Is This a 'Universal Translator' for Animation and Visual Effects?

Why my partners and I launched the Creative Codex

We know what a coda means in music—but how does the concept apply to motion design?

This question exemplifies a fragmented landscape. Motion design has become the Wild West, where enterprises, agencies, studios, app makers and individuals constantly concoct new terms and processes to fit their needs. But these elements often have no shared applications or meanings.

Cue the Creative Codex, a free “universal translator” we helped launch for creatives. 

Imagine a world where studios, agencies, freelancers and clients speak the same language or, at the very least, have a pocket translator to facilitate understanding. This vision sparked the development of the Codex, a community-driven platform.

The Codex is designed to democratize motion design and break down barriers to entry by providing a centralized hub for knowledge and collaboration. By pooling the collective wisdom of industry leaders, it offers definitions of industry jargon. By providing resources on a global scale, the Codex can help encourage a new wave of creativity, affording international clients, studios and artists more common ground. 

Ever wonder what a motion art director actually does? What are the responsibilities that qualify you for such a job? Imagine if we could agree on the fundamentals as an industry. By standardizing terms—and eventually processes—the Codex can help remove friction between clients and studios. Freelancers and juniors now have a place to look up terms and see how seasoned pros work through processes. Motion design schools around the world can better tailor their curriculum to the practical needs of the industry.

In addition to its educational and community-building benefits, the Codex can also be a valuable tool for businesses and organizations that rely on motion design. In the future, providing a standard framework for projects will help educate clients, streamline workflows and ensure that projects are efficiently delivered on time and within budget.

The platform’s inclusivity is a product of its contributors. These include educators like Austin Shaw; studios Sibling Rivalry, Cream, Dash, Rezonate and Sense 6; music and sound design firms Box of Toys and The Chicken; creative consultant including Joel Pilger and more industry experts.

By eliminating the friction and confusion stemming from a lack of transparency, the Codex aims to level the playing field—whether you’re a creative director at an established studio, a cel animator transitioning from long-form or a 3D artist ready to start your own studio.

So what is a coda? In music, it’s a concluding section that is distinctive from the main structure. But in motion design, well, we suggest that you find out for yourself on creativecodex.co and suggest a better definition if you feel so inclined.