
Advertise on podcast: School of Motion Podcast
Rating
4.9from
This podcast has
198 episodes
Language
EnglishExplicit
No
Date created
2017/03/02
Latest episode
2026/01/14
Average duration
72 min.
Release period
26 days
Description
The #1 podcast for designers who animate, animators who design, and anyone who is 3D-curious. We interview Designers, Animators, 3D Artists, Producers, Studio Owners and other folks related to motion design and creativity. We get deep into the geeky world of Adobe After Effects, Cinema 4D, Photoshop and Illustrator. We talk about the business and art of Motion Design. Dig in.
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The Founders of Rive Spill the Tea on Interactive Animation! | SOM Podcast
2026/01/14
Joey sat down with Guido and Luigi Rosso—the brother founders behind Rive—to dig into what makes this platform different, where it's headed, and why teams at Spotify, Duolingo, and LinkedIn are building entire interactive experiences with it! Get more deets in the blog post: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/rive-podcast
The HONEST Truth About Motion Design in 2025 | Year in Review
2025/12/29
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
How to Turn Your Creative Anxiety Into Your Biggest Advantage
2025/11/20
What if the things that make you anxious are actually pointing you toward your greatest strengths? School of Motion Creative Director EJ Hassenfratz shares his talk from the Motion Plus Design conference in New York City, exploring how the anxieties we face as creatives—imposter syndrome, the proliferation of AI, creative blocks, and staying relevant in a fast-changing industry—can actually become our biggest competitive advantages. EJ reveals practical ways to transform nervous energy into creative fuel and reframe professional anxiety as a guide toward growth and opportunity.
Recorded live at Motion Plus Design 2024 in NYC. Big shourt out to the Motion Plus Design team for allowing us to share this footage! Want to get more insights into the Motion Design industry? Check out our blog at schoolofmotion.com/blog
How to Build a Tutorial Empire Like Ben Marriott
2025/10/07
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...
Why Motion Designers Are Having a Moment — with Adobe's Michael Tanzillo
2025/09/10
From pouring drinks to lighting shots at Blue Sky to leading Adobe's Substance 3D team, Michael Tanzillo's professional path is anything but typical and his story is packed with lessons motion designers need to hear. Check out the corresponding blog post here: www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/adobe-michael-tanzillo In this episode of the School of Motion Podcast, EJ Hassenfratz sits down with Michael to talk about the state of 3D, why motion designers are impressing major animation studios, and how foundational skills (like lighting and storytelling) will outlast any software trend.
🗒️ SHOW NOTES
Michael Tanzillo https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeltanzillo/
The 3D Artist Newesletter https://3dartist.substack.com/
Jasmine Katadakarn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-katatikarn/
Alwyn Hunt https://www.therookies.co/about/team/alwyn-hunt
Andrew Kramer https://www.videocopilot.net/contact/company/
Sebastian Deguy https://x.com/sebdeguy?lang=en
Nick Campbell https://nickvegas.com/
Connor Henkle https://vimeo.com/996490291?fl=pl&fe=ti&pgroup=plv
Connor Henkle on SOM podcast https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/connor-henkle-sports-design
Patrick Foley https://www.instagram.com/patrick_4d/
Colosseum https://colosseum.co/
Winbush https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmzWP6o2cw73moEF7LO_KvA
PJ Richardson https://www.pj-richardson.com/
Victoria Nece https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-nece
Sora https://openai.com/sora/
Midjourney https://www.midjourney.com
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/
Substance 3D stager https://www.adobe.com/products/substance3d/apps/stager.html
Omniverse https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/omniverse/
Structure reference tool https://www.adobe.com/learn/firefly/web/generative-ai-structure-reference-image?learnIn=1&locale=en
USD (Universal Scene Description) https://3dartist.substack.com/p/demystifying-usd
Blue Sky App https://bsky.app/
NAB Conference https://www.nabshow.com/
Safe Space LA https://www.safe-space-la.com/
Camp Mograph https://www.campmograph.com/
Blue Sky Studios https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Sky_Studios
Pixar https://www.pixar.com/
20th Century Studios https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/
Disney https://www.disney.com/
The Mill https://www.themill.com/
Frame Store https://www.framestore.com/
Buck http://buck.tv/
Finding Nemo https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266543/
Ice Age Three https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1080016/
Rio https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1436562/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1
Peanuts Movie https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2452042/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1
Nimona https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19500164/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1
Spider-Verse https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4633694/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_7_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_spider-man
Game of Thrones https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0944947/
Severance https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11280740/
Flow https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4772188/
Wild Robot https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29623480/
The Whale https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13833688/
SCAD https://www.scad.edu/
Cinema 4D https://www.maxon.net/en/cinema-4d?srsltid=AfmBOoqj346c50q5PODG-_HTeZ017JdipbkaQRt_XDIX0NBHsGV7Mu-z
Maya https://www.autodesk.com/products/maya/overview
V-ray https://www.chaos.com/vray?srsltid=AfmBOoogC_jTWraDUnBTjNhG0pkAZ9csF4CO_mtNstdVflJtvuZ4zWju
Redshift https://www.maxon.net/en/redshift?srsltid=AfmBOoo_siCAT_UUp0clTp4nqupkBj5b8zl9tVbL_q_9s4rSApkihGbo
ZBrush https://www.maxon.net/en/zbrush?srsltid=AfmBOoo3KatuGEWJE2rr4ztpt3_DJlV7Wbz0dxzl1sY2pzACcpzxdeMI
Blender https://www.blender.org/
Lightroom https://lightroom.adobe.com/
Substance Painter https://www.adobe.com/products/substance3d.html
Substance Viewer https://helpx.adobe.com/substance-3d-viewer.html
Project Neo https://helpx.adobe.com/project-neo/help/overview.html
Mixamo https://www.mixamo.com/
Firefly https://www.adobe.com/products/firefly.html
Unreal Engine https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US
Mega Scans https://quixel.com/megascans
Nikola Wonder Dynamics
2025/07/02
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.
