According to the animation glossary by Blush Ninja, motion graphics are defined as “pictures and words that move in a fun and interesting way to tell a story or give information. They are often used in cartoons, videos, and movies to make things more exciting and help us understand ideas better.” According to Wikipedia.org, motion graphics are pieces of animation or digital footage that create the illusion of motion, and are usually combined with audio for use in multimedia projects. If you know about and understand the difference between a jpeg or png image and a gif photo, then you understand how motion graphics animation can be created to convey messages that move across the television or computer screen. With this type of animation, pictures and text are manually made to slide, fly, float, crawl, twirl, bounce, pulse, and otherwise move seemingly on their own. However, the pictures and texts are not alive, so they are created to move manually by an animator.
Jpeg, png, and svg images are static pieces of information that are manually made to move in motion graphics animation. The term motion graphics distinguishes static graphics from those with a transforming appearance over time, without over-specifying the form. Visual graphics that are created with blinking lights and on digital billboards can also be classified as motion graphics to the extent that they give the appearance of movement. Think of movie theater signs, concert hall marquees, and highway digital billboards in which digital images are displayed and changed frequently. However, motion graphics typically refer to the commercial application of animation and effects to video, film, TV, and interactive applications.
The following gif photo utilizes motion graphics to convey information about the production of a fictional news source titled The Animation Sun Times.
The following list of videos show examples of how motion graphics animation is used in our everyday lives. I made an attempt to list them in order of the complexity of the animation.
1. Star Wars Opening Crawl
Star Wars (1977) is an American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas, produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Twentieth Century-Fox. It is the first film released in the Star Wars film series and the fourth chronological chapter of the "Skywalker Saga". Set "a long time ago" in a fictional galaxy ruled by the tyrannical Galactic Empire, the story follows a group of freedom fighters known as the Rebel Alliance, who aim to destroy the Empire's newest weapon, the Death Star. What is referred to now as the film’s “opening crawl” is an example of motion graphics. Viewers are presented with a display of an introduction to the film as the text appears to move forward. It makes you feel as if the filmmakers are drawing you into a world of war between galactic armies, the integration of alien races, and amongst individuals who settle arguments with light sabers. Star Wars was as technologically groundbreaking as it was conceptually and mentally mindboggling. It is a masterpiece of creativity and innovation and is first on this list of examples of motion graphics.
2. New Balance featuring Coco Gauff
This New Balance Athletics footwear and apparel brand commercial utilizes a minimal amount of motion graphics to advertise their products. Professional tennis player Coco Gauff is featured in this ad that begins with a centered graphic of the company’s logo. It them makes use of videos, music and a short voice-over to encourage viewers to buy the items they make available or sale, ending with the centered logo displayed on the screen again. In this case, the logo does not move but as a featured athlete promoting the brand, the videos show her moving around while wearing the clothing.
3. Universal Orlando Resort
This Universal Orlando Resort commercial also utilizes only a minimal amount of text graphics and little or no motion graphics. Viewers see lots of video footage of patrons riding on rides and enjoying themselves at the theme park. There is some text that appears on the screen towards the end along with the company logo. However, the text does not move while the ad features a lot of natural movement.
4. Southwest Airlines
This Southwest Airlines Company commercial is slightly more complex in its use of videos and motion graphics to advertise the services they offer to customers. It makes use of slow-motion and standard videos along with music, a short voice-over with text, and a centered logo at the end. The text does not move but the picture of the heart in the logo pulses lightly in the logo at the end. That is a prime example of motion graphics.
5. Chik-Fil-A Restaurant
This commercial makes use of videos, an image, and some text graphics at the end to convey information about the associates who work at their locations. Although there is very little use of motion graphics. it shows how videos can be used together and edited for effect without a voice-over to convey information. There is a prop (the red sofa) in a space where the ad was filmed with generous lighting. Finally, the text graphics at the end are made to appear as if they are on the wall in the background.
6. McDonald’s Restaurant French Fries
The recent McDonald’s ad campaign features a voice-over actor who conveys the joys of indulging in the items aviable for sale at those establishments. Although he does in fact say the name of the business and focuses on one of its most popular menu items, it is most likely assumed that most television viewers will hear his voice with the low background music and know to associate it with the taste of their french fries on the sound alone. This short commercial makes use of videos moving forward in slow motion with an ending that includes motion graphics to display the logo.
7. Ford F-150 Pickup Trucks
This commercial makes use of videos, instrumental music, an audio voice over, text graphics, shadows, dim lighting, and motion graphics at the end to convey inforamtion about the product. Most vehicle commercials show the vehicles on the road and in motion as they are driven through varying situations – some ideal on well-paved roads and others through dirt, dust, snow, and ice. Ads for vechiles usually attempt to demonstrate the rush of driving for car entusiasts and this one does that as well. The look of usefulness and strength is the focus of this ad, while the truck also looks smooth and clean in the midst of the dirty surroundings. The fact that it is a heavy-duty work truck that has been built to last is what they want you to know. Therfore, the text and graphics are minimal as they seem to want to show you rather than tell you or convince you of the obvious truth. The look of a metal, heavy logo at the end appears to be a png image animated to look as it if is too heavy for a lesser model truck.
