2D or Not 2D, The Disney Feature Animation Legacy.

Disney CEO Bob Iger has casually announced that Disney Animation Studios has no 2D animated feature films currently in development. The news has left many artists and mouseketeers wondering what this could mean for the beloved animation company with its 2D feature legacy.

Lets take a look at the background. Walt Disney moved to Hollywood in the early 1920s to create live-action feature films with actors, scripts and high production values. It was by circumstance that he found himself setting up an animation studio, though he considered himself a business man and filmmaker, not an animator. He hired others who could animate for him, some of whom became affectionately known as the ‘nine old men’.


He then directed the first Hollywood animated feature film, 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, setting a precedent for future animation. Walt died leaving behind a huge legacy, having created the company that started with simple, soundless black and white shorts and finished with full-colour animated feature films. The Disney name became synonymous with 2D, handcrafted ‘magic’.

After Walt’s death, filling his shoes and keeping his legacy alive proved a daunting task. The animation department declined once the ‘nine old men’ each went into retirement.  New Disney talent struggled to fill the void against the corporate side of Disney, which had became disillusioned with animation; The future was live-action and animation had many ups and downs. The years of stagnation ultimately peaked with the release of The Black Cauldron which failed to live up to the standards of yesteryear, and people began to question the need for Disney feature Animation.

Michael Eisner, Frank Wells and Jeffrey Katzenberg were brought into the ailing company by Roy Disney in 1984 (to replace Walt’s replacement Ron Miller) and formed the much needed Dream Team; they collectively became what ‘Walt Disney’ was. It was Roy Disney and Jeffrey Katzenberg who decided to stick with Walt’s animation, keeping the art alive with his literal vision; good storytelling with solid characters, drawn by artists eager to get the job done. Pushed hard to release a high-quality film each year, artists and animators succeeded under their new supervision and Disney enjoyed a renaissance between 1988 and 1995.
Following the untimely death of Frank wells, however, a split in management forced Jeffrey Katzenberg to leave and Dreamworks was born. Critically speaking, Pocahontas, Mulan, Hunchback and Hercules didn’t live up to the high standards set by previous features such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King. But why not? The films still followed a proven formula and Disney had more money than ever before.


In the early 2000s, Disney became rattled by the money studios like Blue Sky, Pixar and Dreamworks were making above them. Disney flooded its brand, releasing straight-to-video sequels in an attempt to solidify its kingly status.

In March 2002, Disney fired their 2D feature animation staff whom they had shared success with 10 years prior. Disney Studios didn’t renew its distribution deal with Pixar either, instead they boasted about their new CG department and released Chicken Little and Meet the Robinsons. Their plan didn’t exactly work and Disney ended up purchasing Pixar for $7.4 billion almost as if it was their plan B all along. Pixar’s top Director John Lasseter took over as chief creative officer for Disney, hiring all the 2D animators back and
helping set Disney on the right path again. Michael Eisner left and The Disney legacy became 2D hand-crafted animation again.

But is 2D really Walt Disney’s Legacy?

 

In 2012, Wreck-it-Ralph was released and it was a fun movie. Not just funny, but a FUN movie; it captivated the audience with playful art and imagery, stunning design and a charming story. Sound familiar? Well it’s the formula that Walt Disney established all those years ago. It’s what Pixar was inspired to follow and Dreamworks, LAIKA, Aardman and Blue Sky all emulate. A good story inspires good concepts, good art, which equates to a good movie. As the credits proved, Wreck-it-Ralph would have been just as good in 2D as it was in CG. Every animation lecturer will tell you “Good storytelling makes a film, no matter what the medium”.

2D animation certainly isn’t dead with Bob Iger’s announcement, just not in production. Recent features The Princess and the Frog and Winnie the Pooh were both critically acclaimed by reviewers and audiences, but they didn’t make the same money as Bolt or Tangled. This can be put down to the times; 2D is traditional, loved by audiences for its familiarity but with the novelty of technology, larger audiences seem more curious to see how far CG is developing than how 2D is faring after 75 years.  Audiences want developed visuals every time they go to the cinema. There is still scope for 2D to develop, it can offer just as many interesting visuals as any medium.

A feature film that uses the same CG technique as the Oscar winning short Paperman hasn’t been announced, but it would certainly please an audience. Paperman really did something new and beautiful; and not just with style, it played on the principles that Disney established; beautiful visuals, charming stories and the often-quoted “Disney magic!”

We sympathise with traditionalists who had hoped Disney would shift focus back to 2D, leaving CG digital animation in the safe hands of Pixar, but if anything it has taken much needed pressure off Disney’s shoulders. All Disney needs to do now is release a film once in a while, a good film, a fun film, to prove they’ve still ‘got it’. After a few years of pioneering, giving the paper and pencil a needed break, maybe they will find a story that will suit the traditional medium again.

Disney is not planning any more 2D hand-drawn feature animation for now, focusing instead on its many arms of global entertainment. This gives the audience a gap of at least five years for the chance to see another traditionally drawn Disney film. But the positives should be clear; Walt the business man would be happy, Walt the filmmaker would be happy and, finally, Walt the pioneer would be very happy.

As for the artists at Walt Disney Studios, I hope they are happy; it’s not like CG is any easier.

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10 Steps to Choosing the Best 3D Animation - Video Production Studio For Your Project

Here is a 10-point checklist to help you choose the best 3D Animation and Video production company for your project. It ceases to be a tricky risky decision when you know what to look for and when you are armed with just the right questions.

1. Size does matter
To do justice to your budget it is important to pick the right type and size of 3D animation or video production company. So just what is out there?

Option A:
Large production companies thrive on luxurious budgets and big ongoing projects. They work with expensive resources and a big staff and all that comes with just as big overhead costs. Great for big extensive 3D animation or video projects. Certainly not suitable for small or medium sized budgets.

Option B:
Medium sized production houses are more nimble, dexterous and willing. They may also be competitive on the price factor as they are compelled to remain lean. They cut costs by 'not' owning big studios or employing teams of people. Instead they may be a set of partners or a network of 3D animation and video professionals who get together as and when projects demand. The quality of their output purely depends on the quality of people in their network. So before taking your pick your challenge will be to find out more about them.

Option C:
Then we have the part-time individual professionals. These professionals can underbid everyone else across the 3D Animation and Video production industry. This is because they are usually already employed elsewhere and are looking to make some extra money in their free time. Depending on their individual talent, you may take them up to do part of the work such as create storyboards or write scripts. Their ability to comprehend corporate vision in its entirety or your marketing and creative strategies or execute entire pre-production, production and post are usually limited. And that will show in the quality of output.

