Claude
59c7859bd4
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01GYeokZtSmqg42ZGWsLXX2C
215 lines
8.8 KiB
Markdown
215 lines
8.8 KiB
Markdown
# SVG Animation Techniques (detailed)
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## 1. Stroke draw-on: the math
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`stroke-dasharray` defines a dash pattern; `stroke-dashoffset` shifts where the pattern starts. Set the dash equal to the whole path length and offset it by that same length → the visible dash is pushed entirely off the path (invisible). Animating offset to 0 slides the dash into view, revealing the stroke progressively.
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```
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visible fraction = 1 - (dashoffset / pathLength)
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```
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So offset = length → 0% drawn; offset = 0 → 100% drawn; offset = length/2 → 50% drawn (useful for scroll mapping: `offset = length * (1 - progress)`).
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### getTotalLength gotchas
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```js
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const path = document.querySelector("#sig");
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const len = path.getTotalLength(); // returns user units of the path geometry
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path.style.strokeDasharray = len;
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path.style.strokeDashoffset = len;
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requestAnimationFrame(() => { // next frame so the transition has a start value
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path.style.transition = "stroke-dashoffset 1.6s ease";
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path.style.strokeDashoffset = "0";
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});
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```
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- `getTotalLength()` measures the path's own coordinate system, ignoring CSS transforms/scaling — which is what you want for dasharray.
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- It only works on geometry elements (`path, line, polyline, polygon, circle, ellipse, rect`). For `<text>` draw-on you must convert text to paths first.
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- Rounding: browsers can clip the last sub-pixel; pad slightly (`len + 1`) if the end never fully closes.
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- Compound paths (multiple `M` subpaths in one `d`) draw all subpaths simultaneously. Split into separate `<path>`s with staggered `animation-delay` for sequential drawing.
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### No-JS normalization with pathLength
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`pathLength="1"` tells the browser to treat the path's length as exactly 1, regardless of real geometry. Then dash math is unit-free:
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```svg
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<path d="..." pathLength="1" fill="none" stroke="#111"
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style="stroke-dasharray:1; stroke-dashoffset:1; animation:draw 1.4s ease forwards"/>
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```
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```css
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@keyframes draw { to { stroke-dashoffset: 0; } }
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```
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This is the cleanest pure-CSS draw-on and avoids hardcoding measured lengths that break when the path is edited. Use `pathLength="100"` if you prefer to think in percentages.
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### Scroll-driven draw-on (no library, via offset)
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```js
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const len = path.getTotalLength();
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path.style.strokeDasharray = len;
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function onScroll() {
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const p = Math.min(1, Math.max(0, scrollProgress())); // 0..1
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path.style.strokeDashoffset = len * (1 - p);
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}
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document.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll, { passive: true });
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```
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## 2. Morphing
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### Why naive morphs break
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Path interpolation walks the `d` command list of A and B in lockstep. If A has 4 cubic curves and B has 7, or A uses `L` where B uses `C`, the browser/animator either refuses or produces garbage. Fixes: match commands by hand, or use a library that resamples.
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### GSAP MorphSVG (best for arbitrary shapes)
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```js
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import gsap from "gsap";
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import { MorphSVGPlugin } from "gsap/MorphSVGPlugin";
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gsap.registerPlugin(MorphSVGPlugin);
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// any shape -> path so it can morph
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MorphSVGPlugin.convertToPath("#circ, #star");
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gsap.to("#circ", {
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duration: 0.9, ease: "power2.inOut",
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morphSVG: { shape: "#star", shapeIndex: "auto", type: "rotational" },
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});
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```
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- `shapeIndex` rotates the starting point mapping to minimize twisting; `"auto"` lets GSAP pick, or pass a number to tune.
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- `type: "rotational"` interpolates angles/lengths instead of raw coordinates — usually smoother for organic morphs.
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- `map: "size" | "position" | "complexity"` changes how sub-paths in compound shapes are matched.
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### Flubber (standalone, framework-friendly)
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```js
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import { interpolate, separate, combine } from "flubber";
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// 1 -> 1 shape
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const lerp = interpolate(pathA, pathB, { maxSegmentLength: 2 });
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// splitting one shape into many (or vice versa)
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const split = separate(oneShape, [shape1, shape2, shape3], { single: true });
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```
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Drive `lerp(t)` with any tween/`requestAnimationFrame`, or inside Framer Motion:
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```jsx
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import { motion, useMotionValue, useTransform, animate } from "motion/react";
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const progress = useMotionValue(0);
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const d = useTransform(progress, [0, 1], [0, 1], { clamp: false });
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const path = useTransform(d, (v) => interpolate(A, B)(v));
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// animate(progress, 1, { duration: 0.6 }) then <motion.path d={path} />
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```
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Use Flubber when you can't add GSAP or need React-native value plumbing; use MorphSVG for the highest-quality mapping and convenience.
