Who the hell is Ana-Maria Udriste?

We’re chatting with members of the DixonBaxi studio about what makes them who they are. From the professional to the personal, nothing is off limits here. Digital Media Creator Ana-Maria is next in the series, sharing her take on good design and what she listens to when she works.

Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Ana-Maria and I am a digital media creator at DixonBaxi. My role covers anything to do with media, from capturing photos and videos to editing the content and sharing it with the world. During my time here I have worked on brand videos, sizzles, title sequences and everything in between.

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What’s your story?
I started as an editing intern in 2019. I was fresh out of uni with a degree that had nothing to do with media, but knew that editing was something I really enjoyed and wanted to pursue further. So, during my degree I built a portfolio that landed me the job. Looking back, I realise I knew nothing when I applied but I think DB saw how passionate I was and decided to take a chance on me. I was lucky enough to have a great mentor who taught me so much and allowed me to move up into the role I have today.

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What are you working on right now?
Right now I am working on a digital poster and a billboard. It is an exciting project as we get to show the beautiful brand we created as well as the content library my colleagues and I built over the last 2 years.

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“Design is a powerful tool that definitely has the ability to shape the world around us… [I]t is up to us to use this tool responsibly, as a means of growth and inspiration, rather than manipulation.”

Describe your working style in 3 words.
Singing, snax and to do lists lol.

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Tell us about some of your interests – what are you into?
An obvious one would be films. I love watching, analysing and even making them. A less obvious one would be astrology (not to be confused with horoscopes which indeed are a scam). I find it really fascinating and I really believe that planet placements and transits affect our day-to-day life and even destiny to some extent.

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Do you think design can change the world? How?
Design is a powerful tool that definitely has the ability to shape the world around us. However, it is up to us to use this tool responsibly, as a means of growth and inspiration, rather than manipulation.

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If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
I think people should listen more and be more understanding of each other. The world seems really polarised at the moment and I think if we took some time to listen we would see that people are not really that different, we all want the same things but just have different opinions on how to achieve those goals.

What’s the last song you listened to?
I am listening to Thrift Shop by Macklemore as I am writing this. Here in the motion corner of the studio, we love our singalong throwback songs haha.

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Why do you do what you do? What motivates you?
I just love being creative and making stuff that excites people. I would say people motivate me the most, working together and seeing the awesome work my colleagues and creatives in general make just inspires me to push my own creative boundaries and create fresh content.

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What’s your definition of good design?
For me good design is recognisable, original, smart and helps make the world better.