The path of designing attractive and basic motion graphics consists of different stages, two of which were mentioned in the previous articles. As in the article “What are the stages of successful motion design?” (Second stage)” you read the motion designer after the meeting with the employer and getting to know his needs, finally preparing a brief or memorandum of understanding. In the memorandum that the designer delivers to the employer, the schedule of the project and the details of the steps are presented in the form of a checklist.
The next step of doing a motion graphics project is ideation, which we will discuss in this article.
Table of Contents
The third step in motion design
The third stage of motion design includes the following sections:
1. Brainstorm
After the motion graphics design prep and pre-production work is done, the design team is ready to brainstorm. First, a brainstorming session is held. The goal of the design team from this meeting is to come up with several ideas.
Then these ideas are reviewed according to the project strategy. If there is a need to change, modify or delete an idea, they modify it. Remember to keep ideas simple. There is no need for any complexity. The audience is ultimately going to get one or two key messages from the motion graphics, not more.
After collecting a list of ideas, the design team has two choices:
- Choose up to three of the best ideas and design a general outline of it for the employer. This selection is a replica of the project. The employer sees these three models and chooses one. Then the design team starts working on it.
- This choice is made when the team has a time limit. In this choice, the design team does not produce a test model and goes directly to the main design. Of course, there is always a risk that the client is not satisfied with the result and the designer has to redo all the steps from the beginning. As a result, it is better to choose this option when there is high trust between the designer and the client.
2. Writing a script
The script is the foundation on which the project is built. In the script, project details and ideas are expressed in a comprehensive and organized manner. These details include scenes, characters, events, and dialogues. An interesting story is told using the script.
Also, this script helps the designers achieve more mastery and coordination during the film production process. Overall, the use of a script allows the design team to produce the film in an organized and efficient manner and puts everyone involved in the project on the same page.
3. Treatment text
Treatment is one of the important steps in the process of creating a motion graphics project. Treatment is a short text that clearly and concisely explains the concept and main idea of the motion graphics project.
Treatment is a text document used to describe the main idea, story, main components, style, and purpose of a motion graphics project. Treatment sentences should be short. Treatment helps motion designers and creative teams present their ideas in an understandable and actionable way for their colleagues and clients.
4. Style frames
The motion design team is about to start a project. Before starting the production phase, he designs a style frame as a conceptual example of the effects and movements that will be used in the final project. This frame style includes examples of moving elements, combining frames, moving the camera, and other elements of motion design. These samples help the employer to have an overview of the final result of the project and to ensure that the way of implementation and continuity of the project is correct.
In a project, usually, 3 to 5 style frames are prepared and presented to customers to receive feedback. Presentation of these images may be done in person or online. Since the details of the project are discussed in the style frame, the motion designer must accompany the clients in their thinking and decision-making process.
5. Sound selection
Another step of ideation is choosing a speaker for the project. According to the type of project, the project director should take sound tests from several artists, taking into account all factors affecting the sound, including accent, style, and resonance.
Usually, several sound tests are performed for each project. The project director selects the top 5 voices and shows them to the client to choose the desired voice. The project director should involve the client in the process of choosing the right voice for the project.
6. Music selection
- Music is one of the most important elements of a motion graphics project. Music plays an important role in evoking the emotions of the audience and influencing them. According to the type of project and budget, the project director may choose one of the following three types of music:
- Stock Music: Stock music is pre-made and widely used in various media. This type of music is usually available and affordable. For projects with a lower budget, this type of music is a good choice.
- Licensed music: Music that artists allow to use their works in exchange for royalties. Using this type of music increases the artistic value of the work, but its cost is more than stock music.
- Custom Music: As the name suggests, custom music is created specifically for a motion graphics project. The advantage of using this type of music is that it is exclusively for the project and the client is the legal owner of it. In addition, using this type of music may be more cost-effective than licensed music, and it is created exactly according to the mood of the designed motion graphics.
After choosing the desired music, it is better to show it to the customer integrated with the speaker’s voice. Because these two must be harmonious together. The music may be beautiful in itself, but it does not have the necessary effect on the audience in addition to the speaker’s voice. For this reason, hearing the two together allows the customer to make a more informed decision.
7. Thumbnail design
Thumbnail in motion design is a small and fast map that is usually prepared manually. Briefly and simply, these maps depict the main idea of the scenes, the camera angle, and the movement of the subject. The main purpose of a Thumbnail is to quickly evaluate the desired ideas and concepts. For this reason, there is no need to deal with details and beauty in it. Because these maps are used for rapid ideation and initial evaluation of ideas, they are usually not shown to the client and are only available to team members.
8. Storyboards or illustrated scripts
A storyboard in motion design is a set of 2D images that show the order of the story, scenes, movements, camera, and other elements. The storyboard shows more details compared to the thumbnail. The Storyboard serves as a visual and temporal guide for motion design production.
At this stage, the whole project is designed in the form of picture frames so that there is a general view of it before making the final product. For a two-minute video, depending on its complexity, approximately 45 to 55 story frames are presented.
The final storyboard is shared with the client. This is the last place where the client can discuss the desired change or edit with the design team.
After the client approves the storyboard, we enter the next phase of the project, i.e. implementation and production, which will be discussed in the next article.