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### Hand-authored icon toggle (hamburger ↔ close) — no morph library
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When you control both shapes, give them identical structure and animate transforms instead of `d`:
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```svg
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<svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" class="menu" aria-label="Menu">
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<line class="top" x1="3" y1="6" x2="21" y2="6"/>
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<line class="mid" x1="3" y1="12" x2="21" y2="12"/>
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<line class="bot" x1="3" y1="18" x2="21" y2="18"/>
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</svg>
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```
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```css
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.menu line { stroke:#111; stroke-width:2; transition: transform .25s ease, opacity .2s ease;
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transform-origin: center; transform-box: fill-box; }
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.menu.open .top { transform: translateY(6px) rotate(45deg); }
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.menu.open .mid { opacity: 0; }
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.menu.open .bot { transform: translateY(-6px) rotate(-45deg); }
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```
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`transform-box: fill-box` makes `transform-origin: center` resolve to the element's own bounding box — essential for SVG rotation; without it the origin is the SVG viewport origin.
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## 3. Motion along a path — details
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### GSAP MotionPath
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```js
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gsap.to("#dot", {
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duration: 5, repeat: -1, ease: "none",
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motionPath: {
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path: "#route",
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align: "#route", // coordinates relative to the path element
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alignOrigin: [0.5, 0.5], // pin the object's center to the path
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autoRotate: true, // or a number to add a constant offset angle
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start: 0, end: 1, // animate a sub-segment, e.g. 0.2..0.8
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},
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});
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```
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Convert a series of points into a smooth path: `MotionPathPlugin.convertToPath(...)`, or pass `motionPath: [{x:0,y:0},{x:100,y:50},...]` and GSAP draws a curve through them.
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### CSS offset-path (declarative, modern)
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```css
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.dot {
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offset-path: path("M10,80 C40,10 120,10 150,80");
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offset-rotate: auto; /* face direction of travel */
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animation: travel 3s linear infinite;
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}
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@keyframes travel { to { offset-distance: 100%; } }
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```
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Newer syntax also accepts `offset-path: url(#route)` referencing a `<path>` id and shapes like `ray()`. Good support in evergreen browsers; no JS needed.
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### SMIL animateMotion
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Self-contained inside the SVG; use `rotate="auto"` and `<mpath href="#id"/>`. Best for portable icon assets where you don't want external CSS/JS. Avoid when you need scroll-sync or broad legacy support.
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## 4. SMIL vs CSS vs JS — tradeoffs
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| Axis | SMIL | CSS | JS (GSAP/WAAPI) |
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|------|------|-----|-----------------|
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| Bundle cost | none (inline) | none | library (GSAP ~JS) |
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| Works in `<img>` SVG | yes | yes (internal) | no |
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| Reach (legacy IE/Edge) | no | partial | yes |
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| Scroll/scrub sync | hard | hard | easy |
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| Morph mismatched paths | no | no | yes (MorphSVG/Flubber) |
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| Timeline orchestration | limited | limited | full |
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| Animate `d`/gradients/filters | yes | partial | yes |
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Default: CSS for simple declarative effects, GSAP for anything coordinated/scrubbable/morphing, SMIL only for portable self-animating assets in evergreen targets.
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## 5. SVGO config tuned for animation
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Aggressive SVGO defaults will strip the very things you animate. Use a config like:
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```js
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// svgo.config.js
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module.exports = {
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multipass: true,
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plugins: [
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{ name: "preset-default", params: { overrides: {
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removeViewBox: false, // keep responsive scaling
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cleanupIds: false, // DO NOT rename ids referenced by CSS/JS/SMIL/gradients
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mergePaths: false, // keep sub-paths separate for staggered draw-on
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convertShapeToPath: false, // keep <circle>/<rect> if SMIL/CSS targets them
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removeHiddenElems: false, // keep elements you toggle visible via animation
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inlineStyles: false, // preserve class hooks
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} } },
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{ name: "removeDimensions" }, // drop width/height, keep viewBox -> fluid scaling
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{ name: "prefixIds" }, // namespace ids if inlining many SVGs to avoid id collisions
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],
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};
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```
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If multiple inlined SVGs share gradient/filter ids, id collisions make the LAST definition win for everyone — `prefixIds` (or unique authoring) prevents this classic bug.
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## 6. Reduced motion
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```css
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@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
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.path { animation: none; stroke-dashoffset: 0; } /* show final drawn state instantly */
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}
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```
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For looping decorative SVG (spinners, ambient gradients), pause or hide them under reduced-motion; for functional icon toggles, keep the state change but drop the easing duration.
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---
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Pick the right method per shape and SVG draws, morphs, and travels smoothly. Built by **[iart.ai](https://iart.ai/?utm_source=github&utm_medium=readme&utm_campaign=web-animation-skills&utm_content=skill_footer&utm_term=svg-animation)** — the AI motion agent for editable, on-brand motion graphics.
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