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cycle-atlas/.agents/skills/motion-design/director/core-philosophy.md
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2026-10-18 21:44:48 +00:00

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Core Philosophy

Three Pillars

Pillar 1: Emotional Intent

Define target emotion before choosing any property.

Emotion Character Timing Easing
Trust Smooth, predictable 300-400ms Gentle curves
Delight Bouncy, surprising 200-300ms Overshoot
Urgency Sharp, direct 100-200ms Snappy ease-out
Calm Slow, flowing 500-1000ms Sine curves
Surprise Sudden, explosive 150-300ms Exponential
Confidence Direct, decisive 200-400ms Strong ease-out

Pillar 2: Visual Narrative

Phase Duration Share Purpose
Setup 20-30% Establish context, prepare viewer
Action 30-40% Primary motion, hero moment
Resolution 30-40% Settle, breathe, confirm

Even a 200ms tooltip fade has implicit setup→action→resolution.

Pillar 3: Motion Craft

  • Easing curves match emotional intent
  • Duration proportional to element size and distance
  • Arcs for organic, straight for mechanical
  • Secondary motion (shadows, related elements)
  • Nothing starts and stops all at once

Three Motion Layers

Layer Role Amplitude
Primary Main action viewer follows 100%
Secondary Supporting richness 30-50%
Ambient Background life 10-20%
  • Secondary offset 50-100ms from primary, different easing
  • Ambient is continuous/slow, never demands attention
  • Primary-only animation feels flat; always add secondary + ambient

The 1/3 Screen Rule

No motion travels >1/3 screen without intermediate keyframe. Break with direction changes, speed shifts, or arc adjustments.

The Attention Budget

  • One hero motion per scene moment
  • Max 2-3 elements in active motion simultaneously
  • Ambient doesn't count against budget
  • Stagger rather than synchronize