Regardless of which animation studio you ultimately decide on, the following advice is worth keeping in mind.
1. View their portfolio
Every studio has a portfolio on its website. This is a good place to start.
- Do you like the works?
- Does the agency offer 2d and 3d animations? What does it specialize in?
- What clients has the company provided services for?
- Are the animations diverse? Will the studio be able to match the style to the needs of your company?
It is worth remembering that some projects, especially for internal communication, can not be made public. However, it can show the studio at a meeting with the client.
If you like the animations in the portfolio, it is worth asking about other projects the company has worked on.
It is also worth looking at the English language portfolio of the animation studio as often there are different projects than in the Polish language.
2. Ask about the process of creating a message
In one of our articles we wrote about 7 examples of explainer video, which provided companies with leads and increased sales.
Were they the most beautiful animations in the world? No.
Were they created by world-renowned artists? No.
Animation should be aesthetically pleasing but the key is the proper formulation of the message.
So when choosing a company, ask or read about how they approach writing a script.
- Do you need to provide the script?
- If an animation studio writes the script, what is it based on? Conversations with the company, materials provided, workshops?
- What copywriting methods does the studio rely on to write the script?
Until recently ExplainVisually wrote scripts primarily based on materials provided by the client. However, we now do workshops with clients as this allow us to dig deeper into the topic and makes our productions more effective.
3. Ask about the way the project will be run
- How does the company work on the project?
- Does it tell you what the stages of the animation work are?
- Do you know what you are responsible for and at what point?
It’s important for the studio to give you a promise to deliver on time and deadlines for each stage of the project. This shows that it is organized and that you will have a sense of control at all times.
So first and foremost: the schedule.
Check how quickly you will be provided with the first versions of the script and storyboard. How many revisions are included in the quote?
4. Ask about the studio’s experience in creating animations in your industry
Our animation studio, for example, through experience in productions for the medical industry, began to specialize in this topic.
We know how to animate the movement of organs, which elements are worth asking specialists about, and medical sources to use.
The same goes for animations for the technology industry or animations on health and safety.
Ask the company to show you examples of productions with similar themes to yours and see how they approached the issue.
Our explainer video for Diagnomatic, a company creating equipment for medical tests
5. Pay attention to how quickly the animation studio responds to messages
If you’ve sent a message and expressed interest in working together and the company responds after two days, it bodes poorly for future communication. Communication between the studio and client is key in the animation development process.
Preparing an animation involves:
- Agreement on the overall concept;
- Creating a convincing scenario;
- Preparing a storyboard
- Choosing the voiceover;
- Choosing the music;
- Editing…
- …and several rounds of revisions. Delays and lack of communication may result in an extended delivery date and costs.
6. Look at the studio’s case studies and read customer feedback
See how the company has worked with other clients.
- What kind of companies are they? From which industries and what size are they?
- What were the results/benefits of the animated video?
- Did the company continue to work with the animation studio?
- What results did the project bring to their client?
How our animation helped the „Wiecej niż LEK” website earn their first 100 000 EUR
How did we help 3S Group generate leads using animation?
How did Millenium Bank educate its employees on standards of customer service?
7. Ask other companies for feedback
If you see a familiar company in a case study or portfolio then ask for their opinion on working with a particular animation studio. You’ll get an honest opinion and can talk about what went well, what could have gone better and what to be aware of.
8. When evaluating quotes check for any hidden costs
This is not a competition about who is the cheapest.
The price of an explainer video takes into account quality, experience, and the comprehensiveness of the service.
Check before signing the contract to ensure that the price you agree to is final with no additional costs.
9. Check if the animation studio offers additional services
Animation studios often offer additional services.
These can be: workshops, infographics, illustrations, and printed material. It may also provide advice on how to distribute the finished animation – whether on social media (YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn) or on a website or mailing.
If you can’t find information about this on the studio’s website, ask.
Summary
If I had to sum up how to choose a good animation studio in a few words, I would say that you need to check if they want to be your subcontractor or partner during production. A good animation production company always wants to be your partner and cares about the end result as much as you do.
How to check if a studio has the right qualifications to be your design partner?
- View portfolio
- Ask about the process of creating a script
- Ask about the way the project will be carried out
- Pay attention to the speed the animation studio responds to messages
- Check out case studies and customer feedback
- Ask other companies for feedback
- When evaluating quotes check if there are any hidden costs
- Ask about the studio’s experience in creating animations in your industry
- Check if the studio offers additional services.
More about our animation studio:
