Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sagnik Sengupta. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sagnik, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One project that is particularly close to my heart is one I handled during the pandemic in 2020. At the time, I was working as a Supervising Producer at Viacom18 India, and MTV India was riding high on the success of its first rap reality show, Hustle, which had launched the previous year. To build on this momentum and further spotlight hip-hop culture, MTV India collaborated with BBX India to create a month-long series featuring beatbox artists from across the country, hosted by Raka Vee, the founder of BBX India.

Originally, the plan was to produce a full-scale music video featuring all the artists beatboxing to a single track. However, as India went into lockdown, this idea became impossible to execute.

While brainstorming alternatives, I proposed an approach that would allow us to work remotely yet creatively: instead of one music video, we would create weekly promo videos where each featured artist would beatbox to a single track, enhanced with dynamic visuals.
Raka Vee took the lead on composing custom tracks for each episode, ensuring seamless audio integration with the featured artists. Meanwhile, I figured a strategy for gathering content where each artist recorded their beatboxing performances on their phones, following specific guidelines to maintain consistency.
Since lighting and video quality varied, I faced a significant challenge in ensuring a cohesive visual aesthetic.
Artists were instructed to record against solid backgrounds to allow easy matte extraction—but not all submissions met these requirements, leading to extensive rotoscope work to isolate them.

With all footage in hand, I edited the sequences and animated custom visuals to complement the beatboxing performances. Using Adobe After effects, I did some hand-animated doodles and type animations, using neon shades of yellow, green, and pink, inspired by urban street art and hip-hop aesthetics. Pattern overlays and keyframe animations to enhance energy and engagement. Music-driven cuts and transitions to sync perfectly with each performance.
In total, we produced four promo videos, one for each week. The launch promo, which also served as the first week’s teaser, gained widespread attention on social media and was highly appreciated by both audiences and the hip-hop community. As a result, MTV India saw increased traction and engagement from the hip-hop scene, making the project a resounding success.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hello I am Sagnik Sengupta, focusing on 3d art / motion design/ art direction. I’m from Kolkata, India. Music and art were deeply valued in my family. Growing up in that environment shaped my perspective, encouraging curiosity and risk-taking. Creating art was always a part of me growing up, so pursuing a creative career happened naturally.
My first major milestone was my parents’ support 12-13 years ago when I decided to follow this path. After completing my Diploma in Animation, I started as a freelance graphic designer, gaining confidence as clients trusted my work. After a year in a corporate firm, I realized something was missing. I was always interested in the field of animation. and I wanted to involve that form of art in my creations. I always had admiration for traditional animation but I knew that is not my cup of tea. Then, I discovered the world of motion design, a medium where the principles of design and animation converge, through a one of Psyop’s ident design for MTV. I was mesmerized.
At that time, I knew little about the field but I was aware of people making a living from it from searching the internet and reading interviews of artist from India and abroad. I took a year to sharpen my skills, applied for jobs, and built my portfolio. Though job applications didn’t work out, one of my motion design pieces got featured in Behance’s curated section, which fueled my determination. I moved to Mumbai, personally delivering my showreel to studios I admired. Finally, as a surprise break, I landed a role at Famous Studio, Mumbai. Even though, I joined as an intern, the thrill of being in the heart of industry was exciting.
From there, my journey kickstarted. Through my years of growing in the industry I have been fortunate enough to work in a critical role for notable design firms and media houses on a wide range of projects from channel branding, print media, live shoot, LED visuals and show packaging.
Funny thing, looking back when I was starting out in the field of motion design, watching works of other people, I always thought people who work for movie titles are the coolest and fate would have it that I now work for a industry giant called Perception, based out of Secaucus, New Jersey where we do a lot of movie titles and FUIs, mostly for Marvel Studios. I’ve worked on main-on-end titles for Loki S2, The Marvels, Agatha All Along, Captain America : Brave New World and for the second season of Dare Devil : Born Again.

Having my work featured in creative magazines, winning Promax Gold, Silver, and a Telly Award, getting to work with MTV India on cool projects, and creatively leading two music videos for a major show, having my name among talented artists in the credits for Marvel movies and series, qualifying for the O-1B visa that takes into account a lot of your creative achievements for considerations—big or small, these milestones reaffirmed my belief that I could make it all the way.

I’ve always focused on innovation and continuous learning to bring fresh ideas to every project. I like to work on projects that challenges you not just creatively but technically as well. There is a lot to learn and through learning I believe all creative people grow.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I can only speak for myself, as different people find fulfillment in different ways.

For me, any form of recognition or acknowledgment for the work I create is rewarding. As creative individuals, we often become deeply immersed in our craft—especially when it aligns with our passion. We pour years of experience, learning, and refinement into producing something meaningful, hoping it resonates with those around us. And when it does, that connection not only validates our efforts but also has the power to inspire others, which, in itself, is incredibly fulfilling.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

At the core of my creative journey is a desire to tell compelling visual stories—stories that not only engage and inspire but also push the boundaries of motion design and storytelling. Whether it’s a title sequence, a branding package, or an immersive visual experience, I want to produce work that resonates emotionally and aesthetically.

My goal is to keep evolving, to keep experimenting, and to create work that moves people—visually, emotionally, and creatively.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sagniksengupta87.myportfolio.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagniksengupta87/