2. Watch demo reels and compare

The one thing that you must look for and compare in any demo reel is the complexity and finesse of imagery. Demo reels usually show little else. If you need to further understand a production company's creativity, their story-telling abilities or their way of simplifying complex ideas for audiences, then watch one of their complete videos and pay attention to the story, script, voice, visuals and the overall effect. No matter what your specific subject matter is, a 3D Animation and video production company with a great looking show reel or portfolio should be able to deliver a great film, unless they specify that they cannot. Remember they are in the business of making the film. The only thing that changes with each project is the subject matter expert. The rest of the production process always remains the same.

3. Get team details

Ask upfront about who, how many and what profile of people will be working on your project. Their answer must assure you that your project is being given the adequate attention and involvement it needs. The number of professionals they choose to work on your project will depend entirely on the nature and scope of the project itself. For example a 3-minute 3D animation product demo, if made from scratch would need

1. A subject matter expert to take the brief from you.
2. Script writer
3. Illustrator to create storyboards
4. 3D modelers
5. Voice artists
6. Animation experts

For complex ideas or products such as medical devices, 3D animation production companies usually prefer to get a written script from the client. Which is not a bad idea at all as the project is clear when complex technical details come from the experts closest to the product. In this case lesser people are involved and the production cycle is shorter and tighter.

4. Have them walk through a past work project

This is the best way to know what work channel your project will go through. Even if the past project may be different in scope and subject matter, the general process of work will remain more or less the same. By going through their work process you will know what communication to expect from them and how cued-in will you be in the production process. Will they involve you every step of the way in an set approval process or will the final 3D animation video be delivered all at one go in the end. A been-there-done-that-this-way will help a great deal in understanding a 3D animation and video production company's approach to your project.

5. Ask for their work process document

Every decent sized 3D Animation and Video production company will have one. A work process document will specify the various steps they will take to produce your video. It may have details like agenda of initial meetings, at what stage will the storyboards be ready, approval processes etc. Go through it and see if it suits you and your team's work process for the project. Ask questions and suggest changes if any.

6. Look for frequent fresh ideas

How willing and open are they to experiment and try new things while discussing your project? Are they proactive even before getting the project? Do they instinctively generate ideas to make yours a better looking and more effective video? They may not have begun work on it but what you may look for is their attitude towards their work. If they are an excited bunch, they wont stop themselves from thinking about adding value right from the beginning.

7. Judge by speed and quality of response

A good way to predict the nature of things to come from a 3D Animation and video production company is the initial speed and quality of their responses. Quick replies usually mean they are in the habit of giving prompt service. Detailed, informative replies usually mean that they will not cut corners and will go that extra mile to make your project successful. It also means their internal processes are in place. This can't be called a foolproof method of prediction but is definitely a good indicator.

8. Production details and more details

Make sure the 3d animation or video production company keeps the production process transparent right from the beginning. There are ways to cut corners while making a 3D animation video as well as with video production. Make sure you have the details like the number of cameras to be used in the shoot, number of people being involved and paid, (cameras can be manned or unmanned!) or quality of the 3d animation that matches a reference material of the past.
On the other hand, as transparency is a two way process, the project if not worked out in utmost detail might throw in surprises. More demands from the client in the middle of the production process may force the production company to cut corners. So it is best in both parties' interest that project details be worked out and understood in the most detailed way possible before work begins.

9. Compare price but only so much

As with shopping anywhere, it is always good to compare prices. It is good to know what's out there. It helps you protect your budget and get the best out of it. However, do keep in mind the old adage - one gets what one pays for. Some 3D animation production companies may seem to charge way more than others but they have good reason to. One look at their output and we all will know why. They will not compromise on the quality of their 3D animation videos no matter what. And producing 3D animation videos is an expensive, time-taking and tedious process. On the other hand some companies may send in inflated quotes while their output may not justify the price tag. This is where you need to be alert and apply all the points above to discern their ability to deliver a great product.

10. Your single point contact

3D animation or video production even if it is for education and training) at some level is a creative process. And so clear precise communication between you the client and the production team is of utmost importance.

The 3d animation and video production company may assign one or two people to work with you on a daily basis. One of them may be a subject matter expert if your project is complex enough to require one. It is important to know their profiles and establish a rapport with them. Know if it is going to be an account executive or the producer himself. In any case the person closest tot he producer will be the best bet. Know him well and you will be able to see your project through smoothly.

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What is 2D Animation?

What Is 2D Animation?

2D animation creates movement in a two-dimensional artistic space. Work in the field of 2D animation requires both creativity and technological skills. Read on to learn about education and career information related to this artistic practice. Schools offering Animation degrees can also be found in these popular choices.

2D Animation Defined

2D animation focuses on creating characters, storyboards and backgrounds in two-dimensional environments. Often thought of as traditional animation, the figures can move up and down, left and right. They do not appear to move toward or away from the viewer, as they would in 3D animation. 2D animation uses bitmap and vector graphics to create and edit the animated images and is created using computers and software programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Flash, After Effects and Encore. These animations may be used in advertisements, films, television shows, computer games or websites.

2D Animation Training

Students seeking to learn more about 2D animation could enroll in certificate, associate's degree or bachelor's degree programs related to animation. While some programs specifically in 2D animation do exist, classes in this topic can also be found in general animation, computer graphics or art programs. 2D animation programs often include both artistic and technical classes in topics such as:

•     Character design
•     Life drawing techniques
•     Digital animation
•     Digital video
•     Stop motion animation
•     Web animation

Additional courses may cover storyboards, acting and character development. Many programs also include a course where students can create a marketable portfolio.
Career Information

After completing an animation training program, you may be able to seek a job as an animator. An animator's job is to study scripts and get into the character's frame of mind to design a believable character. More specifically, 2D animators can:

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3-D Animation in France

It has been said that four countries have provided leadership in 3-D computer animation: the United States, Japan, Canada and France. One could expand that list to include other countries, such as England; but in any case, France is certainly one of the leaders.

A Little Bit of History
Three-D computer animation is not new in France. Its history goes back to the 1960s and the experimental works of Peter Foldes at Service de recherche de l'ORTF, an experimental art/technology lab run by Pierre Schaeffer. (Its beginning, of course, actually dates back to the flight simulators used by the French Army, which are much the same as those that now run on personal computers.) Soon after, a firm called Sogitec emerged from this prehistoric period and eventually became the largest company of its kind in Europe, and is now known as Ex Machina.

At the time, more than 15 years ago, the computers being used were big, expensive and slow. The pictures Sogitec/Ex Machina generated were flat, ugly and expensive. Very few classically trained were interested in this new way of making films.

In the early 1980s, the French government gave a lot of money to spur the growth of this new industry and a film festival, Imagina, was set up to showcase 3-D pictures from all around the world.

