Try these animation styles on your next video!

Animation is the perfect alternative to live-action video, especially in a time like this. How can you better your next animated video?

There is no denying that being cooped up at home over the past year has made video consumption increase significantly. In fact, the global watch time of ad-supported movies has increased 800%, a reflection of our increased appetite for video content. 

But with limitations being put on filming due to lockdowns and closures, it might be trickier to make a live-action video that’s shot on location. While remote video recording is always an option, perhaps it’s time to try something new with animation.

Try these five tips to spice up your next animated video: 

1. Restricted colour palette 

Have you ever heard the saying ‘less is more?’ This can be applied to everything you do in your marketing strategy, whether with wording or visuals. Instead of richly coloured animations with different shades throughout, try to incorporate a colour palette containing a few colours.

This style is straightforward and looks sophisticated when done right. It is ideal for companies who want to maintain a simplistic and refined image while ensuring more visual appeal to the audience. One example is Microsoft’s recent video to introduce its new 3D emojis for windows, that uses a few colours instead of bombarding the audience with different ones.

2. VR animation

The use of virtual reality (VR) is no longer restricted to gaming in arcades or virtual sports, but it has evolved into the mainstream, impacting all industries, including animation. With technologies such as Oculus and Hololens, your animators can create models right in the middle of the digital environment, creating everything to scale instead of 3D modelling on a screen.

Supported by programmes like Facebook Quil for the Oculus Rift, you can immerse yourself in the digital world, and animate things frame by frame. Animators can make changes in real-time without the need to switch to multiple applications.These animations can then be seamlessly transferred to other 3D programs, giving them more capabilities after being animated in VR.

Want to see the result in action? See these videos below:

3. Interactive animation

Just viewing information without being given a chance to interact with it can be boring — especially when it comes to serious topics, often considered dry or dull by some people. This is where interactive animation comes to the picture. These animations allow people to engage when they click on sub-menus to find out further information. This style has been implemented in posters or infographics regarding general subjects, such as this one on how sleep quality is affected by lunar cycles:

This appeals to your audience’s sense of fun while also delivering otherwise dry subjects in an enjoyable and easily digestible way — resulting in a more memorable experience. Another example of an interactive animation is the interactive game of the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation that educates the public on how to create a more sustainable society.

4. Liquid motion

Liquid motion refers to the technique animators use to give animated shapes a liquid-like appearance. Doing so enables them to transition and morph from one frame to the next seamlessly without harsh transitions. Ultimately, it gives a sense of calm and satisfaction to the audience.

Liquid motion and morphing can look dreamlike and surreal — an ideal style for animated loops and short, captivating advertisements. It gives the illusion of never-ending motion, a style that hooks viewers and, therefore, is a viable option for promotional marketing videos. Here is an example of a liquid motion animation:

5. Vertical orientation

Traditionally, the standard aspect ratio for animation has been the horizontal cinematic view of 16:9. This means the audience will rotate their phone back and forth for watching purposes, which can be cumbersome. Having the right format when targeting smartphone audiences is crucial.

In fact, more than 75% of video viewing is mobile, and smartphone users hold their phones vertically about 94% of the time. With vertical-view applications such as Instagram Live, Facebook Live, and TikTok, the vertical content of animation is not going away anytime soon, as evidenced by animators like Alex Rabbit and Abnormal Chaos, who have gained a following on TikTok.

Here are a few examples of animated visuals optimised for mobile:

Animation is ever-evolving and not a constant thing. When done right, animated videos can make you stand out from your competitors and be remembered by your customers.

Having trouble coming up with animation ideas for your company? Reach out to our scripted content director Artur Akhmetzyanov at [email protected].


Read more from Click2View:

1. Forget celebrities, it’s time for micro-influencers to shine.
2. Why your website needs to have case studies
3. This is why you should start making infographics.

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Click2View is Southeast Asia’s premiere full-service independent B2B content marketing agency servicing clients like Microsoft, Google, Visa, Prudential, and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.