Art of Blending Live Action with Animation for Video Production

Commercials that utilize live action while blending it with animation have steadily been on the rise recently. Whether that's due to the availability of easy-to-attain software or a generation of adults who grew up with Saturday morning cartoons and are now being entertained with adult-focused animations, there's definitely a need to explore this new form of creating video content. Today, I wanted to share some of the best tips and tricks for tackling a video project that combines both live action and some form of animation, whether that’s traditional cell animation or motion graphics.

Understanding Your Medium

Just like any project, it's important to understand the medium you're working with. What I mean by this is recognizing the difference between traditional cell animation and motion graphics. While this may seem like semantics, it’s essential to grasp these key definitions. Traditional animation typically involves a more tedious process, often done frame by frame, whether by hand or using 3D rendering software. On the other hand, motion graphics primarily focus on graphics that are moving, usually created in software like After Effects, and are generally easier to execute in terms of logistics.

When planning these projects, keep in mind that cell animation usually takes longer, potentially a month or two before you have a finished product, and it requires several key steps along the way, such as storyboarding, test animations, and rough sketching. Motion graphics, however, are more focused on executing key movements and can traditionally be done quicker, depending on the motion graphics partner and their workload.

Speaking of partners, I always recommend getting a specific illustrator for whatever project you're working on. While you can often get this done in-house, having an illustrator means you can really customize the look and feel of your project. This allows your animator or motion graphic artist to animate those graphics based on your creative vision.

Interacting with Your Design

There are two main approaches to interacting with your graphics: passive and active. In a passive approach, you lightly plan ahead, where the talent might tap the screen or point somewhere on frame. This level of interaction is generally more flexible, allowing you to see what your footage looks like before making the graphics as interactive as possible.

For a more active approach, think of something like "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," where the talent purposely interacts with the graphics—grabbing, touching, or engaging with them in some way. This style is visually exciting but requires a bit more thoughtful planning. My biggest tip here is to use tracking points. Make sure that whatever body part your actor will be interacting with has tracking points on it. While it may seem tedious to remove these in post-production, remember that tracking these objects is crucial, and with tools like Photoshop’s AI removing capabilities, it’s easier than ever.

Another key consideration is shooting a clean plate without the tracking points, giving your post-production team more flexibility. When it comes to actually interacting with the animation, I recommend doing two takes: one where the talent interacts with an object of similar shape, size, and texture, and another without. This allows the actor to get a feel for the interaction, which is important because it can be awkward to interact with something that isn’t there. Ensuring separation between your subject and the background—whether through a shallow depth of field or rim lighting—is crucial for roto-scoping your subject and allowing elements to move freely within the frame.

The Magic of Post-Production

Projects that blend live action with animation require heavy post-production work, ultimately depending on your animation team. But don’t forget to emphasize the importance of sound design and music. Many projects overlook sound effects, which is a missed opportunity. Since you’re creating a world that doesn’t exist in the physical space, why not have fun with it? Not only does it keep audiences more engaged, but it also adds to the overall enjoyment of the project.

Given that this type of project is post-production-heavy, I recommend having a tight production schedule that allows you some breathing room during editing. This approach has been one of my keys to success. Especially if you’re used to video production and have your process down, this is a great way to challenge yourself and consider how the project will take on a new life in the editing bay.

Let’s Wrap Things Up

This kind of video production is a lot of fun—it’s unique, fresh, and incredibly creative. Yes, it can be frustrating at times, like any production, but I find it to be so rewarding and something that’s experiencing a new renaissance. I hope these tips help you as you plan your first project or consider how to infuse animation into your live action videos. These are just some starting points, but feel free to reach out if you have any questions. I’m always happy to help creators of all kinds, especially those here in South Florida from Miami’s Video Production Company.