In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, creatives need to go above and beyond to captivate, delight and entertain users. When it comes to impressing clients, static images don’t seem to cut it quite like they used to. As for mockups, the same thinking applies here, too. Understanding this, Hazard Mockups have been busy crafting animated mockups; allowing designers to bring projects to life in a unique and captivating way – elevating presentations to the next level.
They not only produce meticulously high-quality files, but the highly-adjustable pack of assets also includes several devices (such as the latest iPhone and iPad models), with customisable time durations and screen reflections. With their organised files, you can easily drag and drop your designs into the template and adjust effects to your liking. As a result, you can showcase your projects with lasting impact. To learn more about the mockups themselves and the creatives behind them, we had a chat with the Hazard Mockups team.
Introducing Hazard Mockups
The duo behind Hazard Mockups – Sander Erdmann and Patrick Huijs – are no strangers to great design. They have a wealth of experience in the industry based out of their design studio in Amsterdam, Studio Zakmes, since 2016. Fast forward to COVID and its devastating impact, the pair experienced a rapid decline in new clients. As such, they finally had time on their hands to start a passion project. “Producing mockups has been an idea of ours since art school,” they tell us. “It fits our expertise perfectly since Sander is a professional photographer and we are both designers. Combining those skills into a product felt like a great plan.”
They’ve been making mockups for several years, and in that time they’ve watched the mockup market explode. “We feel like the market is becoming saturated,” they say. “In order to stand out we always try to find new angles. Since video content exploded the last few years we saw this as an opportunity to create a product that tags along with this movement.”
What’s so great about animated mockups?
It’s certainly no fad or temporary trend, either. Animated mockups are here to stay, thanks to the array of advantages they offer. The most valuable benefit of using an animated mockup is, above all, standing out from the crowd. “With video mockups,” Erdmann and Huijs explain, “you can showcase your designs in a way that is sure to catch people’s attention. They’re a great way to stand out from the competition and make a lasting impression on potential clients or customers.” Video ads are effective, they suggest, consistently delivering a high return on investment.
“On average, people retain 95% of what they see in a video versus 10% of what they read in an ad,” they continue. “With video mockups, you can create a lasting impression on your audience and improve your marketing efforts.”
And what makes Hazard Mockups different?
By infusing their minimalistic photography style with hazard stripe graphics, Hazard Mockups’ offerings exude a uniquely industrial and urban vibe. “Our goal is to cater to various mockup categories in diverse environments, hence we opted for saturated background colours and an overall colour grading,” they reveal. “This cohesive approach enables easy integration and compatibility between our mockups, breathing life into any branding project.” To prioritise clarity and versatility, they eliminate background noise and overly bright colours, whilst providing multiple grading options in many of their mockups. “However,” the pair notes, “we intentionally start with a neutral base to give our customers the freedom to personalise the colours according to their preferences.”
The Process
When it comes to creating a new bundle of mockups (for example, a packaging bundle), Erdmann and Huijs always have a plan in mind. Then, to kick things off, they buy the props and plan the shoot. Saying that they like to keep an open mind and enjoy travelling to locations with no set plan. In 2022 for example, the duo flew to New York and photographed anything that had potential and looked enticing. For Huijs, the New York City Bundle Vol. 01 has been a major highlight and one of the bundles he’s most proud of – “it has been one of our goals to be able to travel while making mockups.
New York was a great milestone!” he reflects. “Afterwards we screen the images and select the ones we will be turning into a mockup. Out of those selected, we create multiple bundles and just some single releases.”
In most cases, working with motion brings more challenges than a straightforward static file. With this in mind, we were curious to know what potential hurdles come with creating these new assets. “A video mockup requires way more patience,” they admit. “With static images, you can photoshop every detail to perfection. With video that’s a lot harder. You have to find the right circumstances, film a lot and have a bit of luck. Because the videos are not as perfect in every detail as a static mockup, they tend to look more realistic. And that’s what mockups are all about.”
But, after all, it’s a highly satisfying journey for the pair.
“Creating Animated Mockups is an exhilarating journey for me,” Erdmann says. “It’s not just about the end result; it’s the process of exploring and mastering various programs like Blender and Adobe After Effects that truly excites me. These tools allow us to transform abstract ideas into tangible assets, expanding our skill sets and pushing the boundaries of our creativity. With each project, we delve into the realm of infinite possibilities, turning mere concepts into captivating animations that engage viewers. Animated Mockups serve as a testament to our dedication to continuous learning and our passion for bringing imagination to life.”
And the feedback only reflects and reinforces their clear passion and expertise. “The first batch is getting great reviews!” they reveal. “We are very happy with the feedback so far. We have created them with a lot of care and it seems that pays off now. Following the success of the first batch, we were eager to know what Hazard Mockups’ next steps were. “Since our recent batch is so well received we will continue to follow this path,” they promise. “More animated mockups and real-life outdoor Video Mockups will be released in the near future,” they conclude.
Follow Hazard Mockups on their Instagram channel to keep up to date with future releases.
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