Animation is something we’ve all experienced at some point or another, be it through a Pixar flick as children, a Ghibli feature as adolescents, or an episode (or two) of Bojack Horseman as adults.
Plainly put, animation’s been around for ages and it’s showing no signs of waning – and for good reason.
This art form’s popularisation over the last decade or so has allowed it to grow beyond the confines of ‘film genre’ and become its own indomitable marketing tool.
That’s why, for the first-ever instalment of Juwill Productions’ #creativemonth blog, we’re going to be discussing the benefits animation can bring to your brand (or portfolio, if you’re a freelancer) and why you should jump on the bandwagon ASAP.
But before we delve into all that, here’s a very quick crash course about the topic.
For starters, there are 2 main types of animation – 2D and 3D. The former is the type of animation you’d see in some of Disney’s earlier work, think ‘The Lion King’ (1994) or ‘The Jungle Book’ (1967).
2D animation comes to life by sequencing a bunch of drawn illustrations over a short span of time. The industry standard for most 2D animated projects is 24 frames per second – that’s 24 separate illustrations per second – so knowing how to draw is a pretty important requirement for these types of animators.
3D animators, on the other hand, don’t necessarily need to be great at drawing. These guys get their job done by creating 3D models of objects or characters in a specialised software and then making them move about through one of two processes – keyframing or motion capture.
Most animated films that have been released in recent years are, indeed, 3D animated; think ‘Frozen’ (2013) or ‘Despicable Me’ (2010).
Now that that’s covered, here’s why it’s high time you (and your brand) added animation to your list of talents.
1. It’s insanely flexible 💪
When creating an animated video, as opposed to a ‘real-life’ one, you’ve, quite literally, got a blank canvas and a whole lot of freedom to work with.
Provided you’ve got the right skillset and software, animation can allow you to bring your weirdest and whackiest dreams to the big screen for a fraction of the hassle.
Apart from that, it’s super easy to couple animation with pretty much any other form of media. Want to spice up that boring banner ad? Add a quick text animation. Need a quick social media filler? Whip up a colourful, animated gif. Want to bring your brand’s mascot to life? Model it up in 3D and include it in your latest commercial.
2. It’s efficient and economic 💸
Sure. It’s nice to see a human face on a screen – but there’s a lot more to creating a ‘real-life’ video than meets the eye.
Think about the equipment that needs to be set up, the logistics that need to be ironed out, and the crew members that need to be paid. Don’t get us wrong, it’s all worth it in the end, but fact is, some people don’t have the luxury to part with that much time and money.
More often than not, a ‘real-life’ shoot brings with it a long list of actors and an even longer list of crew members, whilst an animated video will, at most, involve a handful of animators.
So, if you’re looking for a slightly cheaper option, do consider hiring an animator (or a team of them) to bring your vision to life.
3. It’s relatively easy to learn💡
A person’s ability to animate isn’t measured by a university degree or anything of the sort, meaning that all that stands between you and your animating dreams is a couple hours’ worth of hardcore practice, research, and learning.
Of course, this is all made easier thanks to the wonders of the internet. The sheer amount of free educational material available online can, quite literally, turn any average animation enthusiast into Pixar’s dream employee.
Apart from that, there’s an insane amount of animation software out there catering to different skill levels and budgets – some of which can even run comfortably on your run-of-the-mill PC.
Tag a friend who’s into animation!