8. Brands Mart USA Retail Store
This Brands Mart USA retail store commercial is one of the best examples of motion graphics that I have seen on television. It displays information with text and images that move all over the screen in a variety of different directions. However, it can be argued that for such a short ad, it might be too much motion to effectively or properly convey the message of the sale prices to viewers as they watch. It could be that ad executives for this business made plans to air these spots more frequently than usual so that viewers can see anything missed during subsequent airings.
The commercial makes use of images/graphics, text, png and gif photos, and audio and video files to convey information about the items that the company has available for sale. There is a voice-over audio file that directs your eye to the prices that are being advertised. The American flag top hat appears to be a gif photo in a loop that is twirling around in a circle. The square and rectangular shapes “fly in” and “fly out” from various directions to provide backgrounds for the text showing the prices of the items. The png images of the cellphones, laptops, big screen TV, and home appliances also “fly in” and “fly out” to display available products at the store. The background of blue rays at the end appear to either be a video or a gif photo that shows the rays turning in circles. Finally, the voice-over audio ends and a different audio file plays with a jingle for the store. “Buying the Brands Mart way.”
9. Amazon Pharmacy
This Amazon Pharmacy commercial makes use of a good mix of videos and text to show viewers the services they offer. It begins with a centered logo that is replaced by a video showing the motion of a real person holding a cellphone that can be used to order pharmaceutical prescriptions online. The small print text is superimposed on the bottom of the screen while videos are displayed in the background. The audio of music and the voice-over can be heard in addition to the audio of the woman who says hello to viewers. The video zooms in to the customer’s selection of a service and motion graphics are also used to highlight the sale price of the medication. Most of the movement and motion is in the videos but there are some additional text graphics that are in motion towards the end.
10. HP Computers featuring Alicia Keys
This commercial makes use of video graphics, images, voice overs, and music to convey information about the advertised product which is the HP TouchSmart technology made available for laptops and desktop computers in 2007. It also includes information about integrated Beats Audio capabilities. The text graphics are minimal as there seems to be a focus on the artist and the ability to listen to good music through the use of a high quality sound system. After the dramatic view of the artist seated and listening to music, the HP logo is shown at the end on a black background.
11. Microsoft Surface Pro
This Microsoft Surface Pro commercial is one of the most complex examples of motion graphics I have ever seen. It brings the old screensavers to mind that were used whenever the computer monitors were “timed out.” But it mixes those effects with static images of patterns that move in front of, inside of and behind laptop and desktop computers. The ad makes use of music, videos, and text to dramatically show viewers how their products can be used to create and to be innovative. Users are shown the results of typing, pointing, clicking, and writing with a stylus pen on the screen. In these ways, viewers are able to see how they can control and interact with the functionality of the components that make up this device.
12. Sleep Number 360 featuring Dak Prescott
This Sleep Number 360 commercial can be flagged and charged with the penalty of bragging about its complexity with regards to motion graphics animation. I make use of American football jargon here facetiously when speaking about this ad which features Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott. It mixes videos, text graphics, static images, and moving backgrounds on what must have been a green screen to convey the message of how their Sleep Number mattresses can be useful for the serious, sleep enthusiast. It does the job of making the viewer seem to feel the comfort of resting on their mattresses when you watch Dak float down into that bed. The look on his face as he appears to sleep conveys the dreams of heaven and of winning a Super Bowl.
13. Gatorade featuring Michael Jordan
This Gatorade commercial is considered to be complex based on its use of video graphics from archival and present-day footage of retired professional basketball player Michael Jordan. Quite fittingly, it is definitely one that will leave you wondering, how did they do that? I have noticed similar commercials featuring LeBron James and Tom Brady. An art in animation technology teacher can use these for lessons in a few classes. The footage is edited together to give the appearance of an older, wiser retired player in a personal battle of wills during a game of one-on-one with himself at a younger age. The use of motion graphics in this spot can provide necessary material for a documentary or a behind-the-scenes, “making of” film about how this ad was made. Towards the end, the animated moving text asks, Is it in you? The ad ends with a Gatorade logo in the center of the screen.
14. Kroger Grocery Citrus
The motion graphics in this ad are animated. This fully animated commercial makes use of animated CGI cartoon figures that appear to use videos and text along with slow motion videos, a voice over, and popular music to convey information. In the film-making industry, this would be classified as a live-action/animated hybrid commercial as it is a mixture of animated scenes and scenes with real people and actual movement in it. For example, there is a large box of real oranges. There are three citrus fruit slices that you can see floating through the air with juice bubbles around them. Then, a real person places a glass of orange jice on a table top. The last image shows the name of the store and its logo on a solid yellow background.
15. Airbnb Online Marketplace
This Airbnb commercial is another example of one that is fully animated. It conveys its message of the available services they can provide through animation that moves and shows the different sizes of the hotel rooms in relation to the physical sizes of each member in a family. The ad ends with one line of text and the company’s logo centered on the last slide on the screen. It is listed here at the end of this list because as a fully animated ad with motion CGI graphics, it is very complex.