
I truly enjoy the world of motion design and animation. I can easily get entranced, nudging keyframes and tweaking curves until satisfied. Or I am finding different ways to approach a new technique or style. I like watching my favorite animated videos frame-by-frame to understand transition ideas or study subtle character movements.
There’s just so much inspiring work that makes me want to be a part of the motion design community, and I’m grateful I’ve been able to explore the world through the eyes of an animator.
Here are some insights I’ve learned over the years that have resonated with me and will stay at the forefront of my mind for many moons to come.
Communicate Ideas
One of the best things I learned was motion design is about communicating ideas. It is nothing overly fancy, just simple communication from one person to another. It’s about having a message and effectively sharing that idea with your intended audience. As often as possible during the creation process, I ask myself if my decisions help communicate the message we want to convey. If yes, then that is an excellent track to be on.
Problem-Solving
A creative director once told me that as creators, we are simply problem-solvers for our clients. They need something, and we can use our expertise to provide the right solution (thanks for the pro tip, Adam!). Once I embraced this idea, it allowed me to view the potential of motion graphics and animation in a new light. We can make the flashiest animation on this side of the Mississippi, but it won’t help the client if it isn’t solving their needs.
It’s Just Fun
So much fun! Making graphics and animations to create something new is unlike any other feeling. It gives me the same feelings I had when I would find Post-It notepads as a kid and make them into little flipbooks of skateboarders and squiggly shapes (sorry, Mom!). Today’s motion graphics and animation world seems to grow and change daily. There’s always something new to learn and discover, and that excites me for the future.
Motion graphics and animation combine so many fun mediums into one. Writing, design, cinematography, music, and sound effects play their part. However, considering effective communication and problem-solving while creating an animation may help elevate it to a more impactful project. Motion design can be so many things simultaneously and connect ideas that other mediums can’t. Kinda cool!