“The impetus for the take-up and employment of ‘new’ technologies by the film industry has been five-fold: to provide tools for the creation of new and different images (special effects); to improve work efficiencies in production (for example computer-controlled cinematography) and port-production (editing and special effects); to produce other types of entertainment product (video games, theme rides, virtual-reality experiences); and to develop new distribution channels (CD-Rom, satellite and cable). All five have been determined by the interrelationship of technical and economic criteria, the question being: is the technology capable of achieving the desired result and is it economical to make it do so?” (Pam Cook)
Animation has not only taken the cinema world, it has expanded to other areas of commerce to enhance productivity as technology has elevated the medium to production houses everywhere.
But before we come across the TO DO list of questionnaires of Animated videos, let’s find out what are the types of Animation we have today:
1.) Traditional Animation or Classical Animation: hand drawings frame by frame on a physical medium, for this type of Animation, drawing skills are mandatory.
2.) 2D Animation: vector based animation frame by frame with the option of creating rigs for the character instead of having to draw him over and over again.
3.) 3D or Computer Animation: it is more about setting up programs and playing with online puppets than drawing. The animator moves the character with special controls that is connected to each body part, his hand, his elbows, his lips… And then sets a Keyframe when all the body parts are in position. For 3D animation the animator has to be aware of the scope of his character at all times, a full 360° is always captured.
4.) Motion Graphics: it’s not character or story driven, understanding of good composition and camera motion is crucial. It’s the art of creatively moving graphic elements or text usually for commercial or promotional purposes. Motion Graphics can be used for:
- Animated logos
- Explainer videos
- App commercials
- Television Promos
- Film Opening Titles
Did you know: 97% of marketers say video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service?
5.) Stop Motion: It’s a special form of Animation that combines live action principles with traditional character Animation. Stop Motion is done by taking a photo of an object and then moving it just a little bit and then taking another photo. The process is then repeated a bunch of times. When the images are put together in a smart edit, it gives the illusion of movement. This is similar to Animation but it uses real live materials instead of drawings. Here are some styles of Stop Motion:
- Claymation
- Cut-Out
- Silhouette
- Action Figures or Legos
- Pixelation
Now that you know what types of Animations that are out there, here are 30 questions you should ask before making an Animated video:
- Do I need an Animation Video for my business?
- Pros and Cons of Animation vs Live Action Video?
- Should I do this myself, in-house?
- What is my business brand identity?
- What is my budget?
- When do I need this by?
- Will the agency deliver by the due date?
- Is the delivery date realistic?
- What will be the shelf life of this video?
- What is the purpose of my video?
- What is your hook?
- Who is the target audience?
- Is the message clear?
- If outsourcing, how can I find a well established, trustworthy agency?
- Should I get the agency to help me with the script?
- What are the agencies policies regarding revision and feedback?
- Will the agency be able to create and deliver an Animation if they are located in a different State or Country?
- Should I create a storyboard for it?
- What type of Animation do I want for it?
- Should I find examples of Animation and use that as and example?
- How long should the Animation be?
- Have I thought about music?
- Will this video be translated to other languages?
- Does the agency cover the price of translation and subtitles?
- Is the voice over included in the cost?
- What tone of voice do I want the narration to be like, do I want me as a narrator?
- Where should this Animation be posted?
- Who owns the rights to the video?
- What software(s) are being used for this production?
- What format(s)s are the video(s) delivered?
Did you know: 81% of people have been persuaded to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video?
Have you looked at how Revolution Productions tackles Animated videos? Check their success stories here.
Sources:
https://shop.bfi.org.uk/the-cinema-book.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZbrdCAsYqU
https://www.wyzowl.com/animated-video/
https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics-2018/
https://www.wowmakers.com/explainer-video/faq/
https://www.animaker.com/blog/how-to-make-animated-videos/
