Video games. Cartoons. Even as a teenager in the ’90s, Law Jackson understood that animation wasn’t just a form of entertainment. Animation got attention, it had power, it communicated complex ideas in simple ways, and it was something people did for a living.
Jackson understood something else, too: He wanted to be one of those people.
Today, Jackson is the animating force behind KineticText. Living in Eugene with his wife and two children, and working with clients nationwide, Jackson puts the power of animation, motion graphics, and moving text (hence the name) to work in explainer videos, educational and medical animations, web commercials, business presentation support, and more. KineticText also helps marketing and tech companies generate customer leads, increase visitor engagement on their websites, and better communicate sales presentations and pitch decks.
Growing up in the Inglewood area of Los Angeles, Jackson found his path to animation between Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, during a random encounter in the Beverly Center shopping mall in Los Angeles.
“A key part of my journey is how many people randomly help you out at different points in your life, and you have no idea why,” Jackson says. “I ran into a guy in one of the stores and we got to talking about animation. When I said I was studying drawing, he told me I needed to get into computer animation. He said he had some software that he wasn’t using, and I could have it. The next day we met up and he gave it to me. It wasn’t fancy, but it gave me a start. I never saw him again.”
Jackson became a professional animator in 1994. Working in educational games and medical advertising, he learned how to use animation to foster interactive storytelling, solidify branding, and execute projects—but that all began with another moment of serendipity.
“When I decided to pursue animation, I didn’t have money for school,” Jackson says. “I had a family member who lived near USC. I would go to campus, meet people, volunteer, hang out in the animation department. One night, a woman told me a company in Santa Monica was hiring. I went for it, and I got the job.”
After years of working for other people, in 2012, Jackson decided he wanted to open his own business “and see what I could do,” he says.
As more and more prospects sought out his animation services, Jackson saw what could be possible. “It created that drive for me to get really serious,” he says.
Jackson lived in California, but in 2017, he started talking with a client “for a business opportunity I couldn’t pass up.” The only catch: The client needed him to be based in Eugene.
“My family and I talked it over,” Jackson says. “We realized we could move here and I would still be able to take care of all my clientele.”
Jackson has found an upside to living in Oregon: He appreciates how much direct contact he can have with small businesses. “I’d heard that Oregon is small-business friendly, and it’s been good to see that for myself,” he says. “Getting to know business owners, I really feel the pulse of entrepreneurship here.”
Now, with more than 25 years of experience using the power of video, Jackson has also seen video rise in prominence.
“There are studies proving that animation has a positive long-term effect on learning,” Jackson says. “It’s no small wonder why so much animation is used in ad tech, patient education, marketing. Animation has a way of affecting long-term recall and learning. Animation helps you stand out. It takes a lot of planning and effort, but its power is undeniable.”
With education in mind, Jackson is pushing forward new educational motion graphics initiatives for KineticText. Inspired by animated programs such as Wild Kratts, The Magic School Bus, and Schoolhouse Rock!, Jackson is pitching projects to “well-known clients” to produce innovative, fun, educational storytelling. For Jackson, it’s simply him identifying a new opportunity and moving toward it.
“You pick the things you want to do and believe in yourself,” Jackson says. “There’s a lot of power in picking yourself and giving yourself permission to be the author of your own story.”
KineticText | 310/293-8149
