Producing an explainer video is a hell of a lot of work. What people enjoy in those brief seconds is actually the result of weeks of effort. The amount of work we do (and the time it takes to do it) depends on the length and complexity of the video and the number of edits needed. One video will usually take less than a month, not including edits.
Regardless of effort, all of our projects have some stages in common. Using our video for Alma Mater, let’s go step-by-step behind the scenes!
Client Briefing
Everything begins and ends with the client. That’s why we talk to them first. We hear their vision for the idea, product or service they wants to explain. We collect all the important details about it, and note down any creative inputs they have to offer.
Brainstorming
The animation team has a chat session to discuss the client’s brief, and bash out ideas for the video.
Script and Storyboard
A script is a story in words, and a storyboard is a story in pictures. This stage has to be perfected before starting the animation. Our team uses ideas generated at brainstorming to create a script and storyboard with scene-by-scene detailing. The storyboard will have 3 kinds of information – a series of hand-drawn scenes, a description of each scene, and the voice-over for each scene.
We recommend that the clients give their feedback and edits for the storyboard during this stage itself. Once the storyboard is locked, the time-consuming process of animation begins. Edits in the concept, script or storyboard after the animation is done will be costly, time-consuming and delay the whole process.
Character Design and Moodboard
Once the final storyboard has been approved, the animators begin the process of character design and illustration. Each scene is detailed in a style that suits the client brief and storyboard theme. The completed result is known as the moodboard.
Voice-over
The wrong voice and tone can completely ruin the look and feel of your video. That’s why we give a selection of voice-over samples from different artists for the client to choose from, along with our suggestions of what will work best. The client is of course free to choose the ‘voice’ they like. We partner with sound studios in the UK and US – the people we work with can produce voiceovers in any language, accent, age-group and gender.In our video for Alma Mater, we used a young, friendly and informal voiceover for the target audience, chiefly youngsters.
Animation
Once the storyboard is locked, the animation begins. This is the longest stage of the whole process. We typically use a combination of Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, After Effects and Autodesk 3DS Max (StudioMax) to achieve the desired results.
Sound Design
The finished animation combined with the voiceover is sent to the sound production