Awards show motion graphics: Key takeaways from the Oscars, BAFTAs, Grammys & BRITs

Do you pay attention to the motion graphics used during awards ceremonies? While most people expect the awards season to see the winners and losers, the speeches, and the fashion statements, I like to see what the motion designers of the shows have been up to.

Good motion design can elevate an awards ceremony and shape the viewer’s experience, from sleek transitions to tension-building picture-in-picture sequences. As a motion designer who worked on the BAFTAs for many years, I want to highlight some key takeaways from the motion graphics used in the 2025 awards season.

Before diving into this year’s awards shows, what role do their respective motion graphics play? Primarily, they’re there to enhance the viewer experience and ensure the brand of each event is carried consistently throughout. Often, the stage designer and the graphics company will work closely together—even more so now that most stages are, in fact, giant screens.

Motion graphics are there to add drama and emphasis. They also have the more mechanical purpose of transitioning between segments. The graphics help maintain a smooth flow and keep the viewer engaged.

Lastly, the most essential graphic in any awards show is the framework around the legendary picture-in-picture. This is when we all watch one delighted face being embraced while several others feign their delight.

As we move out of the 2025 awards season, here’s a quick look at how events stacked up this year. Or should I say, here are this year’s nominations…

Looking back at The Oscars aesthetic through the years, you can at least say they’re consistent in their look. For a body that pioneers film, however, the Academy does seem afraid to break from the norm. Set designs are luxurious, opulence is all around, and the whole thing feels (quite rightly) huge and expensive. Motion graphics are perhaps not very high in the order of priorities.

This hasn’t always been the case, though. The direction will come from the production and stage design. Back in 2015, The Oscars went all in, bringing in some of the industry’s best with designer Henry Hobson and Elastic TV. Each nomination montage felt like its own TV titles, which is unsurprising considering that Elastic is a leader in this field. 

Quoting a great interview with Motionographer, Henry explains how the designs in 2015 were pushed as much by their growing presence on social media and not just by the physical need at the awards.

Sadly, for a titles fan like me, I haven’t seen anything approaching this caliber of artistry since, and I hope we see a return to this level of craft in future awards seasons.

Aaah, the BAFTAs are the UK’s warm-up to the Oscars, and an awards ceremony that has rarely managed to push the boundaries.

Maybe this is a similar case to the Oscars? Aesthetics always center around the famous BAFTA mask, a hugely recognizable asset, but like the Academy Awards, the BAFTAs feel a little hamstrung by it. 

The latest refresh was in 2023. Having worked on the BBC awards for over 10 years, I get a sense that a couple of years ago, there was either more creative freedom given or more budget—or both! Creative Nuts gave the awards a well-needed polish and a touch of neon. With Strictly Come Dancing in its portfolio, the agency introduced some nice sparkle to the look. The sparkly particles and depth of field really do give it a premium vibe.

You may wonder why you bother going to the expense of redesigning graphics every year? After all, they’re only on screen for a few seconds. However, some awards (mainly in the music world) pride themselves on this innovation. I think there’s almost a responsibility to push the envelope when you’re in a creative field, speaking to a creative audience.

For as long as I can remember, the BRIT Awards graphics have been produced by UK studio Hello Charlie. What this agency does so well is reinvent. As I said, this seems to be more relevant in the music industry, especially with an award that tries to feel edgy. Whether the BRITs manage this is another discussion, but the visual presentation certainly feels fresh and new every year.

This is in large part because it’s one of the few awards that (since Manchester agency Music’s redesign) changes the statue given out every year. Although it’s similar in shape, the organizers make a big deal out of it being reimagined by a noteworthy designer each time. The look of the graphics package also adapts. 

This year, Hello Charlie once again managed to capture something relevant without being too intrusive. The designers made really smart palette choices, blending rich colors together to mirror the design of the statuette. This was cleanly balanced with a modern suite of type animations that played with the shape and structure of the stage screens and the physical build of the stage itself.

A look back at some of the agency’s previous work, especially from 2023, definitely gives a nod to its work for the Grammys.

It’s little surprise, then, that over the past few years, Hello Charlie has also been drafted in to work on the American version of the Brits: the Grammys.

Like most awards, the symbol of the Grammys is something shiny and gold. Looking back at Hello Charlie’s previous designs, you can see that perhaps the client/network was leading the design here. The work is smart, but feels very “Awards”. 

Until 2025, that is when Hello Charlie ultimately rejected the shiny 3D look for something that almost looks like it was designed for the web. It’s bold, cool, and so refreshing. It also boasts a great choice of font, bespoke kinetic animation, and a fresh palette that shouts “West Coast America.”

What’s great about this design is how adaptable it is. I’m not putting the design down by saying it almost looks like a template you could drop over any artist while keeping the artist front and center. And that’s what makes it work so well. 

Ease of use is also a significant consideration for the design company. When you read about the timescales in which some of these projects are completed, from nominations through to delivery, it makes sense that you need to be able to design with a flexible outlook.

So what can you, the creative, take away from this year’s awards season? The Cannes film festival is coming too, so there will be more to unpack as the year goes by.

Most importantly, remember that awards graphics have to respond quickly to the event’s shortlist and overall artistic direction. As with a lot of design, preparation is key. Anything you can do in advance is all good groundwork.

When deadlines are particularly unforgiving, prepare templates and designs that you can adapt to many needs. For example, motion design tools like Cavalry can now deliver real-time graphics from a spreadsheet of names. Here at Envato, we have thousands of professional broadcast templates ready to download and use.

Try looking through a slightly different lens during the next awards show you’re watching. Imagine the ceremony without any graphics at all. How would the stage look? How would you know the shortlist? And think about how you can apply this design thinking to your work.