At first sight, choosing between animation and live video for your next video marketing campaign could seem like a pointless decision, but dig deeper and you'll discover each format's own advantages and disadvantages.
Is it Better to Use Animated Videos
Animated videos are an excellent method to achieve this if you're trying to communicate an idea in an abstract or complicated way.
They may be utilized to communicate information in a simple, memorable way, which is why marketers and advertisers have come to love them. And for good reason: According to a study by psychologist Richard Wiseman, seeing an animated film increases information retention by 15% compared to watching a talking head.
Whiteboard Videos
You might want to think about using a whiteboard if you want to create a video that will capture and hold your audience's interest.
It's not surprising that this kind of film is used for explainer videos because it lends itself so well to clearly describing complicated products and services. This is the strength of explainer video production services. They are great in creating easy-to-understand videos for customers.
But it's also frequently used for corporate onboarding or induction videos, where businesses want to quickly acquaint new hires with their company culture and procedures.
Whiteboard videos are frequently a key component of the video tactics used by a variety of businesses, including software, app, and IT firms.
Are Animated Videos Really Better
Compared to live action movies, animated ones offer some very significant advantages.
First off, you are able to draw a character flying to the moon, something that is impossible with live video. This can be a huge help if you're on a limited budget and in a tight financial situation.
A further logistical advantage is that updating an animation is much simpler than reshooting live action. As a result, animated movies are simpler to update, increasing the usefulness of your content and maximizing the return on your marketing investment.
Are Live Videos Better for Marketing
Live-action videos have two major benefits:
The first is that customers can see what you're truly selling if you're selling a tangible good or a one-on-one service. The same holds true if you're advertising a physical location, such as a hotel or theme park.
The second benefit of live-action is that, in contrast to animation, it is considerably simpler to communicate emotion in real life. Live-action may really help you out there if you want to demonstrate, for instance, how ecstatic your consumers are about utilizing your product or how lovely your hotel is when it's not packed with guests.
Because people need to see what they're buying before they buy it and because they can emotionally connect with the product while watching someone else use it (rather than just an animated character), live-action video for product demo is popular.
Look no further than live-action videos if you're looking for a way to engage your audience and create an emotional bond. Your audience will have a more personal experience with them because they feature real people and are simple to understand.
Additionally, live-action videos have some practical advantages over animated ones, such as the ability to edit them instantly and the use of depth-of-field and lighting cues that are challenging or impossible to achieve in animation.
Why is Animation Better than Live Videos
Both animated and live-action videos are potent brand storytelling, and each has particular advantages. However, there are several circumstances in which animation may be preferred to live action.
First off, animation provides unmatched artistic freedom. Without being constrained by the confines of reality, it enables artists to create extraordinary people, fantastical settings, and impossible situations. The sole limitation in animation is the animator's imagination, which allows them to create aesthetically stunning and distinctive storytelling.
Second, video production may be more fully controlled with animation. Every element, from the smallest particulars to the largest set pieces, can be painstakingly crafted and managed. This degree of control enables accurate storytelling and the use of visual metaphors to explain difficult ideas or feelings.
Animation also has a timeless quality. Animated works can continue to be current and aesthetically pleasing for years to come, in contrast to live-action videos that can be altered by trends, fashion, and technology breakthroughs. This durability enables audiences to be affected for a long time, with the possibility of ongoing appreciation and reinterpretation.
Finally, a wider group of viewers may find animation appealing. Animated storytelling may reach audiences of all ages and cultural backgrounds by crossing linguistic and cultural barriers. The media is an effective tool for expressing stories because of its capacity to elicit emotion, comedy, and awe in a way that is widely relevant.
Even while live-action videos have their advantages, animation is a tempting option for those looking to express compelling stories in visually spectacular and inventive ways because of its limitless creativity, control, timelessness, and universal appeal.
Which is more difficult to Create, Live or Animated Video
The relative complexity of creating a live-action film vs an animated film is arbitrary and depends on some variables. Both media bring distinct difficulties and call for different skill sets.
Coordinating a diverse cast of performers, crew personnel, and production logistics is necessary to produce a live-action film. It necessitates location scouting, scheduling coordination, set management, and handling uncontrollable factors like weather. Equipment, props, and occasionally intricate special effects are frequently required for live-action productions.
It can be difficult to capture convincing performances and control the nuances of cinematography and lighting. Editing, sound design, and color grading are all part of post-production, which can take a lot of time and be challenging.
Animation films, on the other hand, call for a unique talent set and production process. They entail creating from scratch characters, backdrops, and objects, then animating them.
A group of animators, modelers, texture artists, and riggers are frequently needed for this procedure, which necessitates technical proficiency in several software programs. It might take a lot of time and effort to create an animation because each frame must be precisely aligned.
It can also be quite difficult to implement accurate physics, fluid simulations, or intricate aesthetic effects in animation. Compositing, editing, sound design, and adding music are all parts of the post-production process in animation.
Which is tougher and ultimately relies on the particular project, the allocated budget, the project's scope, and the team's level of competence. Both live-action and animated movies demand commitment, ingenuity, and a thorough grasp of their respective fields.
Final Thoughts
Regarding which kind of video to use when, there are no hard-and-fast guidelines. Of course, you should be aware of the fundamentals, but it's up to you how you apply them.
One of the most exciting features of online marketing, whether it be social media or e-commerce, is the chance to convey your brand in novel and engaging ways. Video is a creative craft. We occasionally forget that video allows us to do things differently because we get so focused on the specifics of what must be included (your message, your brand identity, the fundamentals of storytelling).
Therefore, don't think that you must create a typical video like everyone else! Being such a creative medium, video is amazing; if you can conceive of something unique and engaging for your viewers, go for it!
It's difficult to contest the idea that live action tends to convey emotion better. Don't be afraid to try something a little different, whether it be animated or live-action, or a combination of the two, if you're working with a corporate video production company that truly understands your brand, your strategic objectives, and how to make great videos that deliver against those objectives.
The good news is that when done correctly, animations and live videos can both be amusing, interesting, moving, impactful, and effective. So yes, live action has a tendency to convey emotion better.
