Animation and Motion Graphics Considerations by Victor Van Rees

Using animated elements in your video, or totally animated videos, is often the best way to articulate complicated or multifaceted concepts. The cost for tools to create animation has lowered dramatically over the last few years, while efficiency has increased. You no longer have to fear that animation will blow up your budget or your production schedule. Here are a few examples showing how a variety of animation and motion graphics tools were used to best present compelling presentations…

 In this advocacy video for American Petroleum, After Effects 2D animation was used to “sell” a mathematical argument against increased taxes.

http://www.efxmedia.com/work/portfolio/?v=american_petroleum_institute-taxes_vs_access 

This technical tutorial for the Federal CIO used 2D animation to simplify the concept of cloud computing for government employees. http://efxmedia.com/work/portfolio/?v=cloud_computing_and_the_federal_government

The U. S. Census Bureau, needed an effective public education program about the Economic Census. An animated time-line, background illustrations and inventive maps were created in After Effects and combined with video to better illustrate the initiative.  
http://review.efxmedia.com/?v=review-census_anthem_

For CustomInk T-shirts, After Effects was used to assemble a three-dimensional box at the end of the video. After Effects was also put to great use in bringing still photos to life with motion graphics and some very interesting transitions http://demo.efxmedia.com/portfolio/?v=customink-concept_animation

 American Petroleum Institute needed to illustrate the safety-conscious techniques employed in hydraulic fracturing. 3D animation was required to demonstrate how the drilling was accomplished. Cinema 4D, a 3D animation software, along with After Effects, were used to best tell the story. http://efxmedia.com/work/portfolio/?v=hydraulic_fracturing 

It’s becoming popular for many budget-conscious clients to utilize what might be described as “motion-infographics”, as illustrated in this basic animated graph for Business Software Alliance http://demo.efxmedia.com/portfolio/?v=bsa_gsps

   

After Effects is also a very powerful compositing tool, offering the ability to combine multiple objects with motion, or to key people into an environment as illustrated from this scene from a Virtual Bus Tour http://www.efxmedia.com/work/portfolio/?v=arlington_economic_development-virtual_real_estate_tour   You can read more about keying and compositing in my previous my blog article – “Combining Motion Graphics with Live Video”  http://efxmediavictor.blogspot.com/2012/06/combining-motion-graphics-with-live.html)

In conclusion, make sure you consider the whole range of video graphics techniques when telling your next video story - motion graphics, 2D animation, 3D animation, compositing/keying, and most important, a creative and technically savvy designer and editor.

 

EFX Media is Washington, DC’s leading provider of Video and Interactive Solutions.  Our core business revolves around Video Production, Interactive Media, and Video Archiving.The EFX Media production team has vast experience writing, directing and producing effective, award-winning communications. Our extensive in-house capabilities include multiple high-definition editing and animation suites, a comprehensive digital file management and fulfillment center, and a multifaceted interactive programming & design department.  Since 1983, our commitment to quality and effective communications has earned the trust of countless corporate, association and government clients.

Victor Van Rees 
EFXMEDIA
Vice President Federal Marketing
vvanrees@efxmedia.com 
2300 South Ninth Street Arlington, VA 22204 
Voice 703-486-2303 Cell: 703-447-8950 
View our demos at: www.efxmedia.com