We celebrate bold content from across the web to inspire marketers and content creators.
Animation, animation, animation. I simply cannot get enough of it. This week we’re looking at the technique of mixing animation with live action. We have four contrasting videos, however it is clear in each that the blend of animation and live action creates something special. Let’s dive in.
Take On Me
I’m not gonna lie, the hair and outfits alone make our first clip one of the most awesome things I’ve ever seen. It turns out cyclic fashion is real. A-ha’s ‘Take On Me’ music video won six awards (Best New Artist in a Video, Best Concept Video, Most Experimental Video, Best Direction, Best Special Effects, and Viewer’s Choice) at the 1986 MTV Video Awards and upon a rewatch it’s clear why. Using an animation technique called rotoscoping (tracing live-action images and rendering them to look like literal moving sketches or drawings) the clip shows our fabulously styled protagonist moving in and out of a comic book world. A lovely reminder that absolutely nothing is off limits or beyond reach. What other worlds do you feel you could combine to help tell your own story?
Diary of a Teenage Girl
The thing to learn from this one is, let your video content truly represent your brand. The animation pallet is infinite. A great example of this kind of representation can be seen in Diary of a Teenage Girl – the film adaptation of Phoebe Glockner’s graphic novel about the sexual awakening of teenage artist Minnie. The narrative is punctuated throughout with the main character interacting with her own art. What’s especially great about it is that the animation reflects Minnie’s own art, going that extra step of allowing us to see how an artist like her sees the world as a perpetual source of inspiration for her work. We say this all the time but the key to connecting with an audience is honesty and the access to your own vulnerability. How can you do more to put yourself into the piece, to reflect your own passion as to the message you’re sharing?
The Hangover
Moving on to something a little less poetic but equally as entertaining we jump into the casino scene from The Hangover. Yes, that crazy Vegas stag film where the world fell in love with Bradley Cooper and more so Zac Galifianakis. In this scene numbers and calculations swirl around the character’s head as he calculates the probabilities required to win back their money. What a great way to portray cognition through animation. Definitely food for thought as another way to put across your message.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Finally we look at a very short but beautiful use of stop motion animation from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. In this scene the character presents us with a crayon ponyfish (a fictitious creature) in a bag of water. The visual of the imaginary animal is brief but stunning. The stylistic choice of stop motion for this scene adds a sense of magic and wonder. I believe there’s a sense of nostalgia and childhood we experience through stop motion. This raises the importance of how, stylistically, your choice of animation can alter and move the tone of a message. I challenge you to really look at all your options for portraying your voice. It’s in the understanding of the connection you have with your message that creates a true connection with your audience. Which animation styles do you think would best suit what you’re trying to say?
Bold Content Spotlight: Home-Start
We’re proud that our Home-Start’s Parental Advisory Films received Gold in the LIT Commercial Awards this week!