Dipl.Ing. (FH) Patrick Sturm

What is the focus of your design studio? 

Our focus is very broad. In the past, we would have said that we offer “hybrid film” – a combination of design, motion graphics, VR and real images. Today, we are more interested in developing our expertise in new areas and applying it in a targeted manner. One area that is clearly growing is artificial intelligence. At our core, we see ourselves as a service provider in the film industry – for title design or VFX, for example. We do a lot of work in brand communication, advertising and television. We also carry out projects in the field of VR and projections. A particular highlight was our involvement in the world’s largest projection mapping project – as part of the Expo in Dubai for our client, Siemens. Ideally, we get involved right from the storytelling stage, i.e., directly with the task or problem at hand. We actually prefer it when there is no finished briefing yet – that way we can contribute conceptually and provide creative impetus right from the start.

How many people are there at the moment? 

There are three of us today – before the pandemic, we were a team of ten. Over time, we had to take on more and more projects that didn’t really fulfil us. You just do whatever it takes to make ends meet financially. Back then, our lifestyle was different: we didn’t have families and we sometimes worked day and night. That has changed a lot. The flexibility we value today would be hardly compatible with a larger company. 

How did you get started? Did you found the company while you were still at the FH? 

We founded the company in 2005, right after we graduated. In the autumn of that year, our company was born in a shared flat in Vienna’s 6th district. The flat had three rooms: Markus and I lived there, and the middle room served as an office where we even received clients. We implemented some large projects in this small office. For BWIN, for example, we realised one of the largest TV campaigns in Europe at the time – that was one of our first assignments. 

What did you offer back then that was so special? 

At that time, it was all about 3D animation combined with motion graphics. Many were inspired by the opening credits of David Fincher’s film Se7en – people even set up their own studios because this type of motion design was considered so groundbreaking. We were also fascinated and wanted to create designs that could compete internationally. That’s how we got into mixed media. In 2007, things really took off – we learned a tremendous amount from a Dutch company we worked for. Among other things, we produced commercials for the American market. It was a tough but also incredibly formative experience: the pressure was enormous, the stress immense. We worked day and night – constantly at our limits. But that was our baptism of fire. 

Is there a personal highlight from the last 20 years? 

A personal highlight was the short film I made in 2018 – a joint project between two studios. The film was very successful and premiered in New York. That’s also where I met my partner – it was a great time. Going to my own premiere was a very special feeling. I was very involved as the director. We had a large team, twelve days of shooting, including an elaborate studio shoot in Vorarlberg and outdoor scenes on the mountain – in metre -deep snow. 

What do customers want when they come to you today? 

We are currently undergoing a massive change: With the advent of artificial intelligence, the value of creative work is increasingly being questioned, or rather undermined by machines. A fundamental change is taking place – design processes and the tools used are being called into question. There is a kind of devaluation taking place: Much can be automated or “improvised” today. But they reached their limits when it came to character animation – and that’s exactly where we came in. I fear that AI is increasingly turning design into a uniform soup – smooth, sterile, but without any real flavour. Perhaps that is precisely the turning point: That we have to ask ourselves whether everything really has to be so slick or whether it can be wilder, bolder, louder again.  

What is your everyday work like? 

Customer meetings, team coordination, assigning tasks, implementation, problem solving – and eventually the project is completed. Today, the processes are very short, depending on the size of the project. We discuss the essentials without a lot of overhead. Communication with customers is usually very direct – and that is often very pleasant. Of course, this has advantages and disadvantages. It used to be different: For a project in the Netherlands, for example, we flew to Amsterdam almost every week because the client wanted to see us in person. Sometimes we only discussed a single aspect there – with countless coordination loops. Today such processes are rare. Due to the pandemic, we are now much more flexible in the implementation of projects – that is clearly an advantage. But we also see each other less often, which means that personal relationships are not as easy to form as they used to. But it is precisely these personal connections that are important for business – especially in the advertising industry, where staff turnover is very high. Without this personal connection, it becomes much more difficult to win new contracts. 

In your opinion, what do designers need today? 

For students, I would recommend first exploring the role of a generalist — to stay flexible and able to respond to whatever may come. Because the truth is, we don’t know what’s coming. It’s entirely possible that a specialist field that exists today could disappear tomorrow. 

Many people have already experienced this — for example, those who worked in film illustration or storyboarding. These used to be well-paid jobs. Today, we’re seeing how artificially generated storyboards are suddenly becoming the norm — often poor quality, but they’re still there. It’s creeping in. And you really have to pay attention to how you can still maintain your own quality. It’s important to approach your work with healthy self-confidence and not sell yourself short — but always retain a realistic view of what’s possible.