Let's Talk About the Industry

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Where were you when you first heard the term motion design?

I first saw those words being used back in 2012 by Motionographer. The site was mentioned to me by my peers during my internship with Pittsburgh based studio, Animal. They had asked if I'd seen the latest article posted by them, well of course! Actually, no. I'd never heard of Motionographer until then.

Asking myself that question made me realize how far the industry had grown within the last ten years. Learning resources are in an area that has seemingly ballooned overnight in the best possible ways.

But let me take you back, a land before consistent online quality content.

In 2010, I began studying Visual Effects & Motion Graphics at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. The term motion design didn't exist in the curriculum. If you wanted to learn motion graphics, your best options were through secondary education like the Art Institutes or The Savannah College of Art and Design.

Fast forward to today, 2020, and we have fantastic sources of content from the likes of School of Motion, Learn Squared, MoGraph Mentor, Motion Design School, Greyscalegorilla, Video CoPilot, the list goes on.

Most of those companies didn't exist, and if they did, they didn't offer anywhere near the level of quality content that they offer now. Masterclasses, boot camps, academy programs, pro training, plus memberships, workshops, you name it, they are all offering complete packages now. They promise that their training will help you become a competent motion designer ready to create and work in the field. And you know what? They deliver on that promise.

I sure wish this all existed back when I started. Even now, people ask me, "Hey, where would I start if I wanted to become a motion designer?" In the past, I would send them a list of sites, tools, maybe a starting point, but it was up to them to take the initiative. Maintaining an ongoing list of everything you'd want to know isn't exactly exciting in our eyes.

We are trying to change all of that.‍

Each of those sites I mentioned offers quality content presented in their unique way. So while it's great to commit to one of them, if you are in the game for long enough, you will want to try courses from multiple sites. Keeping track of everything is already daunting, and that is just one part of the puzzle.

Who? What? Why?

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Thinking of those issues I mentioned above, I want to talk about the solution.

Motionctrl is a growing community focused on creating the most accessible and comprehensive motion design resource on the planet. People can join to discover and share the best courses, tools, and knowledge. We are making motion available to the masses.

By visiting our homepage, you find categories that cover just about everything. Inside those categories, you will find things like descriptions, links, courses, filters, and search.

After signing up as a member, you can begin bookmarking courses that interest you or follow topics to receive the latest courses emailed automatically. Mark courses as complete to keep track of your progress. It's dead simple, and it's all in one place. We don't think you will find this kind of content and user experience anywhere else. 

We are open to suggestions and feedback, so if you have anything to say, click on the "Submit Content" button. Submit your ideas, and we will get back to you. 

But maybe you already discovered all of this. You jumped ahead because you get it. Directory type listing websites aren't anything new; however, we believe the motion design industry is now at the point where a resource like this makes sense. 

Let's switch gears.

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Looking Towards the Future

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Now that you are up to speed on what we offer and where we currently stand. I want to focus on what comes next.

Our user learning experience, our blog, and the pipelines that connect everything are all version 1.0. We have to start somewhere. We want to bring you quality content that features unbiased opinions. We currently have no products to sell. But we think that is a strong point and a unique offering.

When I say we, I am speaking on behalf of Motionctrl. The truth is, the team is only one person, myself. Well, myself, and my loving wife, who occasionally contributes content and puts up all of my ambitious ideas. In the future, I'd hope to see the organization grow. If this platform is helpful, I'd love to feature diverse perspectives from all walks of life.

The industry is only just beginning. And if the next ten years are anything like the last ten years, we are in for a ride. We are ecstatic to be here, and we are looking forward to growing with this amazing community.