Words and photos by Muriel Tiberghien
The Barbican Centre served as the perfect backdrop for this year's InMotion Festival, hosted by Playground. The brutalist architecture seemed to mirror the industry itself—solid foundations supporting bold creative experimentation. Walking through those familiar concrete corridors, I found myself surrounded by fellow motion designers and animators, each bringing their unique energy to what turned out to be a remarkable showcase of current work and future possibilities.
The festival brought together some of the industry's most innovative studios and artists, each offering distinct perspectives on where motion design is heading. What struck me most was the palpable passion in every conversation, from casual lobby encounters to formal Q&A sessions. Despite the economic challenges many of us freelancers are facing, there was an undercurrent of determination and creative resilience throughout the event.
Interestingly, artificial intelligence — the topic that has dominated so many industry discussions lately — barely featured in this year's presentations. When speakers did mention AI tools, the audience response was notably lukewarm, sometimes even hostile.
This reaction speaks volumes about our community's commitment to human creativity and traditional craft skills, even as technology continues to reshape other aspects of our work.
The presentation lineup delivered genuine insights into contemporary creative processes. Nexus Studios kicked things off by revealing their approach to the festival's opening sequence. Their presentation demonstrated how rigorous design thinking can elevate even the smallest details, turning what could have been a simple title sequence into a thoughtful piece of motion storytelling.
The Line Animation delivered one of the most compelling talks of the festival. Their presentation went beyond showcasing finished work to reveal the meticulous craftsmanship underlying their projects. The studio's dedication to storytelling came through in every frame they shared, offering a masterclass in how technical excellence serves narrative purpose.
Maxime Manga brought something completely different to the stage. His presentation blended personal narrative with professional insight, punctuated by genuine humor that had the audience fully engaged. Manga's ability to weave together artistic philosophy and practical application while keeping things entertaining proved that industry talks don't need to be dry affairs.
Buck's session provided valuable strategic insights, breaking down recent projects to reveal their adaptive creative process. Their emphasis on embedding motion thinking from day one resonated strongly with the audience. Their observation that "Design is how it looks; motion is how it feels" captured something fundamental about our discipline that often gets lost in technical discussions. The studio's culture-first approach to building creative teams also offered important lessons for those looking to scale their own practices.
The Demon Hunter film presentation offered a fascinating technical deep-dive into character-driven storytelling. The team's three-character narrative structure and their sophisticated visual development pipeline demonstrated impressive technical ambition. What elevated their work was the careful integration of Korean cultural references and real-world details that grounded their fantastical elements in authentic observation.
Throughout the festival, conversations kept returning to fundamental questions about craft, creativity, and professional sustainability.
The economic pressures on freelancers came up repeatedly in informal discussions, yet these challenges seemed to strengthen rather than diminish creative ambition. There's something powerful about gathering with peers who understand both the struggles and satisfactions of this work.
The InMotion Festival 2025 succeeded in capturing a moment of transition in our industry. While technology continues to evolve and economic pressures persist, the core values of craftsmanship, storytelling, and creative collaboration remain central. The event reinforced that motion design is maturing as a discipline, finding its voice between pure aesthetics and meaningful communication.
Leaving London, I carried with me not just inspiration from the work shown, but renewed confidence in our collective future. The festival proved that even in uncertain times, the motion design community continues to push boundaries while supporting each other. That combination of creative ambition and mutual respect suggests our best work may still be ahead of us.