Production companies, and especially post-production companies, began to buy equipment to produce 3-D pictures for TV commercials and advertising. They used, and still use today, a very complete software package called Explore, from Thomson Digital Image (a division of Thomson, a French company specializing in computer and hi-fi equipment). And when these companies could not find the right software to create the images they wanted, they wrote one themselves.

Today's Hardware and Software
As is customary elsewhere, a variety of software is used in France. A large percentage run on Silicon Graphic work stations, a platform that uses the old, but powerful Unix operating system. It is a very flexible platform, which allows each individual animator to customize his or her own setup with small, personalized programs. The amount of software that runs on UNIX is large and today even includes small applications written for personal computers. These work stations are often linked with PCs and Macintoshes, where one can prepare the "maps" (the textures you can see on the shapes of the 3-D objects). Frequently, several programs are used in making a single film: each one has its own niche, as an all-purpose software still doesn't exist.

The hardware and software used today are the same around the world. The main exception being the in-house software developed for internal use at various companies. For instance, MacGuffline has developed an excellent program to do morphing; Duran has a program that quickly integrates several layers of imagery, while Ex Machina has one that one can handle muscle distortion; K.O. Kid was made at Buff with software that creates an animation of a "3-D flat" character; etc., etc.

Who Works in 3-D?
Dino Island produced by Ex Machine for Iwerks Entertainment
© Iwerks Entertainment
Different kind of people work in 3-D: There are those who model the shape and volume of objects (an object can be anything you want-a character, an animal, furniture, etc.), others paint textures, animate and do the lighting.

For complicated shapes (like animals), artists start by sculpting the objects with plaster. Then, the object "appears" in the computer by inputting coordinates from a series of points drawn on the shape with a special pen linked to the computer.

Today, more and more traditionally trained animators are coming into 3-D animation. An increasing number of artists who create textures come from a traditional painting background. In other words, these two separate worlds are now becoming one. The war between the two universes (traditional/computer) is over.

Latest Techniques
There is a new way to animate, known as motion capture, which has been around for a few years. It's a kind of "rotoscoping" that involves shooting a real person in a special studio, with sensors attached to key points on the body (with some on the clothes or even the skin). The system provides a computer all a person's coordinates while he or she is moving, which can then be reproduced by the computer with great accuracy. The interesting thing, of course, is that you can change the character while keeping the movements intact; for instance, a realistic dancer can be turned into a cartoon one, while continuing to do the same dance.

Another interesting development, in the field of virtual reality, is being done at MediaLab. Every day, in France, you can see puppets being animated in real time on the Canal+ cable network. Two classical puppet animators wearing data gloves make the character act: one handles body movements, the other works on the face. Of course, this sort of technique needs a very powerful computer. More amazing, though, is that the system is used with an interactive TV game: the players, sitting at home, call in to indicate the route a pizza delivery man has to take through a city "built" just for the game, which is seen in 3-D, in real time.

MediaLab, as its name implies, is a kind of laboratory that specializes in TV production. In the field of virtual reality and real time 3-D animation, they probably have a two or three year lead over everybody else.

Another spectacular system was created by I.N.A. (Institute National de l'Audiovisuel). A background, a car, or any other solid object is photographed, with several graphic targets included on the field or the object itself. A computer then analyzes the movement with absolute accuracy and you can then change whatever you want. For instance, you can put a synthetic car in real landscape (like in a film made for Renault, the French automobile company), or you can do the exact opposite and create a 3-D landscape for a real car (used for advertising Italy's Lancia). I worked on these projects and I can assure you that the system is very impressive.

So, What About the Pictures?
Companies specializing in 3-D each have their own unique styles. If you want to generate a ride (dynamic cinema) the power of Ex Machina is the best. If you want to do special effects for 35mm theatrical films, Duran has the most experience (they just won a prize at Imagina for their work on La cite des enfants perdus - The city of the lost chidren).

The principal markets for these companies, which include both the domestic and international markets, are: advertising films (including TV commercials) done on videotape or 35mm film; the occasional industrial film; special effects for feature films; TV specials; and films used for theme park rides and exhibitions. Several studios work on video games, with the most important company in this area being Cryo.

In Europe, France's major competitors are Great Britain, Italy, Germany and Switzerland; other European countries have 3-D computer animation industries, but most highly developed are in the UK or France. It is to these two countries that European producers usually come to get to realize their projects.

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Graphic Design Jobs and Careers

The scope of the graphic designer is far from narrow. Graphic design jobs cover all ends of the creative spectrum. We'll be taking a look at some of them below. Click on a graphic design job to learn more including what training is needed as well as salary information.

    Creative / Art Director

    Art directors, or creative directors are in charge of a creative team that produces artwork to be displayed in magazines, on television, on billboards, on the web, or on products. A creative team.... (Read More)

    Layout Artist

    A layout artist deals with the structure and layout out of images and text in a pleasing format for printed media. This can include... (Read More)

    Brand Identity Designer

    Brand identity design is concerned with the visual aspects of a company or organization’s brand or identity. A brand identity design is the visual element that represents.... (Read More)

    Logo Designer

    A logo is a sketched or graphically designed symbol, set in a specific typeface or font, and arranged in a unique way, with distinct colors, shapes, and designs to represent a company, product, organization, agency, or service.... (Read More)

    Illustrator

    Illustrators conceptualize and create illustrations that represent an idea or a story through two-dimensional or three-dimensional images. Illustrators may do drawings for.... (Read More)

    Technical Illustrator

    Technical Illustrators conceptualize and create three-dimensional images, storyboard sketches, and moving illustrations for animated productions, television commercials, movies, computer games, or set and exhibit designs. Technical illustration primarily involves.... (Read More)

    Photo Editing / Photoshop Artist

    Photo editing, and new photo editing software like Photoshop has helped professional photographers and designers more easily bring their visions to life through advertisements, magazine layouts, billboards, logos, and just about every other multi-media medium.... (Read More)

    Multimedia Designer

    Jobs in multimedia design can be found in such career fields as television or film production, animation, audio production, and set design, as well as several other multimedia, and production design fields. Earning a.... (Read More)

    Photographer

    Photography is more than just capturing an image. Professional photographers need to learn how to use the camera and other photography equipment such as lights, film, lenses, filters, digital technology, as well as their own creative vision to produce images that communicate the desired.... (Read More)

    Prepress Technician

    Prepress involves a variety of tasks including checking proofs for errors and print clarity and correcting any mistakes, transforming text and pictures into finished pages, and making printing plates of the pages.... (Read More)

    Web Designer

    As a web designer, your work could be viewed by thousands of people everyday. Web designers create the pages, layout, and graphics for web pages, and play a key role in the development of a website. Web designers have the task of creating the.... (Read More)

All of these graphic design jobs require attention to detail, design sense, problem solving skills, and up to date knowledge of the latest software. The best way to land a graphic design job and enter into this exciting field is to get the right training at a graphic design school or college that offers a graphic design degree. While talent goes a long way, many employers won't even give you a chance if you don't have some sort of degree.

