An animation or motion design studio's website should show the reel within seconds, then let a client go deeper: a page per project with the brief and the result, the services you sell (such as brand films, explainers, title sequences or loops), how a project runs from brief to final, and who will lead it. Keep video light enough to start quickly on a phone, and end each page with a way to send a brief.
Searches such as "animation studio website free" and "motion design agency website" come from studios looking for a starting point. Clients judge a motion studio on movement, so the site needs some, but the work itself should carry most of it.
What do clients look for on a motion studio site?
| Client question | What to show |
|---|
| Is their work good and in my style? | The reel, then a grid of projects |
| Have they done this kind of job? | Services: brand films, explainers, product animation, titles, loops |
| How do they work? | The process from brief to final, in clear stages |
| How long will it take? | Typical timescales per type of project |
| What will it cost? | A starting price or a budget range, if you can |
| Who will we work with? | Directors, leads and producers, with photos |
| How do we start? | A contact form that asks for the brief, deadline and budget band |
How should projects be presented?
- A page per project, with the film embedded.
- The brief in two or three sentences: who the client was and what they needed.
- Your approach: style, technique, any constraints.
- Stills or frames that show the craft, including style frames or boards if you can share them.
- Credits for the team and any collaborators.
- The result, if the client shares one.
Clients often search by type of work, so tag each project with its service, such as "explainer" or "title sequence".
How do you describe your process?
A short, staged process reassures clients who have not commissioned animation before:
- Brief and discovery call
- Script or concept
- Style frames and storyboard
- Animatic
- Animation and sound
- Delivery in the formats they need
Say how many rounds of feedback each stage includes. That one line prevents many disputes.
Should a motion studio show prices?
A starting price or typical range per type of project helps clients self-qualify. Animation budgets vary a great deal with length, style and technique, so explain what drives the price. See should you show prices on your website?
How do you keep a motion site fast?
Heavy video is the main risk. Framer's site optimisation guide recommends using YouTube or Vimeo for longer videos, because they adjust quality to the viewer's connection, while uploaded videos are served at their original resolution. For short background loops, use muted, looping videos without controls, which Framer lazy-loads, and keep loop files small; Framer suggests under 5 MB. See Framer site speed and how to add video to a Framer site.
Respect reduced-motion settings for visitors who turn motion off. See website accessibility for small businesses.
What should the brief form ask?
Ask for the things you need to quote: the type of film, approximate length, where it will run (social, broadcast, product page, event screen), the deadline, a budget band and any brand guidelines or references. Add a field for a link to a script if one exists. Say how quickly you reply. Clients commissioning animation often contact two or three studios at once, so a clear form and a quick answer count.
What do motion studio sites often get wrong?
- A reel that autoplays with sound
- Projects with no context, only a video
- No services list, so clients cannot tell what you sell
- Very large uploaded video files that stall on mobile
- No names, so clients cannot tell who leads the work
For freelance motion designers and video editors, see video editor portfolio websites. For a broader creative agency, see creative agency websites.
Which templates suit an animation studio?
Playground is a free Framer template for a motion design and animation studio that makes brand films, explainers, title sequences and loops. The home page opens on a giant wordmark with clay objects floating around it, then runs into the work: a grid of projects, the showreel and the four services. Every project lives in the CMS with its own page. A studio page covers the story, the process from brief to final in four steps and the leads a client will work with. It includes a contact form, a setup guide page and a branded 404.
For a solo motion designer, CUT ($49) has a horizontal-scroll showreel and video that plays on click, and Nostalgia.exe (free) presents work as folders on a desktop. See all Framer templates for motion designers and the graphic designer portfolio article for playful layouts.
Related guides: UGC portfolio websites and Framer templates for video editors.
Frequently asked questions
What should an animation studio website include?
A reel, a page per project with brief and credits, the services you sell, your process from brief to final, the people who lead projects and a contact form for briefs.
Should a motion design studio show its process?
Yes. A short staged process, with how many feedback rounds each stage includes, reassures clients who have not commissioned animation before.
How do I stop video slowing down my studio site?
Embed longer films from YouTube or Vimeo, keep background loops small and muted, and avoid autoplay with sound.
Should an animation studio publish prices?
A starting price or range per type of project helps clients self-qualify. Explain what changes the price.
Is there a free website template for animation studios?
Yes. Playground is a free Framer template for motion and animation studios, with a project grid, showreel, services and a studio page with the process from brief to final.