SASSY Insights: Motion Graphics Trends Set to Define the Year

The art of film and TV has come a long way in the past decade, no more so

than their use of motion graphics. From subtle to sublime, different types of

graphics are becoming ever more present in our daily lives, from ads on your

TV screen to moving billboards on the high street. Motion graphics designer

Rad, with 3 years in the business, shares her thoughts on current trends and

those we can expect to encounter in 2023.

Minimalist Colour Schemes

It appears that nowadays more and more companies are walking firmly down the path of ‘less is more’ when it comes to uses of colour. While some companies are taking the simpler route, using only a single colour in their designs, others are sticking to the tried and tested ‘rule of 3’, meaning no more than 3 colours in any one design. This is a far cry from the heady days of 2000, when it was all about the more colours the better. It also appears that the types of colours are changing too, as more often high-contrast colours are being favoured over pastel shades.

Metallic Effect

Another trend that seems to have made its way in to mainstream media from film is the use of metallic effects. This is a common graphic style mostly associated with huge entertainment names like the James Bond franchise or Game of Thrones, often being used in their opening titles. However, due to film and TV’s influence on mainstream audiences, we are seeing it enter into ads too, as more brands are spotting what audiences and customers interact with the most. These metallic textures can add an element of luxury to any brand’s image.

2D/3D

Once upon a time, 3D graphics were awe-inspiring bits of magic, blowing people away by showing that more life could be given to graphics on our screen. From logos to actual characters, this added a whole new dimension to the way people saw TV and film. Nowadays we take 3D graphics for granted, just another element of society that once made fictional worlds come to life, now can been seen on most moving billboards. We are seeing a mixture of 2D and 3D graphics sharing the same space though, with 3D characters operating on a 2D background for example. More companies are using these 3D graphics as a way of demonstrating a product, such as a car and all its interior intricacies. This makes it far easier for a customer to see all the parts, rather than having it filmed directly with a camera, which would require far more lighting and lens changes. Mixing 2D and 3D graphics also allows us to create more abstract environments, meaning that creative boundaries can be pushed even further.

Anti-gravity

Anti-gravity, or floating graphics, are also becoming a major player in the world of design. Seeing multiple objects suspended in space adds to the multidimensional feel of a video, allowing the viewer to get lost in the world on the screen. This isn’t just a trend that is confined solely to sophisticated settings either, lots of children’s TV programmes make use of anti-gravity graphics too, highlighting the immersive qualities that this trend can bring to any form of entertainment. You no longer need to go to space to see objects floating in suspense, switch on your TV and you're bound to see an example of this.

Kinetic Typography

Any fast-paced action film worth its salt will use some form of kinetic typography, think Mission Impossible for example. But we are seeing it seep into daily life too, such as ads on TV and billboards. Kinetic typography adds a whole new element to any video, as quite often the text matches the sound, dictating what speed and in what manner the text slides and morphs off and on to the screen. This is definitely a trend that has moved significantly from films to ads in recent years, and will continue to do so with gusto.

“You don’t learn it, you spot different graphics on TV and in videos and think ‘that

looks good’, and kind of grow it from there…” – Rad

Motion graphics have undoubtedly evolved dramatically over the past decade,

and will continue to do so throughout 2023 it seems. They are a great way to

enhance any brand or video, and really get yourself and your business

recognised, and breathe new life in to any campaign.