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Animation Career Information

A career in animation requires strong artistic skills and a solid familiarity with the latest in computer animation technologies. It also requires the ability to turn creative thoughts into compelling images, using them to effectively communicate an idea. Is this industry right for you? Could you become an animator?

There are a number of different career paths for animators. We often think of animators as the talented artists who create the cartoons we love, either for film or movies. Animators continue to work in these areas, but increasingly, many are employed creating animated graphics for a variety of projects.

This can include websites, online advertisements and video games. Animators can find full-time employment with movie or television production companies, with advertisers, web design firms, video game companies or with animation firms. Free lance work is another option for animators, particularly those specializing in web animation. Most entry-level positions will require an animator to have a bachelors degree in a related field such as fine arts or media. There are a number of Computer Animation Schools that offer course work specifically in computer animation and associated technologies. In addition, a strong portfolio of work which a training program can help you to develop is an essential part of landing a job in computer animation and becoming an animator. 

Video Game Animation:

The video game industry is just exploding right now, with no slowdown in sight. Nearly all games will need a team of animators to bring the games to life. Motion capture often is being used here as well as in movies to nail down convincing character animation. But there is still a lot of work involved obviously. This is where you could come in. : ) But this of course is one narrow example. Texture mapping, lighting effects, and other special effects are just as important to the success of a video games attempt to draw you in and immerse you. It might sound like many of the same elements in a feature film. That's because technology is closing in the gap, and the paying consumer demands more.

There is an obvious bridge between animation and video game design. This connection is often reflected in video game design programs and degrees that have strong elements of animation in their coursework.
Movie & Television Production:

The full spectrum of animation in these areas is quite large. Jobs may include character animation in the form of a cartoon, logo, special effect and more. In case you haven't noticed, 3D really has taken off in the realm of computer animation and animation in general .Movies such as Lord of the Rings, Finding Nemo, the latest Star Wars prequels are all relying extensively on 3D computer animation. What would have looked fake and rigid a mere 6-7 years ago now looks photo realistic and seamless for 3D rendering and animation. A program like Maya can spit out amazingly detailed and convincing characters like Gollum (seen below), Ring Wraiths, and an insane amount of fighting, screaming Orcs. Exciting techniques involving motion capture can really add to the realism of characters. It really is an exciting time to be in the industry. Texture mapping, lighting effects, collision detection and special effects also need to be covered.

TV also offers a fair amount of opportunity in computer animation. Commercials are littered with animated logos, cats that sing, and bottles that dance. : ) Local News always has an animator of some kind doing the logo fly in or that kind of thing. There are also TV movies, and obviously shows that rely on a computer artist to do some digital special effects. Some may start their animation career this way.

The Internet:

More and more, you are seeing animated advertisements dance across your screen as you're on the Internet. You go to a movie site or a band site, and you have a very good chance of seeing a flash animation. Much like other media industries, the Internet is expanding at a mind boggling rate. And with it comes new websites and advertisements that need a way to stand out. Static images don't always cut it, so why not get the attention of the viewer with animated characters or text?

An Outlook on the Computer Animation Industry

Salaried animators and multi-media artists (grouped together) are earning an average of about $44,000. In the video and motion picture industry the median salary is higher, at around $60,000. As with every career, the salaries animators earned varied greatly with their employer and their region.
Computer animation, like many creative fields, is fiercely competitive. As the web, the entertainment industry, and other multimedia outlets continue to grow, there continue to be opportunities for talented artists to work as animators. But you really need to get the proper training at a computer animation school or related program to be on that cutting edge that these employers seek. Not only do you get hands on training with the best equipment, but you also rub shoulders with those who know the industry well. This is just as important as the training itself.

If you are artistic, have an eye for detail, can meet tight deadlines, then maybe an animation career is what you have been waiting for. Do YOU have what it takes to become an animator?

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Going with the Creative Flow: 3 Rules Every Motion Graphic Artist Should Live By

While static graphics are easy to scan and understand, motion graphics bring dynamism and give life into otherwise static content. This particular industry is growing, much like how the software it’s created with is becoming more accessible to everyone.

Everything from school projects, to TV commercials, to professional demo reels and portfolios, now contain great motion graphics. To help everyone out, we’ve listed some tips and rules that everyone should follow. These basics will be of great help whether you’re just jumping into the world of digital animation or are already trying to master your skills.

Always Follow Client Instructions

Even though this is more for freelancers and professionals, it’s still applicable to everyone.

Clients may not always be the easiest people to work with, but they’re the ones whose opinion matters. Clients often come to you with an idea and concept in mind, and it’s your job to give life to their idea in the best possible way.

While a little creative licence is allowed, it’s still best to know and follow what the client wants. This ensures revisions will not be needed and that you finish the project in a timely manner. It’s important to note, too, that while you need to follow their instructions, you are allowed to have creative input, especially when what they want doesn’t translate well in terms of motion graphics.

Have a Game Plan

Before firing up your After Effects, CINEMA 4D, Final Cut, or any other application, you have to have a game plan. This can be anything from a few notes from your brainstorming session with the client, a few sketches, or even a rough draft on a piece of tissue paper.

Creating any motion graphics project is a lot of work, and having a game plan will help keep you on track and make the whole project easier.

Don’t be Afraid to get Creative

Motion graphics and other digital animation pieces are all about letting your creative juices flow. As long as the client approves it, and/or it makes the work better, go ahead and include images and other elements to the project. Mastery of using animations, stock video clips, After Effects templates and the like should be part of your repertoire.

These and other tips are very valuable tools for everyone who is in the field of motion graphics.
If you’re ever in need of animations, stock video clips, templates and other similar elements to improve your craft, get in touch with us! We’ll be happy to provide you with digital elements that can inspire you and your work.

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Role of 3D Animation Software In Designing Graphics

With new technologies coming up in the modern era, the role of 3D or three dimensional graphics have increased. Before you read further on the role of 3D graphics, first you must know the meaning of 3D graphics. As 2D or two-dimensional graphics only represent the width and height of graphics whereas 3D graphics represent the width, height and depth of graphics displayed. There is an added 3rd dimension to the previous two.

3D Graphics are used widely in cartoon, movie and gaming industry, which will depend on the type of software used. Some software are programmed to design living creatures while other software are programmed to design non-living objects like cars buildings, etc. These 3D software are also important for creating specific scenes not doable in the real world. For example, scenes depicting cars blasting and people getting involved in car accidents are the type of shots that can’t be taken in the real world. So what happens is that the directors of these movies make use of special software programs like 3D animation software where they stitch both real-time shots and computer generated images to develop a whole scene.

