5 types of animation and why you should be using animation in your videos
1. Classic animation
The earliest type of animation is traditional animation, commonly referred to as cel animation. Each frame is painstakingly hand-drawn in the conventional manner on paper, which is then reproduced or retraced onto transparent acetate sheets known as cels. A painted cel is captured individually to create an animated scene.
Walt Disney Animation Studios used this kind of animation regularly when creating many of their early movies, such as The Lion King (1994), Sleeping Beauty (1959), and Cinderella (1950). For artists who prefer using traditional media, particularly paint and coloured pencils, traditional animation is an excellent option. However, in order to get the greatest results, a lot of attention to detail is needed throughout the lengthy procedure.
2. Animation in 2D
The main goal of 2D animation, commonly referred to as vector-based animation, is to produce movement in a two-dimensional space. Due to improvements in animation software, 2D animation is now a more accessible and well-liked option for artists. Artists can drastically cut down on production time and costs by using tools like Toon Boom Harmony, Adobe Animate, and Adobe After Effects to edit graphics and speed up the process rather than drawing every frame.
The world is full of 2D animation examples. This aesthetic can be found in television programmes, video games, internet, mobile applications, and feature films. The Simpsons, South Park, Rick and Morty, and Family Guy are a few popular 2D animated TV series.
Kitbull (2019), an animated short film that was up for the 92nd Academy Awards’ Best Animated Short Film honour, particularly inspires Francesco. “Although it was created by a tiny Pixar team, the majority of the animation is in 2D, which is significantly different from their regular 3D style, Francesco adds. Nevertheless, the film adheres to Pixar’s key principles: they are experts at producing compelling emotional stories that captivate audiences. Rosana Sullivan, who wrote and directed the short, did a fantastic job of rapidly establishing the characters and their characteristics. The plot is enriched by all the minor nuances and supporting characters, and the pastel-colored visual style, in combination with the framing and lighting, greatly enhances the impression of cosiness and quality.”
3. A 3D animated film
The process of producing 3-dimensional moving visuals in a digital setting is known as computer animation or 3D. By using motion, 3D animation can bring characters, vehicles, and props to life. This is made possible by specialised animation software. A lifelike effect can be achieved by rotating and moving animated objects in the same manner as real items.
Modeling, layout and animation, and rendering are the three primary steps of the process, and each requires strategy and knowledge.
Using a specific modelling tool or by scanning real objects into a computer during the modelling stage, characters and objects are generated. Giving a character bones, skin weights, and restrictions that let it to move in a certain way will help achieve the goal of capturing distinctive personality traits and movements.
When creating a set for the object to be placed, the layout and animation step is concerned with things like object size and placement.
The finished image is then produced by computer computations using specialised software, a process called as rendering.
4. Stop-motion
Stop motion animation is a technique that uses real items or props that are moved in between each frame to capture one frame at a time. An illusion of movement is created when the series of photos is played again quickly. In stop motion animation, clay figures or puppets with movable joints are frequently employed. Plasticine is a great material choice since it can be easily manipulated to mimic a variety of movements and facial expressions because to its flexibility.
Because of developments in 3D animation technology, stop motion is now less frequently employed as a kind of special effects in live-action movies. However, a lot of filmmakers, like Tim Burton and Henry Selick, still use stop motion heavily in their work. Many well-known characters, including Wallace and Gromit and Morph, were created by Aardman Animations using stop motion animation.
5. Motion pictures
Motion graphics is the name for a type of animation that heavily relies on text to convey a message. Here, the emphasis is on giving movement to particular graphic design components that would otherwise be static in order to make a statement. A potent visual show can be effectively created using moving shapes, objects, and text. This kind of animation can be very helpful if you need to draw attention to a certain piece of information or present difficult concepts in a way that viewers can understand.
Video titles, logo designs, social media applications, and digital marketing tactics can all be created with motion graphics. This technique is beautifully demonstrated in the 1960 Hitchcock blockbuster Psycho’s title sequence, which shows how music, action, and graphic design can all work together to make an effect.
Why you need to be using animation in your videos
1. Animated video provides complete creative freedom
The core of content creation is telling a compelling or memorable story about your brand, clients, or consumers. The allure of video animation is that it allows you to tell any story you want because there is an infinite amount of software, technology, and cutting-edge techniques at your disposal. From capability to colour, live action videos are limited in almost every way. However, animation allows you to defy natural laws, create impractical scenarios or actions, and bring fantastical characters to life. You don’t have to rely on the skills of on-screen actors to tell an appropriate story. Your entire power is in your hands.
2. Animations are enjoyable
What could be better than having complete creative freedom and watching your ideas come to life? When your brand becomes enthralled by a topic or a story, that enchantment spreads like wildfire. Audiences will not only enjoy the experience—they will remember it—but they will also want to emulate your playful personality. Animation has been shown to increase recall by at least 15%.
3. Animated Films Make Your Point Clearly
Animation is capable of simplifying concepts and visually expressing them, especially when your featured topic is difficult or abstract (which our brains are better at interpreting). If you can’t easily point a camera at it, animation is a viable option. Whiteboard movies or other animation styles are frequently used to illustrate the inner workings of a complex system or process. Explainer videos, which have been shown to increase conversion rates by 20%, are the most common use of animation. This is because explainer videos are so effective at introducing a wide range of topics. Furthermore, animation conveys context that either cannot be adequately communicated through words or is lost in translation.
4. Animation videos are reasonably priced
When shooting a live action video, the expenses can add up quickly. Budgeting is required for everything from props to production time to casting to talent to sets to equipment. While creating an animated video, you only need to be concerned with the software and your creative input. You could also agree to work with a video marketing company that has the necessary equipment and software and has been properly trained to create high-quality animation videos. Another advantage of making animated videos is the ease with which details can be managed. Many of your early choices in a live action video are final, and any changes you make later can have an adverse effect. However, with animated video, you can easily click, drag, and drop setting, plot, or character details without changing the size of your movie or your budget.
5. Animated Videos Benefit All Marketing Channels
Live action videos may need to be modified on occasion (for example, by adding a lot of visuals or text) in order to better ground the content and engage viewers on specific marketing channels. However, animated videos perform well overall. Animated videos can strike any balance between amusement, casualness, and professionalism on TV, social media, websites, and digital entertainment sources.
If you’re curious to learn more about the animation, please feel free to Contact Sonnix Studios, a video Production company in Johannesburg.