Intro to Motion Graphics

 

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create parallax animation or motion graphics, similar to the example shown above. In this animation style, elements in the background, such as clouds and buildings, will appear to move at different speeds within a scene.

 

What Is Motion Graphics?

Motion graphics is known by several names. Initially, it was called parallax, and in certain software, it’s referred to as transform, as it often involves altering an object's attributes such as opacity, position, scale, rotation, and even anchor points.

 

It’s important to note that motion graphics is distinct from traditional animation. In motion graphics, you can include elements like:

• Visuals: This encompasses any images, shapes, forms, videos, movies, visual effects (VFX), and even animations.
• Audio: This includes any recorded sounds and sound effects (SFX).
• Null Objects: These are invisible in the visual output but are necessary for certain processes.
• Camera Motion and Angles: This includes actions like zooming in or out, following motion paths, and changing angles.

The results in motion graphics don't necessarily need to mimic natural and smooth movements, unlike traditional physics-based animation.

In fact, sometimes motion graphics intentionally feature jagged movements, repetitive actions, or glitches. This style can be particularly appealing to children, who often enjoy these vibrant effects.

 

Let's dive into one of the foundational techniques of motion graphics: Pan. According to the book "Mastering the Art of Screenwriting & Storyboard: From Words to Visuals for Animation and Movies," a pan involves moving the camera horizontally to the right or left along the axis of a tripod.

 

 

This movement can be used to approach or move away from the subject being filmed. When the camera quickly pans to another area, it’s referred to as a whip pan, swish pan, or swish shot.

 

PAN

A pan involves horizontally moving the camera to the right or left along the arc axis of a tripod. This movement can be used to approach or move away from the object or subject being movieed. When the camera pans quickly to another area or entity, it is referred to as a whip pan, swish pan, or swish shot.

 

Figure 1

 

In the storyboard (1), you see a pan to the right. In animation video editing, a pan doesn’t rely on camera axes; instead, it uses transformations to give the illusion of camera movement to the right. The result is shown in Figure 2 as a GIF image. You can click this link for a smoother animation video transitioning from pan to the right and back to the left.

 

Figure 2

 

A swish pan to the right can also be executed—note that the image in the center of Figure 3 appears blurry. The final result can be seen in Figure 4 as a GIF image, and you can click this link for a smoother animation video transitioning from swish pan to the right and back to the left.

 

Figure 3

 

Figure 4

 

TILT

Tilt refers to the vertical movement of the camera, either up or down, along the axis of the tripod arc, as shown in Figure 5. This motion can be used to approach or move away from the subject, similar to what is demonstrated in Figure 6 as a GIF image. You can click this link for a smoother animation video transitioning back and forth.

 

Figure 5

 

Figure 6

 

A quick tilt up or down, akin to a swish pan, is sometimes called a swish tilt, as depicted in Figure 7 as a GIF image. You can click this link for a smoother animation video transitioning from swish pan to the right and back to the left.

 

Figure 7

 

Diagonal Motion Path

In animation video editing, every motion of an entity and camera follows a path known as the motion path. For instance, if we want an object to move from the bottom left area to the top right area of a large image, we refer to this as a diagonal motion path, as shown in Figure 8.

 

Figure 8

 

The outcome is illustrated in Figure 9 as a GIF image. You can click this link for a smoother animation video transitioning from the bottom left corner to the upper right corner diagonally. Background motion paths often follow the characters' movements, a concept known as "layout" in animation production.

 

Figure 9

 

Alright, enough theory! Now it's time to practice each technique one by one to build a solid foundation in motion graphics. This will ultimately lead you to create more complex animations, much like the first video sample in this article. You can click this link to view it again. You can save Figure 10 below or download the "23 Pan to the right.png" file located at the bottom of this article.

 

Figure 10

 

Let’s continue the practice in the next tutorial. See you soon!

 

 

Thanks!