A marketing campaign without video? No way! Videos are everywhere. Increasingly, visuals are taking over from long texts. Social media channels are full of them, and there is significant investment in campaigns with moving images from both businesses and government entities. At effectgroep*, “motion graphic design” has become a serious business. We love explainers!
You can call us and say, “Give me something with moving images because our brand story on the website is so boring.” You can! But hey, it’s not the most efficient way. We’d rather work together with you to look at the bigger picture. At effectgroep*, we like to use motion graphics to give a brand that little bit extra, make complex information or dull data like statistics accessible in an understandable way, or create a spectacular opening for an event. Usually in combination with suitable music and effective copy. But what is it exactly, and what can you do with it? Our motion graphic designer Mariska loves to talk about it, but she loves to show it even more.
Animation is the illusion of motion created by sequentially displaying various still images. I’m a fan!
Motion design – the shortened version of motion graphic design – is a part of animation. It encompasses all moving images that aren’t filmed but rather animated or drawn. You could also say that motion graphics are for informing, while animation is for entertaining. It’s all about moving images. Period. It’s that simple, right? Well, luckily, we can tell you more about it.
Or, well, Mariska can tell you: “Animation is the illusion of movement created by sequentially displaying different still images (frames), and it has been around for a very long time. Even in prehistoric times. Back then, they created cave paintings of animals with multiple legs, which suggested movement. Super clever!”
And of course, we all know Walt Disney, who has quite a list of animated films to his name. After that, Pixar brought us 3D animation, which we’ve become completely accustomed to. Besides these digital 2D and 3D animation techniques, I also find stop-motion very interesting and fun. With stop-motion, you use real materials that you move step by step, taking a photo at each step. Put all these steps together, and you have a little film!
Famous stop-motion productions include Nijntje (Miffy) and Loeki de Leeuw. And the Dutch film Knor recently even won several Golden Calves (awards). Clay animation is also great for making stop-motion. Remember Pingu? Or Shaun the Sheep?
The possibilities of animated graphics are literally endless. You can pour all your creativity into it. The only limitation you have is yourself. And that is also the danger. Due to the freedom and enthusiasm, there is a chance of overload. So always consider: does it fit my brand or organization, does it really add value, and what do I want to achieve with it?
Effectgroep* collaborates with communication advisors and UX designers for each project to strike the right balance between still and moving images, and to keep an eye on the entire story. With the right addition of motion graphics, what would otherwise be static and flat comes to life.
To create effective motion graphics/animated graphics, a clear script is essential. What is the goal? Should the viewer learn something, remember it, or be activated? Who is the target audience, and what feeling should it evoke? Then there’s the content. Motion graphics allow you to convey a lot of information in a simple way, often in combination with a voice-over. The combination of visuals and storytelling makes it accessible for the viewer.
With a clear concept in mind, a storyboard is created. We visualize the concept and sketch the story, frame by frame, clearly indicating the transitions between different elements. Once the storyboard is finalized, we proceed to develop the animation. This can be done in 2D, 3D, or a combination of both. The voice-over, background music, and sound effects are, of course, synchronized with the timing of the visuals.
Let’s meet! Let’s meet! We’re eager to hear your ideas and requirements and are ready to assist you in creating a fitting and compelling motion design. E-mail Marlous at marlous@effectgroep.nl or give her a call at 030 – 410 0790. Or, schedule a meeting directly!