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 

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/

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, Scholar, Motion Hatch, Colosseum, Curious Refuge and more!

Get ready for candid insights on the state of motion design, software updates that changed the game, the impact of AI, and how artists are adapting to an ever-shifting landscape. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just getting started, this conversation covers the trends, tools, and opportunities that matter.

Plus, hear our panel's bold predictions for 2025 - from the future of real-time rendering to emerging platforms and where the next big opportunities lie for motion designers.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE: Best motion design work of 2024 The state of the industry and economy Major software updates (After Effects, Cinema 4D, Blender, Unreal) New tools and tech to watch out for The rise of AI and its impact on motion design The return of in-person events and meetups Predictions and trends for 2025

Head over to our blog post for links to everything we talk about: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/2024-review

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro 00:01:21 In the Beginning... 00:01:50 Defining Motion Design 00:02:51 Evolution of Motion Design 00:08:51 School of Motion Updates 00:12:34 Favorite Works of 2024 00:28:49 Shoutouts to Studios and Artists 00:37:40 Innovative Marketing Strategies 00:39:15 The Rise of Niche Studios 00:45:14 Advancements in After Effects and 3D Tools 01:17:37 Exploring Maxon Studio and Its Strategy 01:21:03 Grayscale Gorilla's Big Release 01:25:30 Adobe's Substance Integration 01:28:16 The Future of Generative AI in Textures 01:35:58 Blender's Growing Influence 01:52:42 Will Blender Take Over? 01:55:48 Cinema 4D vs Blender: Industry Adoption 01:59:37 The Rise of After Effects in Motion Design 02:04:47 Unreal Engine's Impact on Motion Design 02:25:59 Unreal Marketplace Missteps 02:31:03 Rive: The Future of Interactive Animation 02:40:54 The Return of 2Advanced 02:47:32 The Future of Lottie? 02:50:45 Exploring Womp: A New 3D Modeling Tool 02:55:49 Cavalry: The Houdini of 2D Animation 03:07:30 Other Motion Design News 03:16:50 Meetups Are Back: Highlights and Events 03:20:55 Tech Updates: Apple Vision Pro and Meta's Orion 03:23:19 Adobe vs. Procreate: The AI Debate 03:34:56 The Mo Economy: Trends and Predictions 04:05:55 The Rise of Rive in Animation 04:09:55 Future Trends in Motion Design 04:16:11 The Importance of Editing Skills 04:21:09 Effective Marketing Strategies for Freelancers 04:39:22 The Impact of AI on the Industry 04:54:08 AI's Impact on Creative Work 04:55:59 AI as a Tool for Artists 04:57:48 Historical Context and Future Predictions 05:01:51 The AI Plateau and Future Tools 05:22:11 2025 Predictions 05:34:49 The Future of AI Aesthetics 05:47:22 Economic Outlook for Motion Design 05:51:22 Niche Markets and Specialization 06:02:41 AI's Impact on the Artist Community

SCHOOL OF MOTION COURSES All Courses - https://som.bz/3SUg5Yb Guided Courses - https://som.bz/3LYmJef Instant Access Courses - https://som.bz/3AWv63C After Effects Courses - https://som.bz/42sBon6 2D Animation - https://som.bz/3VCBtme 3D Courses - https://som.bz/3ArdpZu Design Courses - https://som.bz/3NGyJC

From Flash to the future, in this episode of the School of Motion Podcast we dive deep with interactive design legends Eric and Tony of 2Advanced Studios. Check out the corresponding blog posts (with additional videos and design examples!) here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/2advanced

This week on the School of Motion Podcast, EJ chats with PJ Richardson, co-founder of Laundry Studio, to dig into the current state of 3D, creative burnout, and what it takes to succeed today.

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.

See the corresponding blog post here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/y...

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 Lasky as they spill the ‘secret sauce’ that powers their studio’s success. 

Check out the corresponding blog post for more info: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/p...

In this week's School of Motion podcast episode, Joey speaks with Chris Hardcastle and Ian Waters, the creators of Cavalry! They discuss Cavalry's unique features, including its powerful animation capabilities, and dive into how Cavalry differentiates itself from traditional animation software like After Effects. We also look into Cavalry ability to handle high-volume projects, its potential to revolutionize motion design workflows, and get a glimpse of their vision for Cavalry's future. Check out the podcast summary and corresponding blog post here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/cavalry-animation

This week, Joey sits down with Hayley Akins, the founder of Motion Hatch to uncover smart strategies for building a motion design business! If you’re a motion designer or animator struggling with the business side of things—like finding clients, pricing your work, or just keeping your head above water—this episode is a MUST-LISTEN! Get the show notes on our blog: http://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/motion-design-business-hayley-akins

Let's talk about AI, by far the most popular topic that we get asked about at School of Motion. AI feels almost ubiquitous in our space and we felt it was important for us to dive in and examine it as objectively as we can. This is why Joey recorded a whole solo podcast episode to share his thoughts on the state of AI in our industry, what the long term impact could be, whether the use of AI will ever become acceptable, and so much more.

Check out the corresponding blog post here: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/ai-motion-design