Imagine a boring, ordinary speech at a business meeting or a typical TV commercial with a banal plot. All of this looks uninteresting and is quickly forgotten.
But animation can save the day.
Bright and dynamic drawings are associated with positive emotions from our childhood.
Complex material is easier to learn when it is visualized.
Compared to “regular” infographics, the sentences look less banal.
Two-dimensional animation, also known as animation in two-dimensional space, is the art of bringing flat characters to life on the screen using hand-drawn or computer technology. 2D animation is used in animation, advertising, training and explanatory videos, and business presentations.
Animated videos allow creative professionals and marketers to realize their imagination without breaking the budget.
Even with competing technologies such as 3D and virtual reality, 2D animation remains relevant, partly because of its accessibility and partly because of its sense of nostalgia and warmth.
Let’s take a look at how 2D animation is created step by step.
Writing a script
“In the beginning was the word…”. Well, not excluding it. First of all, the purpose and goal of the animation is determined.
From these initial data, the main idea of the project is formed, and only after that the scriptwriter develops a detailed description of the video plot or presentation content.
Design of characters and environments
Depending on the type of future video and its purpose – whether it is entertainment, informational, or commercial – its visual style is formed. The main characters and the world around them can be deliberately minimalistic or, on the contrary, as realistic and detailed as possible. Colors play an important role in determining the mood and atmosphere.
Storyboard or animation
Artists create key scenes of the video in a rough draft. These scenes allow you to visually evaluate the concept of the video and, if necessary, make changes to the script or visuals.
Clean version
The image is detailed, the scenes get their original look. The animator performs the final editing and rendering of the video.
Types of 2D animation
Two-dimensional animated videos are created using different techniques and tools. Let’s look at the three most common options:
Frame animation
This is a classic approach to animation where each frame is drawn manually. Each successive image on the screen differs minimally from the previous one, and a smooth animation is created when the frames change quickly. Typically, a video contains 16 to 24 frames per second, and the more frames, the smoother the movement of objects.
Rotoscopy
Many of us may not know that even classic Disney cartoons and the best works of Soviet animators are not always drawn from scratch. Since the 1930s, large studios have been using the rotoscoping technique. This involves creating animation based on video recordings of live actors. The filmed movie is projected onto a special device, a rotoscope, and artists create the basis of the cartoon on top of the projection.
Vector animation
This technique uses vector images and computer programs to create animation. It produces smooth and crisp animation, and vector objects can be scaled without loss of quality.
A modern approach to animation that is very popular. It is performed using computer programs. The animator creates a model of the character and sets the basic parameters of movement of its individual parts, such as arms and legs. After that, the computer calculates the mathematics of the character’s or object’s movement in space based on the specified points and vectors. This avoids the need to draw each individual frame manually.
Stop Motion animation
Stop motion videos use photos of real objects instead of drawings. Models for shooting are usually created from plasticine, but there are other options, such as paper, wood, or even Lego figures. The footage is then edited on a computer.
2D to help business – animation options
Animation looks particularly original and attractive compared to other marketing materials, and it can be particularly effective in some cases.
Storytelling
In advertising, it’s important to determine how you want to present your product or service: is it entertaining, informative, or commercial? 2D animation allows you to clearly and simply tell about the benefits of your product without boring the viewers. A simple but colorful style helps to convey information and create the right atmosphere.
Explain complex concepts
When selling complex products, such as mobile apps or financial services, it’s important to explain clearly to consumers how your product can make their lives easier. In this case, animations and step-by-step explanations can be very useful. Information that is presented in the form of animation is easier to perceive and better remembered.
Create a special atmosphere
If your goal is to associate your brand with something fabulous and cozy, then using animation in advertising will be the best choice. The realistic approach and adult aesthetics are already saturating the media space, and other approaches may be less effective.
Continuation of the Corporate Identity
If your brand actively uses flat 2D elements in its corporate identity, an animated video will be a great addition. It’s easy to integrate brand colors and fonts that consumers already recognize into the animation.
Factors that affect the cost
The cost of an animated video can range from $700 to $10,000 per minute of video, depending on several factors:
- Type and style of animation;
- The number of characters;
- Additional services, such as script development, voice acting, music creation, adding special effects;
- Urgency of production.
Usually, 2D animation costs less than 3D animation or videos with live actors, but it can be of high quality and efficiency.
Conclusion
2D animation is a powerful marketing tool that allows you to accurately convey messages to consumers and stand out from the competition. It is easy to implement corporate identity elements in 2D video, and the cost of creating such advertising content is often more favorable than other alternatives.
In the modern world, 2D business animation is still as relevant as its competitors – cinema and 3D animation.