Sean "Kid Flvsh" Williams, Flash FWD Productions

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself: where you’re from originally and where you live now.

Hi, my name is Sean "Kid Flvsh (or Flash)" Williams. I am a multi-platinum/gold cover art designer, animator & creator of the animated mini series "Da Flies" and CEO of my production company Flash FWD Productions, LLC. I have designed the album covers for major recording artists such as Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Cardi B, Lil Wayne + more. My artwork can be found on hit songs from the NYC drill era of rap as well as other mainstream hits like "2055" by Sleepy Hallow, "F.N" by Lil Tjay & "Shake It" by Kay Flock. Since then, I have created my animated mini series "Da Flies" on YouTube with Season 2 dropping this Winter! I also do murals and other cool projects around the city, while also teaching my art course ("Essential Arts with Mr. Flash") at multiple middle schools and libraries across the boroughs. I am originally from New Jersey and my business is based out of NYC.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

I love how peaceful it is. The city can be very busy sometimes... and LOUD! So, a little peace and quiet at the end of the night is what I cherish the most. Where I'm at now gives me a sense of bliss and peace that allows me to free my mind and create infinitely. It's like my little slice of heaven on earth! Most importantly, I get to spend all my time with my wife and daughter and make amazing memories with them while doing what I love for a living. God has truly blessed me and I am humbled and grateful.

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

My company is a media/entertainment production company. At Flash FWD Productions, LLC, we design, develop and create original artwork and ideas to help bring any vision to life. We provide award-winning services for all design needs (such as merch design, logo designs, paintings/murals, motion graphics, animation + more). We also direct music videos (live action and animated), film for content on mixed media platforms as well as produce music. FFP, LLC provides an in person art teaching service to all ages. Lastly, my company has partnered with Tara Strong (legendary voice actress who voiced Timmy Turner, Ben 10, Harley Quinn + more) and her company 'Voicelings' to provide an amazing voice acting course that teaches people how to become a voice actor and learn how animation works! My company and all its services have helped MILLIONS of people and have impacted so many people across the world.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

Do what you love and love what you do. Have faith and believe in yourself. Always stay humble and hungry. Don't let ANYONE take advantage of you or project their fears onto your business. Keep your moves silent and let the results of your hard work do the talking later. Always plan ahead and stay organized, disciplined and structured. Make your passion your paycheck and lastly, remember to have fun and do good business always! (P.S. Make sure you look out for local and state/government grants to help fund or kickstart your business)

Where do you see your company in the future?

I see my company scaled much larger than it is currently. I would like to hire more dope artists and animators and launch a full scale animation company alongside my production company. My business will essentially become the new Cartoon Network and produce various hit animated or live action TV shows and movies.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

Everyone thinks animation is easy to do when in actuality it's SUPER difficult, time consuming and tedious. It requires a tremendous attention to detail and is not something that can be rushed. Another common misconception is the cost to make an animation (especially on a skilled level). On average, it costs roughly $4,000-5,000 just for 30 seconds to a minute of animation. One of the main reasons animated projects can go for so much money is because the workload is very intense especially for 3D animation. A one minute video in animation is 1440 frames and each single frame has to be hand drawn/rendered out over and over again over 5-8 separate processes (roughs, tie-down/cleanup, inking, color, shading, lighting/compositing and final render). By the end of the process, that 1440 frame video turns into roughly 10,000+ drawings for a single minute of animation. Now, imagine doing all of that by yourself like I do!

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

One of my biggest struggles was understanding my own worth and the value of what I have built through my business. When I first started my business I was 19 years old (currently 28 now). I was young, naive and trusting of everyone who said they wanted to help me. That was a huge mistake and an eye opener for me. At the time, I had just received my first Platinum plaque and I had no idea the amount of power and leverage I had. I went almost 3 years obtaining more plaques and RIAA certifications but never knew how much of a staple receiving one meant. In the music industry, getting a platinum or gold plaque is one of the highest honors to receive for a hit song. It was totally unheard of for the graphic designer to get a plaque or receive any credits for their work on projects of that magnitude. I broke that barrier. I opened the door for countless other designers to follow in my footsteps and get their just dues as well. People around me knew what it meant to have those awards but they knew I was naive and still learning and some decided to take advantage of that. Luckily for me, I have some great people in my corner that showed me what it meant to be a multi-platinum/gold designer and how to build leverage using it. A big salute to my close friend and fellow artist, Flipp Dinero, for having a deep talk with me back in 2020 and helping me understand my new title and role in the industry. After that day, a lot has changed for me. I went from being a regular designer to being a Multi-Platinum & Gold designer and a powerhouse of design and animation and built an elite production company that has been thriving for years and will continue to do so!

What was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

My favorite music artist right now is Gunna but growing up it was Future, Chris Brown or Lil Wayne. My favorite athlete growing up was Kyrie Irving.

Any shoutouts you want to make?

Firstly, I would like to shout out God for blessing me with all that I have built and have done and will do in the future. He guides my footsteps and keeps me humbled along the path He has set for me and I am truly blessed and honored to have His hand protecting me. I would not be here without Him. I would also like to shout out Tara Strong and her son Aden Strong for believing in my story and skills and helping me take my animation career to the top level. I would like to shout out my family for always being in my corner and uplifting me over the years when times were tough. Lastly, I want to shout out my beautiful wife & our gorgeous daughter for being the reason I wake up and go so hard EVERY DAY and being my peace in this crazy world/industry.