School of Motion Podcast

It's that time of year again—the School of Motion End of Year Podcast is here, and this one is our longest yet... by a lot. Buckle up for an in-depth look at everything that shaped motion design in 2025, and a look ahead to 2026! 🗒️ SHOW NOTES https://schoolofmotion.com/eoy2025 This year, we're joined by 17 industry veterans and special guests to break down what "motion design" even means anymore, how AI is actually being used in production, and the real state of the motion design economy. We cover major software updates from Adobe, Maxon, Unreal Engine, and more, discuss the recovery of the VFX industry, and explore how motion designers are expanding into UX, real-time graphics, and interactive experiences. This podcast represents our commitment to helping motion designers understand the bigger picture and make informed decisions about their careers. Thanks for being part of the School of Motion community this year! THANK YOU to this year's contributors: John LePore - Co-Founder, Blackbox Infinite Ivan Witteborg - UX Motion Designer, @Google Justin Cone - Executive Director of Communication, Buck & Residence @SternFX - Motion Designer & Educator Kyle Hamrick - Motion Designer, Editor & Educator Bekki Leahy - Motion Designer & Illustrator Greg Stewart - Lead Animator, @bibleproject @JJMotionStudio - Director & High Torchbearer, We Ride at Dawn @sweetboy.motion - 3D Artist & Educator Urban Bradesko - Founder, @DoubleJumpAcademy & Crispy Chicken VFX Dan Maurer - Co-founder, @cartandhorse Kris Bargen - Co-founder, @cartandhorse Erin Sarofsky - Owner & Creative Director, Sarofsky PJ Richardson - ECD, Director & Co-founder, Laundry @thejoelpilger - Founder, Forum Hayley Akins - Founder, @MotionHatch Caleb Ward - Founder, @curiousrefuge 👉 CHAPTERS 👈 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:15 Motion Design Present & Future 00:17:54 School of Motion Roundup 00:31:10 Our Favorite Work from 2025 00:52:26 Artists & Studios We Loved in 2025 01:20:24 The State of Adobe 01:32:42 Photoshop & Illustrator 01:43:10 After Effects 01:53:13 Premiere 02:06:12 Substance Painter 02:14:43 Figma on Our Minds 02:26:53 Descript FTW 02:28:43 Affinity: Adobe Killer? 02:38:22 Here Comes the Cavalry 02:54:00 The Rive Lovefest 03:27:51 Lottifiles Update 03:32:22 Greyscalegorilla Merger & More 03:36:05 Maxon's Moves 03:51:56 The Autograph Curveball 03:58:41 Will Blender Blend? 04:22:09 Houdini Happenings 04:29:17 Unreal is Unreal 04:55:14 Lottielab 04:57:27 Simulon 05:00:34 Spline & Hana 05:04:18 Womp Womp 05:09:09 Nomad Sculpt 05:13:22 Zbrush 05:16:00 Ad Industry Consolidation 05:25:49 Marketing Budgets Spread Thin 05:32:19 The Great Bifurcation 05:51:14 Pour One Out for The Mill 05:52:28 National Design Studio 05:53:00 Ben Fryc Makes a Keyboard 05:58:47 Contra is Cool 06:00:31 A New Vimeo? 06:05:42 The Motion Economy 06:16:18 Macroeconomic Trends 06:21:28 Return to Office 06:26:11 The Two Races 06:32:33 The Lost Art of Communication 06:54:21 The Race to the Top 07:21:17 The AI Conversation 07:23:22 Adobe's AI Play 07:37:11 Weavy & ComfyUI 07:49:52 MoveAI 07:53:51 Cascadeur 07:59:46 AI Image Generator Roundup 08:10:53 Firefly & Boards 08:17:41 AI Video Models 08:32:05 The AI Financial Bubble 08:39:16 The AI Vibe Shift 09:04:55 AI's Utility 09:26:01 THAT Coke Ad 09:31:42 How Artists Actually Use AI 09:41:38 The AI Ethics Question 09:49:29 2026 Predictions 🎓 SCHOOL OF MOTION COURSES MENTIONED School of Motion All-Access: https://schoolofmotion.com/all-access School of Motion Team Training: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/training-for-teams Courses & workshops coming soon: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/coming-soon

We got Ben Marriott on the podcast, and honestly, it's about time...Ben's one of the best tutorial creators out there for After Effects and motion design, and his journey from freelance illustrator to full-time YouTuber happened faster than anyone expected (including him). Check out the corresponding blog post with key takeaways here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/b...

