Four Quick Signs of a Premium Animated Explainer Video

Let’s say you’re a judge in an animation contest. All contenders are claiming, “I made a premium animation!” How would you know which work is a true premium? And what does ‘premium’ really mean? Expert animators like us, surely, would identify in just a glance. However, for business owners or marketers, choosing a studio that will give the best quality for their money can be confusing.

“Premium” literally means a sum added to an ordinary price or charge. It can also mean something given as a reward, prize or incentive. Whether with an additional cost or as a bonus, premium means to exceed ordinary value to be regarded as top-notch. Premium explainers differ in valuation among studios. If you have a video in mind, tell us about it and we’ll give you a quote within 24 hours. But, for now, let’s give you that expert’s eye to spot a high-end animated explainer.

1. Characters have micromovements.

Like Herbert de Givenchy said, “Luxury is in the details”. Micromovements may be found in character facial expressions, complicated and excessive actions, or lip syncing. These details express a wide range of emotions and realistic movements, which entail a higher number of frames, more artist’s time and skill. Thus, it costs more than a simple concept. These characteristics are found in complex animation such as “The Olympians”.

2. Scene compositions are creative and strategic.

Scene composition is the invisible structure that organizes your shot elements into the imagery needed to tell your story. This involves the choice of perspective, color scheme, and intricacy of design. Detailed scenes challenge animators to make sure that viewers’ attention is kept on the subject. For example, MindTV’s video explains their unique service that benefits children but targets parents as the audience. The dreamy and whimsical vibe required a lot of elements without being visually overwhelming and losing the subject.

https://vimeo.com/animationoutsourced/mindtvexplainer1

3. The story flow is easy & enjoyable to follow.

Telling a story with a friend is always more enjoyable than a sales presentation or a class lecture. A storyboard that doesn’t make you feel being talked into a purchase beats any elevator pitch. E-learning industry supports fun and smarter education through animated videos. Watch the story of Boomer the puppy and the newscasting story about aboriginal tools!

4. The style execution shows up-to-date trends.

Animation styles shift over time so it’s important to stay on top of trends. It makes you relevant and resonates easily with the audience. Although, the chosen style will always be guided by the target audience, brand personality and overall theme of the video.

Trend #1: High-contrast colors

Let’s take a look at Dove’s recent 2018 Self-esteem Campaign in partnership with Cartoon Network. This is the best example of high-contrast colored composition, not to mention a mix of live and 2D animation.

Trend #2: Morphing or Liquid Motion

The trend of morphing shape layers — morphing between shapes, objects, or icons — is one that has been an established trend that continues to gain momentum and popularity for contemporary motion graphics. Smooth fluid transitions between scenes or images catapulted liquid motion as a trend.

Trend #3: Seamless Transition

This might be the hardest thing to execute but it pays off the most. Within the world of ever-shifting visuals, the viewer keeps guessing and makes it hard to look away. Engrossed viewers are more focused and more ready to understand what the video wants to convey. Check out the videos below.

Now, keep these few pointers in mind when conceptualizing your next creative video production! Surely, it does not take a lot of money to produce premium quality. Having a reliable and credible go-to animation studio will be a tremendous help. For projects or partnerships, Animation Outsourced is thrilled to animate your mindblowing concepts into stunning animation! Just tell us more about it and instantly get a quote today!