I've always found it slightly strange that video and graphic design are often treated as completely separate things.

They're not. They're both ways of communicating visually. And when they work together, things get interesting.

Think about a brand you recognise instantly

You probably recognise its:

Colours. Typography. Photography style. Animation. Video style. Graphics. Tone of voice.

All of those things work together to create an identity.

So why create a video that looks completely different from everything else the brand puts out?

Video doesn't have to mean “camera footage”

Graphics can be part of the story.

Titles. Animations. Statistics. Infographics. Transitions. Illustrations. Maps. Typography.

Even a simple graphic treatment can completely change how a piece of video feels.

I've seen this particularly in sports

Sports content moves quickly.

There is often a lot of information to communicate.

Scores. Statistics. Players. Fixtures. Sponsors. Events. Campaigns.

Graphics can help turn information into something people actually want to consume.

But they can also add personality, and that's important.

The same goes the other way

Graphic design can benefit from thinking like a filmmaker.

What's the hierarchy?

What's the story?

Where does the eye go first?

What happens next?

What's the emotion?

How does this evolve over time?

Motion can completely change the way a static idea is communicated.

That's why I like working across both

It means I don't have to think about a project as:

“Here's the video bit.”

“Here's the graphic bit.”

“Here's the photography bit.”

I can think about the whole visual system.

What should everything look like?

How should it feel?

How should it work together?

That's ultimately what good branding is.

Consistency without everything becoming boring.

‍