William Herring
Creative director, writer, motion artist, illustrator, animator, game maker, and creative tech enthusiast.
E-mail: will@likethefish.net
Experience:
Sweet Baby Inc.
Writer / Designer / Artist, June 2021 to Present
• Scriptwriting, barks, quest design, and narrative documentation for various AAA and independent video game titles.
• Managing writing assignments, running writer’s rooms, and providing feedback for internal and external writing talent.
• Writing barks, cinematics, quests, dialogue, worldbuilding documents, casting sides, character bios, and more for a diverse range of clients and video game genres.
• Graphic design, art and animation for internal and client-facing projects.
• The creation of a few hundred bespoke Slack emojis.
Clients have included: Rocksteady, Ubisoft, Compulsion, Insomniac, Metric Empire, Panic, Brass Lion Entertainment, Remedy, and others.
Willbot
Freelance Game Maker / Artist / Motion Designer / Creative Generalist, May 2018 to Present
• Produce high-quality written, illustrated, and animated creative work for a variety of freelance clients.
• Develop original interactive experiences, mobile games, web games, desktop games, and mobile apps.
• Produce original artwork for a variety of mediums, from social media to video game artwork to interactive experiences.
• Provide creative strategy, ideation, and copywriting services for a variety of clients.
Clients have included: Jam City, Noom, Reddit, Glowforge, Bark, Kinship, Twitter, Panic, and Praytell.
BarkBox
Senior Designer, November 2018 to March 2020
• Produced high-quality motion graphics, static imagery, custom character animation, augmented reality experiences, and more for BarkBox’s social advertising initiative.
• Leveraged the Adobe Creative Suite to create and iterate daily based on performance metrics while working closely with copywriters and brand stakeholders.
• Utilized Cinema 4D to create top-of-the-line 3D motion graphics and virtual product demonstrations.
Twitch
Branded Content Strategist, May 2016 to November 2018
• Developed innovative, first-to-market branded execution opportunities for leading brands on Twitch.
• Produced quick-turnaround creative strategy, copywriting, illustration, animation, and graphic design efforts for custom proposals and on-site assets for experiential activations and off-site distribution.
• Managed and crafted creative for high-end custom broadcasts, on-site activations, and program strategies.
BuzzFeed
Director of Creative Development, March 2015 to May 2016
• Actively ideated and developed new ad products, post formats, and custom integration opportunities to expand BuzzFeed's native advertising offering.
• Managed, directed, and crafted creative for high-end custom branded solutions from initial ideation to launch.
• Collaborated closely with our Sales, Strategy, Design, and Animation teams to develop both responsive and proactive executions for brands.
Creative Director, August 2014 to March 2015
• Led the Creative Development team in creating stellar original custom solutions for brands and developing new ad products on BuzzFeed.
• Led the Creative Animation and Design teams in creating stellar original artwork in BuzzFeed's sponsored content and across the social web.
Associate Creative Director, April 2014 to August 2014
• Worked alongside the other ACDs to conceptualize and execute original custom integrations and develop new ad products on and off BuzzFeed.
• Created and managed the Creative Animation team, a group of highly-skilled animators, illustrators, and designers tasked with developing high-quality visual content.
Senior Creative, May 2012 to April 2014
• Conceptualized and created a diverse portfolio of branded content for numerous high-profile campaigns on BuzzFeed and across the social web.
• Collaborated closely with creative agencies and in-house advertising teams to provide high-quality sponsored creative and expertly communicate brand messages to our audience.
Dialect Inc.
Senior Editor (Contract), February 2012 to April 2012
• Created and co-wrote a custom tablet-based magazine for a renowned entertainment industry retailer.
• Used established industry contacts to gain access to timely information and interview opportunities.
IDG Entertainment, GamePro Media
Reviews Editor, October 2008 to December 2011
• Oversaw GamePro Magazine and GamePro.com's reviews initiative, and created original content for both platforms under demanding deadlines.
• Managed an extensive list of freelance writers, and worked with them to create compelling multimedia coverage.
• Collaborated with press and public relations representatives on high-profile concepts, cover stories, event coverage, and in-depth features.
Education:
• Graduate: Academy of Art University. Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, Screenwriting for Motion Pictures and Television (2009)
• Graduate: A&M Consolidated High School, College Station, TX (2005)
• Certification: General Assembly, Visual Design (2016)
• Attended the International Summer School Programme at the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England (2004)
Skills:
• Experience developing and executing exceptional original written, visual, interactive, and experiential creative work.
• Established leadership abilities in collaborative, team-oriented environments.
• Experience clearly and concisely presenting creative concepts to clients.
• Experience managing and cultivating freelance talent.
• Experience with the Adobe Creative Suite, Blender, Cinema 4D, Keynote, Microsoft Office, Final Cut Pro, Final Draft, and a variety of operating systems.