Sparkol behind the scenes: meet Louis Domaille

Naomi Linford Jun 9, 2021 2:19:00 PM

Our mission is to help people share their message, tell their story or promote their organization with creative captivating videos.

With that in mind, we wanted to sit down with our Creative Lead, Louis Domaille, to discuss his work in making this a reality. Louis ensures the VideoScribe library is always fully stocked with the highest-quality images, works with clients to create bespoke videos, and he’s the mastermind behind lots of our marketing videos.

So let’s get into the questions...

First things first, can you tell us about your background and how you got started at Sparkol?

I’ve always been interested in animation, well - since Harry Potter anyway! Like most Potter fans the stories really sparked my imagination, so much so I knew I wanted to work in a field where I could be just as creative.

I went to University in Cardiff to study animation but part way through I actually got the opportunity to fast-track my journey to a creative job. I was offered a position at Sparkol! I knew leaving University to join this company was the right decision for me. I didn’t want to be ticking boxes when I could be working on real creative projects that make a difference.

After a couple of years I left to go freelance so I could live out my dream of travelling the world. I packed my bags and went to Asia, Australia and parts of Africa. It was epic!

Then in 2018 I came back to Bristol and knew the only company I wanted to work for was Sparkol.

What does your typical day at work look like?

My days vary depending on what I’m working on, but usually I’ll ride my motorbike or bike into the office for around 8am. Then I’ll be working on one of two areas.

VideoScribe image library - this could be checking the quality of our newest images before they’re made available in the software. Or evaluating our current images to understand what customers are searching for, what images are used most and what the latest trends are. I use that data combined with customer feedback to explore what new graphics would have the greatest impact (VideoScribe customers can also vote on this here).

Creative Services - I might be in planning meetings with clients to understand their bespoke video requirements and the message they want to convey. One of my favourite parts of this process is using psychology to decide the best way to engage their audience. After that I storyboard the project, work with the client to develop the script, source voiceover artists and create the video using a combination of tools like VideoScribe, Photoshop, Adobe After Effects and Illustrator.

We just finished a video for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham which was designed to keep the public up-to-date with the progress of repairs to a local bridge.

What's the best part about working at Sparkol?

I get to work on some really cool projects with international brands and there’s nothing better than seeing the final video come together that the client loves.

What's the biggest lesson you've learnt here so far?

For me the biggest lesson was that iterative processes are the most successful. I came into the business wanting to create perfect images and videos first time around. But I quickly realised that’s just not possible - getting feedback, learning and making adjustments is how you develop successful creative projects. 

What do you get up to outside work?

Sports are a big part of my life, I love climbing, hang-gliding, surfing, skiing as much as I can, and I’ve just bought a paddle board that I’m excited to play with.

I also pride myself on being a bit of a DIY-er. I buy recycled materials like pallet boards to make into furniture.

 

What's something not many people know about you?

I can speak a bit of Indonesian that I learnt when I spent a few months there surfing. The most important word I learnt was ‘cheers’ which is ‘selamat tinggal’ if you ever find yourself in Indonesia!

Want to join Louis and the team at Sparkol? Check out our latest job vacancies here.