We are makers.
Smart, focused, resourceful, intrepid.
We are exceptional at what we create, going beyond trends to blaze new trails.
We are fun and positive to be around.
We prioritize our clients over everything else.
We are good at rolling with the punches. No matter how difficult the challenge, we always look for opportunities to make the work even better.
Story in the making
This is a story born out of a love for artistic collaboration, and the urge to lead teams and clients to beautiful results.
Chapter One – Erin
Erin’s story is unique. An artist focused on creative outcomes, Erin has also achieved the balance needed to run a successful company. Her early aspirations were not to own and run a studio, but, as she stepped forward in creative work, she realized that great outcomes require a talented, multifaceted team including great producers and support staff.
But why Chicago? Quite simply: Chicago is a special place. New York-native Erin started her career at Digital Kitchen’s newly formed Chicago office. She always assumed she would find her way back to the coasts and when she did, she deeply missed Chicago.
The advertising industry here fuels the design industry and is strong and thriving. And the production and post-production communities are just that: Communities. So when the time came for Erin to build her team, she was well integrated into the vast network of Chicago talent and knew all of the players. Even more importantly, she saw a need she could fill in Chicago by building a motion design studio that would stand apart from the more traditional post houses in the community.
Today, we all know that great work can happen anywhere, so fewer people now ask “Why Chicago?” But back at its inception, when clients liked to work in a studio, it was a bold decision.
Chapter Two – Us
Erin launched her studio in 2009 and has created a legacy brand that is a staple for many in the advertising and entertainment industries. The company is 100% owned by Erin.
Sarofsky brings kinship and excellence to the intersection of art, design, technology, and film production.
Our conceptualization skills, the process, and ability to listen and find solutions, combined with collaboration and enthusiasm, speak through our work. We work for a diverse client roster and there’s no task we can’t fulfill.
We pride ourselves on being a cross-media production company offering an array of capabilities in motion design, animation, VFX, edit and finish, or live action. We also created a strategic relationship with color grading experts, Nolo Digital Film. Having Nolo in the studio while our artists are designing, editing, and animating enhances the opportunities for collaboration. It also offers our clients the possibility to reimagine the traditional process and integrate color earlier in the pipeline making the relationship of edit, graphics, color, and finish a little more flexible.
We may be rooted in Chicago’s West Loop, but our making powers come from around the world and are delivered to clients from all markets. Nowadays, we start work in various time zones, and one’s ‘good morning’ means someone else’s ‘good afternoon’. Though we believe in the power of connectivity and remote collaboration, we still love each other’s company at the studio. We call ourselves lucky to have the best of both worlds; unlimited access to the world’s talent with remote work and talented makers on the ground.
Chapter Three – You
This part of the story we can create together.
If you’d like to get to know us and be a part of Chicago’s design community, pop in, say hi, and let’s talk about all things design.
And if you’re more interested in our ways of working, talking business, and finding solutions to your problems, our Managing Director, Steven Anderson, almost never says no to a great conversation and will be able to help.
Vision
Mission
Building a kinship of makers
What makes us different?
It takes exceptional talent at every part of the process to create exceptional work. We know how to curate and lead that talent to achieve the best results.
And what else?
We pride ourselves on being a certified woman-owned business based in Chicago. 🙌
It’s the people that make our everyday experiences awesome.
We care about
Humbleness
Humble at heart, we embrace honest dialogue, no judgments, no big egos. Period.
Community
A real sense of kinship is what we believe in, together we create, collaborate, experience and play.
We're in this together and we're here for you.
Nurturing
We look after ourselves, we look after you. Every day we improve our abilities and we get further and faster than anyone else.
Equality
Creativity knows no limits, to deliver to a diverse audience is our motto.
We listen to all voices and give them an equal opportunity to speak.
Transparency
We speak openly, our artists raise their hands whenever they need support, we pull the cord when appropriate.
We are crystal clear on our process and what's important to us.
Are you a humble maker at heart and want to work with a like-minded team? Sarofsky is shaping the visual world with our talent, collaboration and determination...
Would you like to join us?
Home away from home
The 6,000-square-foot building that houses our studio retains the original character of the space while meeting the needs of our contemporary creative office. In selecting this 1880s warehouse for our headquarters, Erin Sarofsky sought to preserve a balance of old and new. Erin worked with her architect to preserve the essence of the existing structure while transforming it into a comfortable and dynamic workspace. At the start of the project, we found that the building’s bones were intact–but they were buried below 100 years of hard-working grime: The original photos look more like a CSI crime scene then the future home of an elite design studio.
To enliven what was once a dark, uninviting warehouse space, the original clerestory was restored and the roof bay at the rear of the building was removed, creating a 750-square-foot private open-air courtyard. A newly constructed wall of glass provides physical and visual access to the courtyard garden and helps balance natural light levels throughout the studio space.
Balancing form and function, we designed the spacious entry, reception and meeting area to double as a studio for filming and photography, giving visitors a glimpse of the Sarofsky essence right upon entry.
It took vision and courage to buy and build out our dream space in the West Loop at a time when this was considered a less-than desirable neighborhood. But that vision turned out to be prescient: The West Loop is now Chicago’s most booming creative district. We are proud to be right at the heart of it.
Architect Credits
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Firm
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Design Principle
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Design Lead
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Project Architect
“Erin and her team are exactly what every project needs — good and nice. They are some of the most talented people I have ever worked with and are the definition of creative and executional excellence. If you ever get the chance to collaborate with such talented and nice people … take it! Sarofsky will make you look good.”
… And lastly, where to look for us on IMDb.
Did you know that we’ve been contributing to your favorite shows for over 10 years? When you look through all the titles it’s sure to spark some fun tv and film memories.
