Working with an existing developed initial style and timeline of major milestones, we got to work building on the designs to develop an engaging animation that adds clarity and brings the history to life. Adding to the timeline’s iconography and character style, we illustrated eye-catching scenes from different eras with historical Easter eggs nestled in the scenes to look out for. These drive the messaging forward, while tying back to the web page and the static timeline.

Whenever we make an animation, the first step before grabbing the pencil or tablet is always a ‘visual column’ or list of visual suggestions to accompany the script. We then take this and start sketching ideas to get the flow right, in the form of a sketch storyboard. Here’s a small section of the animation with the sketches side-by-side.

It’s a really helpful step for both us and the client to make sure everything’s working as expected before heading into the complexities of designing and animating everything. It also helps with a tight deadline as it’s super easy to amend a sketch compared to when something’s fully animated.

Our designs use a limited colour palette so that the whole film has an obvious Adobe brand-feel throughout. It’s easy to forget the days when desks were stacked full of paperwork and filled with the whirr of printing machines. So we developed a series characters each using PDFs in unique locations to highlight all the ways PDF makes business effortless for everyone, everywhere.

The film lives on the Adobe website and was translated into French and German, celebrating the PDF’s big birthday with press and tech influencers across Europe.

Introducing our new services page. Full with our beautifully animated brand service icons, all integrated into our site seamlessly using the super efficient Lottie and JSON animations.

We’ve been doing a lot of work recently integrating JSON and Lottie animation for some of our client’s websites. It’s a great way of bringing static brand assets to life in a very user-friendly and efficient way. It offers a lightweight and highly customisable way to add engaging animations and interactions to a web page. As vector animations, Lottie files scale beautifully across devices and resolutions, and they can be easily modified and integrated into web design tools such as Adobe XD, Figma, or Sketch.

With Lottie animations, we can bring designs to life in a way that is accessible, dynamic, and engaging for users. It allows us to implement a consistent style across multiple channels and take a holistic view of how animation can work across a full brand. We thought it was about time we fully harnessed the power of Lottie on our own website too. We’ve been using custom animations in places, but it was time to take it to another level.

Get in touch if you want to know more about some of the ways we can help you get your website moving!

What does being a Junior Animator involve?

It’s a wide-ranging role, from sketches to storyboarding and animating in After Effects. My days depends on which stage the project I’m working on is at. This calls for some amount of flexibility, juggling a few different projects at once, but also keeps things interesting.

My favourite aspect of my role is the self-expression all these processes allow. Each part of the process has its own charm and a different type of creative freedom on the way to a finished animation.

How did you get into this field?

I studied 2D animation and stop-motion at the University of South Wales. But I developed a lot of software skills by myself while at university. During my third year, I was able to do a couple of internships and eventually that led me to my first job as a junior animator in Cardiff.

I then applied for this role with Little Motel and joined the team. I actually started the job while I was still living in Cardiff as we were all working from home due to the pandemic. Starting a new job remotely had some unique challenges. Things like transporting the necessary equipment and training were not as straightforward as expected. With the support of my team, however, we managed to address those challenges quickly and enjoy the benefits of working from home more effectively. I’ve since made the move over to Leeds and started working from the office a few days a week. It’s been great finally grabbing a drink and getting to know my not-so-new teammates!

If I had to give a piece of advice for someone starting out, it’d be to not feel discouraged and accept the opportunities you get to join the industry. I experienced first-hand just how hard it is to find your first job but can confirm it gets easier and finding my next role here was a far smoother ride.

What do you like most about working in the creative industry?

Coming up with new and original ideas whilst also following a client’s brief is no easy task! But overcoming these challenges helps you grow both personally and artistically. I love finding new ways of approaching a project no matter whether commercial or personal. And with each new brief, I’m getting better at communicating my ideas more easily.

What has been a highlight while working at Little Motel?

I think one of the highlights has been the Christmas project I worked on for the end of 2021. It’s a stunner and taught me a lot about the software and plugins we use daily. Working with the rest of the team is also a great pleasure and taught me a lot. I don’t think I would be able to grow as fast were I by myself.

What do you do in your spare time?

I have quite a few hobbies but I try to juggle them to keep things interesting. I love playing video games and watching Japanese anime series. They’re so inspiring! I also enjoy working on personal illustrations to post on my Instagram- some of them fan art, some are original stuff. Last but not least I like grabbing coffee somewhere and just reading or drawing surrounded by others. Now we’re back in the office, I love doodling in Kapow over my lunch break. 

Sum up working here in 3 words

Inspiring, Flexible, Enjoyable

What does your role as Head of Production involve?

