13 November 2020

Animation in Isolation

During the pandemic, I’ve noticed lots of changes in the market.

VFX studios and production houses that were once bursting at the seams with new projects have suddenly found themselves in the doldrums, mainly due to the lack of live action that have been able to take place. With the enforcement of multiple lockdowns and social distancing, it has been near enough impossible to get a working shoot up and running, causing delays in production, and putting a stopper on post-production pipelines.

One art form that has thrived throughout is Animation. In its purest form, animation is defined as:

The technique of photographing successive drawings or positions of puppets or models to create an illusion of movement when the film is shown as a sequence’.

Although there are studios that are still heavily involved in stop motion and traditional animation processes, computer animation is the more widely used form nowadays. With the lack of live action needed, studios are able to continue to produce work from a remote standpoint, and can create campaigns, adverts and content without the need to create a set in person.

The ability to remotely utilise animation has proven invaluable to many companies, who have expanded their offerings to keep the workflow going – many studios that once specialised purely in 3D Motion Design are now providing 2D Animation content for social media banners, videos and digital content.

For me, animation is the perfect art form for dealing with sensitive subjects. Whether it be an explainer video about anxiety, content around wellbeing or even an app to assist with mental health, animation usually plays a big role in the delivery of this sensitive information. The ability to create ‘softer content’ than live action filming gives the viewer a sense of understanding, without having to necessarily connect their feelings with a real person.

In short, animation plays a huge part in our day to day lives, and we may not even register it. Whether it be the quick video you’ve seen on social media, the UX/UI aspects of your phone, the video game that you’re playing in the evening or the advert you’ve seen on a digital billboard; animation is hugely prevalent in today’s society.

If you’re an animator, do reach out. I’m always keen to have conversations with experts in their field, whether it be about the current market, or the next big thing… get in touch with the FX team today.

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