How to Hire an Animation Studio: Your Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide

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Do you want to hire an animation studio but aren’t sure how or where to get started? Luckily for you, you’re in the right place! Video Igniter’s comprehensive guide to hiring animation studios has answers for all of your top questions, including:

How do I hire an animation studio?
What is the difference between hiring an animation studio vs hiring Video Igniter?
How much does it cost to hire an animation studio?
How long does it take to create an animated video?
How do I work with an animation studio to create my video?

All that and more – including tips to help you lower your production budget by $1,000 or more! But before we get into that, let’s take a look at examples of animations that you can create when you hire Video Igniter’s animation studio…

Hire Video Igniter’s Animation Studio To Create Videos Like This

Video Igniter can make any kind of 2D or 3D animation for you – check out some of our favorite example videos below.

For additional production samples, check out our animation portfolio or request access to our demo reels and price sheet.

Are you looking for a different type of animation example? Send us a message to let us know what kind of production example you want to see and we will follow up with some relevant production samples.

How To Hire An Animation Studio

Whether you want to hire Video Igniter or a 3rd party animation studio, our comprehensive guide to hiring animators explains:

Where to find animators you can hire.
What to look for before you hire an animator.
How to hire an animator.
Tips to negotiate a lower production budget.
And more!

See the full guide here.

What is the difference between hiring Video Igniter vs hiring an animation studio?

Working with Video Igniter is very similar to hiring an animation studio and there are a few unique perks of working with Video Igniter.

1). Unlimited Revisions

Most animation studios only allow two rounds of edits. We feel you deserve to have every detail of your animation look perfect and shouldn’t get nickled and dimed for small requests and edits. That’s why we offer unlimited revisions for all full priced Simple and Standard Animation projects.

Deep Dive: What are Simple and Standard Animation projects? Request access to our price sheet and demo reels.

2). Broad Production Skills

Most animation studios specialize in a limited number of visual styles or they only have experience working for 1 specific market vertical.

Video Igniter on the other hand has over 12 years of experience producing 2D and 3D animations for every industry you can imagine! Check out our animation portfolio to see some of our favorite creations.

3). Fortune 500 Experience For Startup Prices

We’ve been lucky enough to produce content for big names like T-Mobile, DocuSign, Amazon, Notion, Ricoh and Snoop Dogg – and yet, the rates we charge are still enticing for startups and smaller businesses.

4). Streamlined Production Experience

Video Igniter’s online production platform is designed to streamline and guide you through the full production experience. You’ll always be able to see the status of every part of your project, what needs your attention, what’s been approved, and what’s being revised. Even if you’ve never managed a video project before, our production service will guide you through every stage of production.

How much does it cost to hire an animation studio?

When you hire an animation studio to create a 60-second, 2D animated video, your production budget will likely be between $1,500-$7,500. Fancier animations created using 3D animation or cel animation may cost 2x-4x more to create.

Get a quote for your animated video.

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

If you want to hire an animation studio to create a 2D animation that is 60-seconds long, your video can be made in about 4-6 weeks. Videos created using cel animation or 3D animation can take 2x-4x more time to create.

For context, full-length PIXAR style movies take 5 years or more to create. The average episode of The Simpsons or Family Guy can be in production for 10-14 months.

Need to speed up production for a deadline? Video Igniter offers rush delivery animation.

For a deep dive on how long each phase of production takes, check out this companion article: How Long Does It Take To Animate A 1 Minute Video.

How do I make a video with an animation studio?

Let’s take a look at the production process so you understand what’s involved during every stage of production after you hire an animation studio (or Video Igniter) to create your video.

1). Get a Quote

Reach out to get a quote for your animated video. Include details like:

How long your video will be?
What do you want to show in your video?
What visual style do you want to use for your animation?
When do you need the final draft?

After we scope out your full project, we’ll send you a production agreement and an invoice for the first 50% of your production budget.

2). Script

Now that you’ve gone through the process to hire Video Igniter’s animation studio, our writing team will spend time getting to learn:

Who your target audience is?
What their problems are?
What key messages do you want to convey in your animation?
What do you want viewers to do when they’re done watching?

