MxC on Keeping Things Maximal With a Minimal Team

MxC Creative is a team of graphic moving image makers based in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. With a background deeply rooted in both 3D and graphic design, they seek to translate their passion into beautiful visual imagery. MxC’s work includes VFX, music videos, live visuals, interactive art, and stage visuals.

In this edition of a series of interviews we’ve dubbed Behind the Pixels, Jake Triola from Notch sits down with Cuong Nguyen, Creative Director at MxC, to discuss their history working in various creative industries.

Jake: What’s your background? How did you first become interested in motion graphics?

Cuong: I began as a graphic designer. I graduated from graphic design school in 2014, then took a motion graphics course at a training centre to improve my career and realised that it was a passion that I wanted to develop further in the future.

My co-founder is Thao (aka Mel), who studied creative multimedia at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Malaysia. After she finished her bachelor’s degree in 2014, she came back to Vietnam to work as a motion graphics designer for almost six years at TodayTV and MTV. We were co-workers there, and at the end of 2019, we decided to open our studio, which focuses on motion graphics, animation, and visual effects.

Jake: Tell us about your studio. How many people work there, and what are people’s roles?

Cuong: Our studio was established in 2020. Initially, we just created an Instagram to post personal projects. After that, we had a lot of requests to do freelance work, so we decided to set up a company and work more professionally.

It’s still just the two of us. We’re a small studio with the dream of doing big projects. We’re both motion designers, but Mel is really gifted when it comes to 2D graphic design, and my strengths are in 2D/3D motion graphics and 3D animation. In the past few years of working, we’ve come to know many talented friends, so depending on the project, we also collaborate with them.

Jake: Why did you choose Notch initially?

Cuong: I worked on a project with Tung Crazy Monkey, who introduced me to real-time tools like Resolume and Notch. I learned more about Notch and tried the trial version. Becoming familiar with Notch was not as difficult as I thought because I’d used node-based software before in Cinema 4D (Cloner, Effector, Deform, X-Particles) and After Effects (Layer Effects, Particular), and I’d seen how nodes connect materials in, for example, Redshift.

I then decided to use the base version of Notch. I learned very quickly after seeing how Notch supported the projects I was working on and decided to include Notch in my main workflow.

Jake: MxC’s work is so impressive. I’ve noticed that although there are many features of an MxC show, the most distinct throughline is depth. And perhaps maximalism. Everything you make is high-contrast and high-saturation, and there’s a certain perfectionism that I don’t see from other studios. How did you arrive at this style?

Cuong: Thanks so much for the compliment. Our art style comes from a wide variety of projects ranging from commercial projects to personal and experimental projects. Every year, we change and update to keep up with current design trends. We learn and grow through new experiences on each project and challenge ourselves to create new combinations. That’s also how we create work that stands out.

Jake: You’ve done work in such a variety of formats: TV, social media, experimental art, animation, corporate, stage, music video, etc. How have you managed to avoid “pigeonholing” yourselves? Do you think it has more to do with your style or work ethic? Maybe a bit of both?

Cuong: I think it could be both. You can learn many things, but practise is more important. With MxC, we initially only focused on TV and corporate work. Through several years of working on all kinds of projects, we’ve connected with more talented people and broadened the scope of work to find more opportunities and challenges.

Whether your studio is big or small, you always have to work hard and be professional.

Jake: Has Notch ever helped you overcome creative challenges?

Cuong: It took me about two months to learn Notch, and since then, I’ve applied it to so many projects.

The more I use Notch, the more I see its potential is so far beyond live events.

Lately, I’ve been using it more for post-processing.

The first time you use real-time software, it’s extremely exciting. My first time taught me to optimise many other things to run smoothly, like making a game. That’s not too difficult because I already have the background.

In the past, I used traditional rendering, so the machine needed to be very powerful and have many GPUs. Currently, I use a moderately configured computer and only one GPU. Even just a laptop can handle the job well.

Jake: What other software do you use? What plugins or even hardware can you not live without?

Cuong: I use Cinema 4D and Adobe software (mostly After Effects and Premiere) to create visuals. I use Resolume for VJing and TouchDesigner for handling sensor data (we don’t currently have a project like this, but we might try to have one in the future). I use Substance for texturing and EmberGen for simulating fire and smoke.

