One of the most common things emerging filmmakers do when starting out are editing projects, which often require some motion graphics work. These projects can range from quick Instagram stories and commercials to how-to videos to enhancing live-action videos. The potential is unlimited.
Knowing how to animate and having a good sense of pacing for the edit is certainly a big part of a professional’s skill set but all of this needs to come together in a visual “package”. True professionals will mold their final product to fit their client's visual style. It’s not all about the fancy animation skills, it’s how we use them.
Understanding visual style comes more naturally to some than others. However, like any skill, it can be learned if approached methodically. The way we understand visual style can be broken down into five basic elements, which, when combined, will give us a product that we and our clients will be satisfied with.
1. Color
We’re starting with color because it’s the most basic element of your motion graphics project. If you’re starting with a blank frame, you will need to choose the color of the background to which you add text, shapes, and pictures. The same applies to adding animated objects to a recorded video. Think about the colors of some of the most recognizable brands: Coca-Cola’s red and white; Facebook’s blue and white; and Amazon’s black, orange, and white. The whole brand identity is organized around these particular colors. For example, look at these short Instagram posts by Snickers, Reese’s and Coca-Cola. All of the colors of these ads exactly match their respective brand’s color identities.
To use color combinations in a visually pleasing way, you need to understand color theory. Keep in mind that the same rules apply to any visual product, not just live-action films. You don’t need to be a color wizard to determine precisely which color matches your client’s color choices. Most video and photo editing softwares have a way of identifying specific colors. Or you can use an online color picker, which will also suggest a complementary color palette. Alternatively, if you’re working from scratch you can explore color palettes with Color Hunt, Adobe Color, or Coolors. Think about which color palette will best suit your client's brand and if it also fits the project you’re working on.
Sometimes you will intentionally choose another color palette instead of the primary client's colors. This is a common technique used when we’re purposefully tying in a product with another idea or event. Below, Dove's Thanksgiving-themed Instagram post repurposed their recognizable blue logo icon with a fall-themed color scheme. They still kept the blue logo text and pairings of these colors on a white background to create a visually pleasing palette.
2. Fonts
As with color, brands will most likely already have a chosen font family with designated pairings they work with. Your client will usually give you their approved fonts as part of their assets package.
However, if you’re the one choosing fonts for the project, you need to determine which fonts you’ll use and how they pair with the main brand identity. A key thing that cannot be stressed enough is that the font needs to be legible. Of course, every rule can be broken, but most likely your client will need you to clearly communicate their message via text. If you’re just getting started, Google Design is a great resource to find articles on Text and Typography.
If you’re looking to expand outside of the fonts that come pre-loaded in your editing software, there are a plethora of free fonts you can choose from online. These sites will often suggest which fonts pair well with other fonts. If you’d like to use a specific font but can’t identify it, you can upload an image on WhatTheFont and the software will identify it for you. Don’t rely too much on AI, as it can make mistakes but it’s a great place to start.
When choosing a font—and this is especially important for those of us who also work for non-English speaking markets—make sure that the chosen font also includes letters from the language you’re working with. If it doesn’t, pick another font.
3. Framing + Composition
Even though you’re creating the image in your software, you still need to make sure that you adhere to visual standards. You can think about composition and motion graphics in two ways. Sometimes, you’ll start with a blank frame with some background and then add the visual elements. And other times, you will be given visual material (footage, photos) and you’ll need to think about how to craft your work around it. Analyze the footage and see what you can do. However, even when you’re starting with a blank canvas, you can easily edit yourself into a corner and all of a sudden find yourself with a cluttered image.
The go-to rule of composition is the rule of thirds. It’s simple: split your screen into thirds and place your objects accordingly. Most programs allow you to put a grid on your screen which can get you started. With the rise of vertical video, creating symmetrical videos with the object in the center is also getting more and more popular (see the Instagram posts above). You can add shapes, create leading lines, or simply fill in the existing footage—just make sure you’re creating a balanced image—like this Instagram post by Neutrogena. Here we can see a clear example of a vertical video with text mostly being placed in the center of the screen but the editor also played with the rule of thirds.
4. Motion
Motion is what truly brings our projects to life. Putting a lot of thought into where our objects will appear and how they move is what separates professional-looking videos from amateur ones. That doesn’t mean that a video that only uses simple motion won’t look professional. On the contrary, just because you have an endless ability to animate objects doesn’t mean they should always move. Think about setting up motion with the composition in mind.
Try to determine what is the intent of your final output. Is it an informative video explaining to the audience how to use an app? If so, simple motion will suffice. Th be below Venmo app explainer video is very simple, yet serves its purpose perfectly. Motion is simple and slow which allows the viewer to easily follow the instructions.
5. Pacing
Pacing simply refers to the speed of your video. This doesn’t only include the cuts between the shots, but also how fast the objects within are moving. If you break down complex motion graphics videos, you’ll notice that they tend to use simple motion directions with the appropriate speed for a single object that is then grouped with another. They also usually play with the acceleration or deceleration at the start/end of the movement. My favorite example of a complexly animated video is this kinetic typography video:
Even though fast-paced videos make for an entertaining watch, that style won’t fit every project. If your video’s purpose is to inform rather than entertain, you’ll most likely be using a slower pace when it comes to the text. You can always animate objects around it to make the video more entertaining if that’s what you’re going for. Fun transitions can also pick up the pace of your video.
A well-paced video will usually rely on the accompanying music. Listen to the rhythm of the music and create markers on the beat if you’re not sure. Another factor that will determine the pace of your video is its final length and the amount of information that needs to be presented within said video.
Conclusion
Hopefully, now you’ll be able to think about each of these components separately and combine them into an amazing video. Every decision you make will matter greatly when you stack them all together. If you further wish to elevate your projects, sound design is also something to look into.
Remember, whatever you do, always try to deliver a product you’ll be able to proudly present as a part of your portfolio. Do your best, try new things and you will progress. In the meantime, practice makes perfect.
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Note From Tongal: "Motion Graphics: Understanding Clients' Visual Styles" is part of a series of Tongal Community-written blog posts that were originally sourced in the Tongal Blog Open Call Project. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Tongal. Read more Tongal Community-written posts here and then Pitch us a topic you'd like to write about for the Tongal Blog!
