Unless you are capable of smashing a comet into earth and filming it from the international space station, you might want to invest in a good motion graphics and animation package. Besides, I live on earth and I would prefer if you didn't slam a comet into it.

Animation is the best way to portray something that is impossible or too expensive to actually show. In the past you might have made a Styrofoam ball and flung it at a photo of earth. It would look cheesy but get the point across, and for a comedy that may work. However, today audiences are accustomed to something a bit more realistic. Your library of motion graphics and animations is priceless! Being able to assemble clips that convey an idea or scenario quickly is pivotal to all video production. It saves you time and a ton of hard work trying to film something abstract, or create it yourself.

Getting Started

Investing in a good library is as important as your investment in the camera you use and the editing platform you learn as well, as the time you spend making video. If money is an issue there are places you can get free graphics and elements to start a good library. But to have access to any concept that may be necessary to a good production you should consider buying a complete library or a set of individual clips.

Motion graphics include wipes and transitions, lines, bugs and other elements you can place on the screen to highlight a point or direct the viewers' attention to a specific part of the screen. They are necessary to create attractive logos and punctuate a point of view. A motion graphic may be an object such as a spaceship or vehicle, or something abstract like a burst of light or spinning plasma.

They can be used to highlight text, build a background or add some dazzle to your scene.

These graphics will have the alpha transparent element embedded in them so you can overlay it onto your video and only the object itself will show. Most professional editors will have this capability. Once you have the element you can use Key Frames to move the object or fly it on and off the screen.

The World at Your Fingertips

Animations may simply be clips or scenes of a specific action, such as a spinning globe of earth or a nice meadow with clouds drifting by. And most animations or motion graphics will be loopable, meaning they end and begin at a point where if you repeat them the scene will appear continuous. This can be important if you need to extend the scene beyond the length of the clip.

Combining motion graphics and animations will allow you to build entire scenes that convey the concept you wish to present. It is far easier to use pre-made graphics rather than learn animation software and do it yourself. This guide will help you find graphics and the elements you need from companies that create useful artworks for video production.