Moho Pro: Behind the scenes of a freelance project

David Probst Jr is an animator from Colorado Springs. After taking our Moho Magic Animation Course, he used his new set of skills on a commercial project. He was kind enough to talk to Adam about his career and find out about his process. Thanks to David for answering our questions! See his behind-the-scenes video about learning Moho Magic here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGi4rtnvR94/ 

How did you discover animation as a career, and what drew you to it over other storytelling art forms?

I started out making skate videos with friends as a kid, which led to working in video production with my dad, but motion design wasn’t even on my radar back then.

Years later, I needed to animate a logo, so I cracked open After Effects. That led to a short animation, then an explainer, and before I knew it, animation had completely taken over. What hooked me on animation was the creative freedom to build worlds beyond what a camera could capture.

Did that business choice come naturally or out of previous experience? How do you find managing a whole business by yourself?

Fun fact: I’ve never had a ”traditional”  job— since high school I’ve always worked independently doing something creative. It’s been a process of figuring things out along the way.

Running my own business has been mostly about building relationships and delivering solid work. I don’t spend much time marketing myself; word-of-mouth has carried me pretty far. But I do make a point to connect with people at studios and agencies doing work I admire!

The hardest part of freelancing was getting started. Once you have momentum, it’s more about keeping projects flowing. If you show up, do great work, meet deadlines, and are fun to collaborate with, things tend to grow naturally. 

The freedom to choose projects, spend time with family, and explore diverse styles is my ideal setup. That said, there are definitely hard days every now and then, too.

Have you had any big lessons or takeaways for those out there considering a move to becoming an independent animator?

The creative industry can feel intimidating when you’re starting out, but honestly? People are way more welcoming and helpful than you’d expect.

Consider checking out local meetups and events—not necessarily to find work, just to be around other creatives. Those face-to-face connections ended up being invaluable. I made some great friends, had interesting conversations, and over time, it naturally led to opportunities I wouldn’t have come across otherwise.

Freelancing can feel isolating at times, but finding a community—whether online or in-person—makes all the difference. Having people to bounce ideas off of, vent to, or celebrate wins with is huge.

When you've got a new project, what's your basic process? Your tech stack, if you will! And what part of that do you find most satisfying?

It totally depends on the client. Studios usually already have scripts, storyboards, and designs ready to go—they just need someone to animate. I love that kind of work because animation is my favorite part of the process. Plus, working with illustrators who have a different style than mine pushes me creatively.

For direct clients, it’s more of a full-process thing—figuring out the goals, concept, designing, animating, and fine-tuning the final piece. I enjoy both types of projects for different reasons.

Software-wise, I live in After Effects for motion design work. Illustrator if I need to create assets. And lately, Moho has been my go-to for character animation.

What’s one piece of advice you wish you had when starting out?

Find someone who’s already doing what you want to do and talk to them. Having a mentor—even if it’s just someone who lets you peek behind the curtain—can save you years of trial and error.

When I worked in video, my Dad was that mentor. But switching to animation, I had to figure things out myself. I interned at a motion studio in St. Louis, which helped, but if I could do it again, I’d spend a year or two at a studio. Seeing how projects run, clients are managed, and business decisions are made would’ve saved me a lot of trial and error as a freelancer.

The creative side is fun, but if you want to go solo, understanding pricing, negotiation, and client management is just as important.

You took the Moho Magic course as part of your learning process to produce the Alfa Insurance adverts. How did you find animating in it compared to After Effects? 

I had two character-driven spots land on my desk and thought, alright, time to learn Moho.

I binged most of the Moho YouTube channel, and plenty of other great channels on YouTube. Including Dani’s tutorials. Her tutorials are always fun and really easy to follow; I was really impressed by the rigging work she did on Puffin Rock. After seeing Moho Magic pop up on my feed, I figured I’d give it a shot. Needless to say, I binged the entire course in two nights, and it definitely helped fill in some of the gaps in my understanding of Moho. 

There are so many tutorials on rigging in Moho, but far less content on the animation side of things!

Seeing how Dani structured her layers, set (and organised!) her keyframes, and approached animation in Moho helped me fill in the gaps in my understanding. In After Effects, I spend a lot of time in the graph editor, fine-tuning motion and easing. But in Moho, the best workflow seems to lean into a more traditional mindset. Watching Dani build key poses, breakdowns, and in-betweens helped me re-frame the way I was approaching things. I’m excited to keep pushing and see what else Moho can do!

What would be a dream project for you to work on in the future?

Anything with characters! Lately, I’ve been focusing more on character animation, and I love how much personality and expression it brings. Watching a design become a character—blinking, walking, reacting—has a kind of magic to it.

Whether it’s a short-form narrative, an engaging brand piece, or something more stylized and experimental, I’m always excited to take on projects that push character animation further.

Feeling inspired? Check out our Moho Magic courses - Animation and Rigging - here!