Linear Explainer Video

About

In the fast-evolving SaaS landscape, a product’s user interface isn’t just a tool—it’s an asset. For this concept project for Linear, the goal was to craft a high-end 3D explainer video that bridges complex product workflows with premium, high-fidelity visuals. By merging ultra-crisp vector UI assets with dynamic 3D elements, this film redefines how modern software is presented. This is a spec project.

Mohamed Basil - 3D Motion / 2D Motion & Art Direction

Project Details

Software Used: After Effects, Cinema 4D / Blender, Figma, Adobe Illustrator

Core Focus: Infusing sharp vector layouts into a fluid 3D workspace, combining spatial depth with high-fidelity product tracking.

Complete Process Walkthrough

Pre-Production

Script
The script was created with the goal of making the explainer video and how to tell a story that can show the different UI scenes that are relevant and also the most important features of the product.

Inspiration

I was inspired by a multitude of references that also fits the brand as well, one was the obvious use of layout and typography and other graphic elements to emphasis some of the key features of the product.

The goal was to find a balance between expressive visuals and functional communication

Initial Sketches

Rough sketches were used to explore key moments and define the visual system.

Special focus was placed on how 2D overlays, typography, and graphic elements interact with 3D scenes—ensuring consistency, hierarchy, and smooth transitions across the film.

The Creative Process & Workflow

1. Re-Engineering UI Elements for Maximum Resolution

To achieve a high-end visual output, the process began by stripping down Linear's native interface and rebuilding critical workflows as clean vector files.

The Vector Pipeline: Instead of relying on standard UI screenshots or rasterized layers, every dashboard pane, menu item, and typographic element was rebuilt in Figma and exported into Adobe Illustrator.

After Effects Integration: Using native shape conversion workflows, these assets were imported into After Effects as continuously rasterized vector layers. This allows the camera to dive into a single button or timeline node with zero pixelation, preserving crisp lines and pixel-perfect clarity at any scale.