Why Moonvalley's Approach to AI Video Makes Sense
2025/07/02
Most AI video companies are gambling with copyright law. Moonvalley made a different bet. Check out the corresponding blog post with highlights here: http://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/mo...
Real talk: Most AI video companies are doing it wrong.They scrape everything they can get their hands on – YouTube, Vimeo, whatever – and feed it into their models. The results? Tools like Sora and Gemini are genuinely impressive. The quality is getting scary good. But here's the rub: Video producers are using these tools to create content that's trained on copyrighted work, while the original artists who made it all possible get zero credit or compensation. It's basically profiting off someone else's creativity without asking permission. But what if there was a better way? What if AI could actually make creators more powerful instead of making them obsolete?That's exactly what Naeem Talukdar, founder of Moonvalley, is betting on. And after listening to him break down his approach on the latest School of Motion podcast, we're convinced he might be onto something big.
Sarah Beth Morgan Gets Real About Parenthood, Career Crisis & Her New Podcast
2025/05/13
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.
Mack Garrison, Dash Studio, and Building Creative Community
2025/04/29
Joey recently caught up with the main dude behind Dash Studio, Mack Garrison, for an episode of the School of Motion podcast that's creative rocket fuel. These two industry veterans dive into everything from bizarre career plot twists to throwing killer community events and surviving the AI apocalypse. It's a dive into how to thrive as a creative when the entire industry seems to be transforming at warp speed. Check out the corresponding blog post here: www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/mack-garrison-dash-studio
Already Been Chewed and the Journey to Motion Design Success
2025/03/19
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
From Self-Taught Animator to Oscar Winner: Gints Zilbalodis on Creating "Flow"
2025/03/05
Oscar-winning director Gints Zilbalodis just proved you don't need fancy film school or million-dollar software to snag that golden statue. See the corresponding blog post with key takeaways here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/gints-zilbalodis-flow
EJ sits down with animation's newest golden boy, Gints Zilbalodis, the genius behind "Flow" (yep, the one that just took home an Oscar). From doodling in Flash to accepting Academy Awards, Gints' journey is the ultimate inspo for anyone who's ever thought, "Maybe I could make cool stuff too?" Spoiler alert: You absolutely can.
👉CHAPTERS👈
00:00 Intro
00:18 Chapter 1: Journey Into Animation
03:00 Chapter 2: Transitioning to Blender ∑
09:41 Chapter 3: From Working Solo to Teamwork
16:09 Chapter 4: Custom Workflows and Tools
19:15 Chapter 5: The Aesthetic of Flow
24:32 Chapter 6: Pushing Blender to Its Limits
26:42 Chapter 7: Future of Blender
28:37 Chapter 8: Advice for Aspiring Animators
32:35 Wrap Up
ARTISTS
Gints Zilbalodis https://x.com/gintszilbalodis
Martin https://x.com/_martinsh
PIECES
Flow (2024) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4772188/
Away (2019) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8288450/
RESOURCES
Geo-Scatter https://www.geoscatter.com/
Ghibli https://www.instagram.com/ghibliusa/
DillonGoo https://80.lv/articles/goo-engine-devs-team-up-with-blender-foundation-on-blender-npr-prototype
ClayPencil 2 https://www.instagram.com/_pepeland_/reel/DDt21XWsvne/
Unreal Engine, Creative Communities, and Career Growth with Cart & Horse
2025/02/26
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
Inside the Mind of Territory Studio: VFX, UI, and an Epic Dune Graphics Breakdown
2025/02/12
Territory Studio's creative minds behind Dune: Prophecy, Call of Duty Black Ops 6, and Vast Haven-1 spill the beans on designing for Hollywood, gaming, and the ever-evolving world of motion design.
Check out the corresponding blog post here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/t...
Ever wonder how mind-blowing sci-fi interfaces, cinematic VFX, and hyper-realistic game graphics come to life? In this episode, Joey Korenman sits down with the brains behind Territory Studio—Marti Romances, Luke Kaile, Russ Gautier, and Liam Proniewicz—to talk shop. They're the artists making blockbuster visuals happen, and trust us, you'll want to hear what they have to say. If you're a motion designer, VFX artist, or just someone who geeks out over killer design, this is a must-watch.
