2D animation has been around ever since the late 1800s. In fact, we still use this type of animation. There are still thousands of opportunities that awaits you if you want.
But before you venture in this line of work, it’s best to read some interesting facts about 2D animation first. Furthermore, let’s also look into some business applications of 2D animation.
What is 2D animation? Learn.org has given a very simple yet understandable definition. But to summarize all the definitions out there, 2D animation refers to the creation of art and design in a flat environment.
So they are still moving pictures but the characters and the background are all 2D. Compared to 3D, a 2D animation will only move, linearly from the middle, left to right, and up or down.
Also, 3D will be much more close to reality than in 2D with regards to design and physics. Imagine the difference between a circle and a sphere so you will understand it more.
Before our modern software and applications, 2D was mostly hand-drawn art. Which I believe is one of its strengths since it requires real talent. As a result, it feels good on the eye and the images are absolutely stunning.
But 2D animation is now behind 3D animation nowadays. Mostly because of our technologies and lifestyle. But even in cartoons and animations for children, 2D is still up there at the top.
Plus, what I have noticed is that there are some games that really stand out when made with 2D mostly because of hand-drawn art. You can look up some really great new games that are 2D themed which are worth your time.
It’s really one of the most interesting facts about 2D animation. But enough about that, what’s really booming in 2D is the business world and marketing.
Most businesses today employ the power of 2D animation or explainer videos on their website’s landing pages. This is because almost everybody has a smartphone that can play HD videos.
But the big question there is that why do business go for 2D instead of 3d? Even if they know that everyone can play HD videos. Well, that will be one of our interesting facts about 2D animation so it will be on this article.
Interesting Facts about 2D Animation and its Business Applications
Along with some interesting facts about 2D animation, we will also try to go about some of its business applications. Since one of our main goals as a marketer is to find new opportunities and tools to use, this will be one of your best references.
If you have doubts about employing the service of a great 2D animation, then this article will be perfect for you to read.
Tools
Most of the tools to create your animation are now software applications. Especially for businesses, everything is done on the computer which is actually very good because it will surely be clean and accurate in every line and image you want to show.
But of course, it will cost some resources, not too much if I might add. Regarding the applications, the most popular ones out there that are commercially available are Adobe apps.
You have Photoshop, Flash and After Effects which are what most professional animators already use. They are not easy to use so these professional animators dedicate their time and mind to studying the digital arts.
With that said, it really explains why creating a 2D animation will cost you some resources.
Some animators still sketch by hand. This is still the best way for some to draft drawings and get ideas. It depends on the animator still but since we now have technologies that help with this type of art, most have migrated to using the computer.
And that’s one of the most interesting facts about 2D animation.
Pros and Cons of 2D Animation.
One of the best interesting facts about 2D animation is its pros and cons. But for us to gain a better understanding, it’s best to sometimes compare it to 3D.
This will also give us different perspectives and help us choose which one is better for our business. But they are both great and 2D has proven that it is still useful today.
First, 2D and 3D are both amazing if used properly depending on the situation. For example, 3D animation is mostly used in movies much like those Disney productions you pay to watch.
Which means that productions like these will really need thousands up to millions from your budget. Unlike 2D which are used for flash games, simple animation, whiteboard videos, and explainer videos, they are compact and cost effective.
For a single 2D animated video, it will just cost you around five thousand dollars or maybe less, depending on the duration of the video.
On the other side, 2D animated videos will be much less realistic since they are just based on a flat environment. But that’s not totally a negative side to it. Because most professionals prefer a simpler type of video when it comes to creating an explainer video.
It can even be a key factor in attracting your potential leads because no one wants a long and complicated video if they are just simply trying to discover a brand or service that can help them.
Another plus for 2D animation is that it’s easier to fix, mainly because of the way it’s compact and short.
2D Animation and its Business Uses.
2D animation can be used in a lot of ways. As you can see on the internet, it can be used to create a game, simple animations, films, advertisements, and web domains. But one of the top reasons why businesses use 2D animation is because of its practicality and applications in the relevant industry.
Most businesses employ the service of a digital design company to create 2D animation. 2D animation can be broken down into whiteboard animation and explainer videos.
The latter, explainer videos are a trend on the internet today. So what are the different uses of a 2D animation for a business? There are tons, no matter if the business is a start-up or a big company. But what are the strengths of a good explainer video?
Compelling call to action
One of the best ways to convince a visitor to take the next step is to show a well made animated video. Because of the convenience of watching a video, people always add a view to it.
At the end of each video, most marketers put a call to action in form of a clickable button, graphics or voice. This encourages the visitors to take the next step depending on what you want them to do.
It really works since you had them hooked until the end already.
Answer questions
You can strategically answer the questions of your visitors and further nourish them into becoming customers. 2D animations are really great for this since they are short and compact already.
So it’s up to you to choose which question to answer. But you can also create multiple videos which are highly recommended for different aspects of your brand and services.
It will also lessen support inquiries that would instead waste time. That one of the most facts about 2D animation.
Cost efficient and Practical
One of the greatest facts about 2D animation is that they are very practical and easy to create. Well, compared to 3D which will take months or even years to complete.
Plus, one of the top reasons why businesses use 2D animation is because it is very cost efficient. There really is a big difference in the cost. Not only that it’s budget friendly, it’s also easier to make changes so it’s really good for businesses even if they constantly change something.
How do you create 2D Animations?
There is a process in which animators and producers follow as a guideline.
Well, it actually depends on the studio, it mostly differs for everyone. I would like to provide you a brief list that we as a business follow which will give you one of the most interesting facts about 2D animation.
So it’s up to you to look how others create the animation. If you want to further look into the world of video marketing, then you can refer to this simple guideline I have written.
Script Writing
This will mostly determine how long the video is and how the narrator will speak. This is important for us because this is how we base the price of the video. It’s also a crucial part of the process so you really need a professional to create this one or at least as a consultant.
Also, this is where you must think what questions you need to answer and how will you incorporate your call to action. So this is how crucial the script is.
Storyboard Presentation
The storyboard will be created by either the animators or the creative team. This will contain plain design and texts based on the script which will be the basis of production.
It’s also where half of the refinement stage will occur because it the easiest part to change. You can also add or remove from the script here depending on what you have agreed with the script writers.
Voice Over Recording
Before proceeding with this step, the script will be finalized so that the voice actor will start recording. It’s up to you to choose from the available list of actors from your company.
Try to choose and judge which voice actor will best suit to send out your message to the people. A good idea would be to choose a voice actor from your country because it will give more confidence to your watchers.
Animation
Finally, this is where production will take place. The animators will have all the requirements so everything before this step will most likely be finalized before starting.
From the script to the storyboard, the animators will now proceed with either sketching or digitally drawing your presentation. Changes can also be made of course so don’t worry since everything will be refined too on this stage.