Application Guide

How to Apply for Motion Design Intern - The Heist (3-Month Contract, Potential for Full-Time)

at Thinkingbox

🏢 About Thinkingbox

The Heist is the motion design, live action, and post-production studio within Thinkingbox, a 'Brief-to-Built' agency that blends craft and curiosity across brand films, broadcast spots, social campaigns, and experiential content. Unlike traditional internships, this is a hands-on creative role where you'll contribute to real projects alongside directors, designers, animators, and technologists. The culture values open feedback, collaboration, and taking the work seriously—but not themselves.

About This Role

As a Motion Design Intern, you'll jump into live projects across 2D and 3D pipelines, supporting experienced designers and directors while building your reel. This is a 3-month contract with potential for full-time, designed for someone early in their career who is hungry to learn and ready to make things—not fetch coffee. You'll be part of a team that creates motion-driven storytelling for top brands, and your work will directly contribute to client deliverables.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a team stand-up where you review project priorities with your mentor and other designers. You could spend the morning animating a 2D social asset, then switch to assisting on a 3D product visualization for a broadcast spot. After lunch, you might join a feedback session where directors and peers critique work-in-progress, and you'll iterate based on their notes. You'll end the day rendering or prepping files for review, knowing your contributions are part of real client deliverables.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Thinkingbox Is Looking For

  • Early-career creative (0–2 years) with a strong portfolio demonstrating motion design fundamentals—animation principles, timing, and design systems—across 2D and/or 3D.
  • Proficient in industry-standard tools like After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Adobe Creative Suite; familiarity with 3D pipelines (modeling, texturing, lighting) is a plus.
  • Passionate about digital storytelling and motion craft, with a curiosity for how design and technology intersect in branded content.
  • Self-starter who thrives in a collaborative, feedback-driven environment and is eager to learn from senior creatives while contributing ideas.

📝 Tips for Applying to Thinkingbox

1

Lead with your portfolio: The Heist explicitly asks for a link to your online portfolio. Make it prominent on your resume and in your application—curate 3–5 projects that show range in 2D and 3D motion, and include process breakdowns to demonstrate your thinking.

2

Tailor your reel to The Heist's work: Study their website and recent projects (brand films, broadcast spots, social campaigns). If you have similar styles or genres, highlight them first. If not, show transferable skills like kinetic typography, character animation, or 3D product visualization.

3

Show personality and hunger: In your cover letter, mention specific The Heist projects that inspire you and explain why. The studio values culture and collaboration—demonstrate that you're someone they'd enjoy having in the room.

4

Demonstrate 3D pipeline readiness: Even if you're stronger in 2D, include any 3D work (Cinema 4D, Blender, etc.) and mention your willingness to learn. The role explicitly mentions 2D and 3D pipelines, so showing baseline 3D skills sets you apart.

5

Apply early and follow up: Due to application volume, they may not respond to everyone. Submit as soon as possible, and if you have a contact or can engage with their social media, do so thoughtfully. A brief, polite follow-up email after a week can keep you top of mind.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your specific interest in The Heist and Thinkingbox: Reference their 'Brief-to-Built' approach and how it aligns with your creative ambitions. Mention a recent project or campaign that resonated with you.", 'Your hands-on experience: Describe a project where you contributed to a motion design deliverable from concept to completion, and what you learned. Emphasize your ability to jump in and make things.', 'Your eagerness to learn across 2D and 3D: Highlight any formal training, personal projects, or self-taught skills in both areas, and express excitement about growing within their pipeline.', "Your collaborative spirit: Give an example of how you've worked in a team, taken feedback, and iterated on creative work. The Heist values open feedback and culture fit."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore The Heist's portfolio and Thinkingbox's website: Identify their signature styles, clients, and recent campaigns. Note any recurring themes (e.g., bold typography, 3D integration, live-action hybrid).
  • → Check out the team on LinkedIn: See who the directors, designers, and animators are. Understanding their backgrounds can give you conversation starters and insight into the studio's expertise.
  • → Review Thinkingbox's 'Brief-to-Built' philosophy: Understand how they position themselves as an agency and how The Heist fits within that ecosystem. This will help you speak to their holistic approach.
  • → Follow The Heist on social media (Instagram, Vimeo, LinkedIn): They may post behind-the-scenes content, new work, or culture highlights. Engaging with their content shows genuine interest.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk us through your portfolio: They'll likely ask you to discuss your creative process, tools used, and challenges faced on 1–2 projects. Be ready to explain your role and what you'd do differently.
2 How do you approach a motion design brief? They may present a hypothetical brief (e.g., a 15-second social spot for a brand) and ask how you'd concept, storyboard, and animate it.
3 Tell us about a time you received critical feedback. How did you handle it? They value open feedback and collaboration, so show you're receptive and can iterate.
4 What excites you about working in a studio like The Heist? Research their work and culture. They want to see genuine enthusiasm for their specific style and projects.
5 Where do you want to grow in the next year? They're looking for someone hungry to learn, so articulate specific skills (e.g., 3D animation, compositing) you want to develop and how this role fits.
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic portfolio: Don't send a link to a website with unrelated work (e.g., web design, illustration) without context. Curate motion-specific pieces and ensure the portfolio is easy to navigate.
  • Ignoring the 3D requirement: Even if you're a 2D specialist, not mentioning any 3D experience or willingness to learn could signal you're not a fit for their pipeline.
  • Writing a cover letter that could apply to any internship: Avoid clichés like 'I'm passionate about design.' Instead, tailor every sentence to The Heist's work, culture, and this specific role.
  • Forgetting to proofread your reel: Typos in title cards, poor audio mixing, or broken links reflect poorly on your attention to detail—a critical skill in motion design.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Thinkingbox!

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