My name is Michael Escañuelas (He/Him)

As an Emmy-nominated creative, I specialize in graphic and motion design with a strong background in design leadership and art direction. With strong communication skills, I deliver innovative design solutions across digital, print, social, and video platforms. I’m a dependable creative with impeccable music taste and a provider of good vibes.

SOME AWESOME COMPANIES I’VE WORKED WITH

APPEARANCES

SXSW 2018
Preservation & Appreciation of Album Art Today
Host, moderator, producer

SXSW 2017
The Modern Vinyl Podcast Live!
Co-host, producer

UCLA Extension
Panel speaker 2019
Motion Graphics I
Instructor David Dodds

RECOGNITION

The 50th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards (2023)
Outstanding Main Title and Graphic Design for a Live-Action Daytime Program (Nomination)
The Drew Barrymore Show

The 48th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards (2021)
Outstanding Main Title and Graphic Design for a Live-Action Daytime Program (Nomination)
The Drew Barrymore Show

EDUCATION

University of La Verne
BA in English Literature
Minor in Journalism

PROGRAMS + TOOLS

  • Adobe Creative Suite
    (Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, InDesign, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Firefly) 

  • Figma & Webflow

  • Lottie Files & Rive 

  • Cinema 4D & Blender

  • Unreal Engine 

  • Procreate 

  • Canva & Affinity 

  • Google Workspace

RECORDINGS

Missing Artwork Podcast (12 Episodes)
Producer, host, writer
Each episode is an interview with an artist, designer, or photographer about their process in creating album artwork. Notable guests: Dewey Saunders (Anderson Paak.), Kevin Duquette (Topshelf Records), Vlad Sepetov (Kendrick Lamar)

Stereo Confidential Podcast (25+ Episodes)
Producer, co-host
Each week is a new investigation into the music world.

Modern Vinyl Podcast (200+ Episodes)
Co-host, producer
Award-winning weekly music conversational podcast.

New Jamz (Nov 2017)
Producer, writer
A one-off music show created for Entertainment Tonight’s YouTube page.

FAQ

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Fun Facts

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Common Questions

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FAQ • Fun Facts • Common Questions •

How long have you been working as a designer?

I have been working full-time as a designer since 2012.

Where are you based?

I work out of my home studio based in Los Angeles, CA.

Are you open to new work?

Yes, I am currently open to discussing both full-time or freelance opportunities. [Updated March 2025]

What are you currently working on?

Currently, I am open for new opportunities. Previously, I managed and designed for an in-house creative team at Paramount (formerly CBS, ViacomCBS). I also manage and design for my freelance studio (Studio Escañuelas) where I have worked with companies like Zapier and ConvertKit.

What skills do you have as a CREATIVE?

I dabble in a lot of creative skills. Here are a few:

graphic design, motion design, digital design, animation, illustration, 3D design, AR design, social media design, art direction, creative direction, branding, logo design, design leadership and mentorship, management, photography, photo editing, layout, good vibes, copy editing, music engineering, song writing, voice over work and recording.

What programs do you use?

I am proficient in the full Adobe Creative suite, which includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects and Lightroom. I also work with Figma, Cinema 4D, and Blender. I’ve worked with template creation in Canva as well. For Illustration work, I use Procreate with an iPad and Apple Pencil.

For music recording and audio projects I use Protools and Reason.

I am also familiar with several AI tools including OpenAI (ChatGPT, DALL-E 3, Sora), Runway (Gen-3 Alpha, Act-One, Frames).

What equipment do you use?

I work off both PC and Mac computers. I use my Wacom tablet when working on design. For illustration, I use my iPad and Apple Pencil with Procreate.

For audio, I use a Warm Audio WA-251 for most of my vocal recordings.

For my film photos, I use a Canon Rebel EOS K2 and for digital, I use a Canon EOS Rebel T5 DSLR.

May I see you resume?

Of course, shoot me an email at hello[at]mescanuelas.com and I’ll send it over.

What is your rate?

Another great question! My rate varies depending on the project and the type of design. Hit me up through my email and we can talk prices!

Who is Bruno?

Bruno is a good boy and he is my dog.