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How to Choose between Animation and Actual Filming
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How to Choose between Animation and Actual Filming

By Mainak Biswas February 14, 2014 - 774 views

Explainer videos as we have mentioned several times, are growing in importance and status. All companies that sell products and services should be making explainer videos in order to reach out to people who do not want to read through elaborate textual content. While it is a recent trend to create explainer videos, the technique has existed since a long time. What most people notice is that most explainer videos are animated not filmed actually.

You may be wondering why people or companies choose to create animation videos instead of real ones. There are many reasons for this. However, in this article we shall discuss how you must choose between creating an animated explainer video and an actually filmed video. The decision making process maybe a little difficult but it is not impossible. You should just know what you want and what the purpose of creating an explainer video is and you will be able to decide between the two techniques. While it is obvious that creating animated videos is cheaper, one still needs to consider a few aspects before jumping into the bandwagon.

Animated videos are cheaper than actual filming

To film an actual explainer video, you may have to hire a model. Models are always expensive and you will also need to hire photographers. Photographers are not cheap either. Next, an actual film will need to be sent to the studios for editing and for post production. This process does not only take time but also consumes a lot of financial resources. On the other hand, animated videos are cheaper to create and they also take less time. All that you need is an animation specialist, a script writer and a voiceover artist. It creates the same effect as a regular film but is a lot less cheap and much quicker.

With this in mind, we may also consider a situation where actual filming is necessary. If you sell products that are wearable, you may want to hire actual models. Clothes especially cannot be ‘explained’ through explainer videos. One needs to use live models in order to explain viewers how it fits, how it looks and what makes it special. There are other instances too, when you may want to use real life models. If you sell medical gadgets, you will probably have to hire people who play the part of patients and care givers. This helps people to strike a note and attach themselves to the product emotionally.

While live models have a greater chance at creating a connection between the viewer and themselves, animated explainer videos have their own advantages. We have already mentioned that they are cheaper and quicker to build. Another advantage is that animation videos are neutral in nature. People usually do not get offended when they watch animated films. Chances are higher that a larger segment of people will watch your video if your explainer video is animated.

Understanding the context

There are many scenarios when animated explainer videos are better than actual filming. We must remember that actual filming is a lot more difficult and takes a lot of time as well. With this in mind, one must understand that it is not easy to create explainer videos that are actually shot, even though they seem attractive. Explainer videos are cheaper, effective and can be produced quickly.

If you are confused about your choice, you could always speak to explainer video professionals who will be able to help you decide which medium you must be adopting. It is never a bad idea to create animated explainer videos because a lot of people prefer videos to textual content. Videos have the ability to go viral and they are also entertaining in nature.

Precisely for this reason, videos are preferable to having just textual content. People can also make better decisions about the products they want once they watch videos. Now that animation is so developed, it is possible to create very realistic videos at a fraction of the cost of making real videos. No matter what it is, it is always a good idea to think before choosing between either of the two options. Consider what your goals are and then decide on something that is better for you. Chances are, an animated explainer video will take care of your needs most of the time.

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