What Is Motion Graphics? A Complete Guide For Beginners
2022 was a year of revolution for social media. A lot of norms were broken, a lot of revolutions were brought, and the whole system shifted from written content to video and reels. It would not be wrong to say that a lot of businesses shifted toward online selling and added video marketing to their plans.
Video content, such as motion graphics, also did not fail the people who trusted it. It brought them a bigger audience and a large number of clients, and it also helped them represent their brand in a beautiful, exciting, and engaging way.
But what was it about videos and motion graphics that brought this much change to the world? If someone wants to incorporate videos and motion graphics in their plan, which type should they go for? How can they create engaging content that goes viral and meets their goals?
All of these questions will be answered within this blog! Hancock Animations, a leading motion graphics agency, has come up with a guide on motion graphics for beginners. So, sit tight, fasten your seatbelts, and let us begin the journey!
What Are Motion Graphics?
Motion graphics are like moving pictures designed by animation experts. They use animation and sometimes sound to make things look like they are moving in videos.
Many kinds of content interest people, but motion graphics animation, and live-action videos work well for brands and businesses. It helps them tell their stories. Here are some reasons why motion graphic videos are good for storytelling and building a brand:
1. Drive An Action
Motion graphics often have text, music, talking, and shapes. They are a good option if you want to make a point and make people do something by tapping into their emotional and needy side.
For instance, you will find a motion graphic video about a brand spreading awareness about breast cancer. It will encourage people to check their health and take required action if something is not right.
2. Makes Content Understandable
Motion graphic videos help viewers understand things, whether it is the timeline, data, charts, or even complex ideas. Many brands and companies use motion graphics in their explainer videos, as it has no creative boundaries. Take an example of a medicine video, it shows how medicine works in the human body.
3. Do Not Take Much From The Viewer
Motion graphic videos are usually short and to the point. This means you can just relax and watch a short animated video to learn about a concept quickly. For instance, if you want to learn about Bitcoin, you can find a 3-minute motion graphic video on YouTube, which will tell you everything you need to get started.
4. Easy To Repurpose
History Of Motion Graphics
Motion graphics were first introduced in the early days of cinema when filmmakers started adding title credits to their films. These credits were made to satisfy the curiosity of the new audience, who wanted to know more about the actors in the movies.
They soon gained popularity after World War II. Graphic designers like Saul Bass and Elaine Bass introduced a new era of colorful, creative, and vibrant motion graphics. They made films like “The Seven Year Itch” (1955) and “North by Northwest” (1959) more exciting with the help of motion graphics.
In the 1960s and 1970s, other famous film title designers, such as Pablo Ferro, became known for their work on movies like “Dr. Strangelove” (1964) and “The Thomas Crown Affair” (1968).
Digital Age
The introduction of digital technology in the late 20th century had a huge impact on motion graphics design. The Apple Mac computer became available in the early 1980s, which gave designers the power to get even more creative with their title credits for movies and TV shows.
While the technology of the 1980s may seem basic compared to what we have today, it was a huge creative leap from what was available in the 1960s and 1970s.
With the advancements in digital technology, especially with the introduction of software like Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects, designers have gained even more creative hold in recent years.
Netflix And TV Series Era
As TV became more popular and convenient for people, the makers of popular TV shows started using motion graphics ideas from movies. In the 1970s and 1980s, TV credits were nothing but basic text on the screen, but as TV became more popular and competitive with movies, the quality of TV credits evolved and improved.
Today, high-budget TV series on networks like HBO or Netflix have opening credits that are just as impressive as those in Hollywood films, especially with 3D motion graphics creating memorable title sequences.
The Social Media Age
In the 2000s, the rise of social media, the internet, and digital advertising brought a new face of motion graphic design forward. Every motion graphic agency started hiring skilled designers to make short, animated graphics, often with explanations, to promote their clients’ products and services. They used these graphics to simplify complex procedures into easy-to-understand steps.
Difference Between Motion Graphics And Animations
As we discussed before, motion graphics involve making things like infographics, web designs, or graphs that move.
A great example of motion graphics is the GIFs we use for our WhatsApp chats, Instagram stories, and other social platforms. With motion graphics, you can make abstract objects, text, and other graphics move.
On the other hand, animation is a type of art that has its main focus on making movies and telling stories using various styles. Take a look over YouTube, and you will find many explainer videos that use animation instead of motion graphics.
These videos are mostly about a personality or about a real-world place where the maker does not need computer-generated graphics to support their video.
If you use motion graphics in a video to send out a message, it would be called motion graphics animation. But if your video is like a Pixar movie, and it has a story, characters, and an emotional arc, then it would be considered an animation.
What Are Motion Graphics Used For?
Film studios first started using motion graphics in the 1950s. They were used to make movie title sequences more engaging by adding color, artwork style, and, of course, text and animations to convey the movie’s mood. Nowadays, due to the evolution of technology, motion graphic design is more accessible to creators of all levels.
Motion graphics are also used in:
- TV show opening credits, like those in the Netflix series.
- To create eye-catching advertisements that can be interactive.
- To enhance storytelling in news broadcasting, especially during events like elections.
- For making funny memes on social media, using moving images and text.
- To improve user experience on websites by adding motion graphics.
- To bring digital life to menu boards and billboards in shopping centers, replacing static print with moving graphics.
7 Types Of Motion Graphics Animation
Here are some of the most popular types of motion graphics animation:
1. UI Animation
Motion graphics are very helpful to create different animations, such as to demonstrate how a website or app should look and function. While designing the user interface (UI), which includes screens, buttons, and icons for a website or app, motion graphic designers come up with rough sketches or wireframes.
