Animated video vs Live action video: Which one should you choose?
Many of our blogs demonstrate the power of animations, and why they are so powerful. Animations bring motion in your visual story, and motion – when applied well – attracts attention and keeps focus.
Animations, however, are not always the best choice in all circumstances. Sometimes live footage – camera recorded videos – are more appropriate, depending on the subject of your video, its objectives, and your audience.
In this blog, we compare both animated videos and live action videos. At the end of the blog, you should hopefully have a greater understanding which type of video is best suited for your video.
Animated video vs. Live action video: what are they?
First things first, we need to understand what the two types of videos are and what they offer. Animation is the art of drawing sketches and objects and then showcasing them in a series of frames, making it look like the images are moving. Animated videos tend to used in any form of explainer videos used to educate and inform their viewers.
On the contrary, live action video is a recording of either still or moving objects. Live action videos can refer to both cinematography or videography that does not make use of animations.
Animated video vs. Live action video: which takes longer?
Animators create everything from scratch. Animations can take weeks or even months to complete. Live action videos, on the other hand, can be typically shot within a couple of days. Everything captured in live action videos is in real time which allows you to make any necessary adjustments or even improvise on the spot.
However, instead of creating your animations from scratch, you could also use pre-made ones. The OnlineVideoEditor libraries contain over 1 million free media objects in many different styles – from simple doodle animations to stunning motion graphics.
Animated video vs. Live action video: when to use them?
To be perfectly honest, there is not a correct answer. Both animations and live action videos can be used for various videos and projects. Having said that, there is a range of factors you should consider when deciding on what type of online video to make.
Do you want to make a personal video, one that shows a more human and friendly side? If so, you really can’t beat live action video. We are drawn to human faces and real human emotion, which is something harder to replicate with animated videos.
Or perhaps you want to make a more educational video? We suggest you create an animated explainer video. If you want to explain a tricky idea or subject, animations can simplify the process in a faster manner than live action videos could. (Did we mention animated educational videos also look slick! )
The verdict
Choosing between animated videos and live action videos is a tricky task, but we have decided to brave the responsibility and help you decide.
Overall it comes down to what your video objectives are and your set of in-house skills. Hiring experts to create animations or shoot videos can end up eating through your budget. So before making a decision, ask yourself three fundamental questions:
- What type of video are you going to make?
- How much time and resources have you allocated?
- And who is going to watch your video?
Get started with OnlineVideoEditor!
If you choose to go with video animations, it’s never been easier to get started on your first video right now: OnlineVideoEditor provides you with many animation options in many different styles.
But if you prefer live action video, OnlineVideoEditor is the perfect tool for you, as you can upload your own footage, use the OnlineVideoEditor app to directly synchronize your smartphone video recordings with OnlineVideoEditor, or use any of the millions of stock videos you can search, find and browse in the OnlineVideoEditor libraries.
And the best of all: you can do both! With OnlineVideoEditor, you can easily create videos combining both live action recordings as well as animated objects. Be creative and use them in the combination that works best for your subject and your audience.
Sign up here for your free OnlineVideoEditor account and start making videos like a pro!
