The Client’s First Question: “How Long Does it Take to Finish a Motion Design Project?” Let’s start with the golden question every client asks when they reach out for a motion design project: “How long will it take?” Now, if you want to be a real professional, you pause, rub your chin, look off into the distance like a philosopher pondering the meaning of life, and then you say… “It depends.” Ah yes, the classic “it depends” answer—vague enough to be safe but mysterious enough to make you look like you’re planning something genius.
Stage 1: The Brief—Or Is It a Novel?
Now, before any designing actually happens, there’s the brief. The brief is supposed to be a simple document outlining the project. But let’s be honest, it usually turns into an epic saga longer than War and Peace. Clients want to explain every detail, and you’ve got to decode their vision. This phase alone? Two days, minimum. More if you need to break out your Rosetta Stone to translate their jargon into actual design terms.
Research: The Deep Dive Into Motion Madness
After the brief, we jump into research. You’re not just designing, you’re discovering. You look up trends, watch tutorials, maybe sneak in a YouTube cat video for “inspiration.” Honestly, you could spend weeks in this phase because, let’s face it, we motion designers are also part-time procrastinators. But hey, research is important, right? Right? So give it another two weeks. Because who knows—maybe that one hour of staring at a blank screen is when your genius idea hits!
Storyboarding: The Art of Stick Figures and Scribbles
Next up is the storyboard. You’d think it’d be quick—just some stick figures moving around, arrows pointing to where the magic will happen. But no, no, no. This is where you realize you’re an “artist,” and suddenly every frame matters. Suddenly, you’re Michelangelo sketching the Sistine Chapel, only with more coffee breaks. The storyboard can take anywhere from a few days to a week, depending on how detailed—or distracted—you get.
Design and Animation: The Point of No Return
Ah, the heart of the project—actually animating. This is where you put on your serious pants and get to work. One second of animation can take hours. Hours! You’re in After Effects or Blender, watching that little progress bar move slower than a snail on a lazy Sunday. And every time you think you’re done, the client comes back with: “Can we just make it pop more?” you’re not lucky… well, remember that Netflix marathon we talked about?
Revisions: Where Your Soul Goes to Die
Once you’ve finally got your masterpiece, you send it off to the client, hoping for the magic words: “Looks great!” Ah, yes, the dreaded revisions. Suddenly, you’re changing the color of a single pixel because “it doesn’t feel right.” Revisions can add days, weeks—and sometimes even months! This is the phase where time becomes irrelevant and you start questioning your life choices.
Final Delivery: The End Is Nigh (Maybe)
Finally, after revisions and more revisions, you reach the finish line. You deliver the project, and breathe a sigh of relief… until the client says, “Actually, can we add one more thing?” On a bad day? You might be working on this thing until the next millennium. You make the tweak, and this time, it’s really done. But beware—the end of one project usually means the start of another. And the cycle begins again…
So, How Long Does It Really Take?
In the end, How Long Does it Take to Finish a Motion Design Project? The honest answer: longer than you think, but shorter than it feels. Between deciphering the brief, finding inspiration in all the wrong places, battling through endless revisions, and animating until your eyes cross, a solid motion design project could take anywhere from 4 weeks to eternity. But no worries—it’s all part of the process. Just remember, patience is key, and coffee helps!
Contact us today to kickstart your next motion design project! From stunning 2D explainers to eye-popping 3D commercials, we’ll transform your ideas into motion magic. Let’s create something extraordinary together!
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