In the sea of surface-level chatter about AI and filmmaking, Nikola Todorovic is saying the quiet part out loud—and it's the stuff creative pros actually need to hear. Check out the corresponding blog post with our key takeaways here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/wonder-dynamics As Co-Founder and CEO of Wonder Dynamics, Nikola helped build Flow Studio, an AI-powered platform that lets small teams create VFX-rich productions without VFX-rich budgets. The work was so forward-thinking that Autodesk acquired Wonder Dynamics in 2024, folding it into their growing cloud-based creative suite. But this conversation goes way deeper than "AI saves time." It's about what happens to artistry when the tools start doing more than just accelerating workflows—and how indie filmmakers, animators, and motion designers can harness that shift without getting swept away by hype.

Sarah Beth Morgan, illustrator and School of Motion instructor, joins Joey to dish about the real stuff: moving across the country, having a baby, and navigating the ever-changing animation industry. See the corresponding blog post here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/sarah-beth-morgan Since her last appearance on the SOM Podcast, she's moved across the country, had a baby (a delightful two-year-old egg enthusiast named Arty), and launched a narrative podcast called Ghost Frame while navigating what she describes as a "career crisis" in today's evolving animation landscape.In this conversation with Joey, Sarah Beth opens up about how parenthood has surprisingly benefited her creative work, her experiments with murals and local art, taking social media breaks, and her thoughts on the current "malaise" affecting the 2D animation industry. -- Check out Sarah Beth's SOM course, Illustration for Motion https://www.schoolofmotion.com/courses/illustration-for-motion In Illustration for Motion you'll learn the foundations of modern illustration from Sarah Beth Morgan. You'll discover a range of illustrative styles through mock client briefs meant to mimic jobs found in the real world. By the end of the course, you'll be equipped to create incredible illustrated works of art that you can use in your animation projects right away.

EJ jams with Barton Damer, the creative muscle behind Already Been Chewed (ABC)...basically the Tony Hawk of motion design. This dude turned his skateboarding obsession into a full-blown 3D animation studio that now cranks out mind-blowing work for Nike, Adidas, Star Wars, and Marvel. Check out the corresponding blog post with key takeaways: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/already-been-chewed Artists Barton Damer https://www.linkedin.com/in/barton-damer-92a32918 EJ Hassenfratz https://www.youtube.com/@eyedesyn/videos Nick Campbell https://greyscalegorilla.com/about-us/ Paul Babb https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulbabb/ Rob Dyrdek https://robdyrdek.com/ Mark Fancher https://www.youtube.com/c/MarkFancherFX Dan Arsham https://www.danielarsham.com/ PJ Richardson https://www.laundry.studio/ Jonathan Winbush https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmzWP6o2cw73moEF7LO_KvA Studios Already Been Chewed (ABC) https://www.alreadybeenchewed.tv/ Greyscale Gorilla https://greyscalegorilla.com/ Maxon https://www.maxon.net/en LRG https://l-r-g.com/ Nike https://www.nike.com/ Adidas https://www.adidas.com/ Under Armour https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/ Street League Skateboarding https://www.streetleague.com/ MTV https://www.mtv.com/ ESPN https://www.espn.com/ Discovery Channel https://www.discovery.com/ New Balance https://www.newbalance.com/ Louis Vuitton https://www.alreadybeenchewed.tv/louisvuitton Tiffany and Co. https://www.tiffany.com/stories/collaborations/daniel-arsham-pokemon/ Legwork https://legworkstudio.com/animation/ Laundry Studio https://www.laundry.studio/ SoFi Stadium https://www.laundry.studio/ooh/project-four-l3zw3-jecsr-hr7em-6yptl Work Fantasy Factory https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/rob-dyrdeks-fantasy-factory/ Rob & Big https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_%26_Big Snack Off https://tv.apple.com/us/show/snack-off/umc.cmc.3cjzt6066id3jq5koxur3vx9p Ridiculousness https://tv.apple.com/us/show/ridiculousness/umc.cmc.234le4y5rrb4satzsf28ix6yx Digital Artist of the Year https://www.behance.net/gallery/12189735/COMPUTER-ARTS-MAGAZINE-Digital-Artist-of-the-Year?locale=en_US Resources NAB https://www.nabshow.com/ Cinema 4D https://www.maxon.net/en/cinema-4d After Effects https://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html Computer Arts Magazine https://www.creativebloq.com/computer-arts Adobe Photoshop https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html Adobe Illustrator https://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html Final Cut Pro https://www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/ iMovie https://support.apple.com/imovie Houdini https://www.sidefx.com/products/houdini/ Unreal Engine https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US Behance https://www.behance.net/onboarding/hirerCreative Nixon https://www.nixon.com/ Rob & Bart Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frJ4rcpyFvI

