You’ve seen them everywhere, but just what are Motion Graphics?
From YouTube to Facebook to even live TV—you’ve seen motion graphics everywhere. It could be an ad during your favorite TV show, scrolling through your social media feed, or even at a live event, chances are you’ll see some form of motion graphics. They enhance videos—or stand alone—and bring stories and brands to life.
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But just what is motion graphics, really?
Motion graphics (also known as motion design) is animated visual communication that combines graphic design with animation techniques to create awesome videos. It’s the combination of typography, illustration, photography — and many other design elements — brought to life with Adobe After Effects and other fancy animation software.
So if you were to combine Graphic Design and Animation – Motion Design is what you’d get.
Motion graphics are great at conveying information, telling stories and evoking emotions in a way anyone can understand — whether they’re 8 or 80. That’s why they’re such a powerful tool in advertising, film, TV, UI and online content.
In that way motion graphics give designers a way to let their imagination run wild. They provide a platform for visual metaphors to represent ideas in a way that gives the viewer a new perspective on a story, product or service. The aim is to make something easy to understand in an engaging way.
Check out the video “Traveling Light” above. It shows how a motion designer can craft a scene by manipulating simple objects, sound effects and positive and negative space to convey an idea in an instant. Of course there are more complex examples out there but it’s worth noting how much you can convey with so little. A motion graphic designer’s storytelling potential has no limits — only their own imagination.
What is the difference between motion graphics and animation?
You can think of motion graphics as an animated medium — often referred to as 2D animation. Motion graphics is animated graphic design but animation is a broader range of visual storytelling techniques from traditional animation to stop motion and even claymation.
3D Animation is for character development and longer format storytelling — Think any Pixar movie here.
The evolution of Motion Graphics
Animation has been around for a long time but the concept of motion graphics is relatively new, only been around for about half a century or so.
The term was officially coined in 1960 when John Whitney — one of the first to see the potential of graphic design and animation — founded his company “Motion Graphics, Inc.” As we mentioned animation had been around for a while but it was only for animating cartoons. It hadn’t yet broken into the corporate world. Unlike traditional animation Whitney was also using a mechanical analog computer to animate — much more like we animate today rather than hand drawn animation. Whitney along with Saul and Elaine Bass is credited with creating the first motion graphics in movie title sequences.
Before them title sequences were just static slides with the movie’s title and some credits.
But what they did was create a new way of applying animation. To see more check out the clips of Saul and Elaine Bass’ work below to see how title sequences evolved from static to motion and the beginnings of how motion graphics would be used today. These animated sequences gave the viewer a sense of mystery and what to expect from the movie. Think any James Bond opening sequence.
Why you should use Motion Graphics for business
Motion graphics were a new concept back in the days of Whitney and Bass but today motion design is everywhere. Whether it’s digital ads, smartphone interfaces or your favorite TV shows and films — you’ll see motion graphics everywhere.
Of course there’s a good reason for that. Advertising formats don’t get so popular unless they work really well and motion graphics do just that. Let’s get into a few reasons why.
Not your grandpa’s advertising
Motion design is everywhere because it provides potential clients with an attractive alternative to reading dry whitepapers, enduring mind-numbing PowerPoints, or listening to the same type of traditional sales pitches. And since motion graphics are only limited by imagination, there’s no shortage of fresh ideas and approaches. Additionally, people retain information easier through watching motion graphic videos, as it engages all the senses.
Studies reveal that viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it on video, compared to 10% when reading it in a text.
A single minute of video is worth about 1.8 million words. (Forrester)
No need for a production crew to get your message made
It takes a lot of talent and resources to produce a live-action video for your brand. Motion projects can be worked on remotely, no hassles of live-action production. No need to hire a whole video production crew, talent, location scout, plan for a shooting location — and most importantly no physical constraints of real life.
With motion graphics you can change go from New York to Paris with a slick transition or time of day, have a talking dog etc. – sky’s the limit. You can explain hard concepts in easy to understand videos using literal and metaphorical motion design elements.
Complicated business offerings — simplified
And that’s why motion graphics really shine when it comes to businesses with a bit more complicated pitch. For example companies like Twilio use explainer videos to communicate their brand values such as their efforts to end spam calls using sophisticated tech — ideas that would be too abstract to visualize in any other medium.
In fact, in 2022, motion graphics have shown outstanding results in marketing campaigns, with an overwhelming 96% of marketers believing that motion graphics has helped increase user understanding of their products or services.
A proven return on investment
And let’s not forget they offer a way for any company from startups to Fortune 500 companies to create visual content that gives a high return on investment (ROI). With motion graphics you can create visually stunning content without breaking the bank. As with most video content you get a lot of mileage out of it. Motion graphics can be used anywhere from social media posts to banners on your website.
