Ken Butts

RESUME

SUMMARY

Experienced Motion Designer with expertise creating branding elements for advertising/collateral, on-air, digital, promos, and live events. With an understanding of typography, layout and composition plus a proficiency in the systems used to deliver graphics in a fast-turn environment, I collaborate with producers, editorial staff and art directors to produce graphics to translate complex information into clear, engaging visuals.

SKILLS

  • Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects/Motion Graphics Templates, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, Firefly, InDesign), Google Earth Studio, Cinema 4D, VizRt
  • Comfortable working in a deadline-driven, time-sensitive, accuracy-mandated work environment and managing multiple projects with overlapping and/or conflicting deadlines
  • Team player and self-starter who embraces change and knows when and where to be flexible
  • Genuine curiosity and willingness to stay ahead of trends in motion design, emerging tools, and AI-assisted workflows to work smarter and deliver better results

EXPERIENCE

NBCUniversal  2015-2025

NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas, Top Story with Tom Llamas, NBC News Now, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, NBC Nightly News Kids Edition, The Today Show           

Show Lead | Designer/Animator

 

  • Designed and delivered motion and still graphics, including full-screen templates, charts, maps, editorial visuals, set monitors, OTS graphics and live performances
  • Created animated graphics packages – opens, transitions and segment starters
  • Adapted graphics and animations quickly in response to breaking news and live programming demands
  • Managed multiple projects simultaneously – meeting tight deadlines without compromising quality
  • Maintained organized files, templates and toolkits to ensure efficient workflows
  • Participated in early adoption testing of new tools and workflows, including Adobe AI products

PBS/WNET Thirteen and NJTV News  2011-2015

Motion Graphics Designer

  • Designed and edited materials for network shows, promos, live events and fundraising projects
  • Produced graphics for news segments, election specials, weather and special report opens – in addition to work for other WNET/NJTV programs; supervised production artists
  • Practical production experience with on-air graphics, title design, typography, web, mobile and broadcast standards

[motion+design]  Freelance

Motion Graphics Designer

  • Designed motion graphic elements that incorporated animation, 3D models and live-action compositing for a variety of post and editorial houses, networks and web design
  • Clients included NHL Digital Studios, L’Oréal, Maybelline

International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600

Director of Photography, Camera Operator & 1st Assistant Cameraman

  • Clients included Nike, Gap, Calvin Klein, Pepsi, NY Yankees, Pizza Hut, KFC

EDUCATION

New York University: Master of Science, Digital Imaging and Design

The University of Texas at Austin: Bachelor of Science, Radio-TV-Film