journey to the void
David Cox grew up in a home of “eccentric creatives” and builders. He knew he wanted to be an artist when he grew up, and his study of the fine arts from a young age helped him to hone in on the skills needed to become a great one.
As a teenager, DC’s mother gave him his first camera, an Olympus OM-1MD. He fell in love with photography and entered Utah State University’s photography program after high school. But soon after beginning, he realized that his passion for the arts went beyond taking photos.
“I was taking these painting classes and I was incorporating text and type into them. My professors would ask why I was doing that because they didn’t like it,” says David Cox, creative director at THE VOID.
Those same professors suggested he take a class called Computers and Art, which was essentially a graphic design course.
“When I started incorporating motion and animation, I realized it was the ultimate art to me. My fine arts and photography backgrounds and this new world of digital design let me combine it all into one medium. I just fell in love with it and never turned back,” says DC.
DC eventually found himself happily working for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on a wide scope of projects with a team he loved. One day, his boss James Jensen announced that he was leaving the team to go work full time for a company called THE VOID. Soon after, DC began contracting for THE VOID under Jensen’s direction and was eventually convinced to try the Alpha demo.
“I went home and told my wife that I had to be a part of whatever I had just tested. I had to be apart of everything, not just the experience but the vibe that THE VOID naturally conveyed,” says DC.
Cox says that even though he loved his job with the LDS church, he believed in James and in THE VOID.
“When it came down to choosing a creative director for THE VOID, they had to be unique and able to create something from nothing,” says James Jensen, chief visionary officer and co-founder of THE VOID.
WORKING AT THE VOID
On a typical day, DC interacts with builders, developers, engineers, and VOID Studios on a variety of projects ranging from facade for stages to promotional videos.
“What’s great about the brand here is that it’s never been forced. I didn’t have to come in and change or tweak what had already been created. We’re always working to magnify what already exists,” says DC.
Last year the brand came a long way when DC was asked to help design exhibits for TED and CVX Live. He says it was the first real pinnacle point for the brand because it gave the public the opportunity to see, touch, and feel the texture of the brand in real life.
A brand should be alive and always evolving.
Because the company and brand are still in its early stages, Jensen says it was crucial to have an art director who was flexible.
“He’s always analyzing what he’s creating and wanting it to be its very best. He’s not afraid to reinvent himself and take the brand to a new level if it needs to,” says Jensen.
His coworkers also appreciate DC’s ability to give flexible and constructive feedback.
“DC is quick to give credit to his team and co-workers, and never seeks credit for all he does (which is a lot!) He’s one of the most talented designers I’ve worked with but would be the last one to say he is,” says Roman Smart, interactive designer for THE VOID.
Others have also taken notice of the company’s brand.
“The Void’s offices could be housing anything from a dentist’s office to a top-secret government facility. Once we’re inside, though, there’s no doubt it’s the right place. The Void prints its logo on absolutely everything: the walls, the floors, the packing crates, the giant inverted black pyramid hanging from the rafters. When CEO Ken Bretschneider greets us, it’s in the same Void t-shirt we see on almost everyone in the office, a baseball cap pulled over his slightly shaggy blond hair,” wrote Adi Robertson, senior reporter for The Verge.
Cox says the logo is so much more than a brand for a tech company because THE VOID is an experience company.
“Strictly, tech doesn’t make you feel much, but experiences can make you feel so much more,” says Cox.
He just has that unique touch. And he doesn’t have to try to create THE VOID brand, it just exists within him.
A little more about dC
HOMETOWN
Atlanta, Georgia
WHAT INVENTION CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT?
My belts, headphones, and roof tent
WHAT I.P. DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE VOID?
Harry Potter – Getting your wand at Ollivanders
WHAT MUSIC GETS YOU IN A CREATIVE MINDSET?
Big Black Delta, Beacon, Washed Out
HOW ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HYPER-REALITY USED?
As a Dad of four kids, education would be my first pick
WHAT GAMES DO YOU LIKE TO PLAY?
Indie games like Limbo and Monument Valley
WHAT ELSE DO YOU LIKE TO DO?
Getting out in nature, going camping with my family, soccer
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE?
People with pet peeves
What other questions do you have for David about being a creative director? Ask him in the comments below!
