XR MOTION Motion Hatch - Navigating the Motion Design Industry.
Sep 15, 2025
Hayley Akins, former senior motion designer at Google, now runs Motion Hatch, a platform supporting motion designers with their business strategies. In this conversation, she emphasizes the importance of branding and strategic thinking for freelancers. They dive into the challenges of client relationships and pricing strategies. The discussion also highlights how AI is transforming the industry and the need for creatives to adapt and reflect on their value. Personal projects are showcased as essential for artistic identity in the competitive motion design landscape.
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Build Systems To Free Creative Time
- Build business systems so you can focus on creative work and scale your freelance studio.
- Make money and free time the primary goals you design systems around.
Leaving Google Sparked Motion Hatch
- Hayley left an in-house role at Google in 2015 and went freelance because she enjoyed autonomy and business.
- She started Motion Hatch after helping friends with pricing, clients, and the business side of freelancing.
Pandemic Shift Expanded Supply And Competition
- COVID accelerated entry into motion design then reopened live-action work, creating a surplus of artists and downward pressure on work.
- Remote work widened the talent pool and changed where and how motion design gets hired.