How to pick an animated studio if you need a video for your business?

Ever since animation slowly covered more and more needs in entertainment, people found out that it can do way more than that. Turns out, it is possible to use animation in completely different circumstances and for purposes that won’t deny entertainment, but utilize it for the greater aim.

Scraping off the old skin of sales and straightforward ways of showing a product, animation exposes the new philosophy of presenting the business. Yes, of course, animated videos in commercials always were kind of at home.

It was actually very popular in the United States during the 50-ies, but the number of businesses and types of commercials was just fewer. It never ceased to exist within the so-called “promotion-area”, but businesses – especially the way they build themselves these days, from the smallest ones to giants – can use animation in all varieties of videos.

Today the number of requests is growing. The types of marketing videos are not limited to just 2 or 3 – there are actually more and more of them. Commercials, explainers, product videos, demos, presentations, 2D, 3D, and so on. All of them in one way or another fulfil the aim business has at the particular moment.

We are going to nail an extremely important question that consists of many layers: how to choose an animation studio for your business and not spend too much money or fail with your selection of a company. Step by step, we’ll figure out what makes a good animation studio. Full ahead! 

Image source: Lily

Your budget is a threshold

The first and foremost question you should ask yourself is how big your budget is. Animation is cheaper than real-action video, but it is not cheap generally.

The cost of your request will depend on a number of things:

• Originality;
• Duration
• Animation style or a mix of them;
• Additional requirements.

Besides, there are animation studios that cost more than they can give you for such a price. Be careful when picking up a studio that costs a lot, but doesn’t reflect a price for that in its works.

Should the company focus on animation?

When it comes to requesting animated video, you will definitely have to face a variety of companies, some of which create all types of videos. We don’t say to dismiss such a choice but look very closely at the options. 

Image source: Huī Lín

One of the biggest advantages of requesting a video from an animation company is the following: it has an entire focus on the animation world. A team will be capable of handling all steps of the animation process.

Besides, the company’s representative will show you a bunch of choices. For example, when it comes to scriptwriting and storyboarding, live-action video companies that also provide their services in animation, are not as experienced in making animation, thus, may create it rather simpler. Animation studios know every step from the inside and usually don’t work on the same templates: they most likely will give you options.

Voice-Over Management?

So many movies, YouTube channels, and animated videos we love just because the voice behind these moving pictures is so appealing that we can’t resist listening to them. The right voice creates an atmosphere, and, maybe without our understanding, it affects our desire to continue watching the video.

Admit it: when you are watching some foreign movie and the voiceover that performs the important task of translating conversations to your native language is not that pleasant or even slightly irritating, you probably would want to turn it off. Well, no one has the right to judge you.

When you request a video, an experienced animation studio should also handle voice-over hiring and directing. The best possible option is that they offer you a few voice-over artists to choose from. The style of narration to fit a project might be chosen by you – if you as a client want to do that.

The voice-over should fit the context you provide: maybe it must sound with a specific accent, maybe it has to be neutral or passionate, maybe it has to be a young man or middle-aged woman. It depends. One of the vital things that any brand should be imitating is… a real, actual personality. Yes, that’s simple. And while it is obligatory that to make a brand personality you need a tone and proper, easily recognizable voice, you also might want to sound right. Here’s where the artist with a “right” voice is wanted.

A great voice-over carries one important task: emotionally communicating not only about your product, but also audibly embodying your values and attitude. Voice-over always gives a bit of a new context to the known — completing the brand’s identity by adding another level to it. Keep in mind that a great animation video is not just a picture. 

Image source: Yans Media

A big script question

Ask whether they will use your script. This is the case, of course, if you already have one. What is the deal here? For example, if you will get a message like this one:

“Our work starts by listening; discovering your vision and engaging in processes that are focused, effective and enjoyable. There are no gaps, nothing left out, so you know all aspects of your video during the project journey”.

It is a good sign that you can trust this animation studio. Why? Many studios are not inclined to make a video out of your request entirely. Some studios would simply refuse your script. They might look at the idea and try to make it on their terms entirely.

Great many award-winning animation video production companies that specialise in the production of animated explainer videos, promotional videos and corporate videos would offer some exceptional services. For example:

“Filming on the latest cutting-edge camera equipment means that we’re able to create cinematic videos which will captivate your audience. Whether it’s Black Magic, Red Epic or Canon C300, we’ll use the best kit for the project, combining it with our awesome editing and motion graphics skills”.

Communication tips

We highly recommend looking for the following when it comes to answers from a studio you reaching out:

• A simple, understandable answer that reflects the client’s request. Contains a price and everything that can affect it, examples of other work the first test question is a test for the adequacy of the client, and then the normal answer;
• If a studio is sending a client offer with a separate landing page for a request instead of a regular pdf file.
• A variety of options if you are looking for a particular outcome and can describe it.

