In Conversation with Maya Franz: Shaping Stories Through Motion and Art Direction
Photos: Jack Stanley @1lastflick
Hey! For those who may not know you yet, who is Maya Franz, and what do you do?
Yoooo! I am a video editor/ art director working on Gadigal Land. Some people might know me through my Instagram handle, barkifuwantascoobysnacc, where I post After Effects tutorials, or my art account, barkifuwantfilm. I have worked for Grammy-nominated artists and amazing creatives around the world.
Did you fall into video editing and art direction naturally, or was it something you always gravitated toward creatively?
I love art, and I love computers. Growing up on the Central Coast, I was bored a lot; being bored fueled my creativity and imagination.
I got a GoPro one year ago for Christmas when I was 14 and would make little edits of my friends and me at nippers using Windows Movie Maker. That grew into posting yearly camcorder videos in high school, recapping my year with my free Adobe subscription I got from school (the OG’s will know). When I did Multimedia in high school, that grew into a potential career option thanks to my teacher, Mr Ted’s. Now I’m here.
How would you describe your art style in a few words?
Waking up and trying to remember a faded dream.
What does your editing process look like — are you someone who plans everything out, or do you discover the rhythm as you go?
Professional work is very planned out. If it’s a music video, I listen to the song on loop for months so by the time I get the footage, I already know how to edit it. I watch all the footage multiple times and usually I mark every major movement. I love when a client gives me a movie reference, I will watch every reference and take notes. I treat work like I am studying with multiple assessments at once.
My personal work/ art is all freestyling and discovering the rhythm as I go. I always have at least one personal project I am working on so I don’t lose the love for what I do working for other people.
When you're building a visual world, where do you start — colour, mood, reference images, sound?
I always start with a reference. I like the quote by Virgil Abloh, “a creative only has to add a 3% tweak to a pre-existing concept to generate a cultural contribution deemed innovative”. Familiar art is relatable, but when you add a twist, that’s how people remember you.
Do you have a favourite project you’ve worked on?
It’s actually a Music Video I am currently working on with my friend Luci/ Cherry Rype. It’s definitely my most thought-out and ambitious project yet. I don’t direct for other people often, but when I choose to, I live and breathe the project.
It’s based on Indie Horror games, and the song was specifically made for this idea, which we’ve been talking about since the start of 2025. I’ve made multiple 3D environments in Unreal Engine and collaborated with all my close friends to make this the best video ever.
What does a typical day look like for Maya Franz (if there even is one)?
Wake up and have breakfast with my partner. Go to the library and parallel play with my creative friends or work from home. I usually go for a walk or swim in the afternoon and get as much time in nature as physically possible. I’m on my computer a lot, so being away from the screen as much as possible to avoid burnout.
What films, music videos or artists have shaped the way you create?
Cartoon Network 2010s. A lot of people ask me what my influences are, and that my editing style is super unique. I can’t put a finger on where my influences have come from, but I think being self-taught opens so many doors to learning unconventionally.
Do you have a favourite director or editor whose work you always return to for inspiration?
Yes, favourite Director is Justin Kaminuna. His videos feel like a memory, which is something I aspire to recreate in my own way. Favourite editor is Gnomeh; I actually got to meet her recently, which is awesome. She’s crazy, and I can’t wait to release a video I got her to edit in the near future.
What’s the most underrated part of video editing that people don’t see or appreciate?
The process. I think in this day and age, we’ve been losing something really special, and that is putting in the work. The rise of AI and constant shortcuts suck. When people can’t make something, they ask a robot instead of putting in the work. I believe AI is useful as a tool, but when I see artists I look up to now using it to recreate simple shots of VFX that they can’t be bothered to learn. Instant unfollow.
Do you find yourself drawing on nostalgia or early memories when you’re building visuals or editing?
Yes. I do want my visuals to have a nostalgic feel to them. I use the MIXEDONE plug-in from Anima FX on almost all of my videos. They were actually one of the first people to ever reach out to me at the beginning of my career. I don’t use it because it looks like mixed media, but stylistically, to me, it makes my videos feel like a memory.
If you could direct and collaborate on any music video, for any artist, who would it be?
Ledbyher. Ledbyher. Ledbyher.
My main goal is to direct visuals for a live show.
Is there any emerging tech or trend in VFX that excites you right now?
It’s not VFX, but the rise of creative GFX in music videos is pretty cool. That’s motion graphics, not VFX, but I think it’s super cool and unique.
Do you have any favourite albums or songs at the moment that are currently in your rotation?
Daft Punk's Alive 2007 all-time favourite album. Song-wise, I love Ledbyher; she will be huge next year. All her new stuff is fire.
What do you hope people feel when they look at your work?
I don’t care about what people feel; I just want people to remember it. I made a personal project called Adventure Our Time, which blew up on YouTube. I received praise and a lot of hate. I loved it all. It’s insane how a video can anger someone so much, but others can love it. As long as it’s remembered.
There was this piece I once saw at the White Rabbit Gallery. I don’t remember the artist. I do remember the piece, though. I think about it randomly multiple times a year, even though I saw it 5 years ago. It wasn’t revolutionary, but it stuck with me; that’s how I want my work to feel.
With a username like barkifuwantascoobysnacc, are you a Scooby-Doo lover, a cartoon kid at heart, or was it just a chaotic moment of genius?
Honestly, people kept pronouncing my name MAY-a instead of Mya, so I changed my Instagram name. Scooby Doo has always been my favourite cartoon since a kid.
Bark has now become a persona, kinda like what musicians do. It’s a character I’ve created to share my artistic vision, but it’s not MAYA.
What single piece of advice would you give to a creative who is reading this?
“Just share it. I was so embarrassed of my work for so long, I kept it to myself. Being able to share it (I still do get anxious because it is a vulnerable and emotional thing to do) and have people relate to it. Means the world to me. I’m not special because at the beginning of the year I had a video blow up on Instagram and it changed my life, it’s just lottery. I see a lot of people post about ego, money, pride and less about doing it because you love it.”
Where can people find Maya Franz? (Socials, Website, etc.)
Barkifuwantascoobysnacc is my Main professional account where I share my big accomplishments and personal projects. Barkifuwantfilm is where I post random videos multiple times a week; it’s my brain dumping ground basically.