Matvei Lisitsa is an Art Director at QLO Agency, working across branding, motion design, and visual storytelling. His work explores how design and movement can connect people with ideas in meaningful, emotionally resonant ways. Combining strategic thinking with cinematic aesthetics, he focuses on creating brand worlds that feel both human and forward-looking. Matvei also contributes as a jury member in international design and motion awards, supporting innovation and excellence across the creative industry.

How many years have you been a judge?

This is my first year!

What excited you about judging for the Telly Awards?

What excites me most about judging for the Telly Awards is the opportunity to experience how creative teams around the world use design, storytelling, and motion to shape emotion and meaning. It’s inspiring to see new voices and perspectives pushing the boundaries of visual communication. I value the chance to celebrate thoughtful, human-centered work that reminds us why creativity still matters.

What was your first job in the industry? What did it teach you?

I started working in design in 2016, running a small business with my brother where we created and sold paintings. By coincidence, it already mirrored what I do now. I was responsible for branding, building the website, finding artists, and curating the creative process. That experience taught me how design can connect creativity, people, and strategy, and it laid the foundation for everything I do today.

What project are you most proud to have worked on?

One of the projects I’m most proud of is the branding and motion film for a luxury vehicle capsule designed for Range Rover and G-Class models. It received wide recognition, including a feature in STASH, a Motion Design Awards honor, and participation in the London Design Festival 2025. The project became a visual exploration of form, material, and light, reflecting how design can capture a sense of innovation and luxury. Currently, our team at QLO Agency is working on an exciting new project under NDA that continues to push these ideas even further.

What’s the most challenging part about your job and/or the industry?

One of the biggest challenges in this industry is balancing creative ambition with real-world constraints like time, technology, and client expectations. It takes constant awareness to stay innovative while keeping the work purposeful and clear. For me, the key is learning how to protect the idea while evolving it through collaboration.

What do you look for to determine excellence in video?

For me, excellence in video comes from clarity of intention, when every frame, sound, and motion choice serves a purpose. I look for work that feels emotionally intelligent, visually distinctive, and conceptually coherent. True excellence happens when storytelling, craft, and emotion align seamlessly to leave a lasting impression.

What are your current roles and responsibilities and what do you love most about your job?

As an art director at QLO Agency, I lead creative direction across branding, motion design, and digital experiences. My role involves shaping visual narratives, guiding teams, and ensuring every project feels cohesive and emotionally engaging. What I love most is the process of transforming abstract ideas into something tangible that connects with people and feels alive.

What initiatives or projects are you working on now that excite you?

Right now I’m working on several projects that explore how motion and storytelling can bring brand identities to life in more cinematic ways. I’m especially excited about building visual systems that merge design, technology, and emotion to create deeper brand experiences. Each new project feels like a chance to push the boundaries of how brands communicate through movement and atmosphere.

Do you have any specific practices you lean on to spark creativity?

I often step away from the screen to reconnect with things outside of design, such as photography, film, architecture, and nature. Since I have an art background, I sometimes shift my focus to creating concept art for film or exploring visual storytelling through art books and cinema. What inspires me most, however, are the challenges themselves. Every project starts with people, ideas, and meanings that a client puts at its foundation, and I enjoy exploring them like walking with a flashlight in search of the best possible direction.

What inspired you to pursue your career path?

I’ve always been fascinated by how visuals can shape emotion and perception. My background in fine arts led me to design, where I found a way to combine creativity with purpose. What inspired me most was the idea that design and motion can tell stories without words and influence how people experience the world. That realization made me want to explore visual communication as both an art form and a way to connect people through meaning and emotion.

In your experience, what is a significant change you are seeing happen in the video, television, and/or film industry, and what insight can you share about how to navigate it?

One of the most significant changes I see is how technology and creativity are merging faster than ever. AI, real-time rendering, and new production tools are transforming how we design, animate, and tell stories. This shift challenges us to stay adaptable while preserving authenticity and human emotion in our work. I believe the best way to navigate it is to treat technology not as a replacement for creativity, but as a partner that expands what’s possible. Above all, it’s important to stay human and continue expressing something personal and emotional in what we create.