Motion designer

Contents:

• How did you start in the profession?
• Artem Bobtsov
• Timur Ramazanov
• Demyan Karpunov
• Does a designer need higher education?
• Give some advice that will help in your work

Motion designers create a variety of content, including television intros, video game animation, commercials, animated key visuals, titles, and special effects for film. Their work spans multiple aspects of visual art, bringing dynamism and creativity to a variety of media formats. Using modern technology and software, motion designers create captivating visual solutions that attract attention and leave a lasting impression on viewers.

We interviewed three representatives of this profession to learn about their career paths and experiences growing in this field.

Reading this material will help you gain a deeper understanding of the topic and gain valuable knowledge. You will be able to familiarize yourself with relevant information that will expand your horizons and develop skills in this field. This text contains key ideas and recommendations that will be useful for both beginners and experienced readers. Don't miss the opportunity to improve your knowledge and put it into practice.

• Get inspired at the start, because even great designers started small. For example, the first "fee" of Demyan Karpunov, who works for a large studio, was a certificate to a jeans store.
• Understand whether you need a higher education if you want to make motion design a profession. Timur Ramazanov, head of the Klyuchevoy Kad studio, explained what's more important for a designer looking to get a job: a diploma or a beautiful Instagram account*.
• Get valuable advice. Artyom Bobtsov, senior designer at Gazprom-Media, recommends communicating with colleagues and learning from them. A large team of designers at the TV channel where he worked helped him reach a new level in his profession.

How did you start in the profession?

Artem Bobtsov

Senior designer at Gazprom-Media, responsible for the creation and implementation visual concepts, as well as design development for various media projects. This role involves managing a team of designers, coordinating project work, and collaborating with other departments to achieve high-quality results. A Senior Designer must have a strong knowledge of graphic design, current trends and technologies, as well as project management skills. An important aspect of the job is the ability to work with clients and consider their needs to create attractive and functional designs.

In 2003, while still in school, I was introduced to Photoshop. I began exploring its functionality, editing photos, and creating various collages. Gradually, my skills attracted the attention of acquaintances, who began commissioning me to create various works, such as flyers and business cards. Although the earnings were small, I enjoyed making money from my hobby.

In 2009, while studying at university, I began my career in my first real job at Feron, a company specializing in lighting equipment sales. For the interview, I brought a portfolio consisting of leaflets, images, flyers, and logos that I had created for commissions or for personal use. This portfolio was the deciding factor in getting the job. I took the position of assistant designer, where I photographed products, processed images, and assisted with the layout of catalogs and newsletters. This experience became the foundation for my professional growth in design and marketing.

After working at Feron, I moved to the Wildberries marketplace. Initially, my work was related to photography, but I soon noticed that I had a lot of free time. This prompted me to learn After Effects and Cinema 4D. My efforts did not go unnoticed: management began asking me to create videos for YouTube. I took on this task, although at first my work was still quite crude.

Then I began working at the STS TV channel, where I gained valuable experience in motion graphics and broadcast design. Being part of a large design team allowed me to develop my skills and learn from professionals.

Timur Ramazanov

The CEO and creative director of the Key Frame studio is responsible for the strategic leadership and creative direction of the company. He is the key figure who shapes the studio's vision, develops project concepts and manages a team of professionals. A successful CEO combines leadership skills and creative thinking to deliver high-quality work and satisfying clients. Key Frame Studio is known for its innovative approaches and unique style, making it a leader in the visual content industry. When I was eight years old, my mother gave me a camera, for which I am very grateful. From that moment on, my passion for videography and photography began, and later, I also became interested in computer graphics. This experience opened up a world of creativity and self-expression, and I continue to develop my skills in these areas. As often happens with designers, I received my first projects from friends and acquaintances, helping them with store design and creating advertising materials. My first job in the design industry was unexpected. I came to a studio specializing in web design and presented my video graphics projects. The management was interested in my work, and I received an offer to collaborate. This happened almost 18 years ago, when video and motion design were just beginning to gain popularity.

We began actively developing the motion design field, integrating 3D objects and videos into websites. I am sincerely grateful to the team for opening my eyes to the possibilities of motion design as a stable and exciting profession. This experience confirmed that high-quality visual content can significantly improve user experience and increase website appeal. Incorporating modern technologies into design allows you to attract audience attention and effectively convey information.

At the beginning of your career, exploring various fields and formats is key. This will help you identify your preferences and areas for further development. At this stage, it is important to focus not on a high salary, but on interesting projects that can become valuable experience and the basis for future professional growth.

