Marcus Eckert, a good definition of motion design.
There Are No Secrets
Over the past few months, one particular trend has made a powerful comeback in the motion design world: motion design itself.
Let’s take a closer look at this term we use every day, and break it down to (re)discover something essential:
Motion. Design.
- On one hand, we have motion: the movement, the animation. Moving elements through space over time, playing with speed and easing to create rhythm and flow.
- But we often forget the most important part — myself included: Design. Motion Graphic Design.
And that’s the key to reaching a high level. Before anything else, you need to develop your artistic sense, not just your technical skills.
So what happens when these two abilities come together — when you combine the eye of a great designer with the craft of a great animator?
You get truly exceptional motion designers.
That’s the case with Marcus Eckert, a German motion designer who’s equally skilled in visual composition and keyframe animation.
Let’s dive into his work through a short interview, where he shares his vision of motion and his creative process.
What does “motion design” mean to you?
As I see it, it comes down to two elements (speaking purely visually): design and animation.
To create a really great video, you have to be good at both.
However, when you’re stronger in one area, you tend to neglect the other.
These days, I spend much more time focusing on design rather than just animation.
Then I experiment until everything feels right — until it’s good enough that I can proudly put my name on it without feeling embarrassed.
Basically, it’s about having and developing the sensitivity to recognize when something works — and more importantly, when it doesn’t.
That way, you can go back and refine it as needed.
Your animations are full of subtle details. How do you handle client changes without losing control of the creative process?
I wish I knew the perfect answer!
I’m only just getting used to the fact that clients often don’t really know what they want, and that the process is new for them too.
A bit of persuasion can usually prevent the worst, but sometimes you just have to go back and make changes.
It’s most frustrating when they ask for something you already know will look terrible, but insist anyway.
Having to override your aesthetic instincts — that’s something I’ll never get used to.
I’ve found it helps to present different scenarios and alternatives early on, involving clients in the process.
That way, they feel like we achieved the result together, instead of me just rushing off to make whatever I wanted.
Other times, clients hire me precisely because they trust my direction — which usually means fewer drastic revisions (and I love that).
Do you use scripts alongside keyframes and the graph editor?
I actually don’t use any scripts at all.
My workflow isn’t very procedural — I’ve only just started color-coding my layers to group related elements.
What are your top 3 scripts or plugins for After Effects?
Since I don’t really use scripts, I’ll name my favorite plugins instead:
Magic Bullet Looks, Trapcode Particular, and Frischluft Lenscare.
Who are your favorite studios or motion designers?
I really like what Imaginary Forces and The Impactist are doing.
What’s your favorite trick or technique?
I love adding shine and reflections to objects — it gives everything a nice polish.
Anything else you’d like to add?
People often ask me about expressions.
To me, expressions are more about control than animation.
You can’t get very far without them — they’re great for streamlining workflows, and they’re not nearly as intimidating as they seem.
Screenshots — for motivation
Below are a few screenshots of Marcus’s projects: keyframes, layers… and no secrets.
A beautiful animation will always require time and hard work — there’s no shortcut.
Many thanks to Marcus for his time — and stay tuned for more profiles of talented motion designers who continue to inspire and motivate me!
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About the author
I am the Founder of Mattrunks.
I work as Creative Director and Motion Designer in my studio. I also create video tutorials to share my passion of motion.