We’re huge fans of motion design here at Ethos3, and we’ve begun to notice an increase in requests for motion pieces from our clients. So, in lieu of our typical presentation design analysis, we’re going to take a look at a motion design piece we found on Vimeo, designed by Michel van den Burg.
2012 Designer Survival Infographic from Michel van den Burg on Vimeo.
The first thing that stood out to us in the 2012 Designer Survival motion piece is how well van den Burg embraced simplicity and used it to its full advantage. The concept (“What if the world would end? This survival kit by D.I.P. will help you stay creative in desperate times!”) is communicated compellingly and effectively. Moreover, it’s a quirky, unusual idea, which ups its stickiness quotation automatically.
We also like how van den Burg stuck to simplicity in regards to his visuals as well. The minimal style of the illustrations with the simple graphic elements helps keep all visuals consistent throughout the video. And lastly, we really like the interaction between illustrations and video, i.e. the folding sketchbook page (around :58) and the Polaroid photo illustration (around 1:14). Combining the two makes for a very visually interesting and unique motion piece.
The primary suggestion we have to improve van den Burg’s motion piece is to add some color! Throwing a splash of color in there every now and then is always a great way to add a variety and visual interest. Another technique that’s helpful to increase visual interest in a motion piece is to vary camera angles in interesting ways.
Also, while we really like the illustration and graphic interactions, one of our designers pointed out that while some of the elements interact well together, i.e. the butterfly and the shirt, others do not, i.e. the pencil and paper. Overall, though these interactions were engaging and simply put, cool to watch!
Awesome work, Mr. van den Burg! Keep it up!
