Read the full eligibility requirements here.

As the offspring of animation, graphic design and filmmaking, Motion Design is an expansive, inclusive field. The Motion Awards hope to reflect that.

(For more on this topic, see the Deep Thoughts section below.)

The Motion Awards furthers Motionographer’s mission to educate, inspire and connect anyone interested in Motion Design, animation and innovative storytelling.

Other benefits of winning include:

• A beautiful, custom-crafted trophy (with option to purchase)
• Permanent placement in The Motion Awards public gallery
• Multiple mentions on Motionographer.com and its associated social media channels, reaching over 1,000,000 professionals in the Motion Design community
• Special access to future Motionographer events and projects

During the Shortlist round, judges give each entry a 1-10 rating. To advance to the Finalist round, entries must have an average score of 7.0 or higher and be among the top 10 scored entries in its category.

During the Finalist round, judges give each entry a 1-10 rating. To win, an entry must have an average score of at least 7.0 and be the highest rated entry in its category.

If no project meets the criteria above for a given category, there will be no winner for that category.

Please see below the criteria for our scoring systems. We’ve also added some helpful points for you to keep in mind. 

1. CRAFTSMANSHIP

Above all else, The Motion Awards is a celebration of craft.

Guiding questions:

• Is the project immaculately crafted?
• Does the project have a distinctive point of view?
• Does the project use novel techniques or push existing techniques in a new direction?

2. CLARITY OF MESSAGING / IMPACT

Good work leaves a mark on the viewer.

Guiding questions:

• Does the project achieve its intended goal and/or communicate its message clearly?
• Do the materials or techniques involved in the project resonate with its intent?
• Does the project elicit a strong emotional or intellectual response?

3. CREATIVENESS / ORIGINALITY

How original is the piece? Does it stand apart?

You can see category explanations and examples on The Motion Awards website.

Guiding questions:

• • How inventive is it compared to the chosen category?
  • If the project wins, what precedent will it set for future entries in this category?

Any judge who does not recuse themselves will be banned from The Motion Awards, and their votes will be withdrawn.

For student categories, you must have been a student (full-time or part-time) at the time you created the project you are entering. All student entries must have been created as part of coursework.

In the case of duplicate entries, we will accept the entry that paid first.

Note: For the Sound categories, a company may enter a project that was entered into a non-Sound category by a different company.

• Resolution: 1920×1080 or 1280×720
• Frame rate: 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30 or 60
• File format: MOV or MP4
• Codec: H.264
• Bit rate: 6,000 to 20,000 kbit/s

Preferred audio specifications:

• Codec: AAC (Advanced Audio Codec)
• Data rate: 192 to 320 kbit/s

* We can support other file formats, but note that we may need to transcode your file to ensure that all judges can view it across all devices.

For campaigns and series, please edit all videos into a single video file. 

If you’re unsure about which category to choose, please send an email with a link to your work at awards@motionographer.com, and we will assist you.

We do not accept checks or payment by invoice.

Since Motionographer’s inception in 2006, we’ve exercised an expansive definition of Motion Design, feeling that it’s better to err on the side of inclusivity.

Having said that, each judge of The Motion Awards brings their own unique definition and perspective to the competition. That’s why they were chosen — to have a distinct viewpoint. Not all of the judges will agree on what constitutes a winning entry. That’s a good thing. It ensures diversity of opinion and allows for a more level playing field.

Just as a hand-painted work of graphic design might also be a work of illustration or a VFX-laden film starring photoreal CG creatures might be construed as animation, Motion Design and animation can overlap to such a degree that distinctions between them become difficult.

This is good. We celebrate it, and we hope that The Motion Awards showcase a wide array of possibilities that have hitherto not had a dedicated spotlight.