I think initially learning Cinema 4D’s X-Particles plugin and After Effects with Trapcode and Element 3D plugins better prepared me for Notch. I had the right mindset.

My computer configuration is always an Intel CPU (i7 or i9, maybe i5 now because it’s very powerful but saves money) and NVIDIA GPU (the RTX 30xx versions are enough).

Jake: What’s your current setup and process? How has this changed over the years?

Cuong: We have 3 PCs with mini ITX builds:

i9 12900K + RTX 3090 + 64GB DDR5 with Asus Prime AP201
i5 13600K + RTX 3080 + 32GB DDR5 with Lian Li Q58X case
i5 12400 + RTX 3060 + 64GB DDR4 with PC Cooler i100G

In about two years, we’ll change our CPU + MAIN. In three years, we’ll upgrade our GPU.

Jake: Who are your greatest inspirations?

Cuong: Beeple, Armin Werx, Jonathan Plesel, Somie Sun, Ash Thorp, and Kim Gryun are some of our favourites.

We also draw a lot of inspiration from StashMedia.tv, TouchDesigner’s showcases, Notch’s showcases, and Behance.

Jake: Before using Notch, were things more restrictive? Does Notch give you some kind of ability to break free and improvise more? How so?

Cuong: Before using Notch, we still used the traditional workflow. We did 3D animation in Cinema 4D with Redshift for rendering, plus compositing in After Effects, so it took a lot of time. Making adjustments after getting feedback was quite difficult and time-consuming.

My favourite tools in Notch are the Particles, Cloners, and procedural and post-processing systems that make the projects I present much more unique.

Notch has also helped change my mindset about using a node-based system so I can learn additional software like TouchDesigner and Houdini more easily now.

Jake: At the beginning of a production, how do you gauge the complexity of a project before you’ve started it? Do you know when you’ll be able to implement Notch?

Cuong: When I first used Notch, I had the plan to prioritise using it first; like, if there was something Notch couldn’t handle, I’d use Cinema 4D again as before. That’s what I thought initially, but for about three years now, almost every project has been fine with no major problems. I haven’t really needed to fall back on the old way of doing things.

I do often do personal projects to practise new effects and experiment with style frames, so I can tell very quickly if Notch will be able to handle what I’m doing.

Jake: Have you ever had a creative breakthrough while using Notch?

Cuong: I changed the way I think about work and process when using Notch for the “36 Days of Type” challenge. I studied and practised for 36 consecutive days, using almost all the tools Notch offers, and I feel like I’ve partly mastered it (laughs). I’d recommend that to anyone: set yourself a challenge and really learn the tools you have.

I always want to combine as many pieces as possible while staying true to my vision.

I consciously change my approach from time to time to avoid too much repetition. It’s important to adapt to different types of projects.

I used to really like illusion art. Then I got into neon and chrome styles. So I’ll often combine those three things to create a style that is both mesmerising, brilliant, magical, and, of course, very unique.

Jake: Any audience reactions you’ve been particularly proud of?

Cuong: People are often surprised to learn that only two people have completed these big projects. This started when we used Notch. With Notch, we feel like we have an extra staff member!

Jake: Where do you see this industry going in the next five or ten years?

Cuong: Recently, the graphics industry has seen a lot of fluctuations in the realms of NFT and AI. But to me, that’s just a certain segment of the industry. Art made using traditional processes will still stand out–probably more than ever. It’s difficult to replace that.

AI, if you know how to use it, will maximise your work. If you abuse it, over time, you will be abused.

I think the limits will continue to be pushed as hardware and software progress. Look at today compared to five years ago. It’s a huge difference. Techniques and art styles change more and more quickly, so I always try to adapt.

Jake: What’s your best advice for someone new to Notch or motion graphics, 3D art, etc., in general?

Cuong: Prepare yourself with a solid background in 3D and motion graphics. Know how to think like a designer. Keep up with trends, and try to combine as many elements as you can. That will always keep things interesting and increase your efficiency.

A special thanks to MxC for taking the time to sit down and talk to us about their journey as a studio. You can follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.