Before getting to know its usage, let’s take a quick dive into history.

Before the times of smartphones, the internet, or even computers, there was the practice of drawing logos and posters by hand. People even developed fonts on actual paper and canvases and called them designers then.

After that, with the advent of other media like cinema and TV later, people thought, “Why don’t we make graphics that could actually be given motion?” Eventually, they did. At that time, everything was drawn by hand, frame by frame. First, in monochrome, and then in color. It was a slow and laborious process.

During the 1970s, computer-generated graphics started to become a thing. Yet, it was a very rare and expensive thing to use. The people who dealt with these massive machines were called ‘animators’. Designers would do concepts and layouts. Pass them on to the animators and they would then – animate videos.

In the 90s, computers got much faster, smaller, and more affordable. Data could be stored digitally

On portable mediums such as disks, DVDs, and hard drives. New software came out like Photoshop, Illustrator, or After Effects. And with many new TV channels, the internet getting faster and faster, and screens spreading, the demand for animations grew exponentially. Designers started to get into animation, Animators got into Design. So the two professions started to blur into each other.

Step by step, making motion graphics video got much quicker and more efficient. Eventually, people found several ways to utilize its potential – more preferably on digital signboards and billboards. In the modern era of the internet, motion graphics got their place on websites and digital signatures – again reinforcing the status quo of its importance. Colors and designs incorporated within motion graphics videos became more flamboyant than ever. Some even incorporate 3D into them.

So to finally answer that question from the beginning, a motion graphics video is basically an animated design, that changes over time – preferably on a screen. Motion designers do both. Creation and animation videos. So there are artistic and technical aspects to it. It’s a very broad field that of course involves design and animation, but also editing, compositing, visual effects, and many more things. Motion designers are usually involved in the creative process from the beginning. They come up with ideas, write concepts, put together mood boards and presentations, create layouts, and then animate.

There is no motion designer like one another. It is depending on a person’s interest and style. One may prefer more clean and simple shapes. Or, some people might have a rather expressive preference. Be it 2D, 3D, or even a traditional frame-by-frame animation, motion graphics is needed everywhere from the social media content, websites, broadcasting, and film to any kinds of screen outdoors and inside LED walls, events, shows, computer games, apps, UI design, virtual reality, logo animations, title.

Animations, presentations, ads, and… what not! There is a reason for the phenomenon where we see motion graphics video everywhere, because of its plethora of benefits.

The first and foremost benefit is that they are quicker and easier to be produced than other conventional styles of animation involving characters and scenes. Yet, motion design is a lot of hard work. It takes dedication and practice to become a motion designer, but the trick to succeeding in this incredibly difficult profession is to stick with it and have the right perspective. It is relatively easier to master the art of character animation, yet it requires more time during production. But, dealing with typography and shapes to convey a meaning is really harder than walking on a tight rope. Such motion graphics video does not have to be necessarily entertaining. Its main task is to provide information, sell a product, or explain an idea. In fact, this formal distinction is more of a consequence than a real difference between animation and motion design.

Apart from being a medium for grabbing your followers’ attention, motion graphics also play a vital role in capturing a viewer’s emotion. This is a biological response. Thanks to the phenomenon of emotional contagion, viewers immediately empathize with the experiences and feelings that are depicted on a screen.

Motion graphics video distill information so that they are easy to comprehend for a typical viewer. As we discussed earlier, data is relatively easier to digest and remember when it is displayed in a visually appealing way as compared to reading them in a monotonous series of words. This is why motion graphics are used successfully to create videos around processes, data visualization, and abstract concepts.

Motion design is a surefire way to reflect your brand’s personality to your followers. If a brand is playful or serious, the animation video should show the same. This is why designers are learning how to incorporate design for motion, playing with various design elements.

Most motion graphic animation range anywhere between 30 seconds to 3 minutes long, which is extremely helpful when you need to make an impact in a short period. According to research, a person can process visual information in as little as 13 milliseconds which proves that the human brain processes information presented through visuals much more easily. Another factor is that many people consume social media content while their phones are muted. So, the need to communicate your message through only visuals is even more critical in today’s world.

Motion graphics video utilizes the space of an average person’s information processing abilities and lets you create a significant impact with less content. What makes a 1500-word article to explain in words can be visually communicated in less than 15 seconds. It’s a perfect alternative for times when you have less time to make an impact.

Remember, motion graphics video should never be an ornamental thing. It should help improve the user’s understanding of your brand. It is an excellent tool for marketers. At doodle mango, align motion graphic animated explainer video with your goals and brand story to provide a user experience like never before.