Katie McCaskey

By Audrey Lee
Nutrition, junior

When the New York Lottery needed King Kong to bellow from an animated billboard in Times Square to promote a special giveaway, it was department alumna Katie McCaskey who brought the big ape to life.

In the 11 years McCaskey has been a Purdue graduate, she has made a big scene as a motion graphics designer and owner of Katie McCaskey Design, based in Manhattan.

She uses the latest video and animation technology to put messages into motion to captivate the audiences of her clients. She has done work for NASA, SoapNet and Sony.

Motion graphics, said McCaskey, "starts with your story -- whether it be a corporate message or artistic statement -- and combines it with graphic design and animation to evoke emotion and inspire action."

Her designs are very diverse in their placement. They can be found on broadcast television, podcasts, large scale projections, Web, theater and even animated billboards in Times Square in New York City. She's done logos, Web banners, screensavers and illustrations.

Her portfolio on the Katie McCaskey Design Web site showcases these and other designs, giving an idea of the types of innovative work she does for companies of all types and sizes.

She says her favorite part of owning her own successful business in New York City is that it gives her the freedom to choose to work on the projects that she finds most interesting.

"I am particularly drawn to projects that contain a larger story," McCaskey said. "People say this all the time so it's practically cliché. However, to me, a good creative project is one that is an active part of the larger story."

Projects can take a few days to a few months to complete, depending on the type of project and relationship with the client, she said.

McCaskey credits her Purdue Liberal Arts education for giving her the broad understanding of communication that enables her to see the larger contexts for the messages she produces for her clients.

"This is because my education at Purdue was broader than simply learning the skill set required to execute a design," she said.

Producing these motion graphics requires more than simply designing and creating. There is also a need to understand the history and "cinematic language" behind the message in order to create something that is more effective and meaningful, she said.

McCaskey is not only creating meaningful designs, but she has also recently started a new venture that may be meaningful to women entrepreneurs.

Her new business, Bee Cre8tive, provides technology and creativity consulting to other women entrepreneurs in related fields.

McCaskey believes technology is a great way to express creativity. She established this new company as a way to help other women learn to use creative technology to its fullest.

The skills she learned at Purdue can be transferred to any venue, she says, which is why she is able to own two businesses, each with a different focus.

"I decided a long time ago that I didn't define career success by climbing to a certain title," she said. "Instead, flexibility and creativity have been the guiding force to my career."