Hey, listeners! If you want to see the discussed works and fun behind the scenes shots, check out this episode on our YouTube channel!
Mastering Blender and Navigating a Creative Career with Elijah Sheffield
2025/01/29
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
Standing Out in Motion Design: Joel Pilger's Strategies for Success
2025/01/16
In the latest episode of the School of Motion Podcast, host Joey Korenman sits down with industry veteran Joel Pilger—a name synonymous with success in the motion design world. With a career spanning over two decades, Joel has: - Founded and led Impossible Pictures, a top creative studio that grossed over $40 million and garnered major awards. - Advised leading independent studios worldwide, including Cream, Giant Ant, Laundry, Mighty Nice, Polyester, Sarofsky, and STATE. - Launched FORUM, a community where studio founders master the art of business together. Tune in as Joel shares invaluable insights on not just surviving, but thriving, in the evolving motion design landscape.
See the corresponding blog post here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/joel-pilger
🗒️ SHOW NOTES
Joel Pilger https://www.joelpilger.com/forum
Joel Pilger's Podcast, Fabulist https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fabulist/id1657890871
Erica gorichow https://gorochow.com/
Hayley Akins http://www.hayleyakins.com/
Amanda Russell https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-russell-cream-studio/
Barton Damer https://www.linkedin.com/in/barton-damer-92a32918/
Jorge R. Canedo E. / Jr.canest https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrcanest/?originalSubdomain=ca
Ronny Young https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnyyoung
John LePore http://johnnymotion.com/
EJ Hassenfratz https://www.instagram.com/eyedesyn/?hl=en
Ryan Seacrest https://www.instagram.com/ryanseacrest/?hl=en
Beyonce https://www.beyonce.com/
The Rock https://www.instagram.com/therock/?hl=en
Justin Barnes https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinbarnesversus
Marty Romances https://test.martiromances.com
Andy Baker https://www.andyjbaker.com/
Dan Sullivan https://www.strategiccoach.com/
Cream https://wearecream.com/
Already Been Chewed https://www.alreadybeenchewed.tv/
Pep Rally https://peprallyinc.com/
BIEN https://thisisbien.com/
Ordinary Folk https://www.ordinaryfolk.co/
OddBeast https://oddbeast.tv/
Territory Studios https://territorystudio.com/
Versus https://www.weareversus.tv/
Impossible Pictures https://www.impossiblepictures.com/
BlackBox Infinite https://blackboxinfinite.com/About
The Mill https://themill.com/
Psyop https://www.psyop.com/
Apple Vision Pro F1 proof of concept https://www.instagram.com/johnnym0tion/reel/C2c_cvWJ3KV/
Bible Project https://www.ordinaryfolk.co/project/bibleproject-god
Fuse https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Fuse_CC
Final Cut Pro https://www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/
Premiere https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere.html
Avid https://www.avid.com/
Flame https://www.autodesk.com/products/flame/overview?term=1-YEAR&tab=subscription
Smoke https://www.autodesk.com/products/smoke/overview
Cinema 4D https://www.maxon.net/en/cinema-4d
Rive https://rive.app/
Unreal Engine https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US
Cavalry https://cavalry.scenegroup.co/
RevThink https://www.revthink.com/
Pink Floyd - The Wall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wall
RFP/RFQ/RFI https://cobalt.net/rfi-rfq-rfp-whats-the-difference/
Kevin Kelly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Kelly_(editor)
Donald Miller https://storybrand.com/
Podcast reviews
Read School of Motion Podcast podcast reviews
juanlugo 2022/10/06
So fun to listen to.
I’m a fitness trainer and self-taught graphic designer that is now dabbling with some motion design. This podcast has been very informative and insigh...
Swoosh1893 2025/01/19
Great podcast that I’ve been listening to for most of my career!
The School of Motion Podcast has been a constant throughout my motion design career, at least since 2018. I am grateful for the podcast, courses, YouT...
Suraj Ratna Shakya 2021/02/16
Amazing content and inspirational!
I didn’t know I had patience for long podcasts! Love the episodes and perfect dose of inspiration while on commute! Keep them coming!
Colton Fordyce 2020/09/26
extremely insightful + inspiring
I’ve known about SOM for awhile from
their tutorials, but I don’t typically listen to a lot of career-oriented podcasts because they’re often very out...
onebleep 2020/07/04
Very helpful
I loved this one, thanks
RealJoeWalker 2020/03/25
Clairvoyant Subjects
It seems like every time Joey and his team put together another show, they’ve read the minds of every freelancer and small studio owner out there. Alw...
SONICast 2019/08/28
REALLY insightful!
If you like or have an interest in motion design, listening to this is a no brainer! School of Motion’s online courses are amazing too!
abe619 2019/08/13
Get inspired
Another podcast that’s on my top list to get inspired from. I learn so much and get inspired with his guest.
TheMoGraphGuy 2019/04/08
It's awesome
Awesome podcast - I get excited whenever a new episode is available. Joey is super conversational and interviews some epic talent!
kelso0000 2019/03/27
More opinions from women!
As a freelance motion designer I’d love to hear more content from women!! It’s so hard to find and it is extremely necessary to share professional fem...
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