Then, they incorporate animations into these sketches to show how menus appear, items slide in and out, and other interactions work.
For instance, you can watch this animation of a health app, which shows how much you have walked in a day and how well your body is. Using UI animation is especially helpful in explaining your vision for an app or website to the developers.
2. Explainer Videos
Brands use motion graphic explainer videos to make things clear. Whether it is about how the systems work, or to explain a product or an idea, or creating awareness, these videos take complicated stuff and use animation to break it down into understandable parts, painting the full picture.
It is a way to make people feel connected to your brand by adding a storytelling element. A video can wrap up your sales or product information in an emotional and interesting story, which can boost your business.
You can easily make your own explainer motion graphic videos or hire a professional motion graphics agency like Hancock Animations to get the job done.
3. Logos
You know how when you watch YouTube videos, they often feature a cool logo at the beginning? These logo intros are also a work of motion graphic animations.
With motion graphics, you can add design to your character, especially in the case of logo design. One of the most well-known motion graphic logos we see regularly is the Google Doodle with animated elements.
These fun animations, tied to events, are now closely connected with the Google brand, aren’t they?
4. Icon Animation
Motion graphic designers can make things like icons on your website or in your videos come to life with animation. For example, you can see animations of different icons in action.
5. Short Films
Short animated films often use more than one animation style, and motion graphics can be a part of this. Motion graphics in short films are great for showing buildings and exploring imaginary worlds.
They let you visually show things like emotions, feelings, and other abstract ideas. For example, you can show a series of emotions like sadness, confusion, shock, etc., and also explain scientific concepts in a film with the help of motion graphics animation.
6. Infographics And Presentation
Motion graphics can make your presentations, graphs, and charts look better, making your work seem more professional. You can even use motion graphics to create a video version of your resume!
When you want to make interactive infographics, animation can be important for an engaging experience. For instance, you can see this motion graphic video that shares information about Omega Pharma.
Motion graphics help plan how the animation should happen. Another choice with infographics is to turn them into videos that explain things.
7. Title Sequences
Motion graphics are used to create the opening and closing titles for movies and even YouTube videos. One of the well-known graphic designers who worked on these title sequences when it was a new art form was Saul Bass.
He made the famous title sequence for the movie “Anatomy of A Murder.”
How To Make Motion Graphics?
Whether you are making movie credits or posts for your small business on social media, Adobe After Effects can help you make text and images move. With this motion graphics software, you can:
- Make objects move in your video.
- Add background effects like flowing patterns.
- Easily create flickering and wiggling movements.
- Add animated graphics to your video.
- Create visual effects like motion blur.
Why Hire A Motion Graphics Agency?
Here are some of the reasons why you should hire a motion graphics agency to create your video content:
- You want to show or emphasize facts and make a point.
- Your message does not require a full, complicated video.
- You need to explain your services or products effectively.
- You want to simplify difficult concepts using visuals.
If you want to focus on the emotional side of your story, tell a detailed narrative that would connect with viewers on a deep level. You can also use different animation styles to achieve that goal. You can still use some motion graphics, but using other animation styles will only make your video better.
FAQs
Motion graphics are animations or digital visuals that create the illusion of movement and are commonly used in multimedia projects, films, videos, advertisements, and various digital media. They often involve animated text, graphics, and other visual elements to convey information, tell a story, or enhance the viewer’s engagement.
Here are some examples of motion graphics:
- Film and TV Title Sequences
- Explainer Videos
- Social Media Content
- Data Visualization
- Website Animations
Motion graphics refer to animations or digital visuals that create the illusion of movement or motion. They are typically used in multimedia, videos, films, advertisements, and various digital media to convey information, enhance storytelling, or engage the audience. Motion graphics often involve animating text, graphics, and other visual elements to add visual interest and make the content more dynamic and engaging. They are versatile tools for presenting information, explaining concepts, or adding a visually appealing element to multimedia projects.
There are various types of motion graphics, and they can be categorized in different ways, depending on the context and the specific characteristics of the animations. While there isn’t a universally standardized classification of motion graphics, they can be broadly grouped into three common types:
- Infographics Motion Graphics: These motion graphics are focused on presenting data and information in a visually engaging and easy-to-understand way. They often involve animated charts, graphs, statistics, and other data visualization elements to make complex information more accessible.
- Kinetic Typography: Kinetic typography motion graphics primarily focus on animated text. They involve moving and transitioning text in creative ways to convey a message, tell a story, or create visual interest. Kinetic typography can be used for various purposes, from enhancing video titles to conveying powerful messages through animated text.
- Logo and Branding Motion Graphics: These motion graphics are designed to enhance a brand’s visual identity. They often involve animated logos, slogans, or brand elements. They can be used in video intros, commercials, or promotional materials to make the brand more memorable and engaging.
Motion graphics can be both 2D and 3D, depending on the design and animation techniques used:
2D Motion Graphics: In 2D motion graphics, the visual elements are created and animated in a two-dimensional space, meaning they have width and height but no depth. These animations are often simpler and flatter in appearance, making them suitable for many applications, such as explainer videos, infographics, and kinetic typography.
3D Motion Graphics: 3D motion graphics involve creating and animating visual elements in a three-dimensional space, giving them depth, volume, and a more realistic appearance. These animations can be more complex and are often used in applications like video games, film special effects, product visualization, and architectural visualization.
