Benefits of Producing Live Action vs. Animation Videos

There is no longer any argument about the efficacy of video content in marketing. The impact that video has when pushing your product, brand or service to the world is massive and well documented in a couple of our previous articles, Video Marketing - Social Media and Video Marketing.  There are various factors to consider when determining which video style should be implemented in your marketing plan. You may find that one or both will work depending upon your audience and the message being delivered.

The two options under consideration here are Animated Videos and Live Action Videos.

Some of these factors include:

• The budget ear-marked for the video content
• The composition of content (determined by the marketing message)
• The flexibility needed for the content
• The future relevance of the content

Tri-Toy creates creates both animated video and live-action video for our clients.  This post is targeted at helping you make informed choices when selecting live action vs animation video for your next marketing campaign.

Animation Video and its Implications

Animation video, simply put, is the manipulation of moving images created from drawings, that are then created on computer. Animations are also supported by text and/or voiceovers to add texture to the video. Animation is used to represent various ideas that could be difficult to model by humans. They have become popular in use by content creators.

Some of the key gains of using animated video include:

No Need for Locations and Sets

In creating animated videos, there is no need to find a location or studio. Though there is a need for a creative post-production, sound and animation team, there is no production management, crew, scouting or studio required. Everything is generated using storyboard sketches later crafted using computer software to create a 2D or 3D world. There is no need to hire actors, but you will have a need in most cases for voiceover talent. Every element is conceived through imagination and then sketched out and manipulated using the computer before motion and sound effects are added to make them realistic and responsive.

Easy to Edit and Adjust

After the video is delivered, you sometimes have a need to make edits, including adding, removing or tweaking the content. Whether the changes are easy or more intricate; producing animated videos offers a type of flexibility that doesn’t exist with live action. Though both animation and live action video require scheduling time in post-production with a team, you don’t find yourself rescheduling studios, crews and actors, just to name a few things. If VO talent is needed to redo script content, they often work remotely making it quick and easy.

Flexibility for Creativity

Anything can be visualized or created in an animation. There are no boundaries to what can be created. This allows for incredible flexibility when considering there are products, services and ideas that are difficult to express using real people in limited time and space.

Fewer People Needed Behind The Scenes 

The number of people needed behind the scenes such as actors, directors, stage, production, lighting and camera crews are reduced when considering the creation and use of animation. Creating animations does need competencies like scriptwriters, graphic artists, editors, animation artists, SFX artists, voiceover artists, but the need is generally less when compared to making use of actual actors and production personnel.

Ease in Content Roll-Outs

As a brand grows, there is the need to stay relevant and consistent when engaging with your audience. The flexibility that is allowed through animation makes it easy to create additional content or make updates based on the current needs, trends, situations or objectives of your brand. Animated content excels in this area and hence is a better fit than shooting a live video.

Live Video and its Implications

Live Video involves production teams, crew, actors, actual locations, equipment and more. With a good plan and schedule, a great video could be shot and edited within the span of a couple of weeks. Creating a real-world scenario coupled with real people provides a natural feel when pushing your brand, product or service. A human touch adds a level of validation to your brand, that is sometimes lost, as animation may lend to stereotypes that are related to whimsical, childlike objectives. Finding an online influencer that is willing to embrace your brand allows you to leverage your audience against another individuals fan base.

Some key points for using live action video include:

A Personal Touch

A live action video allows your audience to feel connected to the product, brand or service you are suggesting. Live action provides a more direct, relatable human interaction that allows viewers to feel more connected to your message. The viewer feels like they could be watching themselves, their neighbors or friends sharing in their experiences. This ensures you will have a direct impact on your audience leaving a lasting impression.

Realistic Nature of Concepts

Using live video with real people ensures that the boundaries of realism are not easily breached. The representations of the reaction expected from the use of the product, brand or service are mirrored properly and expectations are appropriate.

Speed of Turnaround

The turnaround time is usually faster for a live video. With planning in place, the actual shoot could be wrapped very quickly. Some videos are shot within a day. The representation of objects, scenes and people using an animation would be more involved in design and need more time to complete.

Tradeoffs

There are many tradeoffs when considering to select live action vs animated content for brand purposes. Additionally, if your budget allows, there is always the option to create mixed media content and hence could attract a wider audience.

An example of a tradeoff consideration is:

• Audience: If your intended audience are children, you may be more likely to lean towards creating animated video instead of live action videos. This is due to the nature of most children liking bright colors, exaggerated reality and engaging sound. When content is targeted towards professionals, it is a very safe bet that the core of your content would have to have a concise, strong human connection and hence a preference for live videos.

At the end of the day your intended message, audience and budget are major factors on the table when intending to produce video content. Contact Tri-Toy Productions about creating video content for your brand.