Dear Notebook reader,
We’ve been working in the field of animation and explainer videos for a decade now. Every single day we turn data and information into powerful animated stories. We’ve failed. We’ve succeeded. But most importantly, we’ve learned.
At some point we started to compile all the most important lessons we’ve learned in a little notebook – as a way to get smarter and make sure we didn’t repeat the same mistakes over and over. A few notes quickly became a lot, and this notebook was born.
Basically, the notebook details everything you need to consider when working with explainer videos: lessons learned, insights and dos & don’ts. Based on our own experiences, we wanted to create useful, hands-on advice in a digestible format.
We use the notebook ourselves in our daily work. So this notebook also gives you the opportunity to benefit from our all the lessons we have learned and become a better animator.
Given that our knowledge and experience will keep evolving, so will this notebook. So follow our Instagram for updates.
We hope you enjoy our notebook!
All the best,
The Notebook
on Animation
Hard-earned insights from our notebook
about animation and explainer videos.
Hands-on, honest and condensed.
Ditch constant loops, match music to motion
Music should complement and enhance animations. Because animations have varying pacing and emotional shifts, a constant loop will fail to adapt to these changes, limiting the ability to create emotional depth and nuance, and resulting in a disconnect between the visuals and audio. Furthermore, a constant loop, even if initially pleasant, can quickly become grating and irritating.
Instead of repetitive loops, use variations in melody, harmony, and instrumentation to create a dynamic and engaging soundtrack. Incorporate transitions that match the pacing and emotional shifts in the visuals.
Cut the ukulele
The ukulele has somehow become strongly associated with generic, lighthearted stock music used for contemporary video production. Although stock music can be a very good and cost-friendly solution for explainer videos, it often risks sounding generic and may not align with the emotional tone and narrative of your animation.
When using stock music, accept that music research takes time and effort. You need a systematic process for browsing music libraries and testing multiple soundtracks to get it right. Go beyond the top 10 tracks and the usual suspects – and, please, no ukuleles!
Use pauses effectively
Often underestimated, pauses in sound design wield significant power, enhancing audio-visual experiences by building suspense, creating contrast, emphasizing key moments or allowing for a moment of reflection. A sudden silence can evoke unease, while strategic removal of sound draws focus to crucial details. Silence, therefore, is not an absence, but a deliberate tool for impactful sound design.
Use sounds layers to create depth
Combining multiple sound effects and ambient sounds creates a rich and immersive soundscape.
By carefully balancing the volume of different sound elements, animators can prioritize certain sounds and guide the audience’s attention.
Establish an audio hierarchy by prioritizing key sounds and voices in your video. Ensure that the most important audio elements are clear and prominent, while background sounds enhance the overall atmosphere.
No such thing as neutral music
The concept of ‘neutral’ music in video production is inherently problematic because music, by its very nature, carries emotional and contextual weight. Music communicates, evokes emotions, and sets the mood — just like choosing different clothes. It cannot be a blank canvas. Therefore, determine what you want to achieve with the music and use music that matches the mood, expression, and style of your other assets to complement and enhance your animations.