Image source: Taka Imagawa

However, there are also types of answers that can’t be taken as good ones – most likely it will be hard to achieve complete understanding with the studios. For example:

• when the client receives the answer from several people from the agency or animation studio at once;
• if an agency immediately invited a client to a call. Yes, it might be important in urgent projects. However, if a client has just requested a video, a call is something of stepping up into the client’s personal space;
• too long letters, even if they are personalized;
• if the first letter that the studio sent to the client doesn’t contain a clear price – it is a con. The price is a wide range from 5k to 20k on the market, so any client would like to understand at least what to expect from the company’s level of price and quality.
• some studios allow themselves to refuse the length of your advertising animated video. If such a thing doesn’t possess rather a recommendatory nature at a late stage of negotiations, it is a con then.

Sound Design Management

Sound Design is one of the most vital aspects of animation. You might wonder, what is the big deal here, but it’s actually quite hard to find a studio with a sound design team. So, we suggest talking about the matter as soon as possible. The result you get in the end – the quality of a video depends on all the factors, including sound design, not just visuals.

What to expect when contacting an animation studio?

Many studios will ask you to connect in real-time – on Zoom or GoogleMeet to talk about details. It is maybe the most similar fact that unites many studios from different countries. Most of the studios did not respond immediately. They take some time to answer, usually, it takes a day or two.

Sometimes – but extremely rarely –  you can get a direct answer from a real person. Some studios send offers where a separate point is music. For some reason, music in the background will cost extremely high – up to 2000 $. Well… that’s overpricing, for sure. Considering the fact that such a video will cost only 2000 $ as a whole.

Almost all the animation studios are ready to bargain. If you disagree with their offer (expensive), they bargain and knock down to 50% of the cost. A note: always look for a studio with stable prices that don’t consider the option of a bargain. 

Image source: Elena Svitkina

Some studios tend to refuse requests, because “this is too small an order for them”.

How many projects have they already done?

This is an extremely important matter that shows whether the studio has enough experience to handle projects of different complexity. The more works a studio finishes, the more styles, techniques, and creative decisions they are capable of offering. You can check if they ever created a project similar to yours – at least in terms of style.

Main animation style

When it comes to styles a decent animation studio can actually be good in many different styles. However, we recommend looking at the consistency that will unify the logo, colors, brand, and website that represent your brand. One way or another your animated video must reflect character model and branding designs.

Never hurts to seek out previous clients’ feedback

Before you start a collaboration with any animation company, we recommend you look for client feedback. Any reviews, ratings, and testimonials will be a big help and provide you with information that will make it clear if the studio is worth collaborating with. 

Image source: Diana Zavhorodnia

Prices

Ooh, that might be the most vital factor. Here’s the thing: it depends heavily on where you are planning on hiring the animation studio. For example, if the Studio is from the USA or UK, prepare to pay a lot. On the other hand, if you are willing to get a video from an Asian or Eastern European company, you will pay less.

The United States is the most expensive country when it comes to making animated videos. The production cycle is not different here, and its length is the same as everywhere – 10 to days.

India, despite the stereotypes, still remains the most affordable country to get an animated video. What is most curious about Indian production companies is that the gap from others is strangely not large at all. Here you can still find videos for $ 500 (!) and yet the quality is good –  the average level has pulled up to the international standards.

Eastern Europe is more animated-oriented. It means that most of the studios there are entirely focused on animation. Unlike the U.S. where companies usually mix a few types of video production.

There are many indie studios in Kyiv and Moscow, two cities that represent animated studios from the whole region. Such companies usually consist of creative professionals and it is hard to overlook that in their works or even how the landing pages were designed.

Average prices per video

Average cost by country:

US – 23798$ The UK – 5642$ Ukraine – 2385$ Russia – 2150$ India – 2047$ Europe – 6163$

These are average numbers from our big research about the cost of a simple 1-minute video. Note that in Western Europe there are many studios that focus entirely on animation. 

Image source: Agnieszka

Summary

If you are looking for an animation studio to create a perfect video for your business, we recommend doing several things first:

• To make sure you know the limits of your budget. Without actually knowing how much you can allow yourself to spend, you can come across as expensive a company;
• What is the purpose of your video? Knowing it will help you to be clear and welcome or reject anything that a studio will recommend to you.
• Prepare to wait for your video for about a month, but the negotiation process would be much longer.
• Remember, that lower prices don’t necessarily mean bad quality.

Hopefully, all these tips will help you to choose a company that will perfectly manage to bring you the outcome you are looking for. That’s it!