The Future of Motion Design: Live Talk from AEPDX 2025

Have you ever had that feeling when you see a new technology and just know it's going to change everything? That moment when you recognize the future before everyone else catches on? Joey Korenman calls this "The Futurey Feeling" – and if you're a motion designer, you need to pay attention to it.

In this keynote presentation from Portland, OR's AEPDX event, Joey draws from over 25 years in the motion design industry to identify three massive technological shifts happening right now. These aren't just incremental improvements – they're paradigm changes that will define the next decade of our industry.

The Pattern of Disruption

Before diving into the current wave, Joey takes us back through history to show a consistent pattern. From the desktop editing revolution that killed traditional post houses to the rise of CGI that transformed filmmaking, technological disruption follows a predictable cycle:

1. Resistance - Industry veterans dismiss the new technology as inferior
2. Gradual adoption - Early adopters start proving the technology's worth
3. Explosive growth - Demand skyrockets as barriers drop (Jevons Paradox in action)
4. New opportunities - More work emerges than ever existed before

The key insight? Every time technology makes something easier and cheaper, demand explodes rather than shrinks.

The Three Current Waves

1. Real-Time 3D Rendering

We're witnessing the democratization of real-time 3D engines like Unreal Engine. This isn't just about faster renders – it's about entirely new possibilities:

• Feature films rendered entirely in real-time (like the Oscar-nominated film rendered on the director's home PC)
• Live concert visuals that respond dynamically to the performance (Phish at the Sphere)
• Virtual production shoots getting 8+ locations in a day instead of 2-3
• Real-time client sessions for 3D work, just like we do with editing

The technology exists today. Most clients don't know it's possible yet. That's your opportunity.

2. Interactive Animation Revolution

The second wave is already transforming how we create animation for apps and websites. Tools like Rive are eliminating the painful translation process between After Effects and code:

• Direct handoff from motion designer to developer
• Responsive design built into animation workflows
• Real-time interactivity without complex development
• Massive market expansion beyond traditional motion design

Companies like Duolingo are already building entire studios around this workflow, acquiring traditional motion design shops to fuel their app experiences.

3. AI as a Creative Accelerator

The third wave is the most controversial but potentially most transformative. AI isn't replacing motion designers – it's giving them superpowers:

• Asset generation on demand instead of hunting through stock libraries
• Visual ideation that accelerates the creative process
• Technical problem solving for tasks that used to require specialists
• Rapid prototyping of concepts that would be too expensive to test traditionally

The key is understanding AI as a tool for making the impossible possible within budget and deadline constraints.

Why This Matters Now

We're at an inflection point. The motion design industry just emerged from a challenging couple of years, but leading indicators suggest we're entering a growth phase. The studios and freelancers who understand these technological shifts – and can educate their clients about new possibilities – will capture disproportionate value.

The opportunity isn't just in using these tools. It's in being the person who shows clients what's suddenly possible.

Your Next Steps

You don't need to master all three areas immediately. Pick the one that resonates most and start experimenting:

• For real-time 3D: Download Unreal Engine and start with basic scene creation
• For interactive animation: Try Rive for your next web or app project
• For AI integration: Experiment with Midjourney for asset creation or ChatGPT for ideation

The goal isn't perfection – it's awareness. When you spot an opportunity that matches one of these capabilities, you'll be ready to act.

The Futurey Feeling in Action

Joey's message is ultimately optimistic. Yes, technological change can feel threatening. But history shows us that making creative work easier and more accessible creates exponentially more opportunities, not fewer.

The motion designers who thrive in the next decade won't be the ones who resist change – they'll be the ones who embrace it early, educate their clients about new possibilities, and ride the wave of expanded demand.

Are you feeling futurey yet?

Show Notes

Artists & Studios Mentioned:

• Arahon Rabinowitz - VP of Marketing at School of Motion, creator of the Unreal Engine short film
• EJ Hassenfratz - 3D Creative Director at School of Motion
• Cart + Horse - Detroit-based duo doing virtual production work
• Ryan Corniel - Artist creating real-time VR puppets
• Two Fresh - Studio behind Super Bowl broadcast graphics
• Capacity - Studio behind Rocket League broadcast package
• Deep Sky - VFX studio mentioned throughout
• Territory Studios - Known for fake UI work in films
• Jesus Plaza - Filmmaker behind AI-generated spec commercial
• Karen X. Chang - Artist combining traditional animation with AI assets
• Sarofsky Studio - Creators of "Meet the Scrims" Instagram series
• Phil Tippett - Legendary VFX supervisor (Star Wars, Jurassic Park)
• Genndy Tartakovsky - Director of Hotel Transylvania
• Moment Factory - Studio behind Phish concert visuals

Tools & Technologies:

• Unreal Engine - Real-time 3D rendering engine
• Rive - Interactive animation platform for apps and web
• Octane Render - GPU-based rendering engine
• Midjourney - AI image generation
• Google Veo 2 (now 3) - AI video generation
• Sora - OpenAI's video generation tool
• Krea - AI tool for controlled asset creation
• Magnific - AI upscaling tool
• Adobe Firefly - Adobe's AI image generation
• Inspector Spacetime - After Effects to JSON plugin by Adam Plouff/Battleax

Films & Projects Referenced:

• The Wild Robot - Oscar-nominated film rendered in real-time
• Jurassic Park (1993) - CGI breakthrough film
• Toy Story (1995) - First fully CG animated feature
• Young Sherlock Holmes - Featured first CG character in live action
• Hotel Transylvania - Showcasing extreme character animation
• The Mandalorian - Popularized virtual production techniques

Concepts Discussed:

• Jevons Paradox - Economic principle about technology making things cheaper leading to increased demand
• Desktop Editing Revolution - The shift from expensive editing suites to computer-based editing
• Real-time Client Sessions - Conducting creative reviews with instant feedback
• Responsive Design - Animation that adapts to different screen sizes
• Virtual Production - Filming with real-time digital environments
• Fake UI - User interface graphics for film and TV

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