At Loot Crate, we have a dedicated team of creative types who work hard to give our products and messaging a distinct look, one that not only reflects our personality but our shared interests with you, the Looters! Will Wasson has been a part of our creative team from the early days of Loot Crate, and we sat down to discuss his job and his own personal geekdom!…
Hi Will! Tell us your exact title, and what it is you do at Loot Crate?
Hi Nicole! I’m a Digital Asset Manager, which is actually a few different things rolled into one. I work with many different teams (which is awesome!), but the general idea is knowing where all of our different files live in relation to each other, and how different team members use those files to do all the awesome stuff everyone does here at Loot Crate. Every day brings something new and I get to constantly learn, which is my favorite thing to do (second to helping people)!
How long have you been with Loot Crate, and what were you doing before you joined the team?
I’ve been at Loot Crate for almost 3 years, but it only seems like 6 months! Before I came to Loot Crate I worked as a Print & Digital Production Designer. I worked for a high-end publishing house making books about everything you can think of! Production Design includes photography, retouching, typesetting, and very extensive file management in design workflows, so growing into Digital Asset Management was a very natural and exciting progression for me.
Photography can be a beast of a job!
What was the very first project you remember working on when you joined the team, and what are you working on these days?
The first day I came in as a contractor. I was told “We need to get some social media ads out” so I got to it and made a bunch, and at the end of the week I was asked if I’d like to stay on full-time! These days I don’t get to take photos and make ads and images, but I work on the logic, use, and accessibility of all of those things, so I think it’s awesome!
How does the creative services team work, both individually and collaboratively, to give Loot Crate its identity?
We are a hub of sorts, which provides a reference point for all creatives and designers. Our designers work with different teams on different projects, and we help to make sure that we are all speaking the same visual language, as well as communicating the same ideals, values, and goals to Looters and the public in general.
What is the most rewarding part of your job, and what is the most enjoyable?
The most rewarding thing for me is when I know that everyone in the company has what they need in order to succeed. That is my primary focus every day when I walk into headquarters, and it makes every day awesome! Aside from that, the most enjoyable thing about my job is working with all the amazing individuals here. I’m a kind of loner outside of work, but I thoroughly enjoy all the people(and pets!) at Loot Crate, and I consider them all friends on a crazy adventure.
Are there any other fields of art and design that you were/are interested in, other than what you do in your day job?
Yes! I really dork out on classical and neoclassical paintings and sculpture. I love all of the the arts, because I believe that our ability to express ourselves (through numbers, words, and forms) is one of the greatest things we can do as people. Everything we can know is an expression from the past thanks to someone’s passion, and I think of that as very beautiful and noble.
Where do you personally take inspiration for design, in any disciplines (fine art, graphic design, etc.)?
I was raised with extensive exposure to science and art, so I find the natural world to be the most inspiring (and extensive!) thing of all. There is a hidden language in all forms of matter, and if we look close enough we can see it echoing everywhere. To me that is the coolest thing ever!
How active are you in seeing how customers respond to what we’re doing design-wise, or do you get that feedback regularly?
Since I don’t shoot photography or make ads anymore, I rely on feedback from all the designers and creatives that use digital assets for THEIR work!
What are your particular favorite themes or crates that have gone out in the past couple of years, in any of our crate lines?
I’d say that Galaxy was one of my favorite themes, the loot was 100% awesome! Where in the Galaxy could you get a Halo ammo/lunch box, exclusive t-shirt, BB8 socks, Han Solo collectible figure, Halo DLC, and a Galaxy Quest patch for $20?!?
Outside of Loot Crate, what do you personally geek out on? Any hobbies/interests in particular?
I really geek out on information and reading. I read a lot. I read seemingly random things, like manuals for tractors, science and medical journals, trade manuals on electrical/plumbing/carpentry, data drops, FOIA file releases, history, philosophy, etc. The coolest thing to me is that EVERYTHING is related, and in some really unexpected ways!
When I’m not reading or exploring nature, I’m building things! I love figuring out how something works and then determining the best way to build or modify it. These days they call those people “makers”, but I just call it industrious curiosity.
What is the last great movie you saw, TV show you watched or book/comic you read?
I’d say the last great movie I saw recently was Kubo and the Two Strings. I thought the message of embracing one’s past and being brave enough to face any possible future was a very positive one. Plus that stop-motion video is hands down the best I’ve seen in a long time! Did you see those flying witch sisters?!?
Sworderiffic! (Universal Pictures)
And if you could create your own crate (anything at all!) what would it be?
I would do a “High Adventure” crate, and include a replica of Conan’s Atlantean sword, a Castlevania T-shirt, a Frank Frazetta print (maybe “Death Dealer” or a boss warrior princess), and a compass with a built-in magnifying lens for starting campfires. Nothing says adventure like using alchemical powers to turn light into a plasma and then making s’mores!
We’re into it. 10/10 would buy! Thanks for chatting, Will!
