Hello! I'm Marc Vilarnau, founder of Bisuala, a motion design studio specialized in creating animations that connect emotionally with the user. Today I want to talk to you about a key principle in our studio: how we manage disappointments in a project and what we do to learn from them.
Even though it may seem like everything is always perfect on social media, the reality is that every project we take on presents challenges. And we don't always succeed on the first try. It's precisely in those moments, when a client tells us they're not happy with an animation or that they need to redo a design, that we learn more about our weaknesses. However, these are also moments that can become difficult conflict situations to manage, especially for creatives.
A real example of how we learn from a mistake
Recently, we worked on an explanatory video about regenerative agriculture. Our client was a documentary director, and our animation was part of his project. Despite having a clear creative process at Bisuala, I admit that in this project I made a major mistake: I assumed that the client was giving us “carte blanche” to design the style we wanted.
And this is where the problem arose. Even though the client had shown his trust in us, that didn’t mean he didn’t want to be involved in the process. Some clients prefer to feel included in every step, while others don’t. Assuming that everyone prefers not to be involved was our mistake.
What happened?
Our client mistook styleframes for sketches. Styleframes are visual representations of how the final design will look in a scene, but without animation. As a result, we started animating material that did not match the style he expected, especially because of the issue of appropriateness for the documentary's target audience.
Embrace and learn from failure in motion design.
Nobody wants to have to go back on a project. On an emotional and financial level, it's not ideal. However, what we like least is having an unhappy client and a project that doesn't reach its full potential. So, we decided to roll up our sleeves and go back to the initial phase, redesigning everything from scratch. And this, in financial terms, was not the most profitable option. But in the long term, we see it as an investment. In a satisfied client, in a more resilient team, and in learning that we will apply to future projects.
The result: a happy client and a satisfied team
The effort was worth it. In the end, the client was very happy with the result and thanked us very much for our dedication, understanding and willingness to adapt to his needs. What seemed like a difficult situation ended up being an enriching collaborative experience.
Our team also enjoyed the process very much. Despite the initial difficulties, everyone involved in the project felt a part of the final success. These types of projects reinforce the importance of teamwork and communication, and teach us to face challenges with an open mind.
The value of learning from mistakes
At our studio, we see every challenge as an opportunity to improve and grow. Managing conflicts effectively is one of the keys to achieving quality projects and maintaining trusting relationships with our clients. We know that motion design is not just about creating beautiful animations, but about understanding the client’s needs and working together to bring those ideas to the screen in the best way possible.
If you're looking to create an animation for your project, we'd love to help!
At Bisuala, we are always ready to listen to your project and offer you motion design solutions that adapt to your needs. Do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to work with you.
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