What happens when a small group of motion designers in Detroit evolves into a powerhouse of collaboration and innovation? The crew from Cart & Horse sat down with Joey on the School of Motion podcast to share their journey—from navigating the tight-knit creative community in Detroit to pioneering new workflows in Unreal Engine. Check out the corresponding blog post and key takeaways here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/cart-and-horse 👉 CHAPTERS 👈 00:00 Chapter 1: Welcome! 01:27 Chapter 2: Chris's Experience in Detroit 03:08 Chapter 3: Dan's Journey from LA to Detroit 04:34 Chapter 4: Unreal Engine Early Adopters 08:06 Chapter 5: Why Is Unreal Engine Making Its Break Out Right Now? 11:58 Chapter 6: Live Working Sessions with Clients 17:43 Chapter 7: Unreal Engine's Learning Curve 24:22 Chapter 8: What Types of Projects Are You Using Unreal For? 28:44 Chapter 9: Virtual Production and the Travelers Spec Collab Project 43:22 Chapter 10: The Value Proposition of Virtual Production 57:42 Chapter 12: Cart and Horse Origins Artists: Dan Maurer https://www.linkedin.com/in/maurerdan/ Kris Bargen https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisbargen/ Julie Craft https://juliecraft.work/ John Einselen https://jeinselen.com/ Clemens Conrad https://www.linkedin.com/in/clemens-conrad/ Elliot Ruddy https://www.elliotruddy.com/ Jonathan Winbush https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmzWP6o2cw73moEF7LO_KvA John Bugg https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonbugg/ Joel Pilger https://www.joelpilger.com/ Andy Blondin https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyblondin/ Geoff George https://www.geoffgeorgedp.com/contact Studios: Cart and Horse https://www.cartandhorse.studio/ Launch by NTT DATA (formerly Vectorform) https://launch.nttdata.com/ Gunner https://gunner.work/ Rocket Mortgage https://www.rocketmortgage.com Activision https://www.activision.com/ Golden Hour https://www.goldenhourgr.com/ Lunar North https://www.lunarnorth.tv/ Work: Travelers https://vimeo.com/938752533 The Mandalorian https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mandalorian 8 Mile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8_Mile_(film) Michigan Lottery commercial https://vimeo.com/938889801 Resources: MoGraph Mondays https://www.mographmondays.com/ Unity https://unity.com/ LightWave https://www.lightwave3d.com/ Rive https://rive.app/ After Effects https://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html Cinema 4D https://www.maxon.net/ Unreal Engine https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US Octane https://home.otoy.com/render/octane-render/ Redshift https://www.maxon.net/en/redshift Nanite https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/nanite-virtualized-geometry-in-unreal-engine Lumen https://lumenandforge.com/services/animation-visual-storytelling/ Activision https://www.activision.com/ Viz Artist (Vizrt) https://www.vizrt.com/products/viz-artist/ Chyron https://chyron.com/products/all-in-one-production-systems/3d-real-time-graphics/ Fox Sports https://www.foxsports.com/ Miro https://miro.com/ Datasmith https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/datasmith Cineware for Unreal https://support.maxon.net/hc/en-us/articles/4411492995730-Cineware-for-Unreal

