We witness progressive use of the technique of video animation in every sector for promoting products, ideas, concepts, and presentations. The reason being because of its originality and uniqueness. Information conveyed through video is more effective and faster than text can.
Video animation is counted among the effective mediums to reach the audience with the right message. Human brains can process a video sixty thousand times quicker than written texts. Its effectiveness is 90% more than what texts and audio can do.
Graphical representation lasts longer in human brains than mugging up texts. That’s the reason why children’s books contain more graphical illustrations than words. A child can perceive an image or a colourful demonstration with images in it, faster than anything else.
The last decade has seen the transformation from textual medium to video illustrations in the education sector as well. Ed-Techs like Byjus, Vedanta, Unacademy, and others have now adopted and increasingly use video animation methods to reach their students.
What is Video Animation?
Video animation refers to a technique that employs original drawings, illustrations, and designs that undergo a methodical procedure of layout addition, photographic sequences, and designing to produce an illusory action.
Video animation may also include a live-action story to present the story to the world. We carry out an orderly arrangements of the still pictures that come out in the form of video as the final product. It is a great method to tell stories with the eyes glued to them.
It is proven that the attention span of internet users is short and is most effective on visual demonstration. Animation is capable of capturing the short-span attention of the viewers and conveying the message efficiently.
Developers can incorporate emotions into the animation that relates to the audience and leaves a deep impact on them. The Doodle used by Google is the best example of video animation.
The doodles used with the Google logo grab the attention of the viewer so much so that they end up clicking on them to know the story behind such doodles. This is the impact that animation has on human brains.
The definition of video animation does not limit to a single domain. It is vast and the results can be seen in the form of:
· Motion graphics
A versatile technique that sells stories to the audience. These are short videos. This is the product of both graphic design and animation. This type of video makes use of texts that contributes majorly to the video.
This type of video refers to videos with texts displayed in them. Music videos that flash lyrics on its video are good examples of motion graphics.
· Cartoons
It refers to traditional animation where we use different colours on translucent paper to draw a series of images. The drawings are carried on in a series. Once it is over, arrangement of the drawn images in sequential order produce a video to the audience.
Traditional animation dominated the graphical world for a long time until it was taken over by computers. The old days of Disney are a perfect example of traditional animation.
· Whiteboard animations
This feature breathes life into both texts and drawing in this digital world. This is an explainer video. It incorporates the objects and elements on a whiteboard.
Few examples of whiteboard animation are Glass board, notepad, blackboard, and stitch board.
· 2D animation
This animation considers two dimensions like height and width to draw images and objects. These two aspects are sufficient to narrate the story.
The transformation of traditional animation to 2D animation results in cartoon videos and designing video games.
· CGI
CGI stands for Computer Generated Imagery. This is the most trending in the graphics world. The visual effects that we see in movies and games are CGI. It is a subcategory of VFX.
The videos created by CGI may reflect the traditional, 2D, or 3D animation which may be moving or standstill. Best example is the implementation of CGI in live actions that we see in superhero movies.
CGI defines a broader perspective of the animation world.
· 3D animation
It is a part of CGI. All 3D animation is CGI but not all CGI comes under 3D animation. It captures all three dimensions of an object and projects it on screen.
3D animation allows drawing images digitally on computer monitor, rather than the traditional method where it requires hand drawings. 3D animation is created using software and drawing tools like CINEMA 4D, Autodesk Maya, and LightWave in the system.
We see implementation of 3D animation in movies like Toy Story, Frozen, and How to train your Dragon.
· Stop Motion Animation
This animation is the illustration of frames in a sequential order to make the audience believe that the objects are moving. It is a manipulation of the real world.
Under stop motion animation, there are six types - Puppets, Claymation, Cut-out, Pixelation, Lego, and Silhouette.
· Kinetic Typography
It is the technique of animating texts. Visual representation is effective and what better way is to put texts graphically.
Whiteboard animation falls under this category. However, there is a difference between the two and that is the use of both texts and objects in the animated video under whiteboard animation.
This animation is employed to do heavy explanations related to a subject or explain concepts.
· Stick-figure animation
The simplest form of animation where lines, curves, dots, and other geometrical shapes are put to use to narrate a story. This animation draws objects like humans, animals, and other materials.
It has limitations, unlike the other types which allow them a 3-dimensional view and movement of an object.
Pivot Animator is a tool to draw such images and make animations of them.
The duration of a video animation may be short of a few seconds or last for more than a minute depending upon its purpose. Some animated videos are created for educational purposes to create awareness among the masses and some videos are released to promote the products and services.
