Moving across the world, studying architecture, discovering Envato, and knowing that a file is going to be good when he gets goosebumps. This week we meet Theo Ghita (studio_21) from AudioJungle, VideoHive, GraphicRiver, and PhotoDune.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from, what do you do for a living?

I am originally from Romania but I live in the US now – Chicago. In a way I got to see the two worlds because half of my life I lived in Romania and half in Chicago (so far).

I just graduated college, majoring in Architecture, and I am looking for a full time job. I am extremely passionate about photography/movies/3d animation/music production etc. I hope I will grow bigger on this website!

Which marketplaces do you belong to? What types of files do you sell?

Currently I have files on AudioJungle, VideoHive, GraphicRiver and PhotoDune. I sell songs, templates, movies and pictures.

How many people’s work with Theo, since Studio 21 is present at 4 Envato marketplaces? (Miseld)

I am relatively new to Envato. I’ve been an author for not even five months so I still have plenty to learn and to get to know the people. I have yet to discover more people to work with but until then a lot of hard work must be done.

Your fave marketplace and why? (mKrukowski)

Even though it’s a tough one to decide I’ll have to admit that AudioJungle is my favorite. This is mainly because my passion for music (guitar) started when I was very little and it’s quite a story. To make it short, I’ve always liked music and it’s part of my life It is also very interesting to see the creativity of others which is probably the most inspiring to me.

How did you get started? Have you had any formal training?

I’ve always liked computers and working in all kinds of programs. My dream would come true when I would actually make some money doing what I like. I’ve trained myself and always try to improve and do better in every area.

Describe your home workspace.

My workspace is pretty simple. I’ve been using a desktop PC computer but I’ve decided to change it with a laptop for more versatility. So, everything happens on my laptop and in my room. Now, will you excuse me for a bit, I need to go take the pictures. A little too crowded but it fits my needs so far.

Describe your creative process. What steps do you normally follow to create your files?

First, I would spend a lot of time thinking of what I should do next that would be beneficial for the buyers, and what would work and make sense. This usually happens with movies/templates, but with the songs I usually just randomly start working on a project and see where it goes. Then, the fun begins.

What does your creative process look like? (Eg: compose, play, record, upload.) Have the Envato Marketplaces brought you freelance work?

Every time I start on a new project (let’s take for example a song) there is a point when the overall composition has to give me that sensation that I feel it through the hair of my skin. That tells me if the project needs to continue or not.

If I get that “Wow, this gives me goosebumps” when I listen to it, then it’s a must to go on. If not, I have to start on a new idea or develop that idea further. It has to amaze me first to make me want it to continue.

After I come up with an idea, I develop it further, work on it for days, weeks, until I get it to a point where it satisfies me. Sometimes when I run out of ideas or I get too tired, I leave the project for a while and start on a fresh project, and then come back and forth. This is how I do my music.

Then I burn the song on a CD, and test it on all the stations/speakers I have in the house, and I also listen to it in the car. This is to look for final mistakes or additional corrections that need to be made.

I have not had any freelance work through the Envate Marketplaces yet but I am looking forward to it.

What is your advice to other authors regarding how to create a successful portfolio?

Details, details and details. Everything matters. In fact I am myself a beginner author and I still have a lot to learn in order to become successful.

Never think the file is too good. It can always be improved. Everything can be improved at all times. It’s all a matter of saying, “Enough. This is it!” It can get very stressful if you don’t set a boundary for yourself.

What do you do to market your files?

I usually upload them on popular websites.

How do you go about with taxes in your country? I mean income tax as a freelance audio designer for example. I don’t know under what CAEN code that would fall, or where to go to ask someone competent about it. Even the term FREELANCER seems to make them look strange at you. (contrastblack)

For quite a bit I have composed songs just for myself, family and friends without selling them. Since I have just started selling them now, I haven’t really made any substantial money from this yet so I haven’t got to that point. Usually, in United States there is the W2 tax form that every person with an income should complete it at the end of the year.

What are your three favorite files, and why do you like them?

I like these files. They’re cool, not just because I like them but because lots of lots of other people told me so.

AudioJungle: Humanoid

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

GraphicRiver: Elegant Wine Template – Tweak My Photo

GraphicRiver: Beer Bottle and Package Design

Apart from yourself, who is your favorite marketplace author, and why do you like them?

I’ve seen a lot of talented authors and they were a source of inspiration for myself. To be honest, in my opinion all authors over 50k sales are respectable and automatically become my favorites   Any author could be a source of inspiration for anyone.

What do you do in your spare time?

I play the guitar, take random pictures, play soccer, go for a walk, take pictures again in a continuously infinite loop.