Common genres (types) of moving images

Common genres (types) of moving images

GENRE

DESCRIPTION

Flip book

A physical animation created by drawing the same figure with slight changes on multiple pages and then flipping the pages to create an illusion of motion.

Simple animation

A computer-based animation using a series of still images and applying software techniques to make the images appear to be moving.

Stop-motion animation

An animated video effect created by moving an object a small amount at a time, photographing it each time, and then sequencing the images together on a computer to create a sense of movement.

Photo-realistic animation

Animation created through complex drawing, drafting, and computer rendering. The movies Toy Story and Shrek are examples of this kind of animation.

Playable animation

Animation sequences created by software designers and programmers for the specific purpose of interaction by viewers or players. These can be as simple as banner ads that change when viewers hover a cursor over the ad or sequences in long, complex video games.

Video clip

A short video that is typically created with a cell phone camera or a digital camera and posted, often unedited, to a site such as YouTube. Some video clips are edited before posting, especially those used for instructional or news purposes.

Film

Usually a feature-length motion picture, or movie. Perhaps the most common genre of moving image, film is used to bring fiction and nonfiction to life for entertainment and education.