by Ydraw | Sep 5, 2018 | animation, Animation Production, Animation Video, Customer Service, Video Strategy Guide, Ydraw
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Take any man-made wonder for example. The Great Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building, Sistine Chapel etc… all of these remarkable accomplishments had to be mentally and visually created before being accomplished. In other words, someone had to think these things up before they were made. I believe any artist, whether they be sketching or preemptively visualizing, goes through a conceptual creative process. The world literally looks the way it does today because of this process being successfully actualized through creators minds over the course of thousands of years.
Not in all cases, but in most, the success of any art form is derived heavily from the conceptual creative process. This is why this process is so critical when trying to create an effective end result, whether that be constructing a building or styling someone’s hair. Whenever I start a new visual project, I like to do several things. First I like to sit down and brainstorm ideas, often times with the client. This helps me gain a better understanding of what needs to be included in the final product. Sometimes clients aren’t sure what they want so be prepared with visual ideas and be sure to ask lots of questions. Second I like to add fuel to the “creative fire” by gathering and absorbing materials that inspire me. For example, listening to music and gathering ideas from other types of media. Everyone is inspired by different things so this may be different for everyone. And third, I usually create a rough storyboard containing visuals and descriptions of what I plan to create.
These three things are in no way an exhaustive list, every creator is different. However, at Ydraw we have found this process to work really well for our videos. As you start the creative process you may discover that some steps work better for you than others so make sure to experiment and find what works best for you. However you may decide to carry out your own conceptual creative process, do it! By taking the time to plan out your next creation beforehand, you will increase the effectiveness of the final product.
Written by Brenden Nelson -Ydraw Video Animator
by Curtis Pace | Feb 2, 2016 | animated doodle videos, animated explainer video, Animated Whiteboard Videos, Explainer Video, explanation animation
Explainer Videos Your Key to Unlocking Success
Explainer videos are an indispensable ingredient in presenting your brand or organization. Whether you’re a start-up company, a big name corporation, or a non-profit organization, explainer videos are extremely useful in getting your point across.
The intention of an explainer video is to inform viewers of an idea or to explain what your product or service does.
We all know it can be hard to capture attention with dense writing, so these videos are usually fun, simplistic, upbeat and are about 2-3 minutes long.
Explainer videos are simple, easy, affordable and effective.
The entertaining nature of an explainer video makes it easier for viewers to retain the information.
According to the Global Video Index of 2015, research shows that people are likely to only remember 10% of any information they hear. Yet if paired with a relevant image, they retain 65% of that same information 3 days later.
Also, a recent survey by Video Rascal shows that 85% of people are more likely the purchase a product once they view a correlating explainer video.
These are just two statistics of mounting research supporting their relevance.
Explainer videos are eye-catching, especially when found on the landing page of a website. They grab the attention of site visitors as well as Google.
Adding a video to your website increases your ranking with Google, which in turn can bring more traffic to your site. Oftentimes when a consumer seeks out to understand something new, they’ve already made the decision to purchase it.
Don’t end up scaring away potential new customers with too much text!
Reading a few paragraphs can be boring and is often skipped over for the more comfortable choice of watching a video.
More and more companies are choosing explainer videos as their elevator pitch. Some of these videos are even going viral.
While there is no proven formula to get a video to go viral, you definitely can’t achieve viral status without a video.
You’ve probably seen the Dollar Shave Club’s controversial explainer video about how – ahem – great their blades are. Currently, their video has almost 22 million views.
That is a great example of an entertaining and very memorable (to say the least) video that has been shared over all platforms of social media.
These videos are a great way to help your fans and future fans to evangelize you. Help them share your glory! Give them the content worthy of being spread to the masses and to the furthest corners of the earth.
Word of mouth advertising spreads much easier these days, so what better way to inspire your faithful followers than by giving them the exact content you want them to share?
Creating the actual content for your explainer video is up to you. Take time to really think about what you want to say, and put yourself on the other side of the screen as you write your script.
There are unlimited ways to portray your message, but remember–the simpler the better. The goal of an explainer video is to get your point across and have the viewer remember your message.
So use your imagination, have fun, and boost your online presence!
Unlock success with explainer videos today.
Thank you for reading Explainer Videos Your Key to Unlocking Success
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by Jace Vernon | May 21, 2013 | Explainer Video, Video Scribing, Whiteboard animation, Whiteboard Video, Ydraw
The Whiteboard Video Making Process – The Ydraw Way
Here at Ydraw we get asked about the process of making a whiteboard video all the time. Truth is, it seems so simple that often people get the mentality that they could probably do it themselves if they had some sort of guideline. Good news: here’s that guideline. Bad news: you might not be as good at video scribing on your own as you think.
There’s a lot of thought, work, sweat, blood, and heartache that goes into the production of a whiteboard animation video. Well, not really, but it is a process – and a process best left to the professionals.
First, the script: no doubt you’ve heard all about the importance of script: Content is King! We have a slew of talented and professional writers ready and waiting to help you create your perfect script. Come up with a few ideas of what you want viewers to take away from the video, and our writers will work back and forth with you to create and revise a script until you feel it is exactly what you’re looking for.
Why you need a pro: Writers are writers for the same reason doctors are doctors. They’ve done the schooling and are passionate about their career choice. You don’t need some hoo-ha doing your script writing because they’re the cheapest option, you need someone in the biz that knows how things work and has experience helping produce successful videos.
Next, the artist: The artists we employ have been in the business for 20 years and have worked for big names like Disney, Marvel, and Cartoon Network – so you know they’re the best. They are creative geniuses, and together with the writers will brainstorm and plan the scenes. You’ll receive samples of the art so you can decide what you like and what you like even more, along with the script and scene plan – making it easy to oversee everything and make changes as necessary.
Why you need a pro: Sure, stick figures get the job done – but do they get the job done? You want your audience to be enthralled with you video; don’t make them feel like they’re watching their three-year-old niece draw another picture for them. If you skimp on artwork, chances are your message will stay in their brains just about as long as that picture will stay on their fridge.
And… we’re rolling: After the script and artists have worked their magic, it’s time to record. We’ll set up our fancy-pants camera and let the artist go to work. Once the artwork is recorded and any digital inserts have been added, it’s time to pick a voice and music. Our voice-over actors are all professionals and sound like it, too. We also have a large library of background music selections as well as sound effects – pick all your favorites and we’re on our way to finalizing a stellar whiteboard video.
Why you need a pro: Beside the fact that not many people have access to the quality of cameras we use, not a lot of people realize the importance of having a professional voice-over. Voice actors have been trained in the art of voice. When you hire a professional, you won’t get any noisy breathing, obnoxious lip smacks, popping consonants, shrill ‘S’ sounds, over-articulation, or insecurity. A professional will always sound like he knows exactly what he’s doing, even if he doesn’t.
Finally, you’ve been scribitized! We’ll send a USB drive right to your address with a .MOV and .Mp4 version of your video. Even if you need a different format we’ll happily oblige. We will also provide you with marketing ideas and even show you how to use and upload your video to Youtube, Vimeo and other video hosting sites. Now you can show your brand new whiteboard video to all your friends and family who will be so proud of you – and your customers will be amazed, too!
+Jessica Anderson
