Hello, I’m John Sadler

For over 15 years, I've been driving impactful creative strategies for leading technology and enterprise brands. Based in San Francisco, I bring a unique blend of artistic vision and technical proficiency to the table, honed through a career spanning creative leadership, 3D animation, and motion graphics.

My expertise really lies in translating complex technological concepts into engaging and accessible visual experiences. You can see this reflected in my work with clients like Google, Quip, HPE, GE, Fitbit, and more. I'm passionate about developing multi-platform creative solutions, whether it's crafting immersive stage presentations, dynamic video content, or interactive digital experiences.

I genuinely believe in leveraging emerging technologies to both educate and entertain audiences, which I think aligns perfectly with the innovative spirit of the tech industry. As a strategic thinker and collaborative leader, I'm comfortable driving creative excellence in fast-paced, dynamic environments.

Work Experience:

Creative Lead - Bonfire Labs - San Francisco, CA (2016 - Current)

  • Oversaw numerous product launches and education campaigns that have earned millions of views.

  • Elevated a web content campaign for Fitbit from YouTube/Instagram to national and international broadcast commercials through over 20 product launches in 5 years.

  • Instituted pipeline to tackle hundreds of shots over several deliverables that has become the standard at our agency.

  • Developed motion graphics for over 30 IPO Roadshow films by taking old and new brands through into animation to tell complex technology, founding, and financial narratives.

  • Led ideation and production teams from pitch through delivery, including numerous client-facing presentations and reviews.

  • Mentorship of a team of designers/animators, junior artists, and interns

  • Fostered years of working relationships with artists, designers, animators, directors, and copywriters.

Creative Director - First Person - San Francisco, CA (2012 - 2016)

  • Collaborate with client stakeholders and internal art directors to discover and concept the deliverables based on project goals and subject matter.

  • Design and run workshops to discover and form the strategy of core concepts at the project's outset.

  • Drive the quality of the design and story of the work while keeping the focus of the overall project.

  • Refine internal methods including artist hiring, creative process, and client interaction.

  • Oversaw all 3D aspects including style frame design, look development, and production on various motion graphics and visual effects projects.

  • Improved the 3D pipeline to raise the quality of work overall on incoming projects.

3D/2D Artist, VFX Supervisor - Brand New School - Santa Monica, CA (2004-2011)

  • Freelance work on numerous commercial projects in positions including VFX supervisor, 3D lead, and 3D artist.

  • Duties included 3D team organization and client interaction.

3D Artist/2D Artist/Compositor - Imaginary Forces – Hollywood, CA (2008, 2009, 2011)

  • Freelance work on numerous commercial, re-branding, and visual development projects.

  • Duties included animation, compositing, and motion design

Education:

University of Southern California - Los Angeles - Class of 2001 - BFA of Fine Arts

Skills:

Concepting & Strategy

  • Considerable collaboration experience with clients for product launches, IPO films, broadcast ads, and more.

  • Extensive presentation skills along with leading strategy, deck design, and ideation.

  • Workshop development and facilitation to identify creative plans and project focus.

Software & AI

  • 2D & Editorial: Adobe Creative Suite with special expertise in After Effects, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and Lightroom

  • 3D: Professional level experience in Autodesk Maya with knowledge of C4D & Redshift

  • Productivity: Highly proficient in all Google Workspace Applications

  • AI: Extensive experience in prompt engineering, and use of AI tools such as Chat GPT, Gemini, Runway, MidJourney, and more in both creative and production pipelines.

Copywriting

  • Voice-over, on-screen copy, and presentation writing for high-level on-stage keynote speeches, videos, and interactive projects.

  • Distilled expansive materials, including white papers and decks into focused documents that identify the key messages for each project.