The choice on the 3D animation software depends upon your need and the price at which it is available. Some open source 3D software are available free of cost while there are some commercial 3D software are available at a price range of 30 to 50 dollars. There are even alternatives whose price reach the 1000 to 2000 dollars price range.

One of the best 3D animation software used by graphics designers is Maya. Maya 2012 is the latest version available and is compatible for use on Linux, Mac OS X and Windows. An Autodesk version of Maya is also a popular software for the creation of 3D animation graphics in movies, cartons and games. It has number of features like classic cloth feature which allows you the access to the movements of clothes over animated figure.

Anim8or is a freeware available for character animation and 3D modelling.  The images created in it can be saved in BMP, GIF and JPG formats. It has Open GL based real time operation, built in 3D object browser and joined character editor and more. It has the ability to create 3D scenes. Its True Type Font Support feature allows 2D and 3D extruded text for TrueType font. Furthermore, it also has OpenGL shaders for preview which looks real. It runs smoothly on Windows with 1GB Ram and 25 MB of disk space.

With changes in time and environment, the demand for new software like 3D animation software has also risen. On the plus side, the number of applications currently available at the market offer intuitive UIs that are easy to learn and navigate, making the process of creating 3D art as manageable as it could ever be in history.

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Motion Graphics Major: Information and Requirements

Read details about degree programs in and relating to motion graphics. Find out what courses are taken at each level of study, career opportunities for graduates and detailed employment statistics including salary trends for professionals in this field.

Essential Imformation

Students wanting to study motion graphics learn about digital media, art, design and computer-based animation. Most degree programs focus on using computers and artistic concepts. Industry employers often prefer employees with bachelor's or master's degrees, though some may take applicants with associate degrees. Entry requirements vary depending on the level of study and can range from possessing a high school diploma to completion of previous graphics courses.

In some cases, motion graphics might be an area of concentration within a digital art, digital media or computer graphics program. Degree programs at any level will require that students complete video and animated projects which they can assemble into a portfolio to be used for job search purposes. Program enrollees are often given occasions to produce and showcase their work for selected audiences, namely conventions, business meetings and entertainment events. Internships in professional studios or related settings could be offered in some programs.

Associate Degree in Digital Media and Motion Graphics

Students studying digital media and motion graphics often may choose a concentration provided by the associate degree program. These emphases may include directing, editing or creating graphics for digital media. Many programs offer art or technologically concentrated certificates to supplement the degree program, such as a certificate in webcast technology or digital video production. Prerequisites for an associate-level program are minimal, usually consisting of a high school diploma or GED.

Program Coursework
Motion graphics associate degree programs are designed to teach students the necessary fundamentals of graphic production software, movie production and digital art. Digital media and motion graphics curricula often include internship opportunities. Common course topics are listed below:

•     Understanding the Web
•     Digital image production
•     Animation software
•     Artistic expression
•     Video production

Popular Career Options

Associate degree recipients may qualify for some motion graphics entry-level jobs. Positions may deal with Web, digital or DVD media. Position examples are listed below:

•     Animated graphics designer
•     Web graphics developer
•     Digital motion technician

Bachelor's Degree in Digital Art and Design

Digital art and design bachelor's programs often encompass a range of digital art mediums. Some programs offer students concentrations in a focused area, such as animated graphics, art and design, film and video or Web-based media. Applicants will need to hold a high school diploma or GED to enroll, and they may need to submit standardized test scores (such as from the ACT or SAT). Familiarity with computers is beneficial.

Program Coursework

Bachelor's-level students use software and artistic concepts to create projects showcasing what they have learned. Course goals culminate in a professional portfolio intended for job interviews or graduate school applications. Course topics students may study include:

•     Digital art history
•     Web design
•     Computer illustration
•     3-D graphic manipulation
•     Creating digital art

Popular Career Options

Program graduates may obtain positions in digital design, film and game production, website design and interactive graphics fields. Possible jobs titles include:

•     Animator
•     Video game designer
•     Special effects artist

Master's Degree in Computer Graphics and Animation

A master's degree program allows students to study the theory and practice of creating computer-based graphics and animation. Graduates can enter motion graphic careers or research fields. The computer graphics and animation master's degree is different from others because the final thesis includes not only written work but video and photographic items as well. Some programs may ask students to take a prerequisite graphics course to ensure they have the necessary background for the program.

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What is Virtual Business Cards? and Beautiful vCard Designs

Gone are the days when people carried their business cards with them so that they could give these small paper business cards to colleagues and business associates. The small paper business cards where often made of high quality paper that included business and contact information of the person. Nowadays people are opting to create virtual business cards that are online business cards that can be directly sent to associates directly online. This is a great concept as virtual business cards are the high tech Eco friendly option to paper business cards as using paper is not very Eco friendly as trees are cut down to make paper.

Moreover the business individuals do not need to carry a stack of paper business cards in their pockets or wallets anymore. Also one will never run out of these types of business cards.

You may be interested in the following modern trends related articles as well.

•     15 Modern Free UI Kits for Web & Mobile UI Design
•     Parallax Scrolling Effect in Web Design: 25 Creative Examples
•     29 Awe-Inspiring Examples of Typography Design
•     45 Beautiful Vector Illustrations for Design Inspiration

Virtual Business Cards

Virtual business cards are online business identities in the form of online business cards that are exchanged virtually without any use of paper. There are various types of ways in which people can create their online business cards:

1.     There are some services that are available that will help you in the details in a business card format and then you simply sms these virtual business cards to associates or business colleagues.
2.     Mobile Web business cards are also very popular. There are mobile social networks for business cards. When you want to give a business card just give your username on the social network and the person can access your business card information.
3.     There are some great business social networks like LinkedIn where you can fill all your business information. Just make a connection with the colleague on LinkedIn and you can exchange all business details. Also details can be shared using other websites like Facebook and Twitter
4.     The business card information can be sent via great iPhone apps that are easily available on the App Store. There are some websites that offer services that help the users create a business card and then easily mail this business card to someone they would like to share their  business card with.

It is very easy to share business information through virtual business cards today. In some time the paper business card will become a thing of the past as more and more people are today opting to share business information online rather than print a stack of paper business cards to carry around.

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Whiteboard Animation Made Quick And Easy

Some on the gadgets like digital camera will save photos and videos as either in mov files of wmv files. Sometimes movies or videos could be watched in quick time on wmv file. File formats such as wmv and move could be converted without problems http://ldrkmedia.com in order to access on quick time and wmv. This indicates that the files in order to converted from wmv to mov apple computer. Well, one may be thinking that what naturally all about wmv and mov.

3D animation or video production despite the fact that it best education and training) at some level can be a creative practice. And so clear precise communication between you customer and the team is of utmost importance.

