Top 10 Motion Design Videos to Kick Off 2026
The 10 motion design pieces we can't stop rewatching this January — 3D product films, brand launches, showreels and 2D explainers picked from the Motionimo library.
Every January the motion design timeline resets. Studios drop their year-opening reels, brands ship their Q1 launch films, and freelancers finally share the personal project they''ve been sitting on since October. Here are the ten pieces from the start of 2026 we keep coming back to — the ones worth pausing frame by frame.
All ten live in the Motionimo gallery. Click any thumbnail to watch the full piece with sound.
1. Wix Studio — Launch Film · Yambo
Yambo opens 2026 with a full-CG brand launch for Wix Studio that treats every shape like a physical object. Chunky bevels, believable weight, punchy sound design. If you build 3D product films, this is your reference for material work and camera pacing.
Watch Wix Studio — Launch Film →
2. TED-Ed — How does artificial intelligence learn? · Please Call Me Champ Studio
An eight-minute 2D explainer that turns a genuinely dense topic into something a 12-year-old could follow. The character rigs are minimal but expressive, and the color script alone is worth a rewatch. A masterclass in editorial motion.
Watch TED-Ed — How does artificial intelligence learn? →
3. Fender — Acoustasonic Jazzmaster · ManvsMachine
ManvsMachine doing what ManvsMachine does best: obsessive product hero shots, poetic camera moves, and lighting so clean it makes you want to redo your reel. The wood grain and string vibration passes are absurd.
Watch Fender — Acoustasonic Jazzmaster →
4. Welcome to Boyd Studio · Boyd
The studio''s own intro film is the best kind of showreel — a piece of work in its own right, not a montage. Bold typography, character-driven vignettes, and a sound edit that punches every cut.
Watch Welcome to Boyd Studio →
5. GRDF — BioGNV · Julien Brocq
A 2D explainer for the French energy company GRDF that proves you don''t need 3D or generative AI to make information beautiful. Warm palette, clear infographic language, tight pacing. Great reference for anyone pitching to industrial or utility clients.
6. Chromatik · Pacôme Pertant
A personal project that plays with pure color as a narrative device. No characters, no product — just shape, transition and timing. Study the easing curves. Save it for your next abstract brief.
7. Vox — Epigenetics · Lucas Mariano
Vox''s explainer format at its sharpest. Mixed technique — 2D, 3D, and cel — blended so smoothly you stop noticing the transitions. If you work on documentary or editorial motion, put this on loop.
8. Lexroom — Motion Design · ILLO
A brand film for Lexroom (legal AI) that manages to make contracts and clauses look… beautiful. Illustrated 2D with confident character work and a rhythm that never lets the viewer drift.
Watch Lexroom — Motion Design →
9. Wanderer · Derek Lau
Cel animation is having a moment again and Derek Lau''s Wanderer is one of the reasons why. Hand-drawn textures, dreamy compositing, and an atmosphere that''s more short film than motion piece.
10. Flatwhite Motion Showreel 2025 · Flatwhite Motion
Technically last year''s reel but it dropped late enough to define the start of 2026 conversation. A studio-wide showcase that rotates between 2D, 3D and mixed media without ever feeling like a mixtape.
Watch Flatwhite Motion Showreel 2025 →
What these ten have in common
None of them lean on a single trick. Whether it''s Yambo''s 3D craft or Lau''s hand-drawn frames, every piece here is built on the same three fundamentals: intentional timing, a clear point of view, and sound design treated as a first-class citizen. If your 2026 reel gets those right, medium and technique take care of themselves.
Where to go next
Explore the full curated library — 500+ motion design examples filterable by style, color and industry — or dig into the studios behind the work. New pieces added every week.