How to Make Animated Videos for Your Business

If you’re familiar with all the benefits of explainer videos, then you’re probably looking for information on how to make animated videos for your business. Exploring this new territory comes with its own set of challenges, so I’ve decided to make this simple guide to help you learn the basics of the video production process.

Since every project is different, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to making animated videos. That’s why this piece focuses on how we typically create wonderful video explainers for our clients.

Are you ready? Let’s get started! 😃

Animated Video Production Options

If you search online for “how to make animated videos,” you’ll be faced with many different ways to tackle the project. Each of these options comes with its own pros and cons, so here’s a quick summary of them so you can discover which one suits your needs (and your budget!) the best.

Animated Video Makers

Video makers are online platforms that offer video creation tools so anyone can make their own piece of animation. You won’t have to download any software, and you only need a couple of days to create your video, which makes them an affordable option. However, you should bear in mind that you might get generic results, and the quality will most likely not be the best.

Freelancers

If you want more tailored results than what you’d get using a video maker, you can consider hiring a freelancer for each stage of the animation process. While this will require strong organizational skills on your part, it’s still an affordable alternative that can yield medium-quality pieces. The tricky part lies in finding experienced professionals with the necessary skills and equipment to do a good job.

Animated Video Companies

For the best results, you could opt to partner with a video production company. Such companies have professional teams exclusively dedicated to making videos for businesses and brands, so you can be assured you’ll always get a high-quality piece.

Moreover, they’re highly experienced in project management, and they take care of every stage of the production process. This way, you can be confident you’ll get your animated piece on time.

You should consider, though, that the best animated video companies will be more expensive than hiring a freelancer or using a video maker. However, I believe that’s the price one must pay for quality and peace of mind, don’t you think?

How to Make Animated Videos

While most video production companies will follow a similar production process, this is how we, at Yum Yum Videos, typically tackle our clients’ projects.

1. Research

The first stage involves learning everything about your brand and your product or service. To do this, we have our clients fill in a creative brief with specific information about their brand’s values, goals, identity, target audience, and so on. 

Then, we like to hold an online meeting to discuss the brief’s answers and gain an even better understanding of your brand. This way, we can effectively map out the entire project and ensure that the final piece will accurately represent you and meet your objectives.

2. Scriptwriting

The second stage is a critical one because it will build the foundation for the entire animated video. It’s where we make sure your message will shine through and engage your audience, regardless of the complexity of the topic at hand.

We start by defining the message you want your piece to convey, and then develop a cohesive script around it. While it might be tempting to include as much information as possible, we like to keep the script simple and easy to understand.

3. Storyboard

In simple words, the storyboard is the visual version of the script that will help us illustrate the key scenes of your future video. We often include dialogues, script segments, and camera directions under each frame to use as a reference later on.

The storyboard has a two-fold function, as it helps our clients picture what the final product will look like and prevents any delays later down the line.

4. Art Direction

In this stage of making an animated video, we focus on the piece’s visual style. This includes the art design of every single element you’ll see on-screen, from the characters, product, and color palette to the typography and video’s keyframes.

Thanks to the art direction, both our clients and team members can better visualize the aesthetic of their animated ads and ensure that the style frames perfectly match your brand’s identity.

5. Voiceover Selection

This is the phase in which we bring the script to life. You’ll have to choose the voiceover talent that will narrate your story. We’ll send you some samples from our pool of professional voiceover artists so you can select your favorite one. 

Since the voiceover talent you choose will set the tone for the video, it’s critical to pick the actor who delivers the script in a style that best represents your brand’s attitude.

6. Illustration and Animation

This is by far my favorite stage of the animated video production process because it’s where all the illustrations come alive. Here, our skilled animation artists give movement to the characters and objects using sophisticated software and the latest technology to make every action and transition flow smoothly. Since this is the most complex phase of the process, it can take some time to complete.

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7. Sound Design

In the final step of the process, we carefully edit and synchronize the voiceover recording and any sound effects and music with their visual counterpart. The music and audio quality can make or break your video, which is why we pay close attention to even the smallest details to ensure perfect results.

Bonus Stage: Feedback and Revision

In most cases, the animated video production process ends with sound design. But we’re committed to satisfying our clients to the fullest, and we like to take the time to make sure everything is to your liking 😉. 

So, we’ve added an extra step in which we send you a deliverable, so you can let us know if there’s anything you’d like to change or adjust. 

And there you have it! A fully-tailored animated piece of the highest quality. Sounds easy, right? Well, the truth is that it requires hard work, which is why the animation production workflow can take between seven and nine weeks to complete. However, I can promise you that the results are well worth it!

If you’d like to watch a quick summary of the entire process, here’s a fun video we made about it!

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A Bit More About Yum Yum Videos

While it’s true that our animation production process might not differ much from other video marketing companies in the market, there are many aspects that definitely set us apart.

For starters, we’re fully committed to meeting our clients’ goals and exceeding their expectations. How do we do this? Well, we believe that the key is to truly listen to what they need, so we take the time to fully understand their mission and objectives.

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Another aspect that sets our workflow apart is our close attention to detail. Honestly, it’s something we can’t help because we’re hardcore perfectionists 😂 You’ll see that we follow all the animation steps to the letter with a detail-oriented mindset. I firmly believe that this is the main reason we’re able to deliver top-notch results.

So, if you’re looking for a company that offers a flexible animation process to deliver a fully customized video of the highest animation quality, don’t hesitate to reach out! We’d love to hear more about your project and see how we can help 😉.

Wrapping Up

Making an awesome explainer video requires time, care, and skills. So, if you want to create your own animated video, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the complex stages of the production process. 

While it might be challenging to discover where to start, you can take our own pipeline as a guide to help you plan your project and stay on track. You should now be fully prepared to tackle the animation steps ahead of you!