Animated Video Production Resources

Table of Contents

Over the last few years, Video Igniter has developed an extensive list of animated video production resources to help you produce high quality content, quicker and at the lowest budget possible. We’ve also developed a bunch of content to help you market and promote your business with your custom animated video. This page contains a list of all these resources. If there’s a resource you’d like us to create that you don’t see here, use this form to let us know!

The Complete Animated Video Production Workflow

Whether you’re creating a 30-second social media advertisement or a two-minute explainer video, nearly every successful animation project follows a structured production process. Understanding each phase helps businesses plan more effectively, reduce revisions, and keep projects on schedule.

Below is a high-level overview of the complete animated video production workflow.

1. Discovery and Creative Brief

Every project begins with gathering information about the business, audience, and objectives.

A creative brief typically answers questions like:

Who is the target audience?
What problem does the video solve?
What action should viewers take?
Where will the video be published?
What animation style best represents the brand?
What is the desired timeline?
What budget has been allocated?

A thorough creative brief reduces misunderstandings and gives the production team a clear direction before work begins.

2. Script Writing

The script is the foundation of every animated video.

A well-written script should:

Capture attention quickly
Identify the audience’s problem
Present a clear solution
Explain benefits rather than just features
End with a compelling call-to-action

Most 60-second explainer videos contain approximately 125-150 spoken words.

Since every visual is built around the narration, investing time in script development often has the biggest impact on the final video’s success.

3. Storyboarding

Once the script is approved, the production team develops a storyboard.

Each storyboard panel typically includes:

A sentence from the script
A rough sketch of the scene
Animation notes
Asset requirements

Storyboards allow everyone to visualize the finished animation before expensive illustration and animation work begins.

4. Visual Development

After the storyboard is approved, artists establish the visual style.

This stage may include:

Character design
Color palette selection
Illustration style exploration
Typography choices
Icon development
Environmental design

Approving the visual direction early keeps the entire project visually consistent.

5. Asset Creation

Illustrators then create every visual asset required for production.

Depending on the project, assets might include:

Characters
Backgrounds
Product illustrations
Infographics
User interface mockups
Icons
Logos
Charts
Visual effects

Once approved, these assets move into animation.

6. Animation

This is where everything comes to life.

Animators add:

Character movement
Camera motion
Scene transitions
Motion graphics
Text animation
Visual effects
Timing adjustments

Animation often represents the most labor-intensive phase of production, especially for custom 2D and 3D projects.

7. Audio Production

Great animation deserves equally strong audio.

Audio production may include:

Professional voiceover recording
Music licensing
Sound effects
Audio cleanup
Final mixing

High-quality sound dramatically improves viewer engagement and perceived production value.

8. Final Delivery

After revisions are completed, the project is exported into the required formats.

Deliverables may include:

4K video
HD video
Vertical social media versions
Square videos
Captioned versions
GIFs
Short teaser clips

Preparing multiple versions during production often saves time compared to recreating them later.

Essential Animated Video Production Resources for Every Stage

Creating a successful animated video requires more than animation software. The right resources can improve quality, accelerate production, and reduce unnecessary revisions.

Consider organizing your production resources into the following categories.

Creative Planning Resources

These help define your strategy before production begins.

Useful resources include:

Creative brief templates
Audience persona worksheets
Brand messaging documents
Marketing campaign plans
Competitive analysis

Visual Planning Resources

These help translate ideas into visuals.

Examples include:

Storyboard templates
Mood boards
Color palette references
Illustration examples
Character design inspiration

Production Management Resources

Larger animation projects benefit from organized project management.

Helpful tools include:

Revision trackers
Approval checklists
Asset libraries
Production calendars
Feedback documents

Keeping everyone organized helps projects stay on schedule.

How to Stay Organized During Animated Video Production

One of the biggest reasons animation projects fall behind schedule is poor organization.

Before production begins, create a central location for all project assets.

This folder might include:

Brand guidelines
Logos
Fonts
Product screenshots
Scripts
Storyboards
Reference videos
Music preferences
Voiceover notes

Providing everything upfront helps your animation team begin work immediately without waiting for missing assets.

Animated Video Production Checklist

Before approving your animation project, review this checklist.

Strategy

✔ Defined target audience

✔ Clear marketing objective

✔ Single primary call-to-action

✔ Approved creative brief

Script

✔ Finalized script

✔ Brand messaging included

✔ Runtime appropriate

✔ Call-to-action confirmed

Storyboard

✔ Every scene reviewed

✔ Visual instructions included

✔ Stakeholder approval completed

✔ Transitions explained

Artwork

✔ Character designs approved

✔ Branding consistent

✔ Product screenshots current

✔ Color palette finalized

Animation

✔ Motion feels natural

✔ Timing matches narration

✔ Scene transitions polished

✔ Text remains readable

Audio

✔ Voiceover approved

✔ Music licensed

✔ Sound effects balanced

✔ Audio mixed correctly

Delivery

✔ Correct resolution

✔ Correct aspect ratios

✔ Captions included if needed

✔ Final quality review completed

Using a checklist like this dramatically reduces the likelihood of overlooked issues before launch.

