There are two rounds of judging: Shortlist and Finalist.

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.

What are the three C’s of Judging?

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?

No. Judges must recuse themselves from voting on their own work.

Any judge who does not recuse themselves will be banned from The Motion Awards, and their votes will be withdrawn.

Any company or individual may enter The Motion Awards, provided they were the primary creators of the project being submitted.

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.

Yes.

Clients and agencies can enter work that was primarily produced internally.

No, two different companies (or individuals) cannot enter the same work in the same category.

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.

Preferred video specifications:*

• 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. 

Yes. You can enter the same project into as many categories as you wish. You will be charged the relevant entry fee for each additional category.

Please visit our Categories page for descriptions, examples and fees.

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.

Yes. Send us a link to your project via awards@motionographer.com, and we will suggest appropriate categories for entry.

Please see the Categories page for fees.

You may pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express) during online checkout at the end of the submission process.

We do not accept checks or payment by invoice.

All fees are listed in US dollars, but our payment system accepts worldwide transactions from major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express). Currency exchange rates are set by the credit card issuers and associated banks.

We see Motion Design as the offspring of animation, graphic design and filmmaking.

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.

The terms “Motion Design” (or “motion graphics”) and “animation” are not mutually exclusive. A project can be described as both animation and motion design without damaging the integrity of either term.

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.