Short Animated Video FAQ + Examples

If you want to create a short animated video, you came to the right place! Video Igniter‘s guide for short animated videos answers the most frequently asked questions our clients ask about creating them.

Short Animated Video Examples

Video Igniter can create any kind of 2D or 3D animated video for you. Check out the example videos below.

To start your project contact us, schedule a call with our production team or request access to our new pricing page.

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

 

Why do companies make short animated videos?

First off, “short” is a relative term when it comes to animated videos. Short could be 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds, a minute and a half, 2-5 minutes, 5-10 minutes, or +15 minutes.

When it comes to making short animated promotional videos, your video will probably be under a minute long. The really short ones (5-15 seconds) are designed to quickly get people’s attention and intrigue them to check out the company’s website or social media.

Companies (and non-business people/organizations) also make animated shorts – like those ~5 minute videos that appear before a Pixar animated movie. These types of animated shorts are used to tell fun or emotional stories that can help draw people into learning more about your company or cause.

How to make an animated short video

Find a producer for your short animated video

The first step to making an animated video is to figure out who is going to produce it. Scroll down to the section titled, “How to choose a producer for your short animated video” for tips on how to pick the right producer for your project.

Questionnaire

Production begins with a questionnaire to help us understand what kind of animated video you want us to create.

Script

After we review the response to your questionnaire, we will begin developing the script for your video. We’ll send you the first draft to collect your feedback. If you love it as-is, we’ll start creating the storyboard. Otherwise, let us know what changes you want to see in your video script and we’ll incorporate the edits and send it back to you to review and approve. If you are using Video Igniter’s Simple Animation or Standard Animation options to create your animated short, you get unlimited revisions on your script (and all other phases of production).

Budget Saving Tip

You can save hundreds or thousands of dollars off the cost of your custom animated video by writing the script for your project. Even if you aren’t a great writer, you can still save time and money off your production budget by creating the first draft and working with us to polish it and make it ready for production. Download our free scriptwriting template.

 

Storyboard

Now that your script is approved, it’s time to develop the storyboard. The storyboard is like the blueprint for your animation. It tells the illustrators and animators what to create. The diagram below shows what a page in a storyboard might look like:

When the first draft of your storyboard is ready, we will send it to you to review. If you love it as-is, we’ll move forward with production. Otherwise, let us know what changes you would like to see and we will incorporate them into the storyboard. You will get another opportunity to review and approve the storyboard (or request edits) before we proceed with production.

Budget Saving Tip

You can save hundreds or thousands of dollars off the cost of your short animated video by creating the storyboard. You can create a storyboard even if you have no artistic abilities. Download our free storyboard template and storyboard creation guide.

Soundtrack

Soundtracks enhance the presentation and emotional experience of watching your animated short video. We will select several soundtracks we think will compliment your animated short and send them to you to review. If you love one of them, we’ll procure the proper broadcast license to use it in your video. Not a fan of any of the soundtrack options? Just let us know why and we’ll select some fresh options for you to review. What if you can’t tell which option you like best? Let us know and we’ll help you preview the different options when the first draft of your animated video is ready to review.

VoiceOver

Not all animated shorts have voiceovers in them. Assuming yours does, we’ll order up some voiceover auditions from our favorite voiceover artists that we feel will deliver the appropriate tone and energy for your short animated video’s narration. Send us your honest feedback when you hear the auditions. If you love one of the artists, we will hire them to record the full voiceover and license the recording for all the platforms you plan to post your video. If you aren’t in love with any of the auditions, we will source new auditions for you to review and will continue to do so until we find one you love (assuming you are doing a Simple or Standard Animation project).

Budget Saving Tip

You can record your own professional sounding voiceover at home or in the office for free! No fancy equipment or expensive software needed. Check out 1:31 in this video about voiceovers.

Illustration

After the storyboard is approved, our art director will review your brand guidelines and design inspiration and use that to develop concept art for your short animated video. The art director will select a key visual from your storyboard and design it using one or more unique visual styles. Review the concept art and let us know how you feel about each of them.

If you love one of the concepts as-is, we’ll develop the rest of the illustrations for your video in that style.

