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    At Work: A new space downtown for motion and design studio leftchannel

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    Columbus-based motion design firm leftchannel has been in the field for over ten years and was selected as the show-open featured artist for motion 2013, a multi-day event referred to as the TED talks for the industry, held recently in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

    “The opening titles for motion 2013 was one of our favorite projects and because we had complete creative freedom, we feel like it’s a good manifestation of our vision,” says Alberto Scirocco, President and Creative Director of leftchannel.

    Scirocco started the company when motion design was still an early way of communication.

    “I was working for a production house doing that kind of work and the amount of creative freedom that I had at the time was very limited due to the role I was in,” he says. “It made sense to find ways to expand on what motion design could do and what I could do within the style. I decided to go out and start working: in the beginning as a freelancer, eventually more as an official company, and with time, bringing in people. It just grew organically into a studio.”

    The company has had several offices in downtown Columbus.

    “We started on the Northwest side of Columbus, then we moved downtown, then we were in the Short North, and we really, really missed being downtown,” says Scirocco. “Now we are by far in our favorite space we’ve ever been in.”

    The nearly 4,000 square-foot studio is located in the Hawk Galleries building and was designed from scratch to match the leftchannel’s aesthetic.

    “We built a bathroom, a kitchen, knocked a wall down and expanded into another side of the building, built permanent structures, refinished the floors, and walls,” says Scirocco. “We made a lot of changes. We have a very clear vision of where we’re going, but we’re not necessarily rushing to get there. This has been a work in progress for pretty much the entire time that we’ve been here.”

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    Furnishings come from all over the world. “There is Balinese furniture, some things that we are building ourselves, and of course, a lot of Herman Miller.”

    On the walls hangs artwork by artists that used to reside at Junctionview, and other pieces by CCAD artists.

    The space has high ceilings, many windows, and a mix of hardwood and brick materials. Open workspaces give the space a creative feel. There are also other studios in the building which build the energy.

    We love being surrounded by other studios, and an art gallery,” says Scirocco. “We’re in the center of an artistic community.”

    Scirocco became interested in art as a teenager.

    “I approached art from two parallel directions, one being graffiti and illustration,” he says. “That was my main interest. At the same time, I was very much into computer animation which was pretty new and unique for the time. I remember back then, when I told people I had done art on the computer, it meant nothing.They didn’t know what a computer was. I used to go to computer shows that were called office machinery shows. This was before the first real personal computer existed.”

    While visiting a friend from Columbus, he was introduced to the Columbus College of Art and Design.

    “I decided to continue my studies there in sculpture, glassblowing, ceramics, and photography, and graduated as an industrial designer in 1995.”

    In addition to leftchannel, Scirooco is an Adjunct Instructor for CCAD.

    “I mentor people because I had mentors,” he says. “I realized how important it was for me. There was a lot of support, emotionally and artistically, that I got from a few key people in my life. Because of that, I try to do something of that nature when I can. That’s the reason I teach.”

    Photos courtesy leftchannel. For more information, visit leftchannel.com.

    Do you know of, have, or work in, a creative workspace and would like to be featured in this series? If so, please contact Anne Evans.

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    Anne Evans
    Anne Evanshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-evans/
    Anne Evans is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations for The Metropreneur and Columbus Underground. She regularly contributes feature stories on both sites, as well as Mega Weekend each week. She has started and grown businesses, created experiences, forged community partnerships, and worked to create opportunities for others. She loves meeting new neighbors and those making an impact in our community. Want to connect?
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