Blender artist and motion designer Elijah Sheffield shares how he transitioned into 3D, built a standout demo reel, and turned personal projects into career-defining moments. Check out the corresponding blog post (with episode highlights) here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/elijah-sheffield-blender 👉 CHAPTERS 👈 00:00 Coming Up 00:22 Elijah Sheffield's Background and Early Career 01:29 Discovering Motion Design 03:32 College and Grad School Experience 13:30 First Job and Career Challenges 18:11 Finding the Motivation to Make Demo Reel Pieces 23:31 Transition to Freelance 26:41 Social Media's Impact on Career 34:52 Having a Freelance Plan 42:00 Pain and Rainbows of Freelance Work 44:18 Challenges and Rewards of Learning Blender 49:35 Finding a Style 55:16 Blender Learning Curve 01:03:28 Integrating Blender into Your 3D Pipeline 01:20:21 The Future of Blender 01:24:12 That's a Wrap! 🗒️ SHOW NOTES Artists: Elijah Sheffield https://www.behance.net/sweetboymotion# EJ Hassenfratz https://www.youtube.com/@eyedesyn/videos Myles Bolden https://mylesjbolden.myportfolio.com/ Jonathan Winbush https://www.youtube.com/@JonathanWinbush/ Norm MacDonald https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_Macdonald Chris Smith https://csmithstudios.com/ Joey Korenman https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeykorenman Andrew Kramer https://www.videocopilot.net/ Studios: School of Motion https://www.schoolofmotion.com/ SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) https://www.scad.edu/ Pixar https://www.pixar.com/ DreamWorks https://www.dreamworks.com/ Work: Museum of History and Magic https://www.museumhm.org/ Killdozer https://www.instagram.com/sweetboy.motion/p/Cw0os46AIZN/ Spider-Verse https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man:_Across_the_Spider-Verse Ninja Turtles Arcane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcane_(TV_series) Resources: Greyscalegorilla https://greyscalegorilla.com/ Maya https://www.autodesk.com/products/maya/overview?term=1-YEAR&tab=subscription ZBrush https://www.maxon.net/en/zbrush Cinema 4D https://www.maxon.net/en/cinema-4d Blender https://www.blender.org/ Unreal Engine Course https://www.schoolofmotion.com/courses/unreal-engine-for-3d-artists Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ Demo Reel Dash https://www.schoolofmotion.com/courses/demo-reel-dash Arnold https://www.autodesk.com/products/arnold/overview Eevee https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/render/eevee/introduction.html Grease Pencil https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/grease_pencil/index.html Clay Pencil https://pepeschoolland.gumroad.com/l/ibbls Donut Tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0J27sf9N1Y&list=PLjEaoINr3zgEPv5y--4MKpciLaoQYZB1Z STL files https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STL_(file_format) Blender Market https://blendermarket.com/ Freelance Manifesto https://www.amazon.com/Freelance-Manifesto-Modern-Motion-Designer-ebook/dp/B071JRYMSG