In fact, the use of Explainer Videos is at an all-time high — with a whopping 70% of marketers creating explainer videos in 2022 — the second most popular type of video that year. For context, explainer videos are animated videos that effectively convey a company’s message briefly and engagingly, choc-full of personality.
Even within the B2B market realm, an impressive 88% of marketing professionals acknowledge video’s positive impact on marketing results and return on investment (ROI). It’s a testament to how well video content engages and resonates with target audiences. In fact, when it comes to profitability, digital video ads have the potential to outperform traditional television advertising, depending on your media buying strategy and sales funnel.
The data just doesn’t lie — motion graphics just work, plain and simple.
What does it take to make a motion graphic?
If developing a motion graphic excites you — trust us we get it. We’re the same way! However motion graphics are amazing but they take a considerable amount of time to make.
Creating motion graphics takes a team with a lot of talent.
Great motion graphics requires a mix of creativity, technical skills, attention to detail and an experienced team who can develop it. Collaboration and iteration is key throughout the process as the motion graphics studio refines and polishes the motion graphic as much as possible.
What tools do motion designers use?
If you ask anyone who has been creating motion graphics for some time, they’ll tell you the overwhelming gold standard software for animating motion graphics is Adobe After Effects — while there are other software out there, none come remotely close when creating at a professional level.
You’ll want to use Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator to create or edit visual assets to animate. Adobe is a monolith in the industry, and for a good reason: the quality of the software is top-notch and just continues to get better and better.
Not to mention, the entire industry uses it, so consistency in software is a must for larger projects that take a fleet of motion designers to animate.
However, if you’re more interested in incorporating 3D animation for your motion graphics, then Cinema4D, Blender, or Maya would be the top choices for software.
But, even more important than the software, what you really need is a deep understanding of graphic design and animation. Having experience in those two areas will take you much further than pure technical prowess. Of course, it never hurts to have both!
If you want to level up your skills or break into the industry, we recommend checking out School of Motion.
What does the process look like?
Of course, not everyone can invest thousands of hours to perfect their motion graphics craft — in which case, we also recommend working with a professional agency with a proven track record and a well-documented process.
Speaking of the process, make sure whoever you work with has one clearly laid out. Professional agencies that constantly work with different businesses and industries aren’t able to leave whether a project succeeds or fails to chance. That’s why having a process is so important to getting the job done right. If you’re curious about the nitty-gritty details that go into each part of the process, you can check out our blog article detailing the 10 steps to the ultimate motion graphics process.
- Getting Started: Design agencies help clients understand the process and gather initial information, such as project goals, target audience, and brand guidelines.
- Discovery: Agencies conduct research to gain insights into the client’s industry, competitors, and target market. This helps them develop a strategic approach for the motion graphic.
- Copywriting: Design agencies work with skilled copywriters to craft compelling scripts or narratives that effectively convey the desired message within the motion graphic.
- Concepting: Agencies collaborate with clients to brainstorm and develop creative concepts and visual ideas that align with the project objectives and brand identity.
- Voiceover: Design agencies assist in selecting professional voiceover artists who can deliver the script in a captivating and engaging manner, ensuring the voice aligns with the brand’s tone and target audience.
- Storyboarding: Agencies create visual storyboards, which are a sequence of illustrated frames that outline the key scenes, compositions, and transitions within the motion graphic. Storyboards serve as a blueprint for the animation process.
- Animation: Design agencies use industry-standard software and animation techniques to bring the storyboard to life. They skillfully animate the graphic elements, incorporating movement, transitions, effects, and timing to create an engaging visual experience.
- Sound Design: Agencies collaborate with sound designers to add audio elements, including background music, sound effects, and any necessary voiceover synchronization. This enhances the overall impact and emotional resonance of the motion graphic.
- Final Delivery: Design agencies ensure the motion graphic is properly exported and optimized for the intended platform or medium. They provide the client with the final video file in the required format and resolution.
- Distribution: Some design agencies assist with the distribution and promotion of the motion graphic, whether it’s through social media, websites, email campaigns, or other appropriate channels. They may also provide guidance on maximizing the reach and impact of the video among the target audience.
You might see now why a minute-long animation can take weeks or even months when done at the professional level! As such, it’s important to make sure you find the right team to work with us that fits your budget and needs.
Your ideas matter — so put them into motion!
Ever had that “Eureka!” moment when an idea for an explainer video or motion design hits you? It’s like a bolt of lightning that amazes and overwhelms you. You can’t help but feel the excitement coursing through your veins. You’re not alone.
When an idea hits you, you want to share it with others. And why wouldn’t you? Ideas are meant to be shared, nurtured and brought to life. At Mighty Fine, we love getting concepts or examples that get the gears turning. It’s like igniting a creative spark that fuels our passion for creating something truly unique and on brand for you.
We love the challenge of turning your vision into a motion graphic that will captivate your audience. We know every brand has its own personality and story to tell. That’s why we’re committed to creating a motion design that resonates with your audience and is true to your brand.
