What's The Difference Between Style Versus Design?

Throughout the normal day-to-day activities of a working artist (lots of drawing, lots of re-drawing that same drawing), a couple of words seem to come up quite a bit: Style, and Design. They both roughly describe What Something Looks Like, so it makes sense that artists would encounter these terms on a regular basis. So, what's the difference between the two? Can something have great style, while having not-so-great design? Good question, self. Let's talk about this further.

I'm going to hand this off to Webster for a minute. "Style" (the noun) can be defined as "a manner of doing something," or "a distinctive appearance." At the same time, "Design" (also the noun) can be defined as "a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of [something] before it is built or made." So, there's already quite a bit to unpack there. Style seems to describe how something is done, whereas Design is what happens (or should happen) before something is done. Interesting. Thanks, Webster.

So, what does this mean in artistic terms? Say you want to make a drawing of a superhero, "Aardvark Man." You draw a rough sketch of an average looking chap, put him in a basic T-pose, create some Aardvark-looking head ware and accoutrements around him, and color him in shades of brown and beige. That's design. Why's this design? As artists, we need to know the blueprints to things early on, and that's what design is: A roadmap to success.

So, where does style come into play? Style is where we make things interesting. Right now we have a pretty generic looking guy with scraps of Aarvark-esque material draped over him. Not very inspiring. So, let's add some razzle-dazzle! Maybe turn his upper torso into a fun upside-down triangle, and make his head a trapezoid-y wedge shape (also fun). Have him skip leg day, and make the line strokes outlining him really thick on the convex parts and somewhat thinner on the concave parts. Make the shading be split between two or three values (no gradients!) BAM. Style.

Now, what's fun here, is that even if we hate this style, we can Re-Style him using the same design! So, still a normal-ish guy stuffed into a brown and beige flappy suit. But now he's tall and lanky, defined with scribbly, pointy lines, and has a very loose, bendy quality to all his extremities (by which I mean his arms and legs). We'll add lots of subtle, de-saturated color, and create dark inky shadows wherever appropriate. Very gloomy sort. But completely different style, even though the design is the same.

But, what if we liked the first style just fine (Captain Trapezoid-Wedge-Man) but DON'T like the design? No problem! We swap out the Aardvark cape and cowl for all sorts of powered-armor bells and whistles. So, we're talking chest plate, jet boots, big goofy shoulder pads, and a helmet that looks like an Aardvark, only one made out of legos. But wait, you say, this is totally different. And it is! At least the design is. But wait, you say again, can we still use that first style? (To recap: triangles, wedges, thick outlines). Absolutely! Only now, those style elements are describing all the different powered-armor accessories we just came up with during our redesign.

Basically, Design and Style is the different between Planning and Execution. You can get away with just Design, if things need to look more-or-less true to life, but that's usually pretty boring. Style is where the fun is truly to be had (and where things get memorable, which is important for probably 95% of you). But, design gives you your foundation: To answer the question posed at the beginning, if your character is poorly designed, that can cause you all sorts of problems later on, particularly with regards to animation. Your character can use the smoothest, most expressive line strokes possible, but if Captain Aardvark is also designed to wear a dazzling array of pouches, backpacks, three kinds of armor, and a fun umbrella hat.... Well, he's always going to look clunky and awkward, and no amount of style can save that. Unless you feel very strongly about umbrella hats.

Hope everyone is staying safe, and we'll see you next month!

Adapting A Story From Live Action To Animation

We've talked in the past about why someone would choose to produce a live action video, vs. an animated video. Both methodologies have pros and cons, and neither is ever going to be a good (or bad!) option 100% of the time. In light of recent events, we'd like to revisit this topic, with an eye for how to take a script created with a live-action approach in mind, and interpret or adapt it such that digital graphics might now do some of the heavy storytelling lifting.

We'll get this out of the way early: If a script was created with a specific approach in mind, it's always (always!) a good idea to see if production can simply be delayed til it's safer and more practical to get the film crew back together. Shots are usually assembled with certain filming techniques in mind, and it's rarely going to be easy to re-construct it using graphics instead of actors or live scenery. By the same token, however, sometimes delaying a shoot isn't always practical either. A video project might have been conceived with a Spring vibe in mind, and if production doesn't start until Autumn, well... That's quite the challenge. Probably not an insurmountable one, but budgets being the finite resources they are, it does become a question of priorities at a certain point (Pro tip: It is always a question of priorities).

The benefit to graphics is that they can be created and edited without ever needing to involve real actors or production crews, and while voice actors might be called for, they can often record their bits from a home studio. So, there are some very real upsides to asking the question, "Can this video shoot turn into an animated piece?" A helpful approach for this kind of adaptation is often to think literally. If your script discusses a company's goals and projections for the year, interpreting those ideas with graphics that literally suggest "growth" or "movement" (A tree! A cheetah! A butterfly emerging from a chrysalis!) can go a long way, and can often serve as a very entertaining counterpoint to the spoken dialogue.

