Sarah Sheeran

Head of Digital

+353 1 708 8100

Inspirational Designs Using Website Video

Website video is going through a bit of a transformation right now. With HTML5 video backgrounds, greater flexibility with video player integration and host of other innovations, the most exciting web designs out there are using video like never before. As a video and digital Producer I’m more than a little excited about this. Here’s my round up of some of the most creative examples of video in web design I’ve encountered recently.

1. Dutch National Ballet

The people behind this website had some very beautiful subject matter to work with, but they did also manage to create an equally beautiful user experience. Slow motion video backgrounds, perfectly balanced design and well positioned calls to action make this a showstopper.

2. ReEmployment

This US site uses a winning combination of video backgrounds and “mouse over” activated video. Video also really enhances one of the objectives of the site, by creating an emotional connection with the job seekers.  It also throws up a common challenge with video backgrounds – Google Chrome blocks the Divx Plugin. Best viewed in Safari.

3. eircom Wholesale

Full disclosure here – we did produce the videos on this website designed by eircom Wholesale’s enterprise digital agency. Putting aside my bias, I think the “video gallery” style works really well. Its also a much safer option right now if your audience is likely to be on older browsers.

4. Aqualis

Parallax scrolling effects are helping create some of the most visually impressive sites out there right now. This one is a visual feast, bringing us deep under the water to see neon jelly fish at close quarters. An intriguing video background with rolling waves starts off the journey. Enjoy.

5. Google Spacecraft For All

One of the latest experiments by Google’s Creative Lab, the Google Spacecraft for All website tells the story of the International Sun/Earth Explorer 3 (ISEE-3). What’s brilliant about this is how it makes a documentary style video so interactive for the user by incorporating the latest in web technologies including WebGL, WebAudio and threeJS features. Watch out though, unsurprisingly, it only really works in Google Chrome.

I think these five websites provide lots of inspiration for designers and video content creators alike! If you’ve come across any really impressive sites with video please join in with a comment below.