
I’m an animator.
I’ve been making 2D and 3D animation professionally since 2009. My clients include broadcasters like History, Science Channel, WGBH, and National Geographic; and brands like Google, Spotify, America’s Test Kitchen, and Freeform.
After Effects and Cinema 4D are my weapons of choice. I’ve got strong experience in both Octane and Redshift render engines, X-Particles for simulation work, and on the After Effects side I like to collect glow plugins the way a thereminist collects reverb pedals.
I’ve got a fun reel, and also a fun link to my case studies.
I have a blog.
Here’s my latest wall of text. Good luck in there!
I play TTRPGs by myself.
This is my most recent session log. Dig in to follow the whole campaign!