Part plate-spinner, part problem-solver, day-to-day I make sure projects run smoothly and successfully. I’m the main point of contact for clients, guiding them through the whole production process so they get a project that fits their purpose, and we make some great work that everyone is proud of. Each morning with a coffee in-hand I go through my emails and organise the studio schedule for the day. What I’m working on can change quite quickly. I bounce from responding to client requests and enquiries to helping solve any questions in the team about specific briefs and workload. That means the day I think I will have is rarely the one I end up getting.

How did you get into this field?

As the bossy oldest sister, it turns out I’ve been developing my producing skills since I can remember. So when I discovered I could organise things for a living, it felt like a perfect fit. 

While studying English Language & Linguistics at the University of Sheffield, I got involved in the Filmmaking Society. After an inspirational week at Sheffield Doc/Fest, I took a leap of faith and applied to loads of places to get experience. After a few placements and plenty of setbacks, I started working at a small film studio before moving to a much bigger full-service agency. While working there, I met Matt & Leigh. A few months later they left to set up Little Motel. I continued cutting my teeth as a producer working for clients such as BMW, TSB and BT. It was great watching Matt & Leigh grow the studio from afar so when they asked if I was interested in coming aboard it was a no-brainer.

My advice to anyone who wants to be a producer would be to make connections – talk to people, ask questions and be interested in the answers. You never know who might be able to help you along the way. Then once you’re in your first job, be proactive and helpful, and make the rest of the team’s day easier wherever you can.

What do you like most about working in the creative industry?

I love the fast pace and creative problem-solving to find a solution to a client’s brief or an obstacle we’re facing as a team. It’s really satisfying to help coax the team’s creative ideas out of their heads and into reality. 

What has been a highlight while working at Little Motel?

Please don’t make me pick favourites! I love projects where I learn something new. For Bradford Teaching, I directed the shoot, interviewing teachers in a hot green-screen studio. Very different to a usual day in the office! 

Equally, I love working for people who are making a difference in the world and I get to spend a couple of months getting to grips with their work. Our animation for the University of Leeds about Community Municipal Bonds was the first time I learnt about how your money in your pensions or savings, has a huge impact on your carbon footprint. 

What do you do in your spare time?

I’m a keen crafter. Recently, I knitted a cosy jumper that I’m very proud of. Wearing it makes the dreary Leeds winter more bearable. I also love curling up with a good film or book, Dreamland by Rosa Rankin-Gee is a recent favourite of mine, for fans of dystopian fiction. Out-and-about, if I’m not adventuring in the Dales, then you’ll likely find me at Brudenell Social Club watching live music and eating crisps or at my local brewery, Amity. 

Sum up working here in 3 words

Fun, friendly, fulfilling! 

This underlines our commitment to paying our partners and suppliers promptly and within the agreed payment terms. This is not only an ethical responsibility but economically beneficial for all parties and the wider economy. Speed and certainty of payment and stable cash flow are essential for all businesses to flourish and grow.

Since we started Little Motel back in 2015, we’ve always strived to do business the right way. Whether that’s creating a place where people are happy working, or having a positive impact on our partners, communities and the environment around us, it’s something that extremely important to us.

As we grow as a business, it’s extremely exciting to formalise these plans, taking them from long-held beliefs to clear policies that show what we stand for.

What Does your role as Creative Director entail?

My role at Little Motel is pretty varied. I may be meeting with new clients one minute, and animating an exciting project the next. I could be involved in a breakout session with the team discussing a new brief or making a round of drinks for everyone. We are a small team and everyone gets stuck in, at all levels, me included.

How did you get into this field?

I took a pretty typical route into the field. I did an art and design foundation and then got a Bachelor of Science in multimedia tech. Not long after graduating I moved to London, working my way up the ranks from Junior Editor to Director/Editor. After a few years, I went freelance. Then ten years later, I got a job as Head of Post Production back in Leeds. The next step in my career was co-founding Little Motel. We recently turned seven years old and our current team of six is looking forward to what the future holds, building the creativity of the studio and working with many exciting new clients. This is a tough industry to break into, so always show off your best work. Less is more. Be thorough with what you’re sending and make it easy for people to get in contact with you.

What do you like most about working in the creative industry?

Being around other creative people is really inspiring, especially watching the team create something from early stages through to fruition. It’s awesome here at Little Motel, watching one of the team go from sketching an initial storyboard to animating something really cool that they’re really proud of, and the client is blown away by.

What has been a highlight while working at Little Motel?

Earlier this year we had the full team in the studio for the first time. Over the last year the team has doubled from three to six, which is really exciting. But knowing where it started makes it even better. Me and Matt working all hours at our kitchen tables respectively. Our new homely studio is just by the river in central Leeds and the rapidly progressing Aire Park. It’s a great spot for the team to come in and enjoy being together to get a real feel for the professional, hard-working team efforts that go into everything here at Little Motel.

What do you do in your spare time?

