Motion Graphics Videos What are they and what are they for?

‍

The development of the Internet massively incorporated the use of videos on web pages and explosively in the main social networks, giving birth to the concept of social media, or in other words, social content, which is consumed and shared every day with truly abysmal numbers. Most of these videos are made with Motion Graphics techniques, but what does it mean? and what are those videos specifically?

Definition of Motion Graphics

As a primary definition, we should define Motion Graphics (motion graphics), such as the evolution of traditional graphic design, brought to moving sequences.

As we all know, cinema and video consist of a series of static images that, reproduced sequentially in a timeline, give us the feeling of movement.

When we talk about motion graphics videos, we mainly refer to techniques associated with graphic design (texts + graphic elements + colors), rather than character animation.

Mistakenly, sometimes people refer to these types of videos as meaning that they have animated characters, but the main elements in these types of videos are typographies, graphic icons and geometric figures, often accompanied by real video images.

Origins of the Gender

The origin of this term dates back to the 1960s, with the development of animated graphic pieces for the opening credits in the cinema. Among the most successful films of this incipient genre are some Hitchcock films and well-known cartoon series.

Along with this, the beginning of the development of digital animation, which would replace the traditional form of animation on pen, paper, acetate and paint, is beginning to take shape.

The rise of computer graphics

The concept of Motion Graphics videos, has its great boom along with the development of computer graphics (computer graphics in English), and the various software and/or systems that appeared in the late 80s for the graphic processing of video and cinema, one of the most common applications was the incorporation of effects or filters to color and process video images, together with this the ability to generate graphics of colors and texts or on prints (super impose).

With this, a generation of specialists was born in creating graphic pieces using these tools and mixed many times with traditional cartoon animation, on the one hand for visual development, almost as an artistic manifestation and on the other hand to achieve, electronically or digitally, to represent ideas that would be very expensive or complex to carry out with a film or video camera.

Here there is a symbiosis between electronic technicians who normally performed technical support tasks and a large number of graphic designers, visual artists and filmmakers who had to jump on the bandwagon of booming digital technology, at a time when everything was practically analog on videotape or acetate in photographic and film film.

The Development of Cinema and Television

One of the most representative examples of the development of motion graphics worldwide, especially in Latin America and Chile, is the creation of title sequences for the beginning of Movies in the cinema (titles, sequences, trailers) and the presentations of various Television Programs (TV series, stars and newscasts).

Also known as curtains, these pieces were the hook to capture the spectators' attention, they were a visual summary of what would be seen on the screen, where the budget often played a leading role, due to how expensive it was to use these digital techniques, the prices of each equipment and software were really high and only an elite of professionals could afford to take advantage of them.

Main Types of Motion Graphics Videos

‍

2D animation

Videos with mainly vector animation or traditional cartoon animation, are characterized by the simplicity of the lines or limited perspectives, in general the lighting effects are simple.

These techniques are familiar because they are used a lot in cartoons, they are relatively quick to produce compared to other techniques. Nowadays the term vector animation is used a lot, in relation to the fact that they are drawn in some graphic program and not drawn as was traditionally done in the past.

3D animation

Videos with objects or characters with marked volumetric shapes, where we easily see different points of view and perspectives.

Another of the main characteristics of this technique is the use of lighting effects that are often very realistic, which makes it ideal for representing objects that in reality would be difficult to produce. An example of this is the use of previews or animated or realistic characters such as talking animals or superheroes.

‍

Stop Motion

Most of the time they are made with digital photographic or film cameras. Its main characteristic is the use of static figures, objects or characters that move frame by frame to generate the sensation of movement.

This type of technique is very involved in feature films for the cinema, there are many famous titles on animated festival circuits around the world, this classic genre re-emerged in fame accompanied by directors such as Tim Burton, who has made famous films such as “The Corpse of the Bride” and Frankenweenie, which were nominated for the Oscars for the best animated film.

‍

The Current Landscape of Motion Graphics

Among the genres that we can see today, one of the most popular on the internet in recent times, are explanatory videos and corporate company videos, due to the ability of this type of content to explain abstract and complex ideas in a short time.

Our brain processes information much faster and if we add to this the emotional theme, this means that the spectators feel involved and that they feel represented, thus increasing the subject of remembering and retaining the message by a much greater percentage, an image is worth a thousand words...

Nowadays, the costs are much more accessible, because mainly the technology that is required is much simpler, which facilitates the democratization of this type of digital art.

On the other hand, technical and university training has incorporated into student education, areas of leveling in the use of applications that allow for a wide range of professionals who master graphic creation in careers related to design, advertising and audiovisual branches, even from the first years of training, allowing the early development of this digital graphic culture.

Various websites and social networks such as YouTube also offer a wide catalog of courses from the first steps to advanced techniques, allowing anyone to learn and create their own creations. There are also many online schools, among the best known in Latin America, they include Domestika, Nucleus School, Udemy and Crehana.

‍

What will your next video talk about?

If you want to know more about how to incorporate this and other technologies into your own digital campaigns and/or require a video, request more information, write to us at contacto@antidoto56.com

Help spread the word about this article by sharing it on your social networks! Sharing our knowledge is a valuable way to contribute to the online community. Have a nice day!

‍

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cristián Aracena Stübing is Co-Founder of Antidoto 56 visual studio. An expert in post-production and video technologies, he is currently developing new projects with tools such as Digital Video Marketing and Interactive Videos.

‍