How to Get More Value from Your Animated Video Production Investment

One of the most overlooked animated video production resources is planning how the finished animation will be reused.

Instead of creating a single video, consider requesting additional deliverables such as:

15-second social media ads
30-second promotional clips
GIF animations
Website hero animations
Trade show loops
Email marketing videos
LinkedIn video snippets
Vertical versions for Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts
Presentation assets for sales teams

Repurposing a single animation into multiple marketing assets significantly increases your return on investment.

Common Challenges During Animated Video Production (And How to Avoid Them)

Nearly every animation project encounters obstacles, but many are preventable with proper planning.

Some of the most common challenges include:

Unclear Project Goals

Without clearly defined objectives, it’s difficult to determine whether the finished video is successful.

Define success before production begins.

Too Many Revision Requests

Collect feedback from all stakeholders before submitting revisions.

Multiple rounds of conflicting feedback often create unnecessary delays.

Last-Minute Script Changes

Changing the script after illustration or animation has begun often requires extensive rework.

Finalize messaging before production starts whenever possible.

Unrealistic Timelines

High-quality animation takes time.

Planning production several weeks—or even months—ahead of your launch date provides room for thoughtful revisions and quality assurance.

Why Building a Library of Animated Video Production Resources Saves Time

The most efficient marketing teams don’t start every animation project from scratch. Instead, they build a reusable library of animated video production resources that can be leveraged across future projects. This library may include brand guidelines, approved logos, fonts, icon sets, color palettes, voiceover preferences, storyboard templates, creative briefs, production checklists, and examples of previous successful videos.

Over time, these resources reduce onboarding time, improve consistency across campaigns, and make collaboration with animation studios significantly more efficient. Whether you’re producing one animated explainer video each year or dozens of product demos, training videos, and marketing campaigns, maintaining a well-organized collection of production resources helps every future project move faster while maintaining a consistently high level of quality. By investing in reusable workflows and documentation today, you’ll streamline future productions, reduce revision cycles, and maximize the value of every animated video your organization creates.

Resources For The Animated Video Production Process

Script Writing Resources

How to write a script for an animated video?
7 tips to supercharge your explainer video script writing.
How to turn your script into an animated video?
Examples of explainer video scripts and how to write a script for an explainer video?
Free Download: Script Writing Template

Storyboard Creation Resources

Resources To Help You Pick An Animation Producer For Your Project

Animated Video Pre-Production Resources

Before production begins, you’ll want to review the Pre-Production Checklist.
How to create an animated video?
Learn about the different styles of animation.
How to pick the right visual style for your animated video?
How to turn your idea into an animated video?
How does the production process work?

Pricing and Budgeting Resources

Animated Explainer Video Production Resources

What is an explainer video?
How long does explainer video production take?
Explainer Video Tips: The do’s and don’ts of explainer videos.
Explainer Video Rates
What goes into the cost of an explainer video?
Examples of explainer video scripts and how to write a script?
Explainer video storyboard examples

Animation Production Resources

Audio Resources

Post Production Resources

Sales and Marketing Animated Video Production Resources

Miscellaneous Production Resources

6 Reasons Your Tech Startup Should Make An Animated Explainer Video.
How does Video Igniter’s unlimited revisions policy work?
Need rush delivery for your animated video?
What are the different types of online animated video makers?
Learn all about 2D animated videos!
Learn all about 3D animation.
Learn about 2D animation studios.
Check out Video Igniter’s Help Center.
Last but not least, you can learn about the various types of 3D animation makers here.

Animated Video Production Resource Questions?

Do you have a question or are you looking for an animated video production resource that’s not listed here? Use this form to contact us with your question.

You can also check out our updated list of +160 free resources to help you create animated videos.

What is Video Igniter Animation?

Video Igniter Animation is an online animated video production service. By working with our team online, you can get your custom animated video produced faster and for less than hiring a brick and mortar animation studio. We can help you create any kind of 2D animation or 3D animated video you can imagine.

Check out our animated video portfolio! Need help syndicating your animated video? Ask us about video promotion.

Watch our explainer video to learn more about how we can help you create an animated video for your business or check out our demo reel below.

Looking For Animated Video Production Company In The U.S.?

Video Igniter is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Animated Video Success Stories & Testimonials

“Video Igniter offered us the critical combination of creative value, clear communication, and patience with stakeholder feedback. We ended up with truly high-quality design assets for our video series largely due to the extra level of commitment — and the right balance of efficiencies with flexibility in the process when called for.”

Larry Schlessinger – Sr. Creative Program Manager, Amazon Web Services

“Video Igniter came to us with a number of creative and engaging ideas and were able to create an exciting, impactful video in a short period of time. And the best part was that it cost much less than other options of similar quality. The video they made is a great marketing tool for us.”

Alex Raymond – Founder, Kapta Systems

“I am beyond satisfied with my experience with Video Igniter. The first drafts of the work were almost exactly what I had in my head when developing the concept. After that each step along the way was seamless until arriving at a perfect finished product. And all this at a tremendous value. Anyone who has considered creating a marketing video should check out Video Igniter.”

Anonymous Customer Feedback

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