Motion Graphics for Digital Signage

Motion Captures Attention

Human vision is wired to detect motion. In the peripheral vision, movement triggers an automatic attention response. Strategic use of motion graphics can increase viewer attention by 400% compared to static displays - but improper animation can be distracting, annoying, or even cause content to be ignored.

The Science of Motion Attention

Why Motion Works

Our brains evolved to detect motion as a survival mechanism. This biological response makes motion a powerful tool for digital signage:

Phenomenon	Effect	Application
Peripheral motion detection	Triggers involuntary attention	Attract viewers from side angles
Looming response	Objects moving toward us capture focus	Zoom effects for emphasis
Smooth pursuit	Eyes naturally track moving objects	Guide viewer attention
Change blindness	Static changes can go unnoticed	Use motion to highlight updates

The Attention Curve

Attention Level Over Time:

High   │    ╭──╮
       │   ╱    ╲
       │  ╱      ╲         ╭──────────────
       │ ╱        ╲       ╱
       │╱          ╲     ╱
Low    │            ╲   ╱
       │             ╲ ╱
       └──────────────────────────────────────▶ Time
         │   │    │       │
         │   │    │       └── Sustained attention (static content)
         │   │    └── Attention decay
         │   └── Peak attention (motion ends)
         └── Motion captures attention

Key Insight: Use motion to capture attention, then transition to static content for message delivery.

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Animation Principles for Signage

The 12 Principles Applied

Disney's 12 principles of animation, adapted for digital signage:

Most Relevant Principles

Principle	Application	Example
Timing	Control pace and feel	Quick = energetic, slow = elegant
Ease In/Out	Natural start and stop	Avoid abrupt linear motion
Anticipation	Prepare viewer for action	Slight pull-back before slide-in
Follow Through	Natural motion completion	Slight overshoot, then settle
Staging	Direct attention clearly	Motion guides eye to message
Appeal	Create engaging movement	Smooth, polished animations

Easing Functions

Never use linear motion. Use easing for natural movement:

EASING COMPARISON

Linear         ████████████████████████████████████
(Unnatural)    Start ───────────────────────────► End

Ease Out       ████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
(Decelerating) Fast start ─────────────► Slow end

Ease In        ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░████████████████████
(Accelerating) Slow start ─────────────► Fast end

Ease In-Out    ░░░░░████████████████████████░░░░░░░
(Natural)      Slow ──► Fast ──► Slow

Common Easing Functions

Easing	Character	Best For
ease-out	Starts fast, slows down	Objects entering screen
ease-in	Starts slow, speeds up	Objects exiting screen
ease-in-out	Slow-fast-slow	General motion, emphasis
ease-out-back	Overshoot, then settle	Playful, energetic content
ease-out-elastic	Bounce effect	Attention-grabbing (use sparingly)

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Timing Guidelines

Duration Standards

Animation Type	Recommended Duration	Notes
Fade transition	0.3 - 0.5 seconds	Standard between content
Slide/push	0.3 - 0.5 seconds	Faster feels more energetic
Scale/zoom	0.3 - 0.5 seconds	Subtle zoom works best
Text entrance	0.2 - 0.3 seconds	Fast for readability
Attention pulse	0.5 - 1.0 seconds	Brief emphasis effect
Background motion	Continuous loop	Very subtle movement
Video content	15 - 30 seconds	Full duration appropriate

Frame Rate Considerations

Frame Rate	Quality	File Size	Use Case
24 fps	Good	Smallest	Film-like, subtle motion
30 fps	Great	Medium	Standard motion graphics
60 fps	Excellent	Largest	Smooth, premium content

Recommendation: Use 30 fps for most digital signage motion graphics. It balances quality and file size while appearing smooth to viewers.

