In this series, we ask Imagination talent all about the experiences that have made them who they are. This month we spoke to Taylor Simon, Senior Motion Designer at Imagination Sydney.

A bit about me…

From the fantastical realms of Dungeons & Dragons and the strategic battles of Warhammer to the pixelated landscapes of video games and film, I am an utterly shameless nerd. All of these things share a common theme, I’ve always been drawn to their immersive worlds and creative narratives that spark the imagination.

My love for creativity doesn't stop at the gaming table or TV screen. Yes, believe it or not, I do in fact touch grass every now and again. Often these journeys into the physical world revolve around art exhibitions, festivals, gigs, or just catching up with mates for a cheeky beer or two.

I find joy in both appreciating and creating visual masterpieces whether it's bringing epic scenes to life on absurdly large LED screens or crafting 3D worlds using the real-time power of Twinmotion and Unreal Engine.

The creative experience that’s influenced me the most…

Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience. I started working at Imagination at the end of 2016 which was close to the end of SACE wrapping up, so I missed out on the earlier phases of its inception and creation. But when I first went through the experience I was blown away by how expansive and intricate every little detail was. There were so many genius creative ideas that went into bringing each section to life as well as tying the whole experience together. It made me know I would love working at Imagination.

My industry hero is…

I get a lot of inspiration from Future Deluxe, they do some beautiful work.

The piece of work I’m most proud of…

It would have to be split between AWM Media Launch and AWS Innovation Day and the two couldn't be more different. AWM was a 40-minute documentary following the stories of several amazing individuals who have all served Australia from peacekeeping missions in Lebanon to WW2 veterans surviving sinking battleships. The interviews were beautifully shot and we were given access by the Australian War Memorial to an incredible library of archival photos and videos. Their stories were encapsulating, heartbreaking, and inspiring, and the first screening was on an absurdly massive screen. Film and editing is where I started my creative career and this job will stick with me my whole life as one of the greats.

The latter was a complete ricochet in the opposite direction, AWS Innovation Day involved compositing an array of AWS clients and customers into virtual worlds to expand upon their stories of innovation and bring each keynote to life. It involved a lot of world-building in Unreal Engine and gave me my first big opportunity to flex my skillset and delve into real-time world creation and compositing.

The piece of work that makes me cringe…

When I started as a junior, a lot of my first jobs were hype reels, many of which were for car brands. There seemed to be a common theme among the clients of these car brands, they all loved cheesy b-grade rock songs and it got old very fast!

The experience I wish I had created…

SACE, I was just a tad too late to be there for its creation!

Advice to my 18-year-old self…

Learning doesn't stop after school or university, you will keep filling that brain with knowledge. Learn from everyone no matter who and what they do, from creative directors to junior assistants, everyone has a different perspective and each one is a chance to expand, adapt, and grow your skill set.

What’s next?

2023 was a pretty tough year across the board, not just for Imagination but for lots of agencies. We still got a lot of great work done and of course, are surrounded by amazing people, but I look towards 2024 as a chance to make some truly stunning experiences.