Alex Rivera’s Render Dashboard

Goals & Identity

Dream jobMotion graphics designer at an entertainment studio or creative agency in LA or remote. I want to work on title sequences, brand videos, and social content for entertainment brands.

Goals statementBuild a professional portfolio that demonstrates my range in motion design and video editing. Land an entry-level position or first freelance clients within 90 days of graduation. Develop expertise in 3D motion graphics to differentiate myself.

Creative identityI’m a visual storyteller who blends graphic design and motion to create energetic, rhythm-driven content. My work leans bold, high contrast, dynamic typography, and sound-synced animation.

Target marketMid-size creative agencies, entertainment brands, music labels, sports media companies, and tech startups with strong visual identities.

3-year visionSenior motion designer at a studio I believe in, or running a small freelance practice with 5 regular clients and a recognizable visual style.

Search Strings

String 1“motion graphics” OR “motion designer” OR “video editor” (Los Angeles OR remote)

String 2“junior motion designer” OR “entry level” AND (“After Effects” OR “Cinema 4D”)

String 3“creative agency” AND “motion” AND (“social content” OR “brand video”)

Indeed

String 1motion graphics designer entry level

String 2“video editor” “After Effects” remote

Links Hub

Portfolioalexrivera.design

LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/alexriveramogfx

Behancebehance.net/alexrivera

Instagram@alex.mogfx

Emailalex.rivera.design@gmail.com

LocationPhoenix, AZ · Open to LA / Remote

Job Search Log

6 saved jobs · 3 applied

Junior Motion Designer

Superfly Creative Agency · View posting →

Status: applied

Resume edits for this job: • Lead with After Effects and Cinema 4D experience, this posting mentions both in the first paragraph • Add your title sequence project from AVC 248, it directly matches their “brand storytelling” requirement • Remove the retail experience section, replace with freelance project summaries

Motion Graphics Artist

ESPN Creative Works

Status: applied

Video Editor / Motion Designer

Cactus Creative (Phoenix)

Status: interview

Freelance Motion Designer

Spotify, Contract

Status: saved

Social Content Creator

Nike Digital Studio (Remote)

Status: applied

Jr. Motion Graphics Designer

Wieden+Kennedy (Portland, OR)

Status: saved

Active Resume

Draft 3 · Your current working resume

ALEX RIVERA
Motion Designer & Video Editor
Phoenix, AZ · alex.rivera.design@gmail.com · alexrivera.design

SUMMARY
Creative motion designer with a strong foundation in After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Premiere Pro. Skilled in typography-driven motion, brand storytelling, and sound-synced animation. Looking to bring bold visual energy to an agency or entertainment brand.

EDUCATION
Associate of Applied Science, Digital Media Arts
Glendale Community College · Expected May 2026
Concentration: Motion Design & Video

TECHNICAL SKILLS
Motion & Animation: After Effects, Cinema 4D, Blender
Video: Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve
Design: Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma
Audio: Audition, basic sound design

PROJECTS
Title Sequence, “Nightfall” (AVC 248 Capstone)
60-second animated title sequence for a fictional thriller series. Cinema 4D environments, After Effects compositing, original sound design.

Brand Video, Cactus Creative (Freelance)
30-second social promo for a Phoenix restaurant group. Shot, edited, and animated in 5 days. 12K views on Instagram.

Motion Reel, Portfolio Showcase
2-minute compilation of best motion work from 2024–2026. Typography, transitions, logo reveals.

Skills Map

Your stack

After Effects Cinema 4D Premiere Pro Photoshop Illustrator Figma DaVinci Resolve Audition Blender Canva Google Workspace

Skills in progress

Unreal Engine Houdini basics Lottie/web animation Client invoicing Freelance contracts

Learning resources

• School of Motion, “Animation Bootcamp” (free intro) and “Explainer Camp” (paid)
• Ben Marriott YouTube channel, After Effects tutorials, weekly uploads
• Greyscalegorilla, Cinema 4D training, free starter tutorials
• Motion Design School, “Real-Time Motion” Unreal Engine course
• LinkedIn Learning, “Freelancing Fundamentals” for contracts and invoicing

PD Activity Log

8 activities logged this semester

Mar 12Completed School of Motion “Intro to Animation” module · 3 hrs

Mar 8LinkedIn Learning: Freelance contracts · 1.5 hrs, Learned about kill fees and scope creep language

Mar 3Ben Marriott tutorial: Text animation techniques · 1 hr

Feb 26Cinema 4D lighting workshop (Greyscalegorilla) · 2 hrs

Feb 19Portfolio review with mentor (Sarah Chen, Superfly) · 0.5 hrs, She said to cut the retail work and add more process shots

Feb 12DaVinci Resolve color grading basics · 1.5 hrs

Feb 5Figma prototyping intro · 2 hrs, Useful for motion storyboarding

Jan 28GCC Career Services résumé workshop · 1 hr

Network

5 contacts

Sarah ChenCreative Director · Superfly Creative Agency · LinkedIn

Marcus WilliamsMotion Designer · ESPN · LinkedIn

Jasmine TorresFreelance Motion Designer · Phoenix · LinkedIn

Kevin ParkRecruiter · The Creative Group · LinkedIn

Mollie (Career Services)Career Advisor · GCC

Interview Practice

Tell me about a project where you had to meet a tight deadline. How did you handle it?

