Lo-Fi Animation: a guide.

Emerging in the 2010s, Lo-Fi animations have become a staple of video formats on social media. Long and looping, they are chill, relaxing videos, usually acompanied by music.

Cut the Mustard has made a number of Lo-Fi videos, and has put together this guide on how and when to use them. If you're a musician, business or filmmaker and you're interested in creating one, this guide includes examples and tricks for how to make your Lo-Fi with CTM Animation. As a very cost effective animation format, they make great little packages to engage with your audience.

Midnights

The most classic example we have, Midnights is a Lo-Fi designed to promote a journal-based RPG game. As a real-life board game, this is designed to be listened to as you play, helping get viewers in the mood by encapsulating the vibe with both the music and the visuals. In many ways, the studying setup of this Lo-Fi are similar to the 'lo-fi girl', the most universally famous example.

Given a Lo-Fi is usually set in a single location, it allows us to, even on a small budget, have a detailed style, as you can see here in the detailed and beautiful room we created. In the film the character journals, much like the real player. This form of parralel play / body doubling allows players to be even more engaged in the game.

Given a Lo-Fi is usually set in a single location, it allows us to, even on a small budget, have a detailed style.

See the full page here.

Grassroots

Created for a charity social platform, our Lo-Fi for Grassroots is designed to play in the background of the landing page. As such, we created some ambient animation, showcasing their company's mascot Julian (who we created for a past film) and animal characters throughout the seasons. As it will sit behind tex on the main page, it's important to make the movment not too distracting, while also telling the central story (that together we can grow - a core element of the grassroots model). Sometimes less is more, especially for a Lo-Fi.

With subtle movement, we can tell a story and deepen an experience, without destracting the viewer.

See the full page here.

Brambeltrek / Ashes / Throne of Luster

These three Lo-Fi's are also made for tabletop RPGs, but they focus heavily on a singular character or a wider cast. Each Lo-Fi can be enjoyed as above, body doubling as the viewer plays the RPG. But these go beyond that by focusing on character - they allow the viewer to get in the head of the character and the world. The first two of these films were made alongside larger trailers, so re-using assets was a smart move. It can make Lo-Fi's great complimentary/secondary films that expanded your IP.

By re-using assets, Lo-Fi's make amazing complimentary/secondary films to expand your IP.

See the full pages here - Brambeltrek, Ashes.

Malora

While one of our oldest projects, the Lo-Fi we created for webcomic Malora accompanies an electric opening sequence we created. This provides a more chill alternative end credits, using the Lo-Fi format (again, in the 'Lo-Fi girl studying format')

See the full page here.

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