MediaStorm’s 2015 Motion Design Reel highlights the best animation work we’ve created in the past two years since our 2013 Motion Design Reel. From sustaining the forest, looking back at USAID’s food for peace program, celebrating world-renown photographers to illustrating a teen’s descent into prostitution; this compilation covers the wide array of techniques we’ve used to help tell stories.

Introducing our 2015 Motion Design Reel! It has been two years since our last reel and we’ve made more than a few projects since then that we’re excited to share in frenetic montage fashion.

Our aspiration is to constantly evolve while still remaining story-focused and cinematically subtle in execution. Every brief can be approached from multiple angles and it’s our job to present the best of those possibilities. We love animation and we have an equally insatiable appetite for making it as we like watching it. It’s our mission to make work that not only speaks to our audience but inspire them as well.

We’re constantly watching the industry and the various trends that rise and fall in popularity. When creating work we want to acknowledge the most appropriate aspects of those trends but not become overreliant. Often taking a look at the landscape of animation and going in the opposite direction leads to the most effective work.

Creating graphics for a documentary or a fully animated short always begins by partnering with the client and discussing the brief to create a plan or script. Documentary graphics are our wheelhouse, every one of our films involves graphic treatment to brand the film and aid in telling the story. For titles and text graphics we start with a number of font pairings and designs tackling the text elements needed in the film. Once we’ve agreed on the design we move into animation of graphics. Graphic sections build from rough renders to pinpoint timing against the narration or pace of the film to final animations that match the film’s aesthetic and content.

In the case of an animated short, the script is critical. Story is our specialty so we’re always excited to concept, write and provide advice to make the script compelling and impactful. Once the script is approved we create a variety of style frames to illustrate key moments in the script. The client chooses the style they like best and the storyboarding process begins. The storyboard is delivered to the client as an animatic with narration and music. The animatic serves as the blueprint for the project and changes made during this phase are quick and seamless. A locked animatic moves the production on to final animation which is shared to the client as shots are completed. After the film is complete we assist clients in promotion and distribution of the film with social media support and strategy.

We draw upon a core skillset in design and animation to create all our work, here are a few ways that our expertise has taken form.

Concept Development - Style Frames and Look Boards
Not sure what solution might be best for you? Through illustration, sketches and design we can assist in solidifying your message in a visual way. Clients benefit from our battle-tested publication workflow, which seeks to utilize graphics in a smart and pivotal part of our narratives.

Motion Design - 2D and 3D Animation and Design
Whether you have a title sequence, infographic, kinetic-type piece or full-fledged animated world in mind, our team has the tools and creative know-how to execute. This is what we live and breathe.

Traditional Animation - Hand Drawn and Stop Motion
Some things are just better when done by hand. Like writing a letter, hand-drawn animation gives a project personality that connects to the emotions of an audience.