Electric Theatre Collective just scaled up its motion offering. Lead Motion Designer Ed Christie joins, migrating fifteen years of design and animation acumen to his new home on Brick Lane. His new role will comprise creative direction, design and animation – shaping how ideas move, feel and come to life for ETC’s varied audiences.

Over the past three years, Ed’s been working freelance with some renowned directors (ahem Glenn Kitson, Dan Emmerson and Mackenzie Sheppard…). But this is a far cry from his humble beginnings. A rendering gig at MPC inadvertently catapulted him into the world of motion design, ‘All of a sudden, I was getting to work in illustration, design, typography and animation. I didn’t even know a career with all my favourite skills was possible. I locked TF in.’ 

Later making the jump agency-side, Ed joined Adam&EveDDB, working his way up to Head of Motion Design during their Agency-of-the-Decade years. He worked on (and won) hundreds of pitches, and turned his hand to iconic campaigns, like El Tornado for FIFA and multiple John Lewis Christmas campaigns.

But ETC frequently piqued his interest: “I always admired ETC’s work from afar, so what better team to join full time?! I’m a big believer in knowing the rules, so you know how to break them. I’m looking forward to doing that with this incredible team I’ve now joined.”

Ben Honour, Managing Director of the design team, adds: “Ed is a real breath of fresh air. Talented, experienced, and still wildly passionate. His energy is perfect for the studio as we continue to tap into new and diverse opportunities, and his personality is going to be a great fit.”

In his own words:

• Tell me a little about you – where did you grow up? Did you study? What do you do in your spare time?

I grew up in North London, Finsbury Park but now I live in SE London (I know, I know) with my wife Molly. We just got married this summer, so planning that has basically been my hobby for the last year. More generally, I love all of the arts.

• Tell us about your childhood – what did you want to be when you were older?

My Mum was a film Producer and my Dad is a film Historian and teaches film, so I’ve always been surrounded by cinema and animation. I’ve been drawing since I can remember and used to make animations with my toys, so I’m not sure if I chose the career or if it chose me!

• If you could have worked on any campaign ever made, which would it be? 

Genuinely? Coca-Cola x Marvel The Heroes. Or Nike Nothing Beats a Londoner.

• Describe a ‘look Mum, no hands’ moment in your career?

I animated the Lloyds’ horse logo early on in my career, which felt like a milestone. Growing up, I’d seen that logo on TV and then I was the one making it move? Mind. Blown.

• What’s always in your bag?

A fiver, in case I’m ever in Soho and want a steamed bun from the place that only accepts cash.

• What’s a creative skill you’d love to master?

Character animation in Blender

• What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?

Sorry, I have to do three: 1. Blur at Glastonbury 2009; 2. Kendrick at the O2 2018; 3. Sampha at Glastonbury 2024

• What’s one trend you’re excited about?

I bloody love a LiDAR scan and Gaussian splats, I think that’s a trend.