Video continues to dominate the media. Brands and companies that want to ensure that their message reaches their prime audience depend on the power of video for communication. Video can portray emotion, share information and even sell a product or service.
Yet in today's market, two primary styles of video reign supreme: animation and live-action. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, making the decision of which one to choose a difficult one.
Knowing which style is right for you - or your marketing strategy - can make all the difference. In this article, we will take a closer look at the differences between animation and live-action videos and when it might be best to choose one over the other.
Animation vs. Live-Action: Defined
In order to understand the debate between animation and live-action, it is essential to first know what each term means.
Live-action video is pretty self-explanatory - it is video that captures real people or objects in real-life settings. This can be done through the use of a camera and can be either scripted or unscripted.
Animation, on the other hand, is a bit more complex. Animation is the process of creating the illusion of motion and shape change by means of the rapid display of a sequence of static images that minimally differ from each other. Essentially, it is "drawing" movement.
There are a few different types of animation: 2D, 3D, and stop-motion.
2D animation is the oldest and most traditional form of animation. It involves creating all the elements of a scene or character on two-dimensional paper or canvas and then animating them by drawing or painting successive images on top of each other.
3D animation takes those two-dimensional elements and makes them three-dimensional, giving them depth and realism. This style often requires technical expertise and software experience.
Stop-motion animation is similar to 3D animation but uses physical objects instead of digital ones. These objects are then photographed one frame at a time and the resulting images are put together to create the motion sequence.
Animation vs. Live-Action: Which Is Better?
While it may be tempting to think that live-action offers a more "realistic" experience for video, it may not be the most strategic for your brand.
1. Animation Let’s the Imagination Run Wild
One of the main benefits of animation is that it allows you to create a video without being limited by the real world. You have the ability to create any scene, character or setting that you can imagine - no matter how impossible it might be in real life.
2. Animation Gives Greater Design Control
Animation also gives you more control over the final product. Because you are the one creating the animation, you can ensure that every detail is perfect. This level of control is not possible with live-action video, which is often constrained by reality.