Mixed-media videos
Get their attention by combining animation and live action
What are mixed-media videos?
Mixed-media videos combine footage with animated elements, infographics and typography to get the best of both worlds.
Mixed-media products are a creator’s utopia: basically, you can speak different languages at the same time to make yourself better understood.
What do we mean by that exactly? When creating video content, you will frequently find yourself in a situation where the chosen format lends itself really well to expressing some of your messages but proves a headache for others.
By mixing and matching, you make use of the full range of tools at your disposal to reach your audience.
Why do you need mixed-media videos?
Online attention spans are short. To engage the viewer, you need to give them something that’s easy to digest. If you want to talk about figures, good infographics will do the trick; if you want to talk about people, it may be most effective to let them do the talking. On-screen text is a good way of highlighting keywords and facilitating memorisation of key concepts.
By incorporating animation into live-action videos, you can combine a human touch and the powerful language of images and data visualisation: mixed-media videos appeal to different parts of the viewers’ brain to make sure your communication is noticed and remembered.
What will a mixed-media video look like?
A good mixed-media video will use a blend rather than a patchwork of techniques. It is important to ensure visual and stylistic coherence to create a narrative thread to follow and to help your brand be recognised and remembered.
While it can be interesting to switch between infographics and animation, successful mixed-media videos often use a combination on screen, adding animated elements onto footage and vice versa.
Text and typography offer many opportunities for creating connections between the two.
Tips for a successful mixed-media video
Here is some expert advice to help you identify the right tools for each aspect of your mixed-media video:
- Fill in the gaps. Think of using animation to complement your footage: aspects your interviewee did not explain in full detail, or which are better highlighted with an image, can be added on-screen in an eye-catching way. Be careful however not to try and say too many things at the same time – or you end up leaving the audience confused.
- Bring it to life. This works both ways: a long presentation or interview can be made much more interesting to watch by filling the background with complementary visual elements. On the other hand, having a real person act as a presenter to introduce your animation, adding a personal touch, can make it easier for your audience to relate to it, understand why they should care and get connected to your brand.
- Seeing is believing. So show, don’t tell: if you have a great product, a beautiful venue or enthusiastic staff, get them on camera. But if you have impressive sales or a growing network of agencies worldwide you’d like to show, this will be easier to visualise through an animated infographic or a map.
Our top three use cases for mixed media videos
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