Motion design is basically a blend of graphic design and animation and can encompass a broad range of styles and techniques. Motion designers essentially create content for screens, large and small. If it moves, you can be sure a motion designer was involved. This can include things such as film title sequences, explainer videos (also known as visual essays), animated infographics and logos, or even apps that you use on a daily basis.

When we first discussed offering motion design as a service to our clients, we wanted to be sure that we could provide them with a comprehensive package: essentially concept development and script writing all the way through to final delivery. While this seemed like a daunting task at first, we realized that we had most of the skills already in place. We are writers and story-tellers, conceptual thinkers, designers and artists. What we didn’t have at the time was something I felt could be learned.

The Path to Mograph

When I started on this journey a few years ago (well, it was actually in college, but that is a subject for another time), I did what most folks do and immersed myself in Skillshare classes, YouTube videos and Lynda.com tutorials. And while this did give me a better understanding of Adobe AfterEffects and Premiere, software-focused tutorials can only take you so far. I knew that I needed a more intensive learning experience. This is when I discovered the School of Motion.

Classes with the School of Motion are called “Boot Camps” and I can assure you they live up to their names. The first course I took was Animation Bootcamp, which was an intensive 6-week learning experience. Through a series of comprehensive assignments, I was able to learn how to create beautiful, purposeful and fluid movements using the graph editors inside of After Effects, sharpen my knowledge of the principles of animation and develop a critical eye for controlling motion on screen.

The second course I took was called Explainer Camp. This was a project-based course that took you through the entire process of creating a visual essay from bid to final deliverable. This involved doing initial designs, storyboards, animatics, and final animation as well as sound design and voiceover sessions. It was a knowledge-packed course that gave me a better understanding of every facet of the production process.

Combined, these courses helped me to focus on the art and the craft of motion design and not just the tools of the trade. And being a perpetual student-of-life, I plan on taking more courses as time permits. Besides, it’s all about the journey and not the destination, amirite?

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