We use this info to develop the script for your animation. When the first draft is ready, you will receive a link to review and share the script with your team. Add your comments on the document and we’ll work with you revise and polish the script until it is perfect!

Deep Dive: How many words in a 60 second script?

3). Storyboard

After your script is approved, we’ll turn your script into a storyboard. The storyboard is the blueprint for your animation. It tells the illustrators and animators what to create for every scene in your video. You get an opportunity to review the storyboard and request edits, if necessary.

4). Music

You will receive several soundtracks to review. Give them a listen and let us know which one best fits your brand’s personality.

5). VoiceOver

You will also receive several voiceover auditions. Give them a listen and let us know which is your favorite. Our animation studio will hire that voice talent to record the full narration. You will get an opportunity to preview the recording and request edits, if necessary.

6). Art

Our art director will review your storyboard and create several pieces of concept art for your animation. Pick your favorite concept and collaborate with the art director to polish the concept to perfection.

Then, our aniamtion studio will create the rest of the illustrations for your video. You get an opportunity to review all of the art and request revisions before we start animating.

7). Animation

Now that everything is approved, it’s time to animate your video!

The animation phase of production takes about 1 week for each minute of video we’re creating. Cel animation and 3D animation will take more time to complete.

As soon as the first draft is ready, you will receive a link to download your animation. Give it a detailed review with your team and members of your target audience.

Collect everyone’s feedback and send them our way. We’ll integrate your revisions and render out the final draft of your video. You will receive the unwatermarked version of your video after you pay the second half of your production budget.

How To Lower Your Production Budget When You Hire An Animation Studio

Combine these tips to save $1,000 or more off the cost of hiring an animation studio:

1) Write Your Script

When you hire an animation studio to create a video, you can save $500 off the cost of each minute of video they create for you if you provide the script for your animation.

Download our script writing template to get started.

2). Record The VoiceOver

It costs between $50-$500 to record each voiceover for your video. Non-English voiceovers can cost even more. You can skip this production cost by recording your own professional quality voiceover at home for free. Watch 1:31 in this video to see how.

3). Create The Storyboard

When you hire our animation studio, you can save an additional $500/min off your production cost if you provide the storyboard for your project.

Download our storyboard template and review the included storyboard creation guide to get started.

4). Find Royalty Free Music

Instead of paying to produce custom music or licensing a track for use in your video, you can source royalty free music from sites like Facebook’s Sound Collection and Incompetech.

5). Start Production ASAP

Rush delivery can increase your production budget by 25%-50% or more. If you intend to hire an animation studio (or Video Igniter) we recommend you do so sooner rather than later to avoid paying extra for rush delivery costs. Schedule a call or send us a message to start the discussion about your animated video project.

Still have questions about how to hire an animation studio?

Do you have a question about hiring an animation studio that wasn’t addressed in this FAQ? Use this form to send us your question and we’ll follow up with an answer. We’ll also post the question and answer to this page so other people can benefit from the knowledge.

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.

Watch the demo reel below for examples of the kinds of animation our team can produce for you.

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

Video Igniter is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Success Stories & Testimonials

Don’t just take our word for it – these testimonials highlight Video Igniter’s reliability, creativity, flexibility and ability to deliver animations that exceed expectations. When you choose Video Igniter Animation, you can rest assured that you are working with a trusted and reputable studio.

“Video Igniter were very easy to work with and the entire process for creating and suggesting edits was seamless and stress-free. I would work with them again and would recommend to others looking to create a modern and stylish explainer video.”

Clair Simpson – VP Marketing, Repool.com

“I run a video production company and outsource animation. The team at Video Igniter did a great job in taking the concept I very crudely drew out and making it into a beautiful animation. The review process was easy and their turnaround time was very quick. I’d def recommend them if you’re looking for an animation project.”

Pat Henderson – Founder, Path8 Productions

“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

Get in touch!

Schedule a call to discuss your animated video project.

Get a quote for us to create your animated video.

Request access to our newest price sheet.

Create your Video Igniter account, fill out a creative brief for your video and we’ll begin production as soon as we receive your production deposit.