2024 was a transformative year for motion design - from AI disruption to the evolution of real-time tools, emerging platforms, and a changing economic landscape. In this comprehensive year-end roundup, Joey Korenman, EJ Hassenfratz, and Aharon Rabinowitz break down everything that shaped our industry and peer into what 2025 might bring. We also asked some industry luminaries to weigh in, so you'll hear from the likes of Buck, Scholar, Motion Hatch, Colosseum, Curious Refuge and more! Get ready for candid insights on the state of motion design, software updates that changed the game, the impact of AI, and how artists are adapting to an ever-shifting landscape. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just getting started, this conversation covers the trends, tools, and opportunities that matter. Plus, hear our panel's bold predictions for 2025 - from the future of real-time rendering to emerging platforms and where the next big opportunities lie for motion designers. 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE: Best motion design work of 2024 The state of the industry and economy Major software updates (After Effects, Cinema 4D, Blender, Unreal) New tools and tech to watch out for The rise of AI and its impact on motion design The return of in-person events and meetups Predictions and trends for 2025 Head over to our blog post for links to everything we talk about: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/2024-review Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:21 In the Beginning... 00:01:50 Defining Motion Design 00:02:51 Evolution of Motion Design 00:08:51 School of Motion Updates 00:12:34 Favorite Works of 2024 00:28:49 Shoutouts to Studios and Artists 00:37:40 Innovative Marketing Strategies 00:39:15 The Rise of Niche Studios 00:45:14 Advancements in After Effects and 3D Tools 01:17:37 Exploring Maxon Studio and Its Strategy 01:21:03 Grayscale Gorilla's Big Release 01:25:30 Adobe's Substance Integration 01:28:16 The Future of Generative AI in Textures 01:35:58 Blender's Growing Influence 01:52:42 Will Blender Take Over? 01:55:48 Cinema 4D vs Blender: Industry Adoption 01:59:37 The Rise of After Effects in Motion Design 02:04:47 Unreal Engine's Impact on Motion Design 02:25:59 Unreal Marketplace Missteps 02:31:03 Rive: The Future of Interactive Animation 02:40:54 The Return of 2Advanced 02:47:32 The Future of Lottie? 02:50:45 Exploring Womp: A New 3D Modeling Tool 02:55:49 Cavalry: The Houdini of 2D Animation 03:07:30 Other Motion Design News 03:16:50 Meetups Are Back: Highlights and Events 03:20:55 Tech Updates: Apple Vision Pro and Meta's Orion 03:23:19 Adobe vs. Procreate: The AI Debate 03:34:56 The Mo Economy: Trends and Predictions 04:05:55 The Rise of Rive in Animation 04:09:55 Future Trends in Motion Design 04:16:11 The Importance of Editing Skills 04:21:09 Effective Marketing Strategies for Freelancers 04:39:22 The Impact of AI on the Industry 04:54:08 AI's Impact on Creative Work 04:55:59 AI as a Tool for Artists 04:57:48 Historical Context and Future Predictions 05:01:51 The AI Plateau and Future Tools 05:22:11 2025 Predictions 05:34:49 The Future of AI Aesthetics 05:47:22 Economic Outlook for Motion Design 05:51:22 Niche Markets and Specialization 06:02:41 AI's Impact on the Artist Community SCHOOL OF MOTION COURSES All Courses - https://som.bz/3SUg5Yb Guided Courses - https://som.bz/3LYmJef Instant Access Courses - https://som.bz/3AWv63C After Effects Courses - https://som.bz/42sBon6 2D Animation - https://som.bz/3VCBtme 3D Courses - https://som.bz/3ArdpZu Design Courses - https://som.bz/3NGyJC

This week on the School of Motion Podcast, EJ chats with PJ Richardson, co-founder of Laundry Studio, to dig into the current state of 3D, creative burnout, and what it takes to succeed today.

Meet Perception—a motion design studio trusted by Hollywood and some of the world's biggest brands to bring sci-fi dreams to life. Ever wonder who's behind the mind-blowing tech visuals in Black Panther or the holographic wizardry in Iron Man? In this episode of the School of Motion Podcast, Joey sits down with Perception founders Danny Gonzalez and Jeremy Lasky as they spill the 'secret sauce' that powers their studio's success. Check out the corresponding blog post for more info: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/p...

This week, Joey sits down with Hayley Akins, the founder of Motion Hatch to uncover smart strategies for building a motion design business! If you're a motion designer or animator struggling with the business side of things—like finding clients, pricing your work, or just keeping your head above water—this episode is a MUST-LISTEN! Get the show notes on our blog: http://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/motion-design-business-hayley-akins

In the latest School of Motion Podcast episode, Joey catches up with Connor Henkle, a motion design pro who's found his groove in sports and stadium graphics. Connor gives us a peek into his journey from dabbling in graphic design to becoming a go-to guy for electrifying visuals at sporting events. Check out the corresponding blog post (and more of Connor's work) here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/connor-henkle-sports-design