In this episode of FrameOne, I sit down with Erin Sarofsky, founder and creative director of Sarofsky, in her Chicago studio. Erin traces her path from Digital Kitchen, where she became known for one of the highest pitch win rates in the shop, through a partnership at Rebus Farms that fell apart within a year — and how a former client's phone call led directly to starting Sarofsky almost by accident, with barely enough time to fill out the paperwork.

We talk about the relationships that built the studio from the ground up: a last-minute pitch meeting with the Russo brothers for the show Community that led, years later, to Sarofsky landing the main title sequence for Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Erin is candid about the operational lessons that came harder than the creative ones — learning to manage cash flow, understanding why lines of credit only go to companies that don't need them, and the costly mistake of promoting talented artists into leadership roles without checking whether they were actually suited to it.

She also opens up about learning to delegate creative control as the studio grew, why diversifying client industries matters more than niching down, and the discipline it now takes to say no to exciting new work in order to protect relationships with existing clients.

This is a detailed, practical conversation about building a studio for the long haul — covering pitching, hiring, cash management, and the relationships that actually drive new business in this industry.

Hosted by Drysen, a freelance 2D/3D animator and motion designer with experience across live-action broadcast TV and commercials. FrameOne features conversations with studio owners and industry veterans navigating the career questions every working creative eventually faces.

We talk about the relationships that built the studio from the ground up: a last-minute pitch meeting with the Russo brothers for the show Community that led, years later, to Sarofsky landing the main title sequence for Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Erin is candid about the operational lessons that came harder than the creative ones — learning to manage cash flow, understanding why lines of credit only go to companies that don't need them, and the costly mistake of promoting talented artists into leadership roles without checking whether they were actually suited to it.

She also opens up about learning to delegate creative control as the studio grew, why diversifying client industries matters more than niching down, and the discipline it now takes to say no to exciting new work in order to protect relationships with existing clients.