Entertainment, marketing, awareness, you name it! Animation has expanded its territory of influence in almost every sector where visuals actually mean something.
Plus, with the introduction of new and innovative technologies and the emergence of new and competitive experts in the field, the ship of animation is setting its sails to conquer and dominate every sphere of digital presence.
This is also one of the reasons why the animation giants are growing even bigger with every passing day and why you will never find any animation start-up failing; even movies are at the mercy of VFX now.
In this article, we will have a sneak peek into some of the most astonishing statistics related to the growth of the animation industry, and a brief look at some of the most popular animation types.
Moreover, we will also study some of the industry’s biggest names, the underlying reasons for their flabbergasting growth over the years… and what the future holds in store.
So without any jibber-jabber, let’s get right into it!
The most popular animation types in 2022
OK, before we move on to masters of the craft, let’s look at the tools boosting their businesses in the first place. That being said, the following are some animation types that are getting increasingly popular among audiences with every passing day:
1. 3D animation
3D animation is all about making real of the unreal. And you know what the best part is? The more complex the animation, the simplest the picture. With the fast-paced improvements in visual technologies, now 3D animation is not just about making lifeless “3D” characters like before.
Instead, they are more real, more lively, and more sophisticated. Thus, where it was a source of entertainment for just minors in the past, it is now equally popular among adults, resulting in increased growth in demand.
According to the most recent statistics, the 3D animation companies are growing at 11.6% per year. It is projected to reach a market value of about 3.37 billion by 2026.
2. Hyper-realistic CGI
What happens when you blur the line between reality and animation? We move towards hyper-realism. And that’s precisely what is happening in modern CGI; it’s a level up than reality… it is more real than reality. The smallest pores on the skin, the tiniest cracks in the armor, the thinnest folds on a cloth surface, the level of detail is almost uncanny.
Image credit: Sony Pictures.
3. Flat Style Characters
Talk of marketing, and you will find flat-style animation as the new default. Since marketing videos are mostly explainers, almost all videos are about breaking down complex ideas in a visually pleasant and simple way. Moreover, as most marketing projects are restricted to a minimal budget, the professional look and low budget of this animation are also among the biggest reasons for its popularity among businesses.
4. Custom mascot characters
With the applications and websites getting more and more interactive and the UX getting more advanced and engaging, the use of custom mascot characters is getting as popular.
Video Credit: J Dates.
The best thing about mascot characters animations is that they aren’t as complex, don’t have huge sizes, and can be used on any application or website without slowing down.
With companies shifting their focus on providing consumers with a more friendly UX, the use of mascot characters is also increasing.
5. JSON animation
JSON animation is also directly related to UX. As we mentioned, businesses are more focused on providing real value to their audience. Since most of them rely on their online websites for the stated purpose, they want to retain whatever audience they get.
And for that, good SEO and fast website loading time are crucial. With the super small size of JSON animation and its extreme adaptability, JSON animations aestheticize websites without bulking them up. Consequently, they have a great website with a faster loading time and an excellent SEO score.
Top 6 fastest growing animation companies in 2022
Now that we know some tidbits about the potential of animation and its different types, let’s discuss some of the fastest-growing dinosaurs in the industry. A word of caution; nostalgia is incoming! 😉
1. Aardman
Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Morph, Chicken Run, and Aardman have given us some of the most iconic animation movies, with characters that inspired many creative artists of this generation.
Image Credit: Aardman
The British company began as a low-budget project by its founders, Peter Lord, and David Sproxton. It became what was known to be the reviver of stop motion in the 1990s, with movies that grossed millions at the box office.
In 2006, the company entered the computer animation arena and released Flushed Away. It became a major animation hit, and is often referred to as a “cinematic masterpiece” in the animation world.
The total business Aardman has made through its animation movies is $1.1 billion. With every single movie having an average gross business of $174 million per film.
It is one of the most loved, skilled, and fastest-growing animation companies out there!
2. Bardel
They the creators behind Rick and Morty, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the iconic Pink Panther.
Filled with creativity and driven by passion, Bardel is a Canadian animation studio that has been a part of almost every millennial’s childhood.
Image Credit: Bardel.ca
Now owned by an Italian animation studio Rainbow SpA, Bardel continues to provide exceptional services to its clients in every category!
3. Mainframe Studios
Holding the credit for creating the first-ever fully-CG TV series, the team of Mainframe Studios “live and breath” creativity. Since its inception, the Canadian-based animation company has worked on over 1000 half-hours of TV content, 60 feature films, and 2 theatrical feature films.
What makes them unique is how they merge creativity with an excellent production process. Creating a masterpiece out of every project. Right now, they provide services on a bunch of things, from developing game graphics to making animated movies and anything in between.
So far, the company is going super strong and is one of the fastest-growing animation production studios in the world.
4. Atomic Cartoons
Created and managed by some of the most skilled artists in the world, Atomic Cartoons was founded in 1999 by Trevor Bentley, Mauro Casalese, Olaf Miller, and two other artists after they lost their job at Warner Bros. Animation.
The company produces its own animations and also partners with other companies to bring out something new to the audience. Some of their biggest partners in the entertainment industry include OTT giant Netflix, the animation giant Disney, and Nickelodeon.
Their most famous creations include Marvel’s ‘Spiderman and his Amazing Friends,’ Might Express, and countless other successful animation projects.
5. Passion Pictures
Passion Pictures is an Academy Award-winning video production company founded in 1987, and has a portfolio that is as diverse as its team. It’s a place where some of the best creatives collaborate to make stories that inspire, engage, and compel. That’s also one of the reasons Passion Pictures has been honored with some of the most prestigious awards for documentaries and animation.
Passion Pictures is an international brand with three sister studios including Passion Paris. An animation studio named Strange Beast, and a documentary-making front called Keo Films. The company provides various video-making services, including live-action and animation commercials, film and series, and more.
By now, they have produced over 90 successful documentaries to this day and have been the name behind various successful animations.
6. Unit Image
Unit Image is a well-experienced and one of the world’s biggest VFX and CGI companies. It provides its services for Game trailers, commercials, and movies.
Due to their continued excellence in their expertise, the Unit image team has received many awards. Including 11 Emmys for their Netflix series, Love, Death + Robots.
Some of their most recent award-winning projects include Far Cry 6, Legend of Runeterra, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, and Beyond Good and Evil 2.
The current and estimated value of the animation industry- 2022
The global animation market was valued at $372.44 billion in 2021. With a growth rate of 5.2%, it is estimated to reach a value of $587.4 billion by 2030. The report was published by Precedence Research, and it described three contributing factors to this growth, including:
- Advancements and developments across technology and communication sectors.
- The growth of the entertainment and media industry over the years.
- Increase in the use of the internet.
If we had to add one other factor contributing to the growth of the animation industry, it would be the increasing interest of the audience.
With animation getting more sophisticated. Its use transcending to live-action in the form of VFX, adverts in the form of explainers, product presentations in the form of 3D modeling, newspapers in the form of illustrations, and websites in the form of different images. Everything is simply becoming dependable on it.
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