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Types of Motion

Entrance Animations

How elements appear on screen:

Animation	Effect	Mood
Fade in	Opacity 0 → 100%	Subtle, elegant
Slide in	From off-screen	Directional, flowing
Scale up	Small → full size	Focus, importance
Reveal	Wipe/mask effect	Theatrical, dramatic
Pop in	Scale with overshoot	Energetic, playful

Exit Animations

How elements leave the screen:

Animation	Effect	Mood
Fade out	Opacity 100% → 0	Smooth transition
Slide out	To off-screen	Continuity (opposite direction)
Scale down	Full size → small	Focus shifting
Blur out	Sharp → blurred	Soft, dreamy

Emphasis Animations

Drawing attention to specific elements:

Animation	Effect	Use Case
Pulse	Scale up/down rhythmically	Price, CTA buttons
Glow	Color intensity change	Highlights
Shake	Slight horizontal movement	Urgency (use sparingly)
Rotate	Slight rotation	Badges, icons
Color shift	Hue/saturation change	State changes

Background Motion

Subtle continuous motion:

Technique	Effect	Performance Impact
Parallax	Layers move at different speeds	Medium
Subtle pan	Slow directional drift	Low
Particle effects	Floating elements	High
Video loops	Ambient motion	Medium-High
Gradient animation	Color shifts	Low

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Transition Types

Between Content Pieces

Transition	Duration	Best For
Cut	Instant	Fast-paced content, urgency
Dissolve/Crossfade	0.5 - 1.0s	Most transitions, smooth flow
Push/Slide	0.3 - 0.5s	Related content, sequences
Wipe	0.3 - 0.5s	Revealing, theatrical
Zoom	0.5 - 1.0s	Focus, importance
Morph	0.5 - 1.0s	Related elements transforming

Transition Direction Guidelines

PUSH/SLIDE DIRECTION LOGIC

Related Content (Left → Right):
┌──────────┐     ┌──────────┐     ┌──────────┐
│  Part 1  │ ──► │  Part 2  │ ──► │  Part 3  │
└──────────┘     └──────────┘     └──────────┘

Sequential Flow:
Previous content slides LEFT, new content enters from RIGHT

Category Change (Top ↔ Bottom):
Content from different categories enters from TOP or BOTTOM

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Content-Specific Motion

Text Animation

Effective Text Motion:

• Quick fade-in (0.2-0.3s)
• Subtle scale up
• Typewriter for emphasis
• Word-by-word reveal (short phrases)
• Static display for reading

Avoid:

• Constantly moving text
• Spinning or rotating text
• Letter-by-letter animation (long text)
• Excessive bounce effects
• Motion that obscures readability

Price and Number Animation

Technique	When to Use
Count up	Showing accumulation (donations, sales)
Flip/roll	Real-time updates (time, stock)
Scale pulse	Emphasizing discount amount
Strike-through	Showing old vs. new price
Static	Standard price display

Logo Animation

Approach	Duration	Note
Full logo animation	3-5 seconds	Opening/closing only
Subtle movement	Continuous	Very subtle pulse or glow
Static	N/A	Most common, safest

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Video Content

When to Use Video

Video Is Best For:	Static/Motion Graphics Better For:
Product demonstrations	Price and offer communication
Testimonials	Text-heavy information
Brand storytelling	Data and statistics
Emotional engagement	Quick announcements
Complex processes	Wayfinding

Video Production Guidelines

Parameter	Recommendation
Duration	15-30 seconds for ads, 30-60 for content
First 2 seconds	Hook immediately (no slow builds)
Aspect ratio	Match display (16:9 or 9:16)
Audio	Optional captions always (many venues muted)
Resolution	Match display native (1080p or 4K)
Frame rate	30 fps standard

Looping Video

For background or ambient video:

Requirement	Why It Matters
Seamless loop	No visible jump when repeating
Subtle motion	Doesn't distract from foreground
Long duration	Less obvious repetition (15-60 sec)
Low saturation	Works with overlaid text
Consistent lighting	No distracting changes

