In conversation with Insta-educator Akash Goel
Meet Akash Goel, a talented motion designer and even bigger Insta-educator, introducing the world of motion design and storytelling to his many followers online. Just like most of us, his journey started behind the sketchbook, and now, he inspires millions to pursue their creative dreams. In this feature, we go behind the BTS of Akash’s career journey.
As a confused high schooler , Akash found the world of animation an exciting opportunity. Although he was preparing for his IIT JEE examinations, it was art and sci-fi movies that he found solace in.
Sketching was my favorite pastime, and as an introverted only child, my sketchpad was my best friend.
Slow yet steadily, he narrowed down on pursuing animation and VFX at Toonz Animation Academy. He says,” My journey into motion design was unconventional, but I'm grateful it happened.”
With supportive faculties and great friends, he established the foundations of the craft. Through weekly live sketching trips, annual competitions and college activities, Toons Animation gave Akash an opportunity to learn and grow professionally.
He says,” My passion for motion design truly ignited when I began creating storyboards for clients. Adding dramatic scenes and an exaggerated feel to my storyboards for explainer videos was thrilling. My love grew when I got to animate these storyboards myself.”
During his second year he worked as a storyboard artist, and later, picked up After Effects, promoting him to a Motion Designer at the same firm.
His first project- an explainer video- was just the beginning of a fruitful career in motion design. He enjoyed every step of the way weather it was sketching storyboards, creating graphics or even refining his animation.
Fresh out of college, he worked with companies like Arc Solutions, Color Dot Studios and Zabstract. He says,” I had a lot to learn. The first two months were tough; understanding client needs, working in a team, and staying updated with trends. These companies offered the best expertise, challenging me to level up my skills and upgrade myself. Disagreements on animation styles taught me to handle pressure and work effectively in a team. ”
A significant lesson was realizing the importance of a clean and simple process, not just the final output.
Having worked on projects ranging from graphic designing to video editing, Akash switched to a freelance practice; offering him the creative and financial freedom to take full control of his projects.
He says, “The transition wasn't smooth initially, as it involved handling content creation, client calls, and project execution alone. Despite the struggle, the satisfaction of making clients happy and receiving fulfilling testimonials made it worth it”
One of the interesting projects that Akash has worked on includes the intro for Sharan Hegde’s( financewithsharan) podcast, 1% Club Show. The brief was to create something aspirational and luxe and Akash put to paper the many ideas he had. After scribbling different ideas out, he pitched them to Sharan and the team. The ideas were an instant hit!
He says,” Instead of waiting for a perfect idea, I began sketching all my thoughts on paper. After an hour of scribbling, I connected the best ideas and removed the ones that didn’t fit. This project taught me that starting with whatever you have and working your way around it is often more effective than waiting for a perfect idea.”
One aspect of Akash’s work that resonates with us is his enthusiasm to educate others about motion design and storytelling. Using Instagram to not just showcase his work and connect with the creative community, but also to inspire fellow designers, Akash has taken the role of a modern-day teacher to many.
A quick scroll through his socials leads you to his tips and tricks, BTS of his work, case studies and even some personal experiences; all packaged in a bite-sized edit.
Being a "modern-day teacher" for motion design brings immense fulfillment, especially seeing the tangible impact on others. Teaching through social media allows me to share my passion and expertise, helping others unlock their creative potential.
Whether it is helping someone to grow their freelance career or landing their first gig, Akash aims to inspire creativity through practical skills all while building a supportive community of passionate motion designer.
It is through building this strong network of creatives on social media and having one-on-one interactions with creators that Akash has been able to work with brands like Neonattack, Fingers, Cellbell, and Pacadora. He adds that posting work online also helps him attract brands and collaborators for newer projects.
With the rise of influencer-driven design content, Akash belives that although it can bring more visibility to the field and open opportunities for partnership and innovation, it can also lead to clients underestimating the effort to create professional motion design work.
Working with clients also means being plugged into the current trends. Staying up-to-date with trends can seem hectic but is also one of the most exciting parts of our field. He adds,” A good strategy to handle this is continuously searching for new ideas and staying updated with industry developments online. One major upcoming development is the integration of AI with almost every software we use, presenting limitless possibilities.”
Akash remains optimistic about the use of Generative AI as a source of inspiration and means to accelerate creative processes at lower production costs. However he believes these technologies come at the cost of originality and quality work.
The future of animation will likely be a blend of human creativity and AI-driven efficiency. Hybrid workflows will combine machine precision with human depth, new job roles will emerge to manage AI tools, and animators will have more freedom to innovate.
And with that, we come to the end of this feature with Akash Goel. We thank him for his time and wish him all the best for the future!
Akash’s Top 3 Plugins:
Throughout my motion design journey, I've come across many plugins, but my top three go-to plugins for enhancing my workflow are FX Console, Motion 4, and Deep Glow. These plugins save numerous hours, ensuring quality output each time.
You can stay updated with Akash’s work on the channels below:
Akash Goel
