The power of the written word should not be underestimated, and while we are used to coping with more visual data than ever before, sometimes something as simple as text can cut through the white noise and make a big impact.
We think moving type, or “kinetic typography” is a good example of just that. Thanks to some recent high profile examples like Cee-lo’s video for his expletive-filled song, moving type is no longer relegated to the credit sequence of a film or a quiet corner reserved for Adobe After Effects fans on YouTube.
We’ve selected 10 examples of what we think are some great creations in the moving type arena — sometimes mesmerizing, sometimes funny, sometimes thought-provoking. Check out the gallery below and let us know which ones you like in the comments.
1. Duck and Cover
This is an updated take on an old public service broadcast from the Cold War era that aimed to frighten - sorry - advise school children in the event of a nuclear attack on the U.S.
The uselessness of the "duck and cover" message, the stiff tones of the narrator and the great graphics make for an interesting take on social history.
Oh, and if you didn't notice it the first time around, look out for the subliminal "WAR" flashed at 16 seconds in.
2. Typographics
There's so much going on in this short created by Vancouver Film School students Marcos Ceravolo and Ryan Uhrich, and it's well worth watching a few times to really appreciate it.
On one level, you've got a witty verbal description of typography, but there's another layer with the references that be viewed in the video. Can you name the three faces shown from 1:05?
3. How to Impress
The punchline maybe fairly obvious, but there's some nice aspects to this student-made clip including the use of fonts that help depict the various words, and some cute animations.
4. Language by Ronnie Bruce
Film student Ronnie Bruce takes a poem by Taylor Mali and turns it from an arresting monologue into a work of art. The text serves to emphasize the points made by Mali.
It's a clever choice from Bruce. A poem about the way we talk -- emphasis on words, invisible question marks, etc. -- works very well indeed when translated back down to the animated written word.
5. Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights gets a kinetic makeover here, as the sometimes paraphrased concepts come to life before your eyes with moving type and animation.
It's very effective and a great way to bring a contemporary twist to a document that was drafted all the way back in 1948.
6. Psychiatric Answering Machine
An old joke gets refreshed as the "psychiatric answering machine message" animations bring the punchlines home in an amusing, visual way.
7. Who's on First?
James Zito is a brave man to take on this fast-paced snippet of the famed "Who's On First" routine by Abbott and Costello, but he pulls it off brilliantly.
The audio is a perfect candidate for moving type, as it focuses around the confusion of a name. The first baseman is called "Who" so "Who's on first" can be both a question and an answer. Somehow, a visual representation of the language makes it even more amusing.
8. Minimalism
The subject matter for Jeff Smith-Luedke's "kinetic poem" makes for a great typographic project, thanks to some clever contrast between black and white.
In addition, different typefaces for different character voices and the use of scale, like the word "little" shown large, for example, all make for a witty piece.
9. Messi Goal
This short but sweet creation offers a glimpse into what sports commentary can look like when converted to animated type. What's also neat is how it demonstrates that you don't need to understand the text in order for it to be effective.
Taken from real commentary as Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi scores a goal for Barcelona against Getafe in 2007, the field and addition of a ball makes it lots of fun.
10: Ego EGO
We're sort of cheating with this one, as it's not quite in the same vein as the previous examples, but it's so charming we just had to add it in.
More animation than kinetic typography, Sebastian Bap uses moving type to great effect in this video. There are some really imaginative touches that will make you smile.
More Typography Resources from Mashable
- Top 10 Accessories for Typography Nuts [PICS]
- The Future of Web Fonts
- Top 5 Web Font Design Trends to Follow
- HOW TO: Implement Google Font API on Your Website
- 20 Tools For Working With Fonts
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