School of Motion Podcast

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 any...

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...

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:

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...

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 ...

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: Mo...

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),...

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 corresp...

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.li...

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...

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-an...

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...<...

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 Colleg...

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, Mig...

2024 was a transformative year for motion design - from AI disruption to the evolution of real-time tools, emerging platforms, and a changing economic landscape. In this comprehensive year-end roundup, Joey Korenman, EJ Hassenfratz, and Aharon Rabinowitz break down everything that shaped our industry and peer into what 2025 might bring. We also asked some industry luminaries to weigh in, so you'll hear from the likes of Buck, Schol...

In this episode of the School of Motion podcast, Joey chats with Yukai Du, a Chinese-born, London-based illustrator and animator, about her journey into art and animation. Yukai's story is packed with insights for creatives aiming to carve out their own space in the industry—straight from someone who's done exactly that.

Meet Perception—a motion design studio trusted by Hollywood and some of the world's biggest brands to bring sci-fi dreams to life. Ever wonder who's behind the mind-blowing tech visuals in Black Panther or the holographic wizardry in Iron Man? In this episode of the School of Motion Podcast, Joey sits down with Perception founders Danny Gonzalez and Jeremy Lask...