From Architecture to Animation: Geet Sampat’s Creative Journey
In the world of motion design, few portfolios feel as versatile and quietly confident as that of Mumbai-based 3D Motion Designer, Geet Sampat. With a background in architecture and a self-taught journey into motion graphics, Geet’s work blends design, storytelling, and technology into looping, expressive visuals that are as much about precision as they are about play.
We spoke with Geet about his path into motion design, the evolution of his creative voice, and the thinking behind some of his most exciting collaborations.
Geet Sampat’s showreel
"I graduated as an architect, and one is naturally exposed to a variety of software and 3D tools in college to visualise their designs." Geet begins. "We had to make every second of a jury presentation count, and visuals were everything." This early focus on clarity and impact through design planted the seeds for a future in motion.
Translating concepts into diagrams and printing my renders on huge sheets caught all the eyeballs.
After graduating in 2020- just as the world shut down- Geet found himself in limbo. “No studios hiring, no interviews, just pure limbo. Around then, I got super into those satisfying, endlessly looping 3D animations on Instagram." One book, The Freelance Manifesto by Joey Korenman, and one lucky cold email later, his freelance journey began.
Honestly got super lucky, and the first email I sent got me a gig. Have been freelancing since then.
Early Motion explorations by Geet
"I never really thought of it [motion design] as storytelling until recently," he says. "It was just about helping people visualise ideas. The narrative came in later- when I started understanding what a project actually needed beyond just looking good."
It was more about helping people and figuring out what would work best for the client
Collaborating with Landor proved to be a milestone. "I love the people there. Super talented and easy to collaborate with. The communication is more structured, and you get to work closely with people across different disciplines like strategy and animation. Working with them definitely raised the bar for me in terms of quality and attention to detail."
This finesse shows in projects like the Citroën Future Sure campaign with Post Office Studios, where Geet blended cel-shaded 3D animation into 2D illustrated backdrops. "The challenge was to make the car feel like it belonged in a 2D world without losing depth. It was all about matching the vibe."
Post Office Studios had created stunning 2D backdrops, and Geet’s role was to animate the car in 3D so it felt at home in that faux-3D world. Opting for a cel-shaded look to match the vibe, he handled the rigging, texturing, and animation to keep it smooth and believable.
The tricky part was blending the 3D model into a flat world and still keeping depth and believability
For another one of his projects, Shaze Gifting Station; Geet worked with Pollinate Labs to develop a collaborative, iterative storyboard process. He quickly blocked scenes in Cinema 4D, focusing on speed and exploration over polish in the early stages. This allowed for rapid feedback and playful experimentation before locking in the final visuals.
Iteration is everything, so keeping it fast and a little messy in the beginning makes the whole process way more fun
Storyboards designed for the project Shaze Gifting Station
Geet’s adatability also showed through his project with WAYS Studio- The Jack & Jones x Paw Patrol campaign which brought a burst of colour and playfulness. He built an endlessly looping 3D factory environment where tshirts rolled off the line, incorporating bold palettes drawn from the Paw Patrol universe and playful smoke simulations. The nine-second animation balanced brand identity with childlike wonder.
Explorations done by Geet for Paw Patrol x Jack&Jones campaign.
The David Sassoon Library Projection Mapping project marked Geet’s first foray into large-scale public art. Collaborating with Makeover Studios and Floating Canvas Company, he created a stencil base for the facade animation and experimented with rigid body simulations and early generative AI video tools. The result was a vibrant, multi-layered projection that transformed the historic building into a dynamic, living canvas.
The whole process was fast-paced, experimental, and genuinely exciting. I learned a lot and had a blast pushing visuals in a new format.
Innovation is a constant theme in Geet’s work. In Good Strata, he explored how generative AI could enhance traditional 3D workflows. While building the logo animation in Cinema 4D and Octane, he used MidJourney’s retexture tools to generate alternate moods and surfaces. These AI outputs, though not directly used, acted as a springboard for unexpected visual directions.
It [MidJourney] felt like having a visual brainstorming partner that threw unexpected ideas into the mix.
Beyond client projects, Geet thrives on passion-driven explorations. "I love passion projects. They're usually where I learn the most. I've experimented with doing everydays a few times and also tried the 36 Days of Type challenge. These kinds of explorations help me sharpen my tools, try out ideas that might not fit into client work, and stay pumped up.”
I've found that even a small constraint, like a format or a countdown timer, can actually make the process more focused and fun. The idea is to think less and do more.
When it comes to his toolkit, Geet keeps things streamlined: Cinema 4D for 3D work, Octane for rendering, and After Effects for compositing. Photoshop and Illustrator are constant companions in the background, while PureRef serves as his moodboard hub. For task management, he relies on TickTick, and for communication, Discord and Slack. He also taps into AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity for research, problem-solving, and idea generation.
Over the years, Geet has had opportunities to take on full-time roles but always returned to freelancing for the freedom it provides. "It definitely takes discipline and patience to run things on your own, but what I enjoy most is the flexibility to choose what I work on."
His approach to pricing his freelance projects starts with understanding the scope, complexity, timeline, and deliverables before offering a lump-sum quote. By clearly outlining what’s included and what counts as extra, he keeps room for flexibility if the brief changes- avoiding confusion down the line.
Geet’s speculative project for Apple Vision Pro
Clear expectations upfront save everyone a lot of back-and-forth. Learned most of this the hard way though
When work slows down he makes time for spec projects and catching up with people on communities like AGI, F9 Collective, and 3D Artists India.
Bombay has a super lively creative scene, so there is always something happening, whether it is meetups, events, or design jams.
Looking ahead, Geet is diving deeper into GenAI tools and innovative workflows. With fresh projects in motion and a new showreel generating buzz, he’s ready to push his creative boundaries even further.
Vayu Robotics explainer video by Geet
Storyboard for Vayu Robotics explainer video made by Geet
Freelancing comes with its fair share of risks, but it’s within that uncertainty that creatives like Geet Sampat truly find their rhythm. Shifting timelines, evolving briefs, and an unpredictable market become fuel- driving adaptability, invention, and resilience. “It’s like that meme where the world is on fire but there’s a freelancer in the corner yelling, ‘Anyone want a logo?’” Geet laughs.
And with that image in mind, we wrap up this feature, thanking Geet for sharing his journey and wishing him the very best for the future.
You can find more projects by Geet and stay updated with his work through the channels below:
Geet Sampat
