Abstract
Motion design is an interdisciplinary form that combines aspects of graphic design, illustration, animation, video, film, and interactivity. As our media rich world proliferates with screens, motion designers fill a unique niche as hybrid creatives capable of telling stories, building experiences, and communicating ideas, dynamically and effectively. Because of this multimodal quality, motion design is difficult to define, promote, and situate in academic programs. A myriad of legacy terms, such as motion graphics and multimedia, exacerbates the lack of clarity surrounding motion design as a field of study and profession. At first glance these terms seem innocuous, but each demands the addition of a subject, such as artist, designer, or technician, and each of those harbors assumptions and expectations as to their role, further complicating our understanding and diffusing the potential impact of motion design for students, professionals, and discourse. In the 2018 anthology, The Theory and Practice of Motion Design, Dr. Clarisa Carubin sought to define motion design through an understanding of its definitions in literature over time. This paper will seek to reveal the morass of concurrent motion-related nomenclature in use by sampling job postings, official US government labor designations, and academic programs. Beyond describing the fragmented taxonomy surrounding the field, the research will expose the plentiful opportunities motion design offers students, and seek to coalesce educators and professionals around a contemporary understanding and definition. In the form of a online lightning talk, all research and recommendations will be conveyed in visualizations, text, and symbols in motion.
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Design Management and Professional Practice
KEYWORDS
Design Professions, Specification, Design Education, Taxonomy, Visualizations, Motion Design, Multimedia