Some other examples: If your shoot involves back-and-forth dialogue, there are lot of different kinds of character animation that could work for this. The benefit here is that you don't have to bring actors to a real set, and you can place your story in any kind of context you like. Lots of commercials these days do a Thing where the main characters are talking about (for example) car insurance, while in the background they're doing something totally random (Climbing a mountain! Skydiving! Lassoing a runaway steer!) While this can be done in live action (and to great effect), an animation approach clearly has the advantage in that, you don't actually have to push your actors out of a plane. On purpose, anyway. (C.I. Studios does not endorse pushing actors out of a plane).

These are a few examples. Again, not always a clear cut right or wrong answer in every case, but at the very least is something worth considering. Please stay safe everyone, and we will check back in with you next month!

What's The Difference Between Animation And Motion Graphics?

What is the difference between animation and motion graphics? And when do you use one versus the other? We had a project recently that helpfully illustrated some of these topics: The client wanted a series of videos that discussed various HR-related topics, but in a fun and universally-accessible way. They asked what the pipeline for character animation would look like, specifically an approach where "employees" of the "company" would interact and act out scenarios that would plausibly come up in an office context. They wanted estimate for both motion graphics and character animation, and we'd like to share with you this month some of the observations we made along the way.

Our estimate for character animation was in line with other similar proposals we've made in the past. We'd create shots and scenes of "employees" of the "company" acting out scenarios that would plausibly come up in an office context. To this end, we gave a breakdown of what this would all entail: storyboarding each shot (giving an idea of pacing and overall shot framing), asset design (for characters, backgrounds and props, such that they could be used in multiple scenes without reinventing the wheel each time), and appealing character animation that combines both the storytelling aspects, and the visual look-and-feel aspects. It was a very ambitious, colorful package. And ultimately, not one that worked with the client's deadline.

So, using the same script synopsis, we moved into a more motion graphics-eque direction. And once again, we created an outline of the overall visual look and feel, and how that would enhance the storytelling process. Notably, they helpfully provided a branding guide, where we identified specific colors and shapes that would appear again and again throughout the videos (to tie everything together in a logical fashion).

We briefly explored the idea of creating animations using their logo itself (ie, turning it into a "character" that would hop around like the carpet from Aladdin), but the client's branding guide nixed that idea. This is not uncommon, and the company's argument is generally that creating visuals that morph/stretch their logo in such a way can dilute their brand, and ultimately it is their call. So we moved on.

We created some interesting visual backgrounds and transition elements, and animated a few charts and graphs that would describe various statistics (I'm assuming all the math there was correct). However, this brought us right to another, inevitable challenge: The meat of the video itself.

Given the "lecture" nature of the videos, it made sense to include text and photos where appropriate to explain and support various topics, and the challenge anytime this happens is to present the text in such a way that it doesn't merely look like a powerpoint presentation (and no offense intended to powerpoint designers! Our point is merely that videos and powerpoints fill very different functions and it's generally a good idea to stick to each medium's respective strong points).

So, a challenge that arose throughout the project was sourcing photos, clips, and other media that the client would be comfortable using in these videos, and not repeating any of them, while also presenting all the information they needed, connected together with "abstract" animated visuals, and in a timely fashion. And, we had the usual challenges of finding the right voiceover artist and managing client feedback. And in the end, this proved to be the correct fit for the more corporate feel they were going for. It's a very different kind of energy than some of the wackier character animation we've done in the past (and still continue to do!), but it's important to realize that not all problems require the same solution. And this is never anything but a good thing.

Have a good March, and we will see you soon!

Can You Tell Me More About the Process (of Animation)?

Newsletter:

As we close out 2019, we'd like to take a minute to pause and reflect on the past year. The past 365 days have been a whirlwind for us, and one theme that seems to have popped up quite a bit was "process." It's kind of an abstract term, but boy oh boy does it have an impact on keeping things running smoothly. Let's take a few minutes and go over some of the ways in which having a consistent order of operations for your workflow can make all the difference in turning out a great product (or service).

When you look at one of the Pyramids, you might ask yourself the question: "What's the most important part, the base or the top?" Trick question, they're both important, but for different reasons. The base is important because without it, you can't do anything else. And the top is important because, why else were you building a base for? It's also true for your company's output. There are fundamentals that need to be there, and there's also the bells and whistles that make you stand apart from your competition (This is kind of a roundabout way of getting into workflow and process, but bear with me).

So, when your shiny new product presents itself, how did it get there? Simple, someone made it. Well, this was an easy article, right? Not so fast. How did that someone make it? Did they conjure it out of the ether? Maybe if their name rhymes with "Shmumbledore." More likely, someone told them how to make it. OK, great. So, how did that someone know to pass along knowledge of how to make your shiny product? There's a decent chance the words "market research" appear in the answer somewhere. OK, but take a step back even further: Where did you even find this market? And why are you trying to appeal to it in the first place?

