Working As a Motion Designer for Enterprise
Sebastian Moreno and Glenn Cardenas, motion designers at SAP Design, walk us through their career path in motion design for enterprise.
To start off, what is motion design?
Sebastian: Motion design is a discipline that applies graphic design principles to filmmaking and video production through the use of storytelling, animation, and visual effects. I would describe it as trying to tell a story to evoke a certain feeling or response in the viewer.
Glenn: If I can add to that, it takes all the principles of graphic design such as using color, negative and positive space, and hierarchies. Then, by adding motion, you can simplify a visual message further and create ideas by moving something to give it more character, personality, and emotion.
What does a motion designer do?
Sebastian: A motion designer brings objects or characters to life with a specific intention. A lot of our time is spent on technical aspects such as animation curves or creating keyframes to define the proper movement.
Glenn: All motion designers are also storytellers, but they wear many hats. They might need to be a videographer, an illustrator and an animator all rolled into one. They may be asked to create something in 2D or 3D — and 3D is a whole world of its own! It also depends on the team setup. In a large studio, you would typically only focus on one specific area, but if you work in a smaller team, you will likely find yourself needing to combine all these skills into one.
How did you get into a career in motion design for enterprise?
Glenn: I was a graphic designer first. There were some projects I took on at college involving motion, but I got more involved in motion design after college when I worked for agencies in San Francisco. Social media was on the rise back then, so we were making adverts for Facebook and Instagram. I started making these simple little videos for social media. They were really short at just 5–10 seconds. When I transitioned to SAP, I started out as a UX designer, but once my manager discovered my background in motion design and advertising, I quickly fell into the role of motion designer for software applications. For example, I would create micro-animations for apps, for instance showing that if you push a specific button then X transforms into Y or something pops onto the screen. I was showing the vision of what this interaction could do.
Sebastian: I actually came into motion design during my Bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Engineering back in my home country, Colombia. There, I studied mathematics, programming, industrial design, and later on, 3D design. Many graduates from this course went on to pursue careers as programmers, but I knew that really wasn’t my calling. The module on 3D is really what kickstarted me in the direction of becoming an animator. After freelancing for different studios and agencies, I made the decision to learn animation in a European school, first in France, and later in Germany. A friend of mine had tipped me off that the animation scene was taking off in Germany. When Glenn and I met, I was doing video prototypes for user experience concepts at SAP, animating the behavior of different interactions for applications as part of the conceptual design team. SAP recognized we had these skills and they wanted more from us. Suddenly we became our own separate team, along with a videographer and later a producer.
“Motion design is an art, and as artists we don’t just stop at 5 pm. We get caught up in the flow and the obsession with producing a beautiful, high-quality piece.”
What’s your advice for people looking to get into motion design?
Sebastian: If possible, get yourself a mentor. I had a fantastic mentor back in Colombia who was really experienced, and under his guidance, I navigated my way through several agencies, jumping from one area to the next. You also need to make sure you are really, really motivated. Don’t start down this career path for the money or status. You will have to sacrifice a lot of time. You can sometimes be rendering for days and you have to stay dedicated. Motion design is an art, and as artists we don’t just stop at 5pm. We get caught up in the flow and the obsession with producing a beautiful, high-quality piece.
Glenn: The hardest part is to let go and have patience — that is what will allow you to have a lot of fun. You can have a vision of something that you want to convey, but then ask yourself ‘how do I make this happen in Adobe® After Effects® or Cinema 4D®? How do I even start?’ It’s time-consuming but with patience you’ll get there, especially because there are many ways to achieve the same outcome. There are also lots of resources out there for you to start experimenting with motion design: Get access to After Effects® and start watching how-to videos. That’s how I started, then the rest follows!
If you’re interested in a formal education, I would recommend finding a good university course, and if not in graphic design, then in another subject such as animation, film, or video production. You’ll never know where it leads you.
What other skills do motion designers need?
Sebastian: A good motion designer needs time, taste, and knowledge. It’s an art, and nothing is done automatically. The computer won’t create any background, character, or movement that you don’t specifically tell it to. Producing anything of a high quality takes time, and in art, the time you can afford to spend on your craft makes a world of difference. This is true even of the digital arts that exist today — you can always make something better if you have one month instead of just one day. Taste is all about how well-trained your eye is. What is considered good art or design is always somewhat subjective, but these perceptions also follow industry trends. It’s important to be aware of what’s going on in the industry and what’s currently popular. As a creative, you will also want to add your own personal touch to whatever you create, but this works best when you’ve first acquired sufficient knowledge of the “rules” of the art. Style and appeal always follow some rules. You learn the theory and guiding principles in college, and when you know enough, those rules can be artfully broken.
What has been the most important lesson in your career as a motion designer?
Glenn: Learn, adapt, and most importantly don’t take things too personally. When I first started out, I would take any criticism I received for my designs to heart because I put so much of myself in it. But with motion design, there are so many people you will work with and they all have different expectations and tastes. It’s best to be adaptable.
Sebastian: Always be nice to people and never stop networking. This is good career advice for anyone, but in motion design, you will be likely be running into the same people time and time again if you are working for small agencies on a project basis.
What’s in the future for both of you?
Sebastian: I’m interested in exploring the possibilities of game engines, VR/AR applied to storytelling and interactive environments. I also want to see the day where we can do everything in real-time, no delay, and no rendering.
Glenn: I definitely want to work more in the 3D arena in the future, creating immersive experiences.
Thank you both so much!
