The Video Animation Process Explained

The Basics of the Animation Process

There is a huge variety within the field of animation. Giants like Pixar and Disney have pioneered the field, showing the world the beauty that can come from a finely tuned animated film. There are also thousands of well-crafted animated marketing videos that people remember and love. It’s all about the quality of the video that you release. Visual quality and investment are not necessarily the key to a good animation– it’s more about whether or not the video that you produce expresses what you are trying to say. Animations have taken a storm, with reports showing that most people would rather watch an animation than read an article or report. With this in mind, it’s clear to see that animation is the best move for your marketing campaign, and you should deeply consider making the investment. So, how do I begin thinking about the animation process?

Where to Start

You have two possible routes; make the animation yourself, or contact a video production firm. If you have a solid knowledge of the process, by all means, use your skills to produce a film. We are going to assume that you don’t have that expertise and cover the steps of how to get started as well as how to find someone to do it for you.

Doing It Yourself

There are a number of ways to create an animated video. Many of those methods are time-consuming and costly, but there are a few ways to create quality animations online with little expertise. Here are a few of the sites that you can use to create quality animations.

1. Animatron

If you’re a business looking to create an animation, Animatron offers a few options for different mediums to present through. It provides a way for you to gain animation skills quickly, producing a quality video. There are videos explaining the animation process as well as interfaces available to create HTML animations, banners, and marketing videos. The site boasts the fact that you are able to create marketing videos in only minutes.

2. PowToon

This site allows you to create high-quality animations as well as other instructional material. You can create videos in the current style, animated or otherwise, that are sure to be effective and cheap. In any situation that requires you to present information, advertise, or communicate a message through a visual medium, PowToon gives you the opportunity to do so in a cheap and effective way.

3. GoAnimate

This is yet another site for businesses to create effective, professional videos. There is no setup necessary, so it’s possible to start making animations right off the bat. The site offers different tiers of production, allowing professionals across industries to utilize its interface, which includes recommendations for nearly every niche.

How Animations Are Made

Here’s a little guide to the process of animation, from big to small, across the board.

1. Script

Just like any film, animations begin with a script. Having the dialogue and text laid out before you begin the process will help a lot. In fact, it’s best to have as much of your animation fleshed out before you begin doing any work.

2. Storyboard

This is a combination of your script and rough sketches of the scenes within the film or advertisement. Even if your animation will only have a couple of scenes, it’s still wise to draw out a rough storyboard before you begin. Creating storyboards allows the animator to see the flow of the video before anything is done on the computer. This way, you can make adjustments to the style of your video and avoid wasting time in the production process.

3. Apply Your Work

At this point, you will be inputting either drawings, sketches, or online imagery into your animation software. Whether you’re working with stop-motion or sophisticated animation software, you’ll need to do some research and practice within that specific medium. It would be difficult to give a comprehensive lesson on any one animation style without educational materials and tools Luckily, any software that you choose to use will have training manuals and guides, which you should be sure to use. If you’re not privy to the effort and technology it takes to create an animation on your own, consider hiring someone else to do so.

Consult a Professional

Let’s be honest, if you have the budget for it, it’s wise to talk with someone who knows specifically what they’re doing. Different videos need to be downloaded and rendered in different formats, and different mediums will present different video quality. The point is, even if you have really great animation, there are a lot of other factors that go into sending it out into the world. Hiring someone to create your animation can take 2 to 3 weeks or longer. But if you’re trying to put your best foot forward in the world, you should want to have your work done professionally. Another benefit of using a video firm is that they will be able to give you online marketing advice.

Research Other Marketing Campaign Ideas

There is a whole lot of room to move around in the world of video. You may be turned off by the animation process, but you can still shoot a beautiful commercial in a number of different ways. If you’re thinking about shooting a commercial, or need consultation on your animation, consult us and we will be happy to help.