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What is Motion Graphics
Motion graphics consist of animated elements and objects in a rhythmic manner. It combines pieces of animations such as shapes, lines as well as texts to create the illusion of motion, and is usually paired with strong audio / SFX.
Motion graphics styles evolve with time, and it is still a very relevant style of animation in current times. It is always a go-to style for technology-based businesses due to its ability to impart a minimalistic, futuristic, and cutting-edge look and feel to animations. With the explainer video boom, motion graphics became more popular than ever. But how to create a successful motion graphics video for a business?
Here are some tips:
Set goals for Your video
Before you ‘depart’ on your journey to create a motion graphics piece, set a goal for your video. What and how do you want your audience to feel about your solution after they watch your video? Once you’ve identified your goal, you should decide on the duration of your video as it is often a cost factor. Most production studios around the world charge based on the duration of videos. The longer it is, the costlier it will be. Bear in mind that viewers nowadays have limited attention span so the ideal duration is always between 60 to 90 seconds.
Find The Right Motion Graphics Company
Now, you need to identify the right motion graphics company to help you do the magic. Are you looking for a full-service studio that handles everything including the script and audio, or if you already have a draft script and voice-over talent so you only need the motion graphics studio to help you bring your ideas to life?
Typically, the process for full production is pretty straightforward. Most studios will start by writing the script to set the foundation of the video, as well as identifying the correct style and approach for your video. When the script and style are set, the next step will be the storyboard, followed by voice-over recording before kickstarting the animating stage. Music and sound effects will come last.
Be Open to Creatives Suggestions
Once you hired the right motion graphics company, it is time to oversee the production and make sure everything is coming as expected. But more often than not, people take this the wrong way. They tend to take over the creative process. Too much controlling and hair-splitting will work against you. It is simply because you are not a professionally trained creative with years of experience in motion design. So I strongly suggest leaving the critical decisions to the production team. Of course, you will have to make sure the message of the video is correct and in-line with your business goals.
Top 5 examples
As this might be your first motion graphics project, I’ve identified a few good examples produced by different studios to give you a more in-depth understanding of the styles that you could use in your video.
This motion graphics piece is made by Kasra Design. They are a full-service animation and video production company. The company has ample experience working with brands and businesses around the world.
This video was produced for the Labuan International Business and Financial Centre (Labuan IBFC) in Malaysia that provides a comprehensive mid-shore solution to strike an ideal balance between client confidentiality and compliance with international best standards and practices.
This abstract motion graphics animation centers around the circular element in the IBFC logo, telling the IBFC story as the element travels through different scenes.
Rodrigo Dominguez is a freelance motion designer based in Bogota, Colombia. His portfolio consists of many cutting-edge, well-designed motion graphics animations.
This isometric and geometric piece is created for Cloudbric, a blockchain solution that shares cyber threat intelligence to help safeguard crypto assets. Cubes are used to hold crypto assets, whereas other organic shapes were used to differentiate other types of elements such as threats or AI.
Microsoft Design came up with this bombastic piece of 3D motion graphics for HoloLens 2 by Case Western Reserve University to help anatomy students score 50% better while learning faster and retaining more knowledge.
This is a mixed media piece, combining text in 2D while the other elements were 3D animation.
Produced for Logitech by ManvsMachine, this is a breath-taking motion graphics that brings you through a player’s experience using Logitech’s G433 gaming headset and Powerplay wireless charging system. This style of motion graphics takes advantage of advanced particle systems such as X-Particles.
Wevoke is a creative motion graphics studio based in the Netherlands.
This motion graphics animation was produced for Wolters Kluwer, featuring a new method to manage projects and drive innovation within the company known as Lean Product.
Utilizing simple 2D vector shapes and smooth transitions, this motion graphics animation gives a positive vibe while explaining the subject matter in a clear and concise manner.
This is another spectacular work from Kasra Design created for SALT Lending, a company that offers loan backed by crypto assets as collaterals.
This is an example of mixed media motion graphics that combined 2D and 3D animations seamlessly.
Conclusion
To create a successful motion graphics animation, first, you need to identify your objectives and goals. Then scout for a professional motion graphics studio that meets your requirements in terms of creative approach and budget to execute your ideas. It’s advisable to spend some time going through different work in each studio’s portfolio for inspiration and to ensure that the studio can deliver what you have in mind.