I shot and edited a 30-second social promo for a restaurant group in 5 days. I broke the project into daily milestones, shoot day 1, rough cut day 2, motion graphics day 3, sound and color day 4, revisions day 5. The client wanted changes to the opening shot on day 4, so I shifted the sound work to the morning and re-shot in the afternoon.

Strong answer, you showed your process, not just the result. The daily milestone breakdown is concrete and believable. One improvement: mention the outcome (“12K views, client re-hired me for two more projects”). Interviewers want to hear that your system delivered results.

What software do you use for motion design, and how do you decide which tool to use?

After Effects is my primary tool for 2D motion and compositing. For anything with 3D environments or product visualization I use Cinema 4D. Premiere for long-form editing. I pick the tool based on the deliverable, if it’s a title sequence with 3D elements, I start in C4D and composite in AE. If it’s social content with text animation, I stay in AE the whole way.

This is clear and practical, you’re showing decision-making, not just listing software. Consider adding: “I’m currently learning Unreal Engine for real-time rendering, which is becoming standard for broadcast motion.” It signals you’re staying current without overselling.

Professional Development Plan

Week 1-2: Launch • Update portfolio with final capstone project and 2 strongest pieces from the semester • Apply to 5 target jobs from your saved list (Superfly, ESPN, Cactus Creative, Nike, Spotify contract) • Send follow-up messages to Sarah Chen and Marcus Williams, mention your capstone and ask if their teams are hiring • Set up Google Alerts for “motion designer” + “Phoenix OR remote” Month 1: Foundation • Apply to 3-5 new jobs per week on LinkedIn and Indeed using your saved search strings • Complete School of Motion “Explainer Camp” (your biggest skill gap for agency work) • Ship 1 freelance project (even if it’s discounted) to add a real client piece to your reel • Post 2x/week on Instagram and LinkedIn, process videos, before/afters, tips Month 2: Build momentum • Follow up on all outstanding applications, re-engage with Cactus Creative about the interview • Start Unreal Engine basics (Motion Design School course), 2 hrs/week • Reach out to 3 new industry contacts per week on LinkedIn • Build 1 spec project for a dream brand (Nike, Spotify, or similar) Month 3: Accelerate • Evaluate: if freelance is working, formalize your rate sheet and contract template • If targeting full-time, narrow to your top 3 companies and tailor everything to them • Submit your reel to 2 motion design award sites (Motionographer, Art of the Title) • Schedule a portfolio review with a working motion designer outside your network The most important thing: Apply before you feel ready. Your reel is strong enough to get interviews, the “one more project” instinct is procrastination. Send 5 applications this week. The worst outcome is practice; the best outcome is a job.

Weekly Schedule

Monday (2.5 hrs) 9:00–10:00 AM: Job search, check LinkedIn and Indeed using saved search strings, save 2-3 new postings 7:00–8:30 PM: Portfolio work, continue current project or spec piece Tuesday (2 hrs) 7:00–9:00 PM: Skill building, School of Motion or Unreal Engine coursework Wednesday (2.5 hrs) 9:00–10:00 AM: Applications, tailor resume and submit for 1-2 saved jobs 7:00–8:30 PM: Portfolio work, shoot, edit, or animate Thursday (1.5 hrs) 12:00–12:30 PM: Networking, send 2 LinkedIn messages, comment on 3 industry posts 7:00–8:00 PM: Skill building, tutorials, practice, or experimental work Friday (1.5 hrs) 9:00–10:00 AM: Job search, new listings, follow up on outstanding applications 10:00–10:30 AM: Content creation, post 1 piece to Instagram/LinkedIn Saturday, Rest day Sunday (1 hr) 6:00–7:00 PM: Weekly review, update Render dashboard, plan next week’s priorities, check off PD log Rhythm reminders: • Block these times in your calendar app, treat them like class • Start each week by checking your Render dashboard job log for follow-ups due • If you skip a day, don’t double up, just pick up the next scheduled block

At a Glance

Jobs tracked

Applied

Tools in stack

Contacts

PD activities

Q&As practiced