The platforms on social media are numerous. The purpose of the video animation and the audience it is targeting determines the platform.
The following criteria explains the purpose and duration of a video animation.
1. Standard Form where the video duration is 30 seconds. This kind of video is ideal for ads that may or may not be looping.
2. The short form is short like 15 seconds and released as looping ads.
3. The long form plays for 60 seconds and is mostly explainer videos.
4. The Extra-long form is the longest form of video animation that plays for 90 seconds. This kind of video is a promotional ad that tells the story of an item of a brand or the brand itself. This form also makes explanatory videos.
Education industry makes good use of animation to keep the learning process effective and efficient. To name a few, these are:
· Short Films
· Product demos
· Instructional videos
· Explainer videos
· Branded videos
What are the different techniques ?
To create short videos of animations, different animation techniques are implemented.
They are:
1. Pin Screen Animation
2. Sand Animation
3. Paint-on-Glass Animation
4. Typography Animation
5. Drawn-on-Film Animation
6. Flip Book Animation
Why do we choose Video Animation?
· Easy to communicate with the audience. Animated videos are highly result-oriented mediums to deliver the message to the audience. A short-duration animated video would be more effective and have a deeper impact on the people than a thousand words on plain paper.
· The easiest way to draw the attention of the viewer. Videos with great effect and concepts would grab people’s notice. This medium is more prominent than others.
· This is budget-friendly. Animated videos lower the cost of using heavy and costly equipment like cameras, lights, and sound devices. Objects and characters with visual effects are created digitally on the computer system to produce animated videos.
· Animated videos are more entertaining and engaging than other visual illustrations. The videos can be informative, educational, and yet entertaining to the audience. Subjects can be taught using relatable objects for an explanation.
The conviction of animated videos to the viewer is strong.
· How well is the animated video delivered to the viewer? An excellent video animation leaves a mark on its audience and is impactful that lasts longer than remembering texts in a book.
The impact should be such that on seeing the product, the audience recalls all other elements related to the product seen in the video.
Difference between Video and Animation
We often assume that video and animation involve the same techniques. Well, there is a stark difference between the two, and cannot be perceived as the same. Video in layman’s language involves the recording of people and objects in action.
The technique of presenting sketches drawn with minute detail relating to the action in the form of a video is animation. It does not necessarily involve recording live actions but sequentially presenting the sketches.
In this digital era, use of software and drawing tools to create animation is at large. They are Visme, Blender, Adobe Spark, PixTeller, Crello, and many others that are available for beginners also in this field.
It is one effective tool to cut the long story short and project it to the audience. Video animation is an effective mechanism to boost marketing strategy as well as make profits in the industry. It is video animation that is taking over the marketing industry.
FAQs :
1. What do we understand by animated video?
Video animation is the method of creating a series of still images, presented quickly to provide the appearance of motion.
2. What various forms of video animation are there?
There are many different kinds of video animations, including 2D animation, 3D animation, explainer films, stop-motion animation, motion graphics, and whiteboard animation.
3. What type of animation software can we use?
Toon Boom Harmony, Blender, Maya, Cinema 4D, and Adobe After Effects are just a few of the software programmes that may be used to create animated videos.
4. How much time is required to produce a video animation?
The complexity of the project determines how long it takes to produce a video animation. While more sophisticated projects can take weeks or even months to complete, simple animations may only take a few hours.
5. How much does it cost to produce an animated video?
The length and complexity of the project determine how much it costs to create a video animation. Basic animations could run you a few hundred bucks, whilst more complicated projects could cost you thousands.
6. What advantages does video animation have for marketing?
Answer: In a congested market, video animation is a powerful marketing tool that can boost brand identification, enhance engagement, and help firms stand out. It can also aid in the simplification of complicated concepts and aid in their understanding.
7. How can I pick the best video animation style for my project?
Your audience, the message you want to portray, and your brand identity will all influence the type of video animation you choose. When selecting a style, take into account elements like tone, colour scheme, and character design.
8. How can I write the storyboard for an animated video?
Establishing your concept and message is the first step in developing a storyboard for a video animation. Then, sketch out each scenario in rough detail and add text to depict the dialogue and action. Lastly, arrange the scenes in a flow that tells a whole narrative.
9. Can classroom settings use animated videos?
Yeah, video animation can be a really powerful teaching tool. Complex ideas can be simplified, abstract concepts can be illustrated, and learning can be made more interesting and interactive.
10. How can I make my animated video look polished?
Pay attention to aspects like lighting, sound, and animation quality to make your video animation look professional. To ensure a flawless end output, use top-notch graphics and animation tools and think about hiring a professional animator or video production team.