Motion Design in Montreal: A Practical Guide to Getting Animations That Actually Work for Your Brand

Montreal has quietly become one of North America's most important motion design hubs. The city's visual effects heritage (Rodeo FX, Framestore, and dozens of VFX studios serving Hollywood productions), combined with its design schools and bilingual creative talent, makes it a natural home for businesses looking for high-quality animation and motion graphics.

But if you're a business owner or marketing director trying to commission motion design for the first time, the landscape can feel opaque. What should you budget? When does 2D make more sense than 3D? How has AI changed the equation? This guide answers the questions we hear most often from Quebec businesses.

What Motion Design Actually Is (and Isn't)

Motion design is the art of bringing graphic elements to life through movement. It's not traditional character animation (though it can include characters), and it's not video editing (though it lives inside video). Think of it as the visual layer that makes information engaging: animated logos, explainer sequences, data visualizations, title cards, social media graphics, and UI transitions.

The reason it matters for business is straightforward: motion captures attention in a way static design cannot. In a feed full of still images, animation stops the scroll. In a presentation, animated data is 43% more persuasive than static charts. In advertising, motion graphics consistently outperform static creative in click-through and engagement rates.

What Motion Design Costs in Montreal (Real Numbers)

Pricing in Montreal's motion design market varies widely, but here's what the current landscape looks like based on 2025–2026 industry data:

• Logo animation (5–15s): $500–$2,000 CAD — 1 week
• Social media animation pack: $1,500–$4,000 CAD — 1–2 weeks
• 30s explainer / infographic: $2,500–$6,000 CAD — 2–3 weeks
• 60s 2D animated explainer: $4,000–$8,000 CAD — 3–4 weeks
• 60s 3D product animation: $8,000–$16,000 CAD — 4–6 weeks
• Full brand motion system: $10,000–$25,000+ CAD — 4–8 weeks

These ranges reflect Montreal agency pricing. Freelancers on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr can deliver at lower price points, but the trade-off is typically in creative direction, brand consistency, and revision management. International outsourcing (India, Philippines) offers further savings but introduces communication complexity and cultural disconnect that can be costly for Quebec-market content.

2D vs. 3D: Making the Right Choice

The choice between 2D and 3D animation isn't about quality — it's about communication goals.

2D motion graphics work best for: explainer content, data visualization, social media animation, brand storytelling, and any situation where clarity and speed of comprehension matter. They're faster to produce, easier to iterate on, and more versatile across platforms.

3D animation excels when you need: product visualization (especially for physical products), architectural or spatial storytelling, photorealistic rendering, or a premium visual impact that signals sophistication. 3D commands higher budgets because the production pipeline is more complex — modelling, texturing, lighting, and rendering each add time and specialized skill.

For most Quebec businesses commissioning their first motion design project, 2D is the right starting point. It delivers maximum communication value per dollar and creates a foundation you can build on.

How AI Is Changing Motion Design (Without Replacing Designers)

The motion design industry is experiencing a genuine disruption. Tools like Hera Video (a Y Combinator–backed platform) can generate basic motion graphics from text prompts in seconds. Jitter has put animation tools directly in the browser for 300,000+ designers. These platforms are real, they're getting better fast, and they're bringing the cost of simple animations toward zero.

So why hire a motion design studio at all?

Because tools produce assets. Studios produce strategy. The difference between a generic animated bar chart and a motion graphic that makes your CFO say "yes" in a board meeting isn't the animation — it's the visual hierarchy, the pacing, the narrative arc, and the brand integration. AI tools don't know your audience. They don't understand that your Quebec investors respond differently to visual cues than your Ontario clients. They can't attend the brief meeting and ask the question that reframes the entire project.

At Reborn Studio, we use AI tools as accelerators within our motion design workflow. They help us explore more concepts faster, automate repetitive production tasks, and deliver tighter timelines. But the creative thinking, the strategic framing, and the cultural fluency remain human.

Five Questions to Ask Before Commissioning Motion Design

1. What is this animation's job? Every motion graphic should have a single, measurable objective: explain a concept, drive a click, introduce a product, or establish a brand mood. If you can't articulate the job, the animation will underperform.
2. Where will it live? An Instagram Reel has different requirements than a trade show loop or a website hero banner. Format, length, and aspect ratio should be decided before production begins, not after.
3. Do you have brand guidelines? If yes, share them early. If no, consider investing in a brand motion system before commissioning individual pieces. Consistent motion language builds brand recognition over time.
4. What's your revision process? The most common source of budget overruns in motion design is undefined revision cycles. Establish clear feedback rounds (typically two to three) before the project starts.
5. Can this studio work in French and English? For any Quebec-market content, bilingual capability isn't a nice-to-have. Typography, reading direction, and text length all change between languages, affecting animation timing and layout.

Next Steps

Montreal's motion design market offers exceptional talent across a range of budgets and specializations. The key is matching your communication goals to the right approach — whether that's a self-serve AI tool for quick social content, a freelancer for a one-off project, or a studio partner for strategic, brand-integrated motion work.

At Reborn Studio, we specialize in the intersection of motion design and AI-enhanced production for Quebec and Montreal businesses. If you're ready to bring your brand to life through motion, we'd love to hear about your project.