Hang out with my family. Me and my partner are both one of six, so inevitably there’s rarely a weekend without some extended family involved. I’m a big film fan and whenever possible we love to go to the cinema. We have two awesome independent cinemas within walking distance of our house. Having young children means I rarely miss an animated release and The Mitchells vs. the Machines film was my favourite film of 2021. It has everything: great story, incredible cast and an amazing soundtrack – Los Campesinos, yes please!. It looks fantastic and has enough laughs for the whole family, young and old alike!

Sum up working here in 3 words

Enjoyable, interesting, inspiring.

What Does your role as Creative Director entail?

My role at Little Motel is pretty varied. I may be meeting with new clients one minute, and animating an exciting project the next. I could be involved in a breakout session with the team discussing a new brief or making a round of drinks for everyone. We are a small team and everyone gets stuck in, at all levels, me included.

How did you get into this field?

I took a pretty typical route into the field. I did an art and design foundation and then got a Bachelor of Science in multimedia tech. Not long after graduating I moved to London, working my way up the ranks from Junior Editor to Director/Editor. After a few years, I went freelance. Then ten years later, I got a job as Head of Post Production back in Leeds. The next step in my career was co-founding Little Motel. We recently turned seven years old and our current team of six is looking forward to what the future holds, building the creativity of the studio and working with many exciting new clients. This is a tough industry to break into, so always show off your best work. Less is more. Be thorough with what you’re sending and make it easy for people to get in contact with you.

What do you like most about working in the creative industry?

Being around other creative people is really inspiring, especially watching the team create something from early stages through to fruition. It’s awesome here at Little Motel, watching one of the team go from sketching an initial storyboard to animating something really cool that they’re really proud of, and the client is blown away by.

What has been a highlight while working at Little Motel?

Earlier this year we had the full team in the studio for the first time. Over the last year the team has doubled from three to six, which is really exciting. But knowing where it started makes it even better. Me and Matt working all hours at our kitchen tables respectively. Our new homely studio is just by the river in central Leeds and the rapidly progressing Aire Park. It’s a great spot for the team to come in and enjoy being together to get a real feel for the professional, hard-working team efforts that go into everything here at Little Motel.

What do you do in your spare time?

Hang out with my family. Me and my partner are both one of six, so inevitably there’s rarely a weekend without some extended family involved. I’m a big film fan and whenever possible we love to go to the cinema. We have two awesome independent cinemas within walking distance of our house. Having young children means I rarely miss an animated release and The Mitchells vs. the Machines film was my favourite film of 2021. It has everything: great story, incredible cast and an amazing soundtrack – Los Campesinos, yes please!. It looks fantastic and has enough laughs for the whole family, young and old alike!

Sum up working here in 3 words

Enjoyable, interesting, inspiring.

What Does your role as Creative Director entail?

My role at Little Motel is pretty varied. I may be meeting with new clients one minute, and animating an exciting project the next. I could be involved in a breakout session with the team discussing a new brief or making a round of drinks for everyone. We are a small team and everyone gets stuck in, at all levels, me included.

How did you get into this field?

I took a pretty typical route into the field. I did an art and design foundation and then got a Bachelor of Science in multimedia tech. Not long after graduating I moved to London, working my way up the ranks from Junior Editor to Director/Editor. After a few years, I went freelance. Then ten years later, I got a job as Head of Post Production back in Leeds. The next step in my career was co-founding Little Motel. We recently turned seven years old and our current team of six is looking forward to what the future holds, building the creativity of the studio and working with many exciting new clients. This is a tough industry to break into, so always show off your best work. Less is more. Be thorough with what you’re sending and make it easy for people to get in contact with you.

What do you like most about working in the creative industry?

Being around other creative people is really inspiring, especially watching the team create something from early stages through to fruition. It’s awesome here at Little Motel, watching one of the team go from sketching an initial storyboard to animating something really cool that they’re really proud of, and the client is blown away by.

What has been a highlight while working at Little Motel?

Earlier this year we had the full team in the studio for the first time. Over the last year the team has doubled from three to six, which is really exciting. But knowing where it started makes it even better. Me and Matt working all hours at our kitchen tables respectively. Our new homely studio is just by the river in central Leeds and the rapidly progressing Aire Park. It’s a great spot for the team to come in and enjoy being together to get a real feel for the professional, hard-working team efforts that go into everything here at Little Motel.

What do you do in your spare time?

Hang out with my family. Me and my partner are both one of six, so inevitably there’s rarely a weekend without some extended family involved. I’m a big film fan and whenever possible we love to go to the cinema. We have two awesome independent cinemas within walking distance of our house. Having young children means I rarely miss an animated release and The Mitchells vs. the Machines film was my favourite film of 2021. It has everything: great story, incredible cast and an amazing soundtrack – Los Campesinos, yes please!. It looks fantastic and has enough laughs for the whole family, young and old alike!

Sum up working here in 3 words

Enjoyable, interesting, inspiring.