The path of designing attractive and basic motion graphics consists of different stages, three of which were mentioned in the previous articles. As in the article “What are the stages of successful motion design?” (Third stage)” you read, the third stage of the motion graphics design and production process is the ideation stage, which is a bridge between the pre-production stages and the final implementation of the project.
In the fourth stage of a motion graphics project, we go to the stage of implementation and production of motion design. This stage is the last stage of producing a successful motion design.
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The fourth step in designing and making motion design
This stage, which is the last stage of designing and making motion design, consists of 8 parts, which we will explain in detail below.
1. Animatic
An animatic is a short, raw film of the project that is shown to the client before the final work begins. We use this film especially when we work on complex scenes and want to inform the client before the project is completely done.
For example, suppose in a project, we want to animate product objects designed using 2D styling. We guess that implementing some objects in 3D may be better and add more depth to the images.
But the customer is not very willing to do this. In this case, the motion design team prepares a short and raw video of the proposal of the motion design team and sends it to the employer to get his final opinion about it. In this case, the customer understands the team’s idea correctly and declares his final opinion with more confidence.
2. Voice recording
After choosing the desired voice actor, the project manager should arrange a recording session. If the presenters are in a different geographic location than the project team, the motion graphics project manager is in contact with them by phone or online and manages the meeting.
To achieve the best results, it is important to record several examples of reading the text with a variety of emotions, speeds, and even different voices. This work is repeated until the motion graphics team reaches the desired result.
3. Making animation
Usually, it takes about 2 to 3 weeks to produce an animation. In the animation production stage, a team of motion designers works side by side. Each motion designer focuses on specific scenes based on his expertise. This method helps the project to move faster.
The animation production stage is the stage of various experiments and testing of new ideas. Also, sometimes the team may face certain challenges. However, the effort of the design team is to solve the problem if it fails.
Production of 2D or 3D motion graphics is the most time-consuming and expensive part. But with the approvals obtained from the client in the stages before the project, this stage is done with more confidence and speed.
In this phase, software such as After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Cinema 4D are used.
4. Preliminary draft
A preliminary draft is prepared when about 85% of the final project is done. In this draft, the final project is prepared with sound and music, and only sound effects are not added to it. The purpose of the initial draft is that we may want to change it a bit and add more details.
The changes we can make at this stage include the following:
- texts and titles,
- Simple changes to characters/scenes (for example, a character’s hat or the design of a desk in an office scene),
- Script and voice tricks (for example, repeating some words or sentences),
- Minor edits to the scene and timing (such as lengthening a scene, resizing elements for more emphasis, etc.),
- Color changes.
Items that we cannot change at this stage include:
- structural changes (such as moving a scene or altering previously approved visuals);
- Adding new voices or completely changing the sentences in the script (this will change the timing and increase the cost of voice acting).
Finally, if the client requests structural changes that are outside the design team’s scope of work, the team must provide the client with a change request with a time estimate and an updated schedule.
5. Sound design
Sound design means adding sound effects to videos to make them more attractive and realistic. In other words, the sound design part is the interesting part of adding special effects to the animation.
Sound design for a 90-second video takes about two days. But the motion design team can’t get started until the initial approval of the draft is in hand.
Make sure you have a creative brief for sound design. For example, if your video is sad, the audio should be the same.
6. Mixing and mastering music
At this stage, sound engineers use various audio tricks and techniques to bring out the best sounds and music. At this point, the team’s focus is on balance, clarity, and fine-tuning the sound levels in each scene. This step is similar to the mixing and mastering step for a music album, and when in the hands of an experienced sound engineer, it makes a huge difference in the final quality of the project.
It is safe to say that sound and music make up 50% of the audience’s experience. Without the right music, most viewers may not understand the feeling of a motion graphic video. But using a great sound mix can enhance the emotion and add the final layer to the project.
7. Final draft
The final draft is prepared when approximately 95% of the project is complete. At this stage, all the necessary sound effects, music, and feedback from the client have been applied. The remaining 5% is for very small details that need to be completed but are not of high importance.
8. Final delivery of the project
Now it is time for the final delivery of the project. At this stage, the final and high-quality output of the video is delivered in the format or formats required by the employer.
9. Receive project feedback
After the final delivery of the project to the employer, it is time to receive and review the feedback. Has the project reached the goals that were defined in the initial stages of the work or not? Did the audience watch and share the content? Naturally, the motion graphic design team should ask the client for project feedback statistics.
Collecting and analyzing this feedback will help the motion design team to use it in future projects.