All these are good questions, about very good steps to have. Take out even one of these steps, and you don't have a product at all (or a Pyramid). Basically, process is about figuring out 1. What you're selling 2. Why you're selling it 3. Who you're selling it to 4. How you're selling it, 5. When and where you're selling it (sometimes these steps are interchangable), and finally, 6. Usually in numbered steps, yes. And it doesn't matter what kind of business you have. You can be selling animated videos, or SEO services, or biodegradable widgets, or how-to guides to succeeding in business without really trying, and you're still going to benefit from Knowing Your Process.

Hope you have a great month, and we'll see you all in the New Year!

How Do I Decide What I Want My Video To Look Like?

One of the first topics that tends to come up on projects is, “so what do you want it to look like?” Good question. For obvious reasons, visual style is what sets animation apart from other video techniques, and there’s often no right answer to creating a distinctive look for your message. That being said, here are a few things to keep in mind that we’ve found helpful over the years:

Who is your target audience?

What is the mood or tone of your script?

Does your script deal with character stories or more abstract concepts?

What are other people doing?

What do you like?

One of the first topics that tends to come up on projects is, “so what do you want it to look like?” Good question. For obvious reasons, visual style is what sets animation apart from other video techniques, and there’s often no right answer to creating a distinctive look for your message. That being said, here are a few things to keep in mind that we’ve found helpful over the years:

Who is your target audience? Maybe it's retiring parents. Maybe it's twenty-somethings who are interested in a phone. Maybe's it's people buying their first house. Regardless of the category, it's good to keep in mind who they are, and what they want, as the visuals in your video should reflect that demographic. A lighter, whimsical story might not be the best way to sell life insurance (Or, depending on the script, maybe it's perfect!) Which leads us to our next item:

What is the mood or tone of your script? How serious is the subject matter? Are you selling a common necessity, or a luxury item? Different subjects need different ways of presentation. Animation by it's very nature lends itself very well to a more light-hearted tone, but at the same time, we've seen videos using cartoon characters work very well as a "subvert-the-expectations" approach to more serious topics. And speaking of characters:

Does your script deal with character stories or more abstract concepts? If you're showcasing your newest consumer product, technical accuracy might be more a concern than creating a fun visual world. 3d wireframe graphics are very good tools for giving detailed presentations on laying out how things work, whereas using simplified, exaggerated characters tends to make things more immediately engaging. Except when it doesnt! There are almost always people doing things in the total opposite way (and succeeding!), which brings us to our next point:

What are other people doing? Changes are, you are not the first person to try and create a video for your type of product (and if you are, congratulations!) A quick glimpse (or long detailed observation, whichever) into your friendly internet machine of choice can answer this question either way, and give you a very good idea of how your competition is presenting their products to the world. That being said, just because someone else is presenting their stories in a certain way doesn't mean they're the be-all-end-all authority on the subject. Maybe you want to subvert expectations (see above), and create a more attention grabbing approach than anyone else a the table? In other words:

What do you like? What do you not like? This is your video. You can create a video where the visual style touches on all the questions raised earlier, but if you, personally, hate the style, then what's the point? Maybe you really like Powerpuff Girls. Or older Batman comics. Or Tim Burton movies. Or you've always been captivated by the alluring mystique of stick figures. Whichever. It's your call, and we're certainly not going to tell you you're wrong. Now, that being said, not every style translates as easily to animation. However, there is *usually* a middle ground that will work for production, and no matter what, there is always a solution to finding a visual style that will work (and sometimes, there is more than one!)

Why do you need animation for your business?

A question we are often asked is, "Why do you need animation for your business?" And the answer is: Sometimes you don't. We're certainly not trying to talk ourselves out of any jobs, but this is something we definitely want to make clear. Companies in startup mode oftentimes find that the single best marketing tool they have is word of mouth, or testimonials from real people. Animation may or may not be a good fit at that stage, but we would definitely suggest considering all alternatives before pulling that particular trigger (which, to be fair, is good advice for a business at any stage).

Now that that's out of the way: Animation lets you tell stories that are often impractical or costly to tell in other ways. Some simple motion graphics showing cause and effect can get across important general principles of your business, or explain your value proposition, in a re-playable and entertaining way. Commiting to animation might have a cost in the short run, but it could very well end up saving time and resources that would otherwise be spent on giving the same pitch or presentation over and over again.

It's also efficient and low-risk: Want to show a memorable example of the worst case scenario that could happen if a customer goes to your competitor? You could hire actors to portray them inevitably falling to their doom off a cliff, but then you'd have to worry about insurance and liability, make sure you've acquired all the necessary permits (and pay the fees accordingly), and run the risk that the weather might just not be cooperating the day of the shoot. With animation, your actors and environments are all digital, and once you've incurred the cost of creating your assets, you can use them over and over again as often as you want!