Animation Studio

FAQ: How To Hire And Work With An Animation Studio

Do you want to hire an animation studio but aren’t sure how to get started? Video Igniter’s FAQ about animation studios answers the most popular questions about hiring and working with an animation studio to create a custom animated video.

Animation studio

This FAQ includes answers to questions like:

  • How much does it cost to hire an animation studio?
  • How long does it take an animation studio to create a video?
  • How do I work with an animation studio to create my video?
  • How can I save money on my production budget?
  • …and more!

Examples of Videos You Can Get From Video Igniter’s Animation Studio

Video Igniter can create any kind of 2D or 3D animated video for you. Check out our animation portfolio here. Request access to our demo reels and price sheet here.

Contact us or schedule a call to start making your video.

 

Why should I hire an animation studio instead of a freelancer?

Hiring a freelance 2D animator could save you some money on your production budget. However, there are a few strong reasons to consider hiring an animation studio over a freelancer for your project:

Industry Expertise

Animation studios are experts at creating beautiful animations, engaging stories, and managing production so that you don’t go over budget. It takes a team to do all of these well; not all freelancers are equipped to do all three. Some may only be good at creating beautiful illustrations or storytelling. Animation studios have an abundance of all the skills needed to successfully complete your animated video project.

Variety of styles

Typically, freelance animators specialize in a narrow range of animated visual styles they can produce. Animation studios are made of a large pool of talented animators that can work together to design and animate endless custom animated visual styles. If you are looking to create an animated video using a unique visual style, hire an animation studio (or VideoIgniter.com) to create your video.

Great for long projects

Animation studios are staffed with dozens, hundreds or thousands of animators and are well equipped to take on long, feature-length projects (30-90+ min). If you want to create a video more than a few minutes long, you should hire an animation studio. Otherwise, it will take the freelancer many months to complete your project.

Trust

trust handshake

These days, most animated video projects are run virtually. You don’t need to physically be with the animation studio or freelancer to create the video. When it comes to working with someone virtually, trust matters. A freelancer is a lone wolf working by themselves; if they get sick or something happens in the middle of the project, there isn’t someone else there to jump in and keep the project going. Animation studios are staffed by large groups of people that can deliver on your project, even if some members of the project get sick. You can trust that an animation studio won’t ghost you in the middle of production; they will help you see the project through to the end.

Promotion

If you want help getting your animated ad in front of your target audience, some animation studios are capable of helping you with video marketing services.  Freelancers typically stay focused on production and are limited in their ability to advise the best ways to promote your video.

How to hire an animation studio?

How to hire an animation studio?

Here are Video Igniter’s resources to help you find and hire the right animated video production company to produce your video’s ideal visual style, on time and within your budget:

 

How do you work with an animation studio to create a video?

The animated video production process usually looks like this:

Learn about the project -> Script -> Storyboard -> Illustrations -> VoiceOver -> Soundtrack -> Animation.

Let’s dive in for a deeper look at the animated video production process:

Learn about the project

Learn about the project

Production typically starts with a questionnaire or a phone call to learn about the video you want the animation studio to create.  This is your opportunity to explain:

  • What information you want to convey in the video.
  • What visual style you want to use to create your animated video.
  • Who your target audience is and how to speak to them.

Script

Writing a script

Now that the animation studio understands what you want to convey in your animated video, they will develop the first draft of the script. You get an opportunity to review the script and request revisions before approving the script for production.

Storyboard

Animation studio can create your storyboard for you

The animation studio will turn your script into a storyboard so that the illustrators and animators know what to create. Each page includes a sentence from your script, a rough visual mockup of the scene, a list of instructions for the animators and a list of the assets needed to create that scene. You get a chance to review the storyboard and share your feedback before approving it for production.

Illustrations

After the storyboard is approved, the animation studio’s art director will develop concept art for your video.

Reviewing concept art.

Let them know which concept you like best + let them know if you want to refine the visual style at all. Then, the illustrators can create all of the art for your video to match that visual style. You’ll get a chance to review all the illustrations and request revisions before approving the art for production.

Animation studio illustrator

VoiceOver

The animation studio will audition multiple voiceover artists for each speaker in your video. Let them know which option(s) you like best so that they can get the full length voiceovers recorded. You get an opportunity to review the voiceover(s) and request revisions before approving them for production.

Animation studio will record the voiceovers.

Soundtrack

The animation studio will also select some soundtracks they feel will enhance the presentation of your animated video. Let them know which one(s) you prefer and they will purchase the license so you can legally use the music in your video.

Selecting a soundtrack to accompany the animation added to your video.

Animation

Animation can begin after everything else is approved. If your video is 60 seconds long, it will take at least a week to animate your video. When the first draft is ready, share it with your production team and members of your target audience to get their thoughts. Collect everyone’s feedback and share it with the animation studio so that they can incorporate your edits and render the final draft.

Animating a video

What does it cost to hire an animation studio?

Depends on the cost and complexity of your animated video. A 60-second animated video will cost you about $1,500-$10,000 for 2D animation and +2-3x more for 3D animation.

Interested in pricing information for your video project? Get a custom quote!

Or, you can request access to our pricing page.

What does it cost to hire an animation studio?

How long does it take an animation studio to create an animated video?

Depends on the length of your animated video and whether you are using 2D or 3D animation. Here are a few ballpark timelines to help you get a loose idea of how long it takes to make different kinds of animated videos:

  • A 1 minute 2D animated video can be produced in 3-6 weeks.
  • A 1 minute 3D animated video takes 2-3x longer to produce.
  • 90 minute 2D or 3D animated films take years to produce.

How long does it take an animation studio to create an animated video?

If you want an estimate for how long it will take to create your animated video, use our contact form to tell us about your project and deadline and we will follow up with a production plan and budget proposal.

Need your animated video fast? Video Igniter offers rush delivery animation to help speed up production so you can get your video delivered before your deadline.

Rush Delivery Animation Available

How can I save money when hiring an animation studio to create my video?

  • Download our free script writing template and use it to write the script for your animated video.
  • Download our free storyboard template and use it to create the storyboard for your animated video.
  • Consider using stock assets to reduce your design cost.
  • You can provide the voiceover for your animated video.
  • You can use free (legal) music in your video.

For more tips on affordable animation and how to keep your animated video production budget as low as possible, check out this companion article:

Affordable Animation

How to start an animation studio?

At the bare minimum, all you need are:

If you possess all of these, you can run your own animation studio by yourself.

To expand beyond there, find people who have production strengths that compliment yours. For example, if you’re a better illustrator and animator than you are a story teller, consider partnering up with someone who is good at script writing and storyboard creation.

The larger your team becomes, the more projects you can take on. Before you know it, you’ll have gone from making animated videos by yourself to running your own animation studio.

Still have questions about animation studios?

Do you have a question about animation studios that wasn’t included in this FAQ?  Use this form to contact us with your question. We will follow up with an answer and then we’ll post the question and answer to this page.

Still have questions about animation studios?

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 animation portfolio!

Do you want to create an animated cryptocurrency video or an animated blockchain explainer video that explains how your technology works? We can help with that too.

Watch our explainer video to learn more about how we can help you create an animated ad for your business:

 

Looking For An Animation Studio In The U.S.A.?

Video Igniter is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Animation Studio 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

Animation Studio Success Stories & Testimonials

Get in touch!

Schedule a call with our production team to discuss your animated video.

Get a quote for us to create your animated video.

Request access to our newest price sheet.

Check out our animated video portfolio to see our latest and greatest creations.

Create your Video Igniter account, fill out a creative brief, and we’ll start your animated video.

Schedule a call with our production team.