Choosing an animation studio can determine the success of the final video. If you’re wondering how to choose an animation studio, start by defining what “success” looks like for your brand. And although a text on this topic written by an animation studio is certainly not entirely objective, the in-house examples serve only to illustrate individual points.
Regardless of which animation studio you ultimately choose, it is worth bearing the following advice in mind.
The big question is: How to choose? – animation studio of your dreams
Selecting an animation company in the highly competitive animation industry always starts with a careful review of the studio’s demo reel. If the opening seconds look like a clip art gallery instead of high quality animation, move on.
Equally important is how the video flows. When we talk about how a video “flows,” we mean:
Are the visuals appealing?
Does the music sound good?
Is the audio understandable?
In other words, “video flows” assesses whether the entire film has a logical rhythm and structure that holds the viewer’s attention and guides them through the story in an enjoyable and understandable way.
Only then will your brand message come through clearly. Top teams enrich their animated videos with hard numbers (customer feedback, view-through rates, and conversions)so you can see real impact.
1.Watch the portfolioto see the animation style
When scanning previous work, focus on animation style consistency. A proven track record across sectors is the strongest sign of a studio’s professionalism. Ask:
How each film supported specific marketing goals?
Whether the visual approach evolved to fit different audiences?
Every studio has a portfolio page where you will find animated films it has produced. That is the best place to start.
- Do we like the work?
- Does it offer 2D and 3D animation? What does it specialise in?
- For which clients has the company provided services?
- Are the animations varied? Will the studio be able to adapt the style to our company’s needs?
Remember that a portfolio shows only part of the work done by a given studio. Some projects, especially those intended for internal communication, cannot be made public. They can, however, be shown at a meeting with the client.
So, if you initially liked the animations in the portfolio but feel there is more to see, ask about the studio’s other projects– particularly as the portfolio may not be updated very often.
It is also worth looking at the studio’s English-language portfolio. It often contains completely different projects from those in the Polish version.
2.Ask about the message-creation process
In one of our articles, we wrote about 7 examples of explainer videos that delivered leads and increased sales for companies.
Were these the most beautiful animations in the world? No.
Were they created by world-famous, in-demand artists? No.
Of course, animation should be aesthetically pleasing, but the key is to formulate the message correctly.
When choosing a studio, therefore, ask or read about how it approacheswriting the scriptand crafting the communication.
Do you have to supply the script?
If the script is written by the animation studio, on what is it based? Conversations with the company, materials provided, workshops?
On which copywriting methods does the studio rely when writing the script?
At ExplainVisually, until recently we wrote scripts mainly on the basis of materials provided by the client. We have now started running workshops with clients, as they allow us to delve deeper into the subject, making our productions more effective.
Animation production
A transparent animation process should outline every development process milestone from script writing to post production, so you can see the entire process at a glance. A creative team of animators will explain:
How project work is organised?
which design skills are needed?
why the timeline may vary depending on complexity?
And most importantly!
They will show, how they plan to meet deadlines without compromising quality.
3. Ask about project management
How does the company work on a project?
Does it state straight away what the stages of work on the animation are?
Do you know what you are responsible for and at what point?
It is important that the studio presents not only the promise of delivering on time but also the deadlines for each project stage. This shows it is organised, and you have a sense of control throughout.
So first and foremost: a schedule
Check how quickly you will receive the first drafts of the script and storyboard. Are revision rounds planned afterwards? How many?
These are crucial stages because, if the animation studio does not fully capture your vision, the revision rounds are the time to refine it.
4. Ask about experience in creating animations in your industry
Experience in producing videos for companies in your industry is another point to consider. Our animation studio, for example, has, through work for the medical sector, naturally started to specialise in that field.
We know how to animate organ movement, which elements to discuss with specialists, and which medical sources to consult.
The same applies to animations for the technology sector or animations on health and safety topics.
Ask the studio to show examples of productions on similar subjects to yours. See how they approached the issue.
5. Pay attention to how quickly the animation studio replies to messages
If you have sent a message expressing interest in working together and the company replies after two days, that bodes ill for future communication. And communication is the most important aspect of creating an animation.
Preparing an animation involves:
agreeing the overall concept;
crafting a convincing script;
preparing the storyboard;
choosing the voice-over;
selecting the music;
editing…
…and in the meantime several rounds of revisions. Every day’s delay and any gaps in mutual communication mean the delivery date slips.
If, therefore, the company falters in this area at the very start of cooperation and you have to wait several days for an e-mail response, it is better to look for another studio.
Communication and collaboration
Successful projects rely on collaboration effective communication. Treat the supplier as an animation partner. A partner studio that keeps open lines of contact, lists a project completion rate above industry averages, and explains clear payment terms.
The best company will happily handle everything under one roof😅, sparing you the hassle of multiple vendors.
6. Check case studies and read client opinions
See how the company’s cooperation with other clients has gone.
Which companies are they? From which industries and of what size?
What results did the animated films bring?
Did the companies continue working with the animation studio?
What results did each project deliver for its client?
This is a very important point. A company can write only superlatives about itself, but if there is no external confirmation of these words from former and current clients, a red flag should go up.
Jak nasza animacja pomogła zarobić pierwsze 400 tys. PLN portalowi “Więcej niż LEK”
Jak pomogliśmy 3S Grupa PLAY wygenerować leady z pomocą animacji?
Jak pomogliśmy pozyskać nowych klientów Akademii SkuteczneRaporty.pl
7. Ask other companies for their opinion
Do you see a familiar company in a case study or portfolio? Ask them for their view on working with the animation studio. You will get an honest opinion, which is worth its weight in gold. You will know what went well, what could have gone better and what to watch out for.
8. When assessing offers, check for hidden costs
This is not a contest to see who is the cheapest – though, of course, if your budget is very limited, that may be a key factor.
Many things come with the price: quality, experience, and the comprehensiveness of the service.
There are no rules here. If the animation is to stay with the company for years, it is often worth investing more. We write more about this here: ROI explainer video.
What is always worth attention, however, and should be asked about at the outset, are hidden costs that arise during the production of animated films.
Check how payment for revisions works. How many rounds do you get and at which stages?
Check this before signing the contract to be sure that the agreed price will be the final one and no additional costs will arise.
Clear rules are fundamental.
9. Check whether the animation studio offers additional services
If an animation studio cares about the client, it often offers additional services. These might include workshops, infographics, illustrations, leaflets, or advice on how to distribute the finished animation – whether on social media (YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) or on a website or mailing.
Depending on the company, it may offer different additional services. If you cannot find information about this on the studio’s website, ask.
Summary
If I had to sum up in a few words how to choose a good animation studio, I would say you need to check whether it wants to be your subcontractor or your partner during production. A good animation company always wants to be your partner. It cares about the final result just as much as you do.
How to check whether it has what it takes to be your project partner?
- Watch the portfolio.
- Ask about the message-creation process.
- Ask about project management.
- Pay attention to how quickly the animation studio replies to messages.
- Check case studies and client opinions.
- Ask other companies for their opinion.
- When assessing offers, check for hidden costs.
- Ask about experience in creating animations in your industry.
- Check whether the company offers additional services.
Your job, finally, is to weigh all the above factors and make a conclusion choosing the partner that feels right.
