Meet Motion Graphic Designer, Corey Norton

If you've been at Anywhere Real Estate for 15 years, you've probably seen a thing or two. Meet Corey Norton, a Motion Graphic Designer who currently calls Hudson, MA home. Corey landed his first gig right out of college at Realogy and has been creating stellar videos ever since. His talent and video expertise shines through on every project he touches. In fact, he's created many of The Studios most beautiful videos, like the year-end sizzle reel.

I recently sat down with Corey to learn more about how video production has changed over the last 15 years, and here's what he had to say.

How has your video work changed since you joined the company 15 years ago?

The video work I do has been mostly motion graphics focused. I started by doing simple logo animations for what is now Coldwell Banker Realty in New England. Those were mostly new construction videos. Then I did a couple of animations for the New England awards events and a Spirit of Home event. Eventually, our team started doing work for the Connecticut/Westchester region and it really grew from there.

Back then, internet video was still in its early stages. In the beginning, most of the videos we were producing were virtual real estate tours that we would edit and post to our website. It was about marketing local, individual listings to consumers on our website. Now, it's more about creating videos that agents use on various social platforms.

How have you evolved your skills and stayed on-trend over the years?

It also helps that we have a really great team, and we're all constantly sharing new things. I think staying on-trend is about paying attention to what's happening. It's important to know what the trends are, get inspired, but not over-react since they're changing all the time. If I see something inspiring, I'll bookmark it, learn how to do it and share it back with the team to see if it's something we could use.

One thing I've noticed is that bigger trends can be fleeting, so a lot of times if we are on-trend, then we are probably a little late. Instead, we try to think of what might come next. Our goal is to be different. We don't want our videos to look the same as everyone else, we want our clients to stand out. The goal is to stay ahead of trends.

What video are you most proud of and why?

Probably the first one I ever made. It certainly wasn't the best and I don't think it was really that good. At that time, it was about creating something that worked and seeing it come together.I'm also really proud of the video I created for the Connecticut/Westchester agent awards. It was a huge event that was held at the MetLife stadium. Seeing the whole place lit up with my video, prominently displayed on a big stage for everyone to see, was a really cool feeling.What do you think is the coolest development in video over the past year? The variety and nuance of what is being done currently. Some of it is very subtle and most people wouldn't even notice it, but I can tell if it feels smooth and deliberate.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find a lot of inspiration from watching TV commercials. For instance, how Hulu has animated a logo or how they transition a TV show. I'll screen record it and save it as an example to go back to.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like hanging out with friends and family. I used to play a lot of soccer and I'd like to get back into that soon. I'm also up for a good road trip. One where you drive for 25 hours and sleep in the car. The driving part is usually the best part of the adventure!

Finally, any advice to someone interested in a career in motion graphics?

I'd say start with basic graphic design and then move into motion. You want to build a foundation first. Start by watching YouTube videos and just experimenting and playing around. It also helps to have a mentor that can show you the ropes and who you can bounce ideas off.