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Performance Optimization

Animation Performance Impact

Element	Performance Impact	Optimization
Opacity changes	Low	Preferred for fades
Transform (scale, rotate)	Low	Efficient for motion
Position changes	Medium	Use transforms instead
Box shadows	Medium-High	Use sparingly
Blur effects	High	Minimize or pre-render
Particle systems	High	Limit particle count
Video	High	Optimize bitrate/codec

Hardware Considerations

Player Type	Animation Capability	Notes
High-end Windows	Excellent	All effects supported
Mid-range Windows	Very Good	Avoid complex compositing
Android (premium)	Very Good	Test complex animations
Android (basic)	Limited	Simple fades only
Raspberry Pi	Limited	Minimal animation, video OK
System-on-Chip	Varies	Check display specs

Optimization Techniques

Technique	Benefit
Pre-render to video	Complex animations become simple playback
Reduce particle count	Lower CPU/GPU load
Use hardware acceleration	Leverage GPU for transforms
Limit simultaneous animations	One main animation at a time
Test on target hardware	Catch issues before deployment

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Motion and Accessibility

Considerations for All Viewers

Issue	Solution
Motion sensitivity	Avoid rapid flashing, provide pause option
Seizure risk	No flashing faster than 3 times per second
Cognitive overload	Limit simultaneous animations
Distraction	Ensure motion supports, not obscures, message

WCAG Motion Guidelines

Guideline	Requirement
Flash threshold	No more than 3 flashes per second
Pause capability	Interactive content should allow pause
Reduce motion	Respect user preferences when possible
Essential motion	Ensure motion is meaningful, not decorative

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Tools and Software

Motion Graphics Software

Tool	Best For	Skill Level
Adobe After Effects	Professional motion graphics	Advanced
Apple Motion	Mac-based motion graphics	Intermediate
Cavalry	Procedural animation	Intermediate
Canva	Simple animations	Beginner
PowerPoint/Keynote	Basic transitions	Beginner
Lottie/Bodymovin	Web animations	Intermediate
SignageStudio	Built-in animations	Beginner

Rendering for Digital Signage

Export Setting	Recommendation
Format	H.264 MP4
Resolution	Match display (1920×1080 or 3840×2160)
Frame rate	30 fps
Bitrate	15-25 Mbps (1080p), 35-50 Mbps (4K)
Audio	AAC 192kbps (if needed)
Alpha channel	ProRes 4444 or WebM VP9 (if transparency needed)

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Motion Design Checklist

Before Deployment

• Motion serves a purpose (attention, guidance, emphasis)
• Transitions are smooth and properly eased
• Duration is appropriate (not too fast or slow)
• Text remains readable (not moving during read time)
• No rapid flashing (accessibility)
• Tested on actual hardware
• File size is optimized
• Loop points are seamless (if applicable)
• Motion doesn't distract from message

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Problem	Solution
Too much motion	Overwhelming, tiring	One main animation at a time
Linear easing	Robotic, unnatural	Use ease-in-out curves
Long animations	Message delayed	Keep transitions under 0.5s
Constant motion	No visual rest	Static periods for reading
Flashy effects	Cheap appearance	Subtle, purposeful motion

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long should animations be?

Animation Type	Duration
Transitions	0.3 - 0.5 seconds
Text entrances	0.2 - 0.3 seconds
Emphasis effects	0.5 - 1.0 seconds
Video content	15 - 30 seconds

Faster is usually better - quick transitions keep focus on the message.

Should every slide have animation?

No. Motion should be strategic:

• ✓ Capture initial attention
• ✓ Highlight key information
• ✓ Smooth transitions between content
• ✗ Constant animation throughout
• ✗ Motion for motion's sake

What's the best easing function?

ease-out for elements entering (fast start, slow end) ease-in for elements exiting (slow start, fast end) ease-in-out for general motion (natural feel)

Never use linear - it looks robotic.

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Next Steps

• Data-Driven Content - Animate real-time data
• Best Practices - Design fundamentals
• Content Formats - Video encoding specs
• Templates - Animated template library

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Motion graphics guidance maintained by MediaSignage, bringing digital signage to life since 2008.