The trends for 2021 that may impact video and animation

To say that 2020 has been a disastrous year would be an understatement. As COVID-19 struck every corner of the world indiscriminately, we found ourselves distancing from each other until physical proximity no longer feels ‘normal’. What this has meant for businesses is a complete change in direction when it comes to communication. Face-to-face is off the cards, however video is filling this gap with remarkable success. In fact, Google estimates we’ve leapt forward 5 years in our adoption of video as a means of communication.

So what digital advancements will 2021 bring? And what trends will shape the evolution of video and animation. These are my predictions.

5G is just around the corner

The next-generation mobile technology is 5G and it will increase the speed of everything we do on our mobiles 100-fold. As a result, the global datasphere is expected to quadruple by 2025, bringing with it major implications for cloud computing, Big Data, AI and cybersecurity. And with the number of mobile phone devices capable of running 5G rising from 5% to 65% of users, this will dramatically increase the use and efficiency of mobile as a powerful distribution channel for video and animation.

Animation to the rescue

When the 2-metre rule impedes a camera man and sound operator getting close to the subject on a shoot, we found a resilient way around this for our customers. Animation, of course. It’s a proven, highly effective and cost-efficient communication tool. It’s original, impactful and a joy to watch. At Shoot You, we expect to see animation projects increase further in 2021 for two related reasons. Firstly, the cost of producing all five forms of animation now falls within most companies’ budgets. And secondly, the uncertainty and anxiety clients experience when booking video shoots mid-COVID is unlikely to disappear in the short-term, meaning animation represents a safer and more viable option.

Live video offers the immersive experience we are missing

According to Livestream the number of viewers watching live video has increased by over 90% in 2020, and this figure will continue to rise in 2021. All the main social media channels, including LinkedIn, have introduced this feature and are investing heavily in perfecting it. We have also seen new technologies such as ‘LiveU’ and peripherals such as ‘Shogun’ entering the marketplace, largely supplanting Meerkat and Periscope as professional tools.

It’s this ‘limited’ nature of live video that has led to an increase in its popularity and makes it a chart-topping trend for 2021. I expect clients to experiment with livestreaming technologies, using them to reboot their customer engagement strategies via ‘virtual’ workshops, which can be broadcast across all platforms and channels.

Sectors which will thrive with video and animation

I envisage that there will be new sectors of our modern world that will increasingly turn to video and animation in order to communicate their purpose and build an emotional attachment with audiences. Two of these include sustainability and healthcare organisations.

Sustainability

This is the ‘Anthropocene Era’ according to the United Nations. The realisation that human behaviour is leading to catastrophic climate change. This theme will be key at ‘Cop26’ which will be held in Glasgow next year, ensuring that sustainability remains at the top of the agenda for 2021. 

Within organisations, sustainability will continue to play out as they look to develop their notion of ‘purpose’. This purpose may be demonstrated through economic, social and governmental (‘ESG’) initiatives, as well as other policies and aspirations. Sustainability will also appear in the form of the latest green technologies such as wind and solar power, which are rivalling fossil fuels in terms of cost.

Video and animation will have a major role to play in bringing these messages to the masses.

Healthcare

Health has dominated the news bulletins of 2020 and this will continue in 2021 as – hopefully - things begin to improve and we can envisage a return to our much ‘taken-for-granted’ lives thanks to the newly-developed RNA vaccine. Not only will this have profound implications on bringing the COVID-19 virus under control, it may also prove instrumental in fighting diseases such as malaria.

In other healthcare sectors, gene therapy continues apace. The advance of Crispr means that many more genetic diseases will be addressed through personalised medicine. And we see wearable healthcare tech on the rise too, as the focus on wellbeing has never been more prominent.

Once again, video and animation are expert tools that can simplify the most complex of processes and systems, to reach and engage audiences.

The rise of the corporate asset bank

And last but by no means least, companies will increasingly come to regard their video and animation productions, not as one-off jobs for individual departments, but as integral and valuable corporate assets to be safeguarded. Building a repository of digital assets will be an investment that reaps countless rewards, as we can adapt and re-purpose the communications we create to offer greater longevity and purpose.

To discuss your video and animation needs, please contact [email protected]