Reflections on InMotion Playgrounds
Technology, Inclusion and Animation Practice
Wet Mess - Drag & Movement Direction
Photo Credit: Willeke Machiels
InMotion is a vibrant London based event organised by Playgrounds, a creative platform that celebrates the creative image - animation, visual design, motion graphics, digital arts.
Across two days of talks, workshops, and demonstrations, the conference had me thinking about how technology, inclusion and creative practice can work together.
Raman Djafari - Illustrator, Animator, Filmmaker
|| Identity and Tenderness in Animation
One of the most inspiring talks for me was by the filmmaker Raman Djafari, whose work I would describe as a poetic collision between the physical and the digital. They spoke about the importance of world building as a way of reframing reality, using surreal imagery to explore themes such as identity and tenderness.
They described animation as a “language of empathy,” which stuck a chord with me. A way of connecting inner experiences with outer form. Technology doesn’t have to flatten our artistic voice but help it resonate more deeply.
Nexus Panel: Immersive Storytelling and World Building
|| Immersive Storytelling and Shared Worlds
The session from Nexus Studios on emerging tech, immersive storytelling and world building was eye-opening.
The Nexus team presented projects that explore the creative and narrative possibilities of spatial storytelling, and how the narrative and technical skills behind animation and motion design can translate into these new immersive formats.
What intrigued me about their approach was the idea that immersion isn’t only about technology or spectacle, but about invitation: inviting audiences into worlds that are responsive, inclusive and emotionally alive.
The team spoke about how collaboration across disciplines (artists, coders, performers, designers) is at the heart of this kind of storytelling. Although the tech is impressive I was more excited about the potential for creating spaces where people can explore meaning together.
David Wilson's Closet:Rehung closing show
Photo Credit: Willeke Machiels
|| Technology, Inclusion and the Practice of Play
Discussions around inclusion resonated deeply too. From Cartoon Saloon's championing of female Directors, to David Wilson's closing act celebrating queer identity, diversity and representation.
Many presenters framed accessibility as a principle rather than something to tick off the check list. Something that shapes the aesthetics and structure of the work itself. It was clear that inclusive design often leads to more inventive forms of storytelling, because it asks us to listen differently and imagine audiences who might experience the work in unexpected ways.
Patrick McHale and Pendleton Ward - Why make anything?
|| Take Aways
Coming away from InMotion Playgrounds, I felt both grounded and expanded. It was an excellent reminder that good animation practice is still at its core about empathy and communication. Creative technology advancements are widening what’s possible if we approach them with curiosity and care.
The talks by Raman Djafari and Nexus offered two complementary visions: one deeply personal and introspective, the other collective and experiential. Both got me thinking that animation’s strength lies in its ability to build new, better worlds and how to see our reality anew from other perspectives.