From Shadow Puppets to Video: Why Movement Is So Captivating

Movement will always capture people.

From shadow puppets to video, nothing can capture people's attention, change their perception, and help understanding like movement. While it’s said a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is around 30 pictures within a second, and this is the source of its impact. Movement can convey much without words, transcending language barriers that even detailed still pictures cannot on their own. No other medium is as unique and relatable for presenting a point of view.

Humans are wired for movement to attract the eye. A still image can convey a simple concept but can be lost in the background and overlooked. The combination of light and movement that video creates draws and focuses the eye. This concentration allows information to be not only imparted fully but reviewed and retained as it captivates and entertains.

While a picture can present an idea, a video can provide an example in full. The main goal of illuminAid is to provide education, and video enables more in-depth demonstrations. For example, to teach the importance of food safety, an image could be used to illustrate the basic concepts. However, it can be difficult to convey detail, which may be lost when dealing with language or cultural barriers. A video can depict the technique of scrubbing, how long it should take, and the amount of water used. The process can be absorbed more quickly and fully than if it was depicted by individual graphics. Also, this can be expressed without the aid of language or the need for additional explanation. An arrow on a picture can communicate upward motion, but video can communicate the full range of motion, physical force and time required.

Video can also help the audience to put themselves in the eye of the camera. By capturing the movement of an actor and showing things directly from their perspective, a video can help the viewer more directly absorb what is being shown, promoting a feeling of shared experience and familiarity for the viewer. What was seen done can be replicated, understood, and internalized. A new concept can be easily related to a familiar one, making it feel more natural than presenting the new idea on its own.

Possibly the most important strength of video is that it doesn’t rely on one aspect alone. Video can always be enhanced by the combination of still shots and graphics. The ability to apply movement to both pictures and graphics is an impactful experience for the viewer and a powerful tool for a video creator.