What types of Explainer Videos exist?

The explainer video world is a very wide one. Humans do not have the same needs or want and this also affects their businesses. A company that produces housing or construction equipment would have different wants from a fashion-oriented company. Their differences will be most visible when they are designing their websites, branding, and most importantly, choosing the right type of advertising for their respective companies. Because of the needs, desires, and even the budget of different companies, there are different creative approaches to finding the right explainer video that will resonate with a brand.

The different types of explainer videos that exist have made it easy for businesses to pick the right one that fits their brand and will better resonate with their target audience. These are;

1. Whiteboard Animation Videos: These videos have grown in popularity for brands that want a simplistic feel to their videos while drawing their audience’s attention to main points in their stories as the video proceeds. Whiteboard animation videos are very simple black drawings on a whiteboard to explain or illustrate an idea or concept.
2. 2D character animation videos: These types of videos use the viewer’s perspective to create the illusion of depth. This means that the characters in these videos can move up, down, left, or right but do not possess any depth (are rather flat), but rely on the placement and the viewer’s gaze to create a form of deepness to the characters. 
3. 2D Motion Graphics Animation videos: This type of video is best used for companies with complex products, goods, processes, and services. It helps take the audience through the steps and processes of using a product. 2D motion graphics animation uses a colorful and fresh feel to hold the audience’s attention while explaining to them, the steps to using these products, in simple terms.
4. 2.5D Animation videos: These videos have the best of both worlds. Created using a simulated 3D environment, and using 2D motion graphics animation technique to move and layer the characters since they are created in a 2D space, 2.5D animation videos are a blend between the expensive and the inexpensive. It gives quality and sophisticated look to an otherwise low-cost video.
5. Live-Action: This type of video is done with a camera. Using a member of the staff or a customer to explain the processes and services of a brand, the viewers can know and have a live association of the brand. It helps draw attention to a brand by using a live recording of its customers, vendors, and staff engaging with their audience.
6. Live-Action with Track Elements: This explainer video is made using a live-action recording and attaching or tracking it with 3D elements. This video draws the attention of viewers to what the character is saying by transforming, morphing, and even adding a touch of magic to the movement during the video creating a smooth and fluid video.
7. Stop Motion: This type of video has to do with taking photographs of an object as it is moved in small amounts then these photographs are played in a sequence that imitates the movement of the object. As visually appealing as this type of video is, any mistake can cause an obscene amount of money to be corrected if it can be corrected at all.
8. 3D Animation: This type of animation videos uses the ability to zoom into characters during the video to draw attention to all the elements in it. It gives a feeling of realness and sophistication as the characters are created on a 3D plane which gives it depth and thickness. This also means that the characters can be rotated and can move anywhere on the screen as they are not flat.

Other types include; Typography, using moving texts to tell a story or explain a product, brand, or an idea, and Screencast, which is using a digital recording of a screenshot with audio narration. A screencast is mostly used for tutorials as it helps the viewers know exactly what they should see and press to get the desired effect. The different types of explainer videos are better shown with videos attached in this post and this can assist with the decision of the perfect explainer video for your brand. For inquiries and requests, contact us at Cleverclip.