Combination: The experts know that the best videos are a mix of two perhaps more of the above options. You can, for example, start your video with a face-to-face introduction, introduce animation and a screen cast at certain times to get their point about. Don't create a jumbled video and instead make without your marketing efforts flow seamlessly in conjunction.

With this feature, which is suited to seamlessly stream videos from Metacafe. Prepare to enjoy anything from the funniest to essentially the most informative, on the entertaining to the sublime, and from the infamous for the sensational videos online. Furthermore, you can readily upload particular videos this particular platform.

Animation: This is where you take cartoon-like animation and show your audience what you're talking involving. You don't have to be Walt Disney to create compelling whiteboard animation marketing items. You can use a program like PowerPoint to create animated slides that after that you can convert into videos.

Now how exactly does this touch screen phone do this? It does this through the phone's full flash support. You may be thinking, "What does flash have anything to do with browsing web pages?" The platform has everything to use optimizing your browsing experience on a mobile smartphone. Here, you will discover.

You will most likely always keep making videos options . customers is and watch again and again. Boring content will just drive away customers and hurt organization. Instead, you want to reach out and engage viewers. Ideally, they always be eagerly anticipating your next video. The greater your videos are much better chance you will get at attracting viewers.

Examine the colors on screen - Upon getting made several test shots, it 's time to see the way that they look display. Simply load all test shots in order to your PC and take a closer look. Check for all of the things materials are for a wonderful animation. Practice until there is perfect anime.

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Why We Don't Use Storyboards To Plan Our Proposals?

Storyboards are a planning tool that many people have heard of, but very few have implemented successfully. With storyboards, you complete a form for each item in the outline. The storyboard contains headings for items that should be addressed in each section. Authors complete the storyboards to provide the information that needs to be presented in a section and complete the low-level outline. Stakeholders can add and review information on the storyboards to perfect the plan prior to writing. Storyboards work well for proposals that require brainstorming a unique solution to the customer's problems.

However, storyboards have a number of problems:

•     They are inefficient, requiring the production of a document that is separate from the proposal itself.
•     Because they are separate from the proposal, they are easily left behind and ignored by authors.
•     They don't work well in a distributed environment with remote authors.
•     There is a limit to the amount of information they can accommodate.

Storyboards have one big advantage. If you take a large room and put them up on the walls, you can walk around the room and see the plan for the proposal. This assumes that you have a large room, and that all authors and reviewers are physically co-located. This is often not the case, mitigating the primary advantage of using storyboards.

We prefer a different approach, one that we refer to as creating a Content Plan. We prefer this approach because:

•     The planning document becomes a set of instructions that the authors follow.
•     It smooths the transition from capture planning to proposal writing by providing a vehicle to carry intelligence forward.
•     Authors work directly in the planning document instead of leaving it behind.
•     Instead of creating extra steps, Content Plans make it easier for the authors.
•     Content Plans can be used with geographically dispersed authors.
•     The Content Plan turns proposal writing into a process of elimination and enables progress to be measured.
•     The Content Plan provides a baseline that enables the proposal to be validated.

While many of the goals are the same as storyboards, we find that this approach delivers better and more reliable results.

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Storyboards are a planning tool that many people have heard of, but very few have implemented successfully. With storyboards, you complete a form for each item in the outline. The storyboard contains headings for items that should be addressed in each section. Authors complete the storyboards to provide the information that needs to be presented in a section and complete the low-level outline. Stakeholders can add and review information on the storyboards to perfect the plan prior to writing. Storyboards work well for proposals that require brainstorming a unique solution to the customer's problems.
However, storyboards have a number of problems:

• They are inefficient, requiring the production of a document that is separate from the proposal itself.
• Because they are separate from the proposal, they are easily left behind and ignored by authors.
• They don't work well in a distributed environment with remote authors.
• There is a limit to the amount of information they can accommodate.

Storyboards have one big advantage. If you take a large room and put them up on the walls, you can walk around the room and see the plan for the proposal. This assumes that you have a large room, and that all authors and reviewers are physically co-located. This is often not the case, mitigating the primary advantage of using storyboards.
We prefer a different approach, one that we refer to as creating a Content Plan. We prefer this approach because:

• The planning document becomes a set of instructions that the authors follow.
• It smooths the transition from capture planning to proposal writing by providing a vehicle to carry intelligence forward.
• Authors work directly in the planning document instead of leaving it behind.
• Instead of creating extra steps, Content Plans make it easier for the authors.
• Content Plans can be used with geographically dispersed authors.
• The Content Plan turns proposal writing into a process of elimination and enables progress to be measured.
• The Content Plan provides a baseline that enables the proposal to be validated.

While many of the goals are the same as storyboards, we find that this approach delivers better and more reliable results.
- See more at: http://www.captureplanning.com/articles/we-dont-use-storyboards-to-plan-our-proposals.cfm#sthash.h5Qeu1fG.dpuf

Reuters to Distribute Next Media Animation's News Direct 3-D Animated Videos

LONDON, July 12th, 2012 - Today Reuters, the world's largest multimedia news provider, announces the launch of an exclusive partnership with Next Media Animation. Beginning the week of July 16th, Reuters will offer its clients approximately 20 animated news stories a week, produced by Next Media Animation's News Direct service, helping to reconstruct the story behind the main news events of the week and complementing the award-winning video, picture and text content produced by Reuters.

The innovative and engaging News Direct animated videos offer visual chronologies of major events that take place away from cameras, such as the sinking of the Costa Concordia in January 2012. The animations also provide clear illustration of news that is highly technical, such as the Elgin North Sea gas leak, and help explain stories that are conceptual in nature, such as the future of high speed travel. Accompanied by audio narration and natural sound, the 30-60 second stories will now be available through Reuters powerful distribution network.

Next Media Animation has gained widespread acclaim for its short and quirky animated videos, many of which have gone viral and have received millions of views. The News Direct service exemplifies the company's ability to also animate the news stories of the day. From the moment a top story breaks, the Next Media animation team begins its end-to-end process, working from concept to production and making videos available to customers in a matter of hours. Reuters will partner exclusively with Next Media to distribute its 3-D animated news videos in all global markets, with the exception of Japan and Taiwan.

"Our partnership with Next Media Animation has allowed us to a create and shape a video solution that enables broadcast and online publishers to illustrate every angle of a story, adding depth to our reporting when video from the scene is not available," commented Owen Wyatt, Head of Video, Reuters. "This service will enable our customers to streamline their workflows, add colour to in-house graphics and access compelling and timely animations to support their programming."

Jimmy Lai, Founder, Next Media Animation says: "We are truly excited to partner with Reuters in offering our news animations on the powerful and innovative Reuters distribution network.  Our goal is to complement the world class content offered by Reuters in delivering leading edge solutions to newsrooms around the world."

For further insight into this exciting content, please view this video.

