Top Animation Companies

Are you researching the top animation companies in order to figure out which one you should hire for your project? You’re in the right place! This guide has answers to all of your top questions including:

• What are the top animation companies?
• What does it cost to hire the top animation companies?
• How long does it take to make an animation?
• What should I look for when I hire an animation company?
• How can I save money on my production budget.

All that and more – including tips to save $1,000 or more off the cost of hiring one of the top animation companies in the world. But first, let’s take a look at examples of the types of animations Video Igniter’s production team can create for you.

Top Animation Examples

Video Igniter can make any kind of 2D or 3D animation for you. Below is a demo reel with some of our company’s top animation examples. For additional production samples, check out our animation portfolio or request access to our demo reels and price sheet.

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

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.

What are the top animation companies?

PIXAR Animation

Famous for world-wide sensations like Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Wall-E, PIXAR sets the bar for 3D computer animation and storytelling.

DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks makes fun stories for the whole family using 2D or 3D animation. Popular hits include Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and The Price of Egypt.

Studio Ghibli

Legendary Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli is famous for their detailed, hand drawn 2D animated films that tell unique and fantastical stories. Popular films include Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away.

Video Igniter Animation

Independent animation studio Video Igniter Animation is known for their original 2D and 3D animations. Video Igniter tends to focus on shorter animation projects for businesses, non profits, agencies and organizations.

What does it cost to hire the top animation companies?

Most of the worlds top animation companies are expensive to work with. Feature length films take years of planning and design before they go into production.

Most folks are interested in producing shorter animated videos. Below we’ll calculate the average cost each animation company charges to make 1 minute of video.

PIXAR Animation:

Pixar Animation’s production budgets cost between $30-$200 million dollars to create each feature length film. Divided by 90 minutes, the budget range for 1 minute of video produced by PIXAR Animation is $333,333-$2,222,222.

DreamWorks Animation:

DreamWorks Animation’s production budgets range between $125-$165 million dollars. Divided by 90 minutes, the budget range for 1 minute of animation via DreamWorks Animation is $1.38-$1.83 million dollars.

Studio Ghibli:

Studio Ghibli’s animation budgets range between $3.7-$50 million dollars. Divided by 90 minutes, the budget range to produce 1 minute of animation via Studio Ghibli is $41,000-$555,555.

Video Igniter Animation:

Video Igniter’s production budgets are calculated on a per minute basis. The typical price range for 60-seconds of 2D animation is $1,500-$7,500. Fancier hand-drawn animated videos and 3D animated videos cost 2-4x more to produce.

Send us a message to get a quote for our animation company to produce your video.

How long does it take to make an animation with a top animation company?

• PIXAR’s animated films take about 4-7 years to produce.
• DreamWorks takes about 4 years to make a new film.
• Studio Ghibli typically takes 2-3 years to make a few film.
• Video Igniter animation can create 60 seconds of custom 2D animation in about 4-6 weeks. Fancier and more detailed 2D animation and 3D animation takes about 2-4x more time.

Send us a message to figure out how long it will take to create your animation.

What should I look for before I hire an animation company?

While you evaluate which producer is the top animation company for your project, we recommend you pay close attention to the following five things:

Example Videos

Example videos and past work are the best way to tell if an animation company is qualified to produce the type of animation you envision.

See for yourself: Watch video examples from Video Igniter’s Animation Portfolio

Budget

Get a quote for your animation to see which animation companies can work within your budget specifications.

Timeline

When you inquire about the budget for your project, share your deadline for the project.  Make sure they can commit to finishing the project before your deadline.

Reviews & Testimonials

Check to see if the company has reviews or testimonials from past clients. Customer support is important!

Storytelling Ability

Many of the world’s top animation companies can produce high quality visuals. But how’s their storytelling ability? Make sure the top animation company you hire has more than a team of great visual artists – their storytelling abilities are just as important as the visuals.

How can I save money when hiring a top animation company?

Combine these tips to save $1,000 or more when you hire the world’s top animation company:

1) Write the Script

Save $500 off the price of each minute of video we produce for you when you supply the approved script for your video. Download our free script writing template for help getting started.

2). Create the Storyboard

Save an additional $500 off the price of each minute of video our animation company produces for you by creating the storyboard for your animation. Download our free storyboard template and review the included storyboard creation guide for tips to help you get started.

3). Find Free Music

Sites like Facebook’s sound collection and Incompetech offer libraries of free music you can use in your animation. If you find one you want to use, send it our way and we’ll deduct music licensing and acquisition costs from your production budget.

4). Record The VoiceOver

If you record the voiceover for your animation, we’ll deduct the voiceover recording cost from your production budget (typically $50). Watch 1:31 in this video to see how you can record a professional quality voiceover at home.

5). Start Production ASAP

Rush delivery can increase your production budget by 10%-50% or more! Send us a message or schedule a call to discuss your video project and get a quote today. The sooner we get you a quote, the less likely you’ll need to pay extra for rush delivery on your project.

Still have questions about top animation companies?

Do you have a question about the world’s top animation companies 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 A Top Animation Company In The U.S.?

Video Igniter is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Animation Company 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.