If you are a web designer, graphic designer, or illustrator, you probably know that making your designs stick out is more difficult than ever. Not only because design ideas are becoming more similar and easily accessible, but also because newer and unique ones are so difficult to come by. If you’re looking for fresh ideas on how to make your designs stand out, then you might want to try your hand at creating time lapse videos of your design.
You don’t have to spend a ton of money to produce time lapse videos. Chances are, you already have everything you need to create one. You may either use a software that captures your screen as you create your design or you can create a GoPro time lapse video by setting up a GoPro in a location where it can adequately capture you and your design as you create it.
Wondering why you should create one in the place? Here are some of the reasons why:
Time lapse videos tell a story
If there is one thing that people (both young and old) appreciate, it would be a good story. In this age of fast and easy content, a good story is one that is short but direct to the point. A time-lapse video of your design provides some sort of summarized story or history that the reader can quickly use to appreciate how your design was created. It feels like a sped-up slideshow, but more coherent and with a significantly simple topic.
Time lapse videos beat the usual static photos
Like the crude stop-motion pictures of old, these types of videos have a specific kind of appeal that is both dynamic and nostalgic at the same time. There is just something very compelling about them that makes you want to see everything from start to end. Although good quality videos are still better, your time lapse design video doesn’t have to be high-res or enhanced by any special effects. The sequence itself is what makes them unique and so much better than static photos.
Time lapse videos are social media-friendly
In this age of social media, posting short dynamic videos can provide better engagement than static images. Posting time lapse videos instead of images can improve your social media engagement. If your design and your process of designing are compelling and interesting enough, your time lapse video may even go viral.
Time lapse videos can be used to market your designs and services
It’s easy to understand how time lapse videos can be very effective in telling stories. They are short, simple enough, and naturally captivating. They can also be used to advertise your designs and services as a designer. Aside from posting these in social media, you may also include it in your portfolio if you have a website or profile page in design sites. Having time lapse videos in your portfolio page makes your website more engaging than if you only included images of websites, logos, and illustrations you’ve designed.
Time lapse videos can ‘brand’ your designs
Even if you are a designer, you can still ‘brand’ your creations. For designers and artists, branding becomes something like a signature that can let people know that a design or artwork is yours. Create your time lapse videos consistently by using the same angle and putting something unique and distinct in your videos. Take the video or photos from a specific angle and location for all your time lapse videos. Include something distinguishable in the video such as an interesting mug on your desk or an unusual pen on beside your keyboard. These elements in your time lapse videos will be your identifying marks. It lets everyone know that the design being created is yours.
The effect of this will be significantly felt when you have created several videos already or some of your videos have been re-posted elsewhere. No matter where people may see your time lapse design video, they will be able to identify it as yours.
Time lapse videos can be your proof of original work
Unfortunately, the digital age has made it easy to steal someone else’s work, particularly digital designs and artworks. A time lapse video of you creating your design can serve as your proof if someone happens to steal your design. You may even include a visible calendar in your videos to further serve as proof of when you created a particular design. A time lapse video is evidence that you did created the design and did not simply downloaded an image or illustration elsewhere.
With all the added perks of time lapse design videos, there is little to no reason not to create one. It is simply a recording of you creating your designs. At the very least, you can create them for posterity’s sake.
