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!