Motion Graphics Deconstruction: Bioware and EA 19/10/2013

Over the next few months I will be deconstructing a variety of motion graphic examples for my FdA Animation for Industry course. I am doing this in order to gain a clear understanding of the important role they play, how they are developed and how effectively (or ineffectively) they portray the message/information they are sending.

Motion graphics are found in a variety of forms and are used for many different purposes. In this particular post I am deconstructing two short clips used to advertise gaming companies- EA and Bioware. The clips are used at the beginning of game trailers and the game itself in order to advertise themselves as the makers, but I also found with Bioware that the motion graphic itself changes depending on the game genre. 

Clip 1: Mass Effect 3

Clip 2: Dragon Age 2

I have chosen these examples for a variety of reasons, the main one was to show that motion graphics don't have to run for a long time to be effective. Both graphics are no longer than seven and ten seconds respectively, yet they still advertise the company effectively and also give the viewer a taster of what is about to appear next in the actual advertisement/game. 

The first noticeable aspect about both clips, is the simplicity in terms of the colour and the staging. The camera stays still and there is only one main focus of each. This simplicity keeps the viewer's attention on the most important thing-the company name. The use of both the 'omni-tool' (which is a main electronic/computer feature in the Mass Effect Trilogy) and the dragon both bring attention to the screen. The use of only two colours make the videos both bold and visually appealing. The colours don't tell the viewer what the actual game is about, unless they are already familiar with both franchises. 

The next aspect that is one of the most important elements for both are the sound effects. Even if the viewer isn't familiar with the games or their genre, the sound effects in both videos give a sense of what they are about. The sound is also another way to bring attention to the clip shown, the effect is made more powerful by the fact the sounds reflect what is on screen but are also in sync with the movements. When looking at both videos, the sound in Mass Effect describes the genre, Dragon Age creates more of an impact when combined visually on-screen; the genre is unclear with just the sound. 

The Mass Effect genre is sci-fi, futuristic and fantasy, this is portrayed using many 'synthetic' effects which are very clear, sudden and smooth, with a noticeable high pitch. This resembles what we, as humans, would associate with electronics, robots and futuristic gadgets. This, therefore implants the genre of 'sci-fi' into our minds. This is important for game companies when finding their target audience and clearly advertising their products. 

Dragon Age however, when listening to the sounds, does not clearly signal which genre it is placed in. The sounds are very deep and fast, amounting to what is a sound resembling a creature, in this case a Dragon. The sound fades out, ending on a deep, rumbling growl. The sound used in this video brings attention to the clip, and also creates a large impact when combined with visual effects.

The final aspect to be deconstructed is the graphics themselves, I have touched on colour and the objects, I have discussed sound, but neither of these clips would have the impact shown if they didn't contain the right moving images and animation. As said, both clips advertise the company 'Bioware' and also 'EA', but they too advertise the game they precede. In order for them to do both of these jobs effectively in such a short amount of time, they had one main focus and subject for both; the 'omni-tool' and the dragon. I will talk about each one separately:

Mass Effect 3: When the clip starts an armoured arm appears, quickly followed by the omni-tool wrapping itself very cleanly around. The colour, lighting and the way the tool smoothly and sharply wraps around the arm brings back the futuristic genre. The sound is also very in sync with the movements, making it appealing for both senses. The text for 'Bioware' and 'EA' appear large and clear in their recognisable fonts, making it hard to miss. The fact that nothing else is going on in the clip keeps the focus. The speed of the video changes, this again helps with the futuristic vibe. The beginning with the tool forming is very fast, it slows towards the middle where the company names are shown and then eases out slowly from the camera before speeding away into the darkness.

Dragon Age 2: As with Mass Effect 3, the main subject of this video is the red dragon. Even if the name of the game was unknown, most people could take a guess to assume that this game is set in the past, fantasy and its main theme is dragons. At the beginning 'EA' is shown, again in its standard font, it is encased in red which I would assume is blood. The red on white colour makes for a very vibrant scene, and again brings the viewer's eyes to the name. As the red trails return to the centre, the EA logo erupts quickly and turns into a dragon, at this point the sound effects are noticeably in sync as it flies around past the camera. At this point the dragon is also slowed down, to create impact and to provoke certain emotions in the viewer-whether it be fear or excitement. This therefore brings attention back to the game, before the dragon regains speed and disappears of screen for 'Bioware' to appear surrounded by the 'blood'. This stays on screen for the rest of the clip and again brings the attention back to the main objective of the advertisement. 

As this post has shown, motion graphics are a key factor in advertising and sending a message to a target audience within the gaming industry. This is only one example that motion graphics can be used in, and will be explored more in future blogs.

By Kimberley Collins