Demyan Karpunov

CG generalist at the Key Frame studio is a specialist with broad skills in computer graphics and animation. In this role, the professional performs a variety of tasks, including modeling, texturing, rendering, and animation, enabling the creation of high-quality visual effects and animation projects. Keyframe Studio offers a unique opportunity for CG Generalists to bring their creative vision to life in a variety of projects, from commercials to feature films. Working in a team of professionals allows you to not only develop your skills but also contribute to the creation of impressive content. If you're looking for a dynamic environment for creativity and professional growth, the CG Generalist position at Keyframe Studio is the perfect choice.

It all started in school, when a friend and I discovered the ability to create computer graphics in After Effects. We began learning the program through online tutorials. As ninth-grade graduation approached, we decided to put our skills to use and shot a ten-minute video with an interesting plot and computer graphics elements. The video was fun and unusual, and in 2008 it caused a sensation, as no one had ever done anything like it. Over the next two years, we continued creating new graduation videos, and our inspiration grew with each project. At that time, I didn't realize that this passion would become my profession; I viewed it merely as a hobby.

My institute announced a competition to create a video about student construction teams. I shot the footage myself on a DSLR, edited it, and added computer graphics. I won first place. For winning, I was awarded a certificate for six thousand rubles to a denim store. This was my first fee for a video. The experience of participating in the competition not only strengthened my video production skills but also opened up new opportunities for my future creativity.

The competition was not only a source of victory for me, but also an opportunity to receive commissions from friends who saw my video. I took on each of these projects, and by graduation, I had developed several promising avenues for earning money. Moreover, I regularly interacted with video production professionals, which significantly expanded my horizons and skills in this field.

After graduating from university, I began taking on increasingly complex freelance commissions, which allowed me to gain experience in computer graphics and video editing. After two years of work, one of my regular clients invited me to join his studio full-time, opening up new perspectives and opportunities for professional growth.

For a successful start in any field, including video production, the ability to learn effectively and absorb large volumes of information is critical. Communication with colleagues also plays a key role in achieving success. These principles contribute not only to professional growth, but also to the development of necessary skills that can be applied in various fields.

Does a designer need higher education?

I received an education as an advertising director at MGUKI. During my studies, after my third year, we had the opportunity to choose a specialization: Advertising Design, Copywriting, or Directing. This experience allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of various aspects of the advertising industry and develop the skills necessary for a successful career in advertising.

I initially wanted to enroll in the Design program, but due to low demand, it was not opened, so I was forced to choose Directing. At the time, I didn't plan to focus on motion design in my career, but now I realize that my degree in Directing was a great advantage for me. If I had chosen Design, I would have missed the specific knowledge I gained through my Directing studies. This education has enriched my professional experience and given me the opportunity to develop in the field of motion design.

I do not have a higher education in design, but I graduated from the Faculty of Information Technology. This allows me to combine technical skills with a creative approach to design. My experience in information technology helps me create effective and functional user-oriented solutions. I strive for continuous learning and development in the field of design, which allows me to remain competitive in the market.

Currently, as the head of a studio, I can say that a diploma is not the primary hiring criterion. Like many other studios, we primarily look at a candidate's portfolio, unique case studies, and projects. Also important is how the candidate presents themselves on social media, such as Instagram. For us, artistic taste and creativity are much more important than a diploma.

If two qualified specialists apply to join our team, we will give preference to the one with a higher education. The university provides not only theoretical knowledge, but also valuable life experience, which can be important for working in our team.

I have a higher engineering education, which is an important aspect of my professional activity. This experience helps me quickly absorb new information and makes it easier to master the technical aspects of my profession.

Give me some tips that will help me in my work

• Always keep materials at hand: references, textures, brushes, plugins, color palettes. The more of this stuff you have, the easier your work is.
• Collaborate with other designers. If you work alone, it's easy to get bogged down in a rut. The best work comes when you work with colleagues.
• Value your time. Many designers, especially early in their careers, take on a ton of different projects and accept questionable pay. Sometimes this is necessary to gain experience and make important connections. But you need to be able to maintain a balance here, otherwise you can drown in strange projects that do not bring in money.

• Follow trends.
• Learn new tools, programs, technologies.
• Develop as a person - read more books, learn languages, play sports.

• Value your work. Free is not valued, and dumping leads to poor results. If you doubt how much your work is worth, talk to your colleagues about this topic.
• Get out of your comfort zone, immerse yourself in complex projects, temper yourself with difficulties and try to overcome your fears. If you are always afraid of difficult work, there will be no progress. Once you're ahead, you'll realize how valuable even the most frustrating experience was.
• Rest after tough projects and long periods of work. Give your brain time to digest everything you've done so it can generate new ideas. You'll get more out of it if you take a breath.