animation
What is animation?
When we talk about animation, you may think of Disney cartoons and Pixar films. Yes, you’re right. Animation is using hand-drawn or computer-generated imagery to tell a story or illustrate a concept.
We’ve mentioned that videos have two parts: what you’re saying and how you’re saying it. Both live-action and animation are video formats, addressing “how you’re saying it.” There are many factors deciding which one you should choose, such as time and budget, but the deciding factor is your content — “what you’re saying.”
When to use animation vs. live-action
First, think about what you’re trying to promote in this video. Do you want to launch a new digital platform? Are you trying to promote a charity event to your internal employees? Or would you like to promote your organization by doing a general branding video. Even though both animation and live-action are applicable to most cases, there are specific instances they’re naturally suitable for.
“What” decides “How” — If your content is emotional and you’d like your audience to feel connected and empathetic, your top pick is live-action video. Live-action naturally comes with a sense of authenticity. It has a humanizing effect, which can be valuable for your business.
When you try to promote a digital product or explain an abstract concept, you should choose an animation video. Animation excels in simplifying abstract ideas, products and services.
Time to spend — Animation is usually a long process since everything is created from scratch. Every element must be planned, designed, animated and reviewed to make sure it works in the video. For example, say you need to choose between filming yourself reviewing a product at your desk for 20 minutes or having a 5-minute animated product demo video that breaks down the product and shows it being used in different ways. The live action may only take three weeks to make, but the animation may take two months or more.
Now that you understand when to choose animation versus live action, let’s move on to the different types of animation videos. Note, we'll only discuss marketing videos, not animated feature films and shorts.
type 1 — narrative animation
Like a narrative video, narrative animation has one or more characters and follows a clear storyline: A protagonist encounters an obstacle and, with the help of a product or service, reaches a resolution. Narrative animation not only simplifies complex products, but also bring in the human factor to it, which is easier for the audience to connect to and feel empathy toward.
Narrative animation usually uses full scene, which means the design looks full-fledged, and the scene mimics real life. This type of animation takes the longest to create.
Monetha.io product sizzle
This video takes 30 seconds to set up the scene and the protagonist. It first points out the obstacle, modern-day shoppers facing fraud, and then quickly introduces the hero, a product called Monetha.io. It talks about how this product works and the benefits of using it for both buyers and sellers.
The video ends with a clear call to action asking the viewers to download the app.
type 2 — motion graphics
Simply put, motion graphics is animated graphic design. It’s typically associated with setting abstract objects, text and other graphic design elements in motion. Motion graphic videos focus on giving movement to graphic design elements but tend to have less of a concrete storytelling aspect.
Think of it like this: If your video sets graphics in motion to illustrate a point or as decorative elements for text, it would be called motion graphics. If your video features a character that goes on an emotional journey, it’s more likely to be called narrative animation.
Motion graphic videos are often used to break down complex services or products and present them in a memorable way. Remember, motion graphics at its core uses visual aids, so it excels at teaching hard-to-understand ideas.
My Health Direct
This video starts with pointing out the obstacle — the healthcare experience is far behind other industries when it comes to technology and convenience. Then, it moves to the product itself — My Health Direct — and talks about the benefits of using it.
type 3 — animation with icons
This type of video mainly uses line icon or infographic animation to communicate. It’s used to simplify ideas and convey abstract concepts. Since there’s no full scene design, the visuals are concise and clear. It takes less time to create when compared to narrative animation or motion graphic videos.
Multipoint Verification
This video discusses Multipoint Verification — an Experian product used to combat fraud. It uses simple line icon animation to illustrate the service and visually animates how this service prevents fraudulent applications.
type 4 — kinetic typography
Kinetic typography refers to text animation — text that moves slowly, expands, shrinks or morphs into something else. Kinetic typography is usually combined with other kinds of animations to tell a story or promote a concept. It's rarely used alone and often supplements other types of animation. Kinetic typography strives to find creative ways to use typography and to communicate.
Apple release in 107 seconds
This video creatively uses kinetic typography to announce new products ahead of an upcoming Apple event. Using text is very direct to get your information across. In this example, the text doesn’t just relay the message, it takes on its own personality and creates a rhythm.
Production time for the different animation types
There are many factors that influence how long it takes to create a video such as the length, type and the visual complexity. When trying to decide which type of animation video to create, you should not only consider what type of video to create, but also how much time you have to complete the video.
The infographic below shows approximately how long each type of animation usually takes. These timelines are only rough estimates as the actual time from start to finish is unique to each project. Please consult with us to determine the timeline for your project.
