Motion Graphics Part 1

Throughout this course we’ll be introducing the basics of motion graphic design, which brings together elements of both graphic design and animation to create an entirely new artform which excels at explaining complex topics in a simple and pleasing way.

From Behance

Each week we’ll work through a different element of motion design as we go through the process of creating our own simple motion graphic. In our tutorials we’ll be creating a motion graphic about food chains, and in your own assignments you’ll be free to use either the same theme or one of your own.

What are Motion Graphics?

The role of a motion graphic designer - or motion designer - sits somewhere between an animator and a graphic designer. Specifically, motion design involves creating visual compositions that change over time, with an emphasis on using simple graphics and typography to create a pleasing viewing experience.

Take a look at the example below from xirainfotech.com. This fluid animation style and simple color palette is characteristic of many contemporary motion graphics:

Unlike other forms of animation, motion graphics aren’t typically character-driven or story-based, and instead tend to focus on concepts or ideas. As a visual medium, they’re very easy to consume, which has led to them becoming a popular way to explain complicated ideas or products. This is the element of motion design which interests us most on this course.

As mentioned, the main purpose of a motion graphic is to illustrate a concept or idea using simple images and narration, so properly planning one out can take a little bit of thought. Next we’re going to start at the beginning of the motion design process, and explain the basics steps involved in planning out a motion graphic.

Planning a Motion Graphic

As a motion designer, your first job is to choose a topic for your motion graphic to illustrate. For the sake of simplicity we recommend sticking to a topic appropriate for school-aged children, but in practice you can make a motion graphic about almost anything.

Scripting

Once you know your topic, it's a good idea to write out a rough script which your voice over narration will follow. If you choose not to use a voiceover, your script will instead need to be a brief description of what happens in your motion graphic.

Once you have a rough script in place, read it aloud - making sure to add appropriate emphasis to important points - and time yourself. For this course, you ideally want the entire motion graphic to run for no more than 30 seconds, so keep this in mind when producing your script.

If you need to cut the script down, go back and highlight the most important information so you can work out what you can and can’t afford to lose. Don’t forget that this task will be much easier if you’ve chosen a relatively simple topic.

Storyboarding

As visual storytellers, we’re responsible for deciding what the audience sees and hears, which in turn influences what they think and feel. Motion designers need to think like film directors, using different camera angles and distances create visual and emotional intensity. Using a variety of shots together can create an interesting rhythm in the storytelling process.

To help plan out this process, motion designers (as well as animators, filmmakers etc) often use a storyboard - a sequence of rough sketches which establish how a film, animation or motion graphic will progress visually from start to finish.

By storyboarding, you can arrange the visual elements of your motion graphic in line with your script, and begin to plan exactly what your audience will see and hear in sequence.

This week’s video lecture from tutor Andrew King introduces us to the concept of creating a simple storyboard for our motion graphic:

The assets from Andrew’s project for this week can be downloaded here - including a blank storyboard template and a short recording of an example script excerpt. 

Before beginning this assignment, make sure you’ve watched Andrew's video lecture above.

Create a basic storyboard to plan out the structure of your motion graphic in under 10 panels. Plan for your finished motion graphic to be about 30 seconds at the most. Use any media you like to create your storyboard. Also, don’t worry about the quality of the drawing - this is for planning purposes only, so it doesn’t need to be perfect!