About Reuters

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world's largest international multimedia news provider reaching more than 1 billion people every day. Reuters provides trusted business, financial, national, and international news to professionals via Thomson Reuters desktops, the world's media organizations, and directly to consumers at Reuters.com.

About Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial and risk, legal, tax and accounting, intellectual property and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs approximately 60,000 people and operates in over 100 countries. For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.

About Next Media Animation

Next Media Animation (NMA) is one of Asia's largest full-service 3D animation studios and was founded in 2008 in Taipei, Taiwan. As a leader in the animation industry, Next Media Animation's team of 500 animators produce high-quality, informative animated graphics for broadcasters and online publishers worldwide. NMA's News Direct animations have been used by national broadcasters such as Fox News and BBC, metro broadcasters such as KDVR, WKYC, WUSA and WCSH, and online media such as The Daily Telegraph, The Globe and Mail, Bild, Der Spiegel, The Denver Post, The Huffington Post and Wired Magazine, among others.

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The faster way to create animated infographics

In this article I will explain our new process for creating an animated infographic from a static infographic.

The thinking here at the Infographics Factory is that every infographic, static or animated, should tell a story. So once we have gone through the effort of creating the story, finding the data to support it and designing the icons and visual elements for the static infographic, wouldn’t it be cool if we could then transfer all that valuable content into an animation? After lots of conversations with different animators, we finally connected with a like-minded soul. They are now working with us on a process to efficiently take the static infographic components from the designer and flow them through to animation software. The results so far are promising and we have proven a cost effective way to produce animated infographics using raw elements form the initial static infographic.

Our first experiment was for the American medical education company, Imedex. We created a whopping twenty-foot infographic that will act as the backdrop for their exhibition stand, and using our new process, we were able to animate all the elements to create a video version that can be used on their ipads, screens and projections at the event. What is more, because we created all the assets using vector files, there is no limit to the scaling size that the animation can be blown up to (projection on the side of a building anyone?)

We hope in the future that more of our clients will see that value of using our service to find business stories and tell them both as static infographics and as animations.

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The Business Benefits of Whiteboard Animation

Sure, there’s no arguing with the fact that whiteboard animations look pretty and are fun to watch.  However, this unique medium has so much more to offer than strict entertainment value.  In fact, there are a number of circumstances in which the use of whiteboard animation style videos provides significant business benefits to organizations of any size.

The following are just a few possibilities to get your creative juices flowing!


Whiteboard animations on your homepage

When new visitors arrive on your page, what do they see first?  Do they encounter an intimidating-looking block of text describing your company’s product and service offerings, or do they see a welcoming, engaging whiteboard animation message sharing the same information in a fun way?

If you’re concerned that your text-intensive website may be resulting in on-site visitor confusion or frustration, replacing text blocks with 60-90 second, “you focused” whiteboard videos telling your company story or explaining your business philosophy may provide a better jumping off point for your website.

Whiteboard animations instead of whitepapers

Though you may have used whitepapers in the past to convey detailed or highly-technical information, sharing this same content in a whiteboard scribing format can be much more engaging! To accomplish this, you’ll want to focus your video on “them information” – that is, on the content that your target audience will find most useful. Try incorporating industry trends, new data or other “insider” information to turn your new “whiteboarding whitepaper” into a valuable content marketing tool.

Whiteboard animations in your training library

Many websites offer tutorial videos and other training resources on their websites – but too often, these materials are dull and uninspiring. And while it may not make sense to scribe your software interface instead of screen capture videos, whiteboard videos can be used in most situations to visualize your training materials and connect on a deeper level with product users.

Whiteboard animations as information graphic

Today, the hottest type of content in the digital marketing world is the infographic – a graphically-oriented image that visualizes data in new and exciting ways. But while these graphics can be useful tools for attracting new website visitors, they’re still static.  This means that viewers must determine on their own how to engage with and interpret your data.

To remedy this situation, try creating an infoMOTION™ graphic using TruScribes unique process, which will help viewers to better understand your content, while also encouraging the type of viral sharing for which infographics have become so popular.

Whiteboard animations as a sales tool

In addition, one of the most effective uses of whiteboard animation videos is as a vehicle for sales message delivery. In fact, giving sales pitches via video offers a number of different advantages compared to standard, “stand and deliver” style Power Point presentations.

On the one hand, whiteboard animation videos can go where salespeople sometimes can’t.  Because these videos can be distributed digitally, they can be deployed on the web or via email in situations where an in-person meeting isn’t possible or practical. In this way, they can help increase sales where traditional presentation methods would have failed.

Whiteboard animations in the sales enablement process

Whiteboard animation videos can also be useful tools when it comes to sales enablement – particularly when used by large organizations with multiple sales channels.

Instead of emailing out Power Point presentations and hoping that division leads convey the enclosed information appropriately, training employees on updated company procedures or messaging via whiteboard animation videos is a much better way to ensure that new information is passed on in an engaging and consistent way.

Whiteboard animations to communicate a message

The organic, intriguing style of whiteboard animation videos can be used for much more than just business sales and messaging. In addition, whiteboarding can be an especially effective tool in spurring innovation and advocacy.

Whether you want to educate viewers on an issue that’s near and dear to your heart or to motivate and inspire users to bring about a change in their environments, whiteboard scribing can be particularly useful when it comes to illustrating information that exists only in your imagination. 

To see an example of how one such message was brought to life through the use of whiteboard scribing videos, take a look at the animation we created for the British Airline Pilots Association in support of their ongoing pursuit of airline safety. Or, to learn more about how your own message can be set free in such a compelling way.

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Top 6 Jobs of Your Logo Design

Many entrepreneurs suppose that the icon for his or her brand ought to be an image that appeals to them in person. They are going into the emblem style method trying to make associate degree icon with personal symbolic that means, as a result of the suppose that the icon’s job is to charm to them in person further on look attention-grabbing.

This is a case of the icon’s verbal description not being well written. In an exceedingly excellent world, entrepreneurs love their brand icon and in person determine with their means. But, that is the brand icon’s last, and least vital, job. First, it should do many additional vital jobs for your company.

What might be additional vital than appealing to the person running the business?

After all, if you’re keen on your brand, there is a smart probability others can see it and am fond of it as well—and you would like your brand to urge compliments, right?

Wrong. At least, part wrong. The Logo icon’s main job is to inform your brand story through the visual that means of the symbols it uses.

Your logo’s icon may be a drawing or piece of art composed of symbols that have visual that means. This visual that means is named etymology, and it will facilitate your brand to speak along with your client.

There are 2 major kinds of symbols: abstract and eidetic. Abstract symbols are drawings that do not essentially seem like a issue or object. They will be basic shapes like circles, squares, triangles, even dodecahedron and swoosh. Eidetic symbols seem like a issue, object, animal, or person.

