By Ronny Young
Every time I’m asked to predict how our field will evolve in the year ahead, I smile to myself, recalling — of all things — a Bon Jovi lyric: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Motion design is in a seemingly constant state of flux, as artificial intelligence and other tools democratize our craft. Meanwhile, we’re also seeing tried-and-true techniques rise to the top because the fundamentals never go out of style. The constant in all of it, of course, is the need for motion designers to stay both fluid and fearless as we adopt a Renaissance-like mix of approaches to our work. In that spirit, here are my picks for the five motion design trends in 2025:
- Get Used to AI Tools: Ah, yes… the topic we’re all thrilled and scared about. Let’s demystify some of this hype. First, check your fear for the moment because there are AI “tools” (stand-alone apps or found within our existing software toolset) that can be amazing. These aren’t generative AI, but are rather aiding us in our pursuit of working better and faster. Think about Topaz for extending 3D render length without re-rendering, or increasing video resolution. Then there’s generative AI (AKA, the bogeyman). The examples from Sora, Runway, and VEO (and more!) are nothing short of incredible. These tools stand to completely revolutionize our field, whether we welcome them or not. As motion artists, we should definitely be learning how to master and harness these tools. The folks who command the highest prices in the future will stand out based on taste, not capability.
- Houdini is (still) King: One of the biggest trends for motion design in recent years has been better particle effects inside of Cinema4D, or with XParticles, or even inside After Effects with Red Giant plugins. That said, while I love how these companies are trying to raise the bar, nothing holds a candle to Houdini. If you’re a serious motion designer in love with particle effects, you must learn Houdini. Is it easy? Hell no! Is it the best? Hell yes! As artists have a harder and harder time finding work – both in freelance and career positions – knowing Houdini really sets you apart from the crowd. That’s why we encouraged our entry-level animator to learn it. If he ever decides to leave us, I know he’ll be fine. And more to the point, he’ll be in demand.
- Be ‘Open’ to Blender: Blender has been on a tear for quite some time, and more professional environments are beginning to use this open-source 3D package in their pipelines. Don’t be afraid to add Blender to your motion design toolkit. One of the best 3D modelers I know, Boris FX’s John Dickinson, switched to Blender because its modeling features are simply more robust than Cinema4D’s. If the pros are giving it a go, it’s definitely worth checking out.
- Today’s Motion is Mixed-Media: There was a time when you could be really good at 3D, or really good at 2D, and people would be floored. Nowadays, the top-tier studios are layering hand-drawn 2D elements into 3D scenes, mixing it all together. Maybe it was Sony Picture Animation’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse that blew that door wide open (off its hinges, really), but it’s open nonetheless. Check out work from Laundry, wonderful examples of blended, mixed-media styles by the amazing PJ Richardson and team at laundry.studio/pj-richardson.
- Embrace Blurring Lines: The lines between motion design, VFX and film are blurring more each year, with the Unreal Engine being one of those linchpins making this phenomenon a reality. Clients are asking more about augmented reality — specifically, fake OOH spots for billboards in Times Square, or an actual AR experience through an app or browser. When you’re able to add an interactive component for the end user, it’s naturally a cooler experience. Video games have been doing this for a long time; motion design is now bleeding into that area. And while it’s not AR, Jonathan Winbush recently created a Method Man Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-themed game for Fortnite (a lot of Gen A, Z and Y buzzwords right there!). As lines continue to blur, you can expect a lot more of this trend in 2025 and beyond!
Ronny Young is president and founder of OddBeast, an award-winning motion design and production studio which transforms concepts into moving visual reality. OddBeast’s client roster includes Procter & Gamble, Visa, John Frieda, Sazerac, Imagine Dragons and more.
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