Five Myths about Motion Graphics

Among the different styles of video, motion graphics stand out as one of the most popular techniques. It is a great tool to get across lots of data that you can’t show in a single slide, picture, or infographic. No wonder motion graphics seem to be the number one choice for most businesses. However, a lot of them still have prejudice and concerns against it.

Let`s debunk the five myths about motion graphics that I consider the most common.

It will take a fortune to create motion graphics

The cost of the video really depends on what you need. Video can be very different – short or long, 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional, with easy or complicated animation, with few characters or a dozen of them. Still, motion graphics today is much more affordable than it was a decade ago.

Previously, the time and resources that were required to create animation may have put a strain on a lot of businesses. Video creation required expensive equipment that only huge studios could afford. Now, with technology at our fingertips, everyone can actually create videos. The army of small companies and designers providing motion graphics services increases day-by-day making video creation cheaper.

Animation is a long-lasting project

In some cases it might be true. Again, it depends on your needs and expectations. Animation isn’t just about drawing pictures and lining them up to create the illusion of movement. It is actually a complicated process that may include dozens of milestones. Big studios use a multistage approach, that can include numerous phases: building a narrative, producing a storyboard, choosing the styles and colors, creating characters and background, drafting the future graphics, making rough animation to confirm where and how characters stand and move, approving text animation, adding sound effects, and so forth.

However, if you wish, you can shorten the animation production time by cutting off some of the stages. For example, at Sigma Software we have only three stages: drawing a storyboard, making sketches, and graphics creation itself. This may require a certain level of trust from you as a Customer, but it saves time and budget for video creation while the product remains on the high quality level.

Only huge companies can afford it

That`s not true. In fact, today motion graphics is in high demand among young businesses and startups. There are a few reasons. First, and we have already mentioned that, the price is not that big as it is considered. In the conditions of limited time for release, motion graphics also shows great results. Finally, animated video is a very useful tool to deliver business ideas in just a couple of seconds, which is a real catch for entrepreneurs.

Motion graphics is for kids

The first thing that pops into most people’s heads when you say animation is “cartoons”. The reason this myth appeared is because a number of the earliest examples of animation were made for children. But it does not mean the modern animation has to be cartoonish and childish. The motion graphics bring a variety of different styles – everything depends on your vision and designer`s creativity. Yes, sometimes a company or particular campaign calls for something a little cartoony in order to convey a more approachable or humorous tone, but this is in no way the only option when it comes to animation.

Live-action is better than animation

Well, video content is perceived by the audience on the same level would it be live-action or animation. The latter even gives you more possibilities of making your content more memorable by creating an elegant and sophisticated style, shaped for a specific purpose. Different animators will bring a different flavor to their graphics, resulting in unique visual products.

Furthermore, animation is often present in live video in the form of visual effects. This, actually, makes video even more engaging. So, if you`re still tossing up between producing a live-action or animated video, pick both.

Conclusion: motion graphics can bring a lot of value

As an enthusiast of animation and motion graphics, I believe it can become very useful for your business. Thus, it would be shortsighted to neglect it, relying on conventional statements, which in most cases are not true. Don’t be afraid to try animation in your marketing strategy; you may be pleasantly surprised with the results!

My gratitude to Vera Soldatova for her help in preparing this article.

• #UI/UX Consulting
• #UI/UX Design