If you love one of the concepts but want us to refine it a bit, let us know how you’d like us to edit the concept art. We’ll make the changes and send it back to you to review and approve – and then we’ll create all the art for your video.

Suppose you like details from more than one concept? Let us know which parts you love and which parts you don’t like and we’ll combine all your favorite details into a new visual concept. We will continue to work with you to refine it until you love it. Then we’ll create all the art for your video using the approved concept art as a style reference.

What if you’re not a fan of any of the concepts? That’s ok! Share your honest feedback and we’ll develop new concept art for you to review until we create something you love.

Once all the illustrations have been created, we will send them to you to review. Let us know your feedback for each illustration and we’ll incorporate your edits. You’ll get another chance to review and approve the illustrations before we begin animating.

Animation

Now that everything is approved, we can animate! It takes about a week to animate 1 minute of 2D video. 3D animations require 2-3x as much time. When the first draft is ready, review it with your internal team and members of your target audience. collect everyone’s feedback and send it to us. We’ll incorporate your edits and deliver the final draft.

How to choose a producer for your short animated video?

If you’re interested in hiring someone to make an animated video, take a look at their portfolio to review the quality of their work. It’s also worth asking about their design process, pricing structure and the amount of revisions you get when working with them.

Resources to help you find an animator to create your animated logo:

• 9 Things to look for when hiring an animator.
• How do you outsource an animated video project?
• How do you hire an animator?
• What is Video Igniter Animation?
• What’s the difference between hiring an animation studio, a freelance animator and Video Igniter?
• What goes into production cost of an animated video?
• Considering making the animated video yourself? Learn about DIY options.
• Need your video fast? Learn about rush delivery.
• Pros and Cons of Different Animation Styles

How much does it cost to make a short animated video?

A 2D 30 second animated video costs about $500-$4,000 to produce. 3D animations cost at least twice as much. To figure out how much your short animated video will cost to produce, contact us to get a custom quote.

How long does it take to make a short animated video?

For reference, it takes about 3-5 weeks to produce a 60 second animated video. Shorter animated videos still take 2-3 weeks to get through the whole production workflow. Rush delivery animation is available if you need to speed up production to meet your deadline.

How to get the most out of your short animated video?

If you are making a short animated video for a business or marketing purpose, there are a lot of things you can do during the production process and after production has completed that will improve your business outcomes. Here are some resources we recommend you review before your next video marketing project:

• 7 Tips to help you write a great script for your animated video.
• Pick the right visual style for your animated video.
• 6 Tips To Increase Viewer Engagement for your animated video.
• Check out our explainer video tips!
• 7 Tips For Using and Improving Your Businesses’s Video.
• Learn how to interpret your video’s viewer stats to see if it needs improvement.
• A/B Test variations of your animated video to improve its conversion rate.

What is the Video Igniter animated video creation platform?

Video Igniter offers animated video production services online. We modernized the experience of creating a custom animated video to help you save on your production costs and create custom content faster. Video Igniter streamlines the complex process of making a custom animated video and does 99% of the work for you. All you need to do is tell us what you want us to create and review the assets we create for your video (script, storyboard, voiceover, soundtrack, art and animation).

If you’re looking for a website to create an animated video online, Video Igniter’s custom animated video production service enables you to create any kind of animated video you can imagine. Our talented staff collaborates behind the scenes to create custom 2D and 3D animated videos so you don’t have to figure out if you have the right animator for the job. We handle all the technical and creative aspects of production including helping you develop your script and storyboard (if you haven’t already created them yourself).

Hire Video Igniter to make your short animated video

World class animation and design talent at prices startups can afford.

We can make any kind of 2D animation or 3D animated video you can imagine. Check out our animated video portfolio!

+20 reasons companies love hiring us to create animated videos.

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.

Animated Video Demo Reel

 

Animated Video Success Stories and 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

“My whole family and everyone on Facebook thinks you are amazing. My whole office is freaking out.”

Patricia Shields – Real Estate Agent

“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 made 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 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

Get in touch about your short animated video project

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

Get a quote for your animated short.

Request access to our newest price sheet.

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

Fill out a creative brief, and we’ll start creating your video.