Motion designers bring brands to life through ad spots, app micro-interactions, explainers and social-first animation. You're hired by production studios, in-house brand teams, agencies and SaaS companies. This template helps you frame your reel with real metrics and outcomes, not just a list of software.
Copy these as starting points and swap in your own numbers.
2024–2025 estimates. Wide ranges by experience and seniority.
Yes, without one your chances drop sharply. Even at junior level, cut a 30-60 second reel from coursework and personal pieces. Recruiters watch the first 10 seconds, so lead with your strongest shot.
After Effects is the industry baseline. Cinema 4D or Blender opens up 3D-heavy work and pays better, but no one will look at your 3D if your AE fundamentals are shaky. Master AE first.
Sometimes during a technical round they'll open your .aep and check how you structured layers, precomps and expressions. Clean, named, organized files make a strong impression. Messy ones are spotted instantly.
Lead with metrics and context. Instead of 'animated content for brand X', write how many views it earned or how it shifted CTR or conversion. That shifts the conversation from 'pretty' to 'effective'.