How to… use animation to stay relevant in a social-media obsessed world

The world of social media moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. 

‘It’ being the latest trend, holiday or opportunity, of course. But, unlike Ferris, our social media-obsessed world quite literally never takes a day off. Of course, the expertise of animation can provide unlimited leverage in promoting relevant content. 

That’s no secret, and there’s a lot of it. 

The sheer amount of work produced and posted on various CG-related accounts, as well as via more mainstream services is staggering, ranging from simplistic short loops to fully-animated shorts. 

As an artist or post house, it’s imperative to get your work out there for people to see. And it’s equally as important to get feedback from your peers and to find new and better ways to work. The internet provides these opportunities by the bucketload, but how do you stand out in an oversaturated market?

Simplicity is key and it’s all in the execution.

Social media has exploded over the past few years and they say inspiration can come from anywhere, but what I’ve personally found, is that you have to be selective in where you look. 

Choosing a few key sites or feeds to scour can really help you set a gauge on where your own skill level is at, and where you’d like it to be. You’re spoilt for choice, but not for time, so you start to wonder where these people find the time to churn it out. But, more often than not, simplicity is key and it’s all in the execution. 

Sticking to a basic theme such as a ‘social media holiday’, can help keep your ideas on track and when creating social content for Big Buoy or Smoke & Mirrors, I always try and test a new skill or technique I’ve been wanting to try out. 

A good example is a Thriller routine I created for Halloween in a Lego style.

For any artist, self-motivation and creatively challenging oneself is hugely important. 

I aim to create something outside of a client brief regularly as it keeps me motivated and helps me to keep moving forward. 

Perhaps I inherited this outlook from my good friend and one-time colleague, Nicola Gastaldi, who created Gasta Loops, challenging himself to create an entirely new looping GIF, daily, for 100 days.  

Each GIF uses the same three flat colours, is fifty frames long and, of his own admission, “some are technically really simple and some are boring”. But the work went on to receive a lot of publicity and it’s that strive and ambition that’s so important to nurture.

So, the question remains; how do you achieve viral appeal on social media across a range of demographics, whilst catering to even the shortest of attention spans? 

Well, just as live-action footage utilises characters and scenarios viewers empathise with, CG artists, too, are able to develop creative, emotive content via clever character animation. Certain mannerisms-the bounce of a walk, the hunch of a concave posture or the slight wobble of an upper lip can convey feelings of excitement, regret, or anxiety. And the list is endless. 

All of these variants allow for 3D, relatable protagonists which tie in metaphorically to their associated product. 

Just as live-action footage utilises characters and scenarios viewers empathise with, CG artists, too, are able to develop creative, emotive content via clever character animation.

For example, Lemlift’s character possesses a boundless energy to mirror the result of the supplement. Similarly, Knorr’s Sidekicks commercial features clever character design of a salt and pepper duo who adopt perfected movements and mannerisms to tap into our emotions, enabling us to understand the narrative of the sorrowful salt shaker which is replaced by a tastier alternative, hence sparking an interest in the product.

So, I’ve talked about staying relevant creatively, but let’s not forget about the technicals. 

These days, basic knowledge of social specs is vital. It’s imperative to know the difference between your Insta Stories and your Insta Feeds. Bright, loud colours married with clever, fast-paced animations will spike an interest, but the modest social caption remains an underused tool. 

Get to know the language of your preferred platform and take advantage of emojis. 

It sounds simple, but research shows that 72% of UK citizens aged between 18 and 25 find it easier to communicate emotions using emojis rather than text. After all, they are a globally understood language! Their popularity has increased tenfold, with our Amsterdam studio even being challenged to create 300 CG emojis for a recent project for Tele2.

In light of the current situation, we’re all housebound and social media has never been more prominent. We’re all limited by our environment and the company we can safely keep. No doubt you want to be able to see other places, or even experience having a pet…(preferably without the responsibility). This is where virtual and augmented reality is really coming into its own. 

The use of VR in healthcare is evolving to aid doctors treat people with phobias and anxiety issues.

Over the last couple of years, the speed, power and technical abilities of our mobile devices has increased. So much so, that creating another world from your sofa has become a tangible reality. 

The use of VR in healthcare is evolving to aid doctors treat people with phobias and anxiety issues. What an an amazing use of technology and a previously restricted tool that was exclusive only to bedroom warriors and voyeurs. The use of VR and AR in the classroom is going to become more and more prevalent.  

As a child, the excitement of being taught through this medium would have blown my mind, whilst also opening it to further career prospects.