You went to watch a movie with your spouse. The theatre is filled with the rich scent of popcorn and the noise of chatting people and arcade games. You find your room and seats, watch all the trailers – and some annoyingly dumb ads – and then it comes. The logo of the movie studio glides into the center of the screen with heroic music and pitch-perfect animation.
We all remember some of these animations. DreamWorks: with the boy who went fishing from the narrow crescent of the moon. Warner Brothers who matched their logo animation perfectly with Harry Potter movies and The Dark Knight. Universal which always feels like we’re going to experience something majestic. And finally, Walt Disney Studio: who doesn’t remember the fairy tale castle and the shooting star? For me, it always meant the beginning of 90 minutes full of wonder.
We slowly and steadily learnt to associate these animated intros with the experience we got from each studio – from each brand.
And this is where we get to our topic for this post: animated logos.
If you create videos on a regular basis (for your blog, webinars or courses), you must listen. Adding a memorable intro with your animated logo will help you build a unique brand experience.
What are animated logos & how to get one
Animated logos are short videos in which your logo animates into the center of the screen and your viewer’s focus. You generally use them at the beginning of your videos but can be used elsewhere too.
WHERE TO USE ANIMATED LOGOS:
Intro of your videos
Between main sections of your videos (think about Big Bang Theory where the animated atoms appear in-between scenes)
End of your videos
At the end of social media video ads, e.g. on Instagram or Facebook
As a background prop at tradeshows, live markets or events – especially if the animation is a loop (the end of the animation seamlessly matches the beginning of the animation so it can be played several times in a row)
HOW TO GET AN ANIMATED LOGO?
There are several ways to get an animated logo or an animated intro for your videos. Some of these are costly, others can be quite cheap. The tools you need can also vary. You can make basic animations in Photoshop CC (only $10/month) and more complex ones in Adobe After Effects and other dedicated apps.
Your 3 main options to get an animated logo:
- Pay a designer who specialized in animation to turn your logo into an animated version – most expensive option but can bring amazing results with highly detailed animation
- Build the animation yourself – if you have the time, create your animation. Skillshare has some amazing classes to learn After Effects
- Buy a template that you can customize – cheapest option and less work on your end
WHY PHOTOSHOP ANIMATED LOGO TEMPLATES?
In this post, I focus on Photoshop animated logo templates. They are quite easy to customize and don’t cost a lot. They also help you get your money’s worth if you’ve been already paying for Photoshop CC. From now on, you’ll be able to use it for more than just photo editing and digital art.
In addition, if you already planned to buy a logo template, this is going to help you filter down your choices. Pick those template sellers who provide animated logo templates in their packages.
In my pre-made logo template kits I always include the animated version of the logo so that my customers can bring the best out of the product. And today, I share with you one of these animated templates. Just click on this image to get access. Then watch the video to learn how to edit this template.
HOW TO CUSTOMIZE ANIMATED LOGO TEMPLATES IN PHOTOSHOP
In the video below, I teach you:
How to change the text in animated logo templates
How to change the colors in animated logo templates
How to change the animation (timing, type of transformation, etc.)
How to export your animated logo to MP4 format
GET A FREE ANIMATED LOGO TEMPLATE
The animated logo template you saw in this tutorial is from one of my products. I decided to share it for free so that you can practice the techniques from the video. Just click on the image below to get access to it or if you are on my mailing list, go to the free Brand Builder Library and download it from there.
