If you have a flare for design and want to make a living from it, one of the many exciting design-related career options open to you is Motion Graphics Design. But what does a Motion Graphics Designer do, and is this the right career for you? Keep reading to find out…
WHAT IS A MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNER?
Motion graphics design is a similar idea to graphic design, but, you guessed it, it’s to do with graphics that move – so animations and other design elements you see in film, television, online video content, smartphone apps, video games and so on. You might hear motion graphic designers referred to simply as motion designers.
Motion graphics design is an exciting career that could see you creating visual effects for all sorts of different settings – from TV ads to movie trailers, branded video content to title sequences for TV shows. You’ll get to use your creativity to bring concepts to life, and as visual effects age quickly, it’s a line of work that’s continuously evolving.
HOW MUCH DOES A MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNER EARN?
Glassdoor gives the average UK Motion Graphics Designer salary as around £33,000, with an entry level salary of around £24,000 and an experienced designer salary of around £48,000.
WHAT DOES A MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNER DO IN A TYPICAL DAY?
On a day-to-day basis, you’ll have an interesting range of tasks as a Motion Graphics Designer. There’s likely to be a mix of hands-on design work using specialist software, and other aspects such as planning, project management and working with producers to deal with technical problems.
Whether you’re working for an agency or in-house, you might be juggling a few different projects at once, each in different stages: from planning the concepts and creating storyboards to editing raw footage and adding visual effects. You might also help choose supporting elements, such as the audio.
SKILLS YOU NEED TO BECOME A MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNER
Like most roles, there’s a range of skills preferable for you to have in order to become a Motion Graphics Designer, but don’t worry if they sound challenging – that’s what the training is for! One of the most important things to learn initially will be how to use the specialist software, such as After Effects, Photoshop, Cinema 4D, Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro and Flash.
In addition to hands-on graphic design, animation and 3D modelling skills, you’ll also need a good understanding of colour theory. Knowledge of traditional art will be useful background, as will knowledge of audio design. You’ll also need to be able to work effectively in a team, and strong communication and organisational skills are a must.
The world of motion graphic design is changing all the time, so it’s good to make sure you’re always keeping yourself up-to-date on the latest trends and tech. One example of this is the rise of procedural animation – a way of using algorithms to simplify and speed up the animation process. Being proactive will help you keep pace with these tech changes.
HOW DO YOU BECOME A MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNER?
As with most digital careers, there’s no set route to becoming a Motion Graphics Designer – there are a few ways of doing it. Your main options are:
INDEPENDENT COURSES
One route is to take one of the many independant courses available, such as those offered by Created Academy, Motion Design School and School of Motion
TEACH YOURSELF
For even more flexibility, you can also teach yourself Motion Graphics Design using the huge array of online resources available. Sites such as Udemy and Skillshare are a great place to look for courses on specific software you need to learn, such as After Effects. Following top animation blogs such as AWN is a great way to keep up-to-date.
UNIVERSITY
Perhaps the most obvious route into a Motion Graphics Designer career is to go to university and study a Motion Design degree. While you don’t technically need to go to university, it’s a great way to pick up the technical skills you need and – along with a good portfolio of work – to prove to employers that you have those skills.
CAREER EXPECTATIONS FOR MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNERS
Motion Graphics Design is a growing industry, so you have an exciting career ahead of you if you choose this job – especially given the on-going demand for ever-more realistic visual effects. Once you’ve built up experience as a designer, you can either climb the career ladder working for someone else, or do what many designers do and go freelance.
Whichever path you take in your career, one thing you can be sure of is that you’ll always be in demand as a Motion Graphics Designer – and with the industry’s technology developing all the time, you’ll always be kept on your toes.
Feeling inspired? Take the THIS IS HOW quiz to find out more about what you’re good at and possible job roles that could be a match for you.
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