Creating a video is all about telling a story, and creating perfect videos is about telling stories most effectively. However, when targeting audiences of different demographics, this can be very challenging to do.
The story needs to be told in an uncomplicated way that any viewer can easily understand. Yet, it should also be informative enough to get an important message across.
An animated video production company can do exactly both these things. Animated videos are a great platform to tell creative stories that any audience can relate to. These types of videos are straightforward yet engaging, and even the most complicated ideas become digestible and easy to understand.
How to Create an Animated Video
Whether collaborating with a video company or working on a personal project, knowing the parts can help make your videos concise, attractive, and relevant. To create the best-animated video, one has to go through a comprehensive process.
Like storytelling, some parts are dealt with first, and other parts are better relayed last. And like design, the process can be iterative at times. But in the end, all parts should harmonize and deliver the story smoothly.
Creating an animated video can be separated into three parts. First, finalizing the story itself, then choosing a type of animation, and lastly, using the right tools for the chosen animation style.
Story and Script
The story, or the message, is where everything begins. What is the purpose of the video? Is it promotional or educational? Who is the video for? Are the audiences specific or general? The team or individual must decide on a key message, and the visuals, audio, and other elements usually follow.
In some cases, people start planning a video with visuals in mind first, which is fine. As long as a clear message encompasses the whole process, the animated video will come out great.
It is important to have a script, even just a loose draft, of the whole story idea. Some creatives make storyboards afterward, and these are much more effective.
The length of the script will depend on how complex a topic is, but in an animated video, it is better to have fewer words and more photos and other elements.
Remember, animated videos are forms of visual storytelling. The message of the story is indeed important, but it’s in the adaptation of the script to visual terms that make an animated video outstanding.
Type of Animation
Animation is an umbrella term encompassing moving imagery, including motion graphics, cartoons, claymation, and many others. The type of animation will determine the images, stock footage, and other elements the team needs to work on.
While there are countless animation types, there are three types most popularly used in the industry today. The first popular type is the mixed media motion graphics. This type has been around for decades but has only seen traction lately.
These videos blend animation and live-action footage through overlays and creative transitions. Like a moving collage, mixed media is flexible and allows a wide avenue for experimenting.
Mixed-media videos are commonly seen in whiteboard explainer videos and infographic videos. The ability to incorporate individual elements with each other allows video creators to make instructional or educational animations.
Another favorite animation type of both viewers and creators is the cartoon motion graphics videos. These videos use animated characters that viewers can identify with. In most cases, it works like a mini-movie with short scenes as representations of various things in life.
The audience finds them highly relatable as they watch the characters go through similar situations as them. Thus, these types are commonly used for the purpose of building an emotional connection to the audience.
Many companies go for the third type of animation, which is 3D animation. The life-like visuals of 3D videos tell a story most accurately. The extra dimension helps viewers evaluate scale and dimension, which may be critical parts of some stories.
This type is popular for businesses that need to show the intricacies of their product. But it is just as popular in any field that wants a natural and spatial feel in their videos.
The Right Tools
An animated video production company has access to the best tools and software for graphic videos. There are different tools for every type of animation, each with unique features that help bring a story into an engaging animated video.
Most of the time, video creators use two or more software, including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Autodesk Maya, Blender, and Adobe After Effects. These are a range of drawing, modeling, and video editing software. With these, animators can work with 2D and 3D elements, computer-generated graphics, music, and additional effects.