An abstract image of a circle is accustomed symbolize trust, completeness, or to spotlight another foreground component. An eidetic image of a leaf is accustomed represent nature, growth, health, or Eco-friendliness. You’ll even layer these components one on prime of another—a leaf on a circular background, perhaps—to provide your brand icon additional visual that means.

How does one decide that symbolic message your brand ought to send?

There’s a smart probability that your company would not be best served by a brand that consists of a circle or leaf, but then, however does one decide what your brand ought to look like?

The message your icon communicates ought to tell the foremost vital a part of your business’s complete definition story. Your complete definition consists of United Nations agency you’re, what you are doing, what causes you to totally different from your competition, and United Nations agency you’re employed best with. Usually, once you place your thoughts regarding these four components down on paper, you discover that you just have some straightforward however compelling ideas regarding these areas of your business. And one or 2 are really attention-grabbing from your customers’ purpose of read.

Those thoughts are the muse for what you would like your brand to mention. Simply that symbols communicate your story is difficult to mention while not knowing it, however once you’ve got outlined your complete and grasp that parts of it are extremely compelling for your customers, you’ll do some symbolic analysis (and there are lots of books and websites regarding symbols) or rent a designer to translate that definition into symbols for you.

What else will it need to do?

Your logo’s icon incorporates a few alternative jobs. It’s to be:

• Unforgettable — it ought to stick in your customers’ minds. Your brand icon can become the face of your business, therefore you would like to form certain it’s simple to recollect.
• Distinctive — so your brand does not seem like any of your competitors’ logos. you do not wish to urge confused with them—or sued for infringement.
• Climbable — so you’ll blow it up to the scale of an ad or shrink it right down to the scale of a stamp. This can change you to use it across all of your promoting materials, despite size.
• Unchanged — so it does not land up trying dated or “cheesy” in an exceedingly number of years. This can make sure that you do not need to plan it even as your customers are becoming to understand and acknowledge it.
• Appealing — so your customers am fond of it and are happy once they see it, then that you just will tolerate (notice, I did not say “love”) observing it for years to come back.

If your brand icon will accomplish these six jobs—in this order of importance—you’ll have a style which will work well for your company and assist you connect along with your customers.

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How Whiteboard Animation Software Can Offer You the Upper Hand Over Your Competitors

As most of us are aware, the web is a universal medium used to obtain information on every idea known to man. You can find information on almost anything, in any format which is available at your finger tips. Much of this information is posted on websites and web pages as text that users can view on their computers as text pages. However, there is now a revolution going on, where video is beginning to take the lead due to the excellent quality of experience it provides the user and because it is much more appealing as compared to simple text. But how does video fit into online marketing? Indeed it does, by providing a learning experience to perspective buyers. An individual must feel completely comfortable about a product before buying it, and a well produced online video can provide the information required for the buyer to attain that comfort level. Now, this decision does not have to be a final “buying” decision. But MANY PEOPLE turn to the Internet to provide them with the information necessary to make an informed decision or to conduct their research. Online video is the most efficient and pervasive manner of imparting understanding to the viewer, thereby helping them to understand a topic. This article’s main focus will regard the benefits your business can enjoy by using video marketing.

Creating videos and publishing them on the Internet is easy these days, given that you’re following the right steps. To shoot your video, you only need a video camera or a digital camera, and nearly all cell phones have this feature now. As soon as you’ve finished shooting your video, you could employ a free software program to edit your footage and implement any desired special effects, such as Windows Movie Maker. You can use this to edit and convert the videos before you upload them to video sharing sites such as Youtube. There is no cost involved whatsoever, so long as you have a digital camera or an article by loudvideos.com on how to use software to make whiteboard ANIMATION. This entire procedure is rather easy and effortless to carry out. Just don’t allow yourself to be intimidated by the term “video marketing.” People have shot to fame on Youtube by submitting amateur videos on interesting topics. Your primary goal is to get your video seen by as many people as possible, so that you can bring traffic to your website. Once you determine the subject of your marketing video, this is not all that difficult to accomplish.

VIDEO MARKETING creates a lasting impression in the minds of your viewers. This can prove to be significant when you consider how individuals will respond when watching a video as against reading through an article. Successful marketing is all about eliciting an emotional response from a potential customer and providing for that customer’s needs. Individuals merely employ one of the senses to read a text article, and yet with a video, they use more senses. Part of this is due to the speed that today’s Internet user moves through content, scanning quickly to get what they want before clicking off to another site for more information. So it only makes sense to create a video that will keep visitor’s attention and keep them on your site longer. This in turn builds a long term relationship with your visitors and gives you an edge over the competition.

Last but not the least, video marketing is way better than other time consuming methods like social bookmarking. This is most certainly a new and innovative approach that will both BRING IN TRAFFIC to your site and help you to gradually form your own special audience, as well.

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Whiteboard Animation for Content Marketing

Whiteboard animation is fast becoming a trend when it comes to content marketing. Content marketing used to be all about writing articles, spinning articles, and posting articles on the internet. These methods often involved writing one master article and spinning it up to the nth degree and going through various article submissions sites in the hopes that potential customers/clients will be able to stumble upon these articles and visit the website.

But those days are long gone and have been replaced with a different kind of marketing strategy. Videos have proven to be a more effective tool when it comes to content marketing. Networking giant Cisco estimates that 69% of web traffic by 2017 will be credited to video marketing.

Statistics show that having a video on the homepage greatly increases traffic to the site as opposed to just having articles and blogs posted. Studies about online purchasing behavior have shown that potential customers and online shoppers have expressed that videos have helped them make a decision whether to buy or avail of a product or service.

To prove this fact a little further, a study was conducted by Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Research and the results showed that one video alone is equivalent to 1.8 million words, a whole lot more than that 300-500 word article. And that is why a lot of online companies nowadays are scrambling to have a video on their homepage.

When it comes to video marketing, whiteboard animation videos are proving to be an effective and cost efficient form of content marketing. Whiteboard animation video production does not cost as much as traditional video production. A lot of money is saved because there is no need to hire an actor, a film production crew, et cetera. There are so many people and processes involved in making a regular ad that in the end the cost would be overwhelming. In whiteboard animation video production, there is just the voice talent, video editor, and graphic artist most of the time. On top of that, it takes a shorter amount of time to produce a whiteboard animation video. One does not need to break the bank to advertise online and a company can also achieve the desired results.

Since the production of whiteboard animation videos are gaining such high demand, a lot video production companies are sprouting everywhere throughout the internet. Due to this, making a decision can be quite difficult but the main rule of thumb is to check the company’s portfolio and reputation to make sure the video produced is of high quality and this is where wizMotions come in. wizMotions are experts when it comes to creating cost effective, awesome animated whiteboard videos. Rather than discuss about what their skills are, let their videos do the talking, check out their website today.

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