In Thoughtful Motion we’ll explore how animation can be used as a functional design tool for effective communication and meaningful expression. As a class, we’ll take a critical look at how animation plays a role in the user experiences around us and, more importantly, why it’s moving in the first place. Along the way, you’ll learn the fundamentals of After Effects, principles of animation, and apply our learning to a final project.

This class is for you if you want to add animation to your toolkit, believe in making things that serve a purpose, love asking why?, or simply want to learn how to use After Effects so you can finally check it off your list. You can expect a lively, activity-driven learning environment, a multidisciplinary peer group, and plenty of in-class demos.

Learning Outcomes

- Identify functional, thoughtful motion in popular digital products
- Learn fundamental workflows & skills in After Effects
- Learn animation principles and applications
- Examine relationship between UX and functional animation
- Express visual ideas that transcend language barriers

Student Requirements

- Computer
- Adobe After Effects (✅ trial okay)

5 Weeks
Thursdays from 6:00 — 9:00 pm ET
Aug 25 – Sep 22, 2022

Eddy Nieto (he/him) is a Detroit-based creative director and motion designer working in and around user experiences. Currently he is directing at Hobbes, an animation studio focused on digital products, motion systems and even drone shows. An interest in exploring animation outside a 16x9 screen has lead him to work across various formats and question why anything is moving in the first place.

Week 1: Intro to Motion
Introductions, A brief history of motion graphics and first look at animation principles. Installing After Effects, first class activity.

Week 2: After Effects 101
What are keyframes, Learning AE basics, Animated prototypes.

Week 3: Functional Motion
A deep dive into animation for Digital Assistants and wayfinding.

Week 4: After Effects 102
Exporting for video, web, and other formats.

Week 5: Final Project Presentations

Index scholarships are designed to benefit underrepresented groups, BIPOC members of our community, and those for whom the class price is not accessible. These need-based scholarships will go to the candidates who best demonstrate why they should be chosen for the free spot to our class based on the following criteria:

• Belong to groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the graphic design and creative industries
• Do not have jobs that would pay for these courses as professional development
• Cannot independently afford the class at list price
• Share our value of intentional community

The number of selected applicants chosen is subject to the discretion of Index and the instructor, but every course will select at least one. Applications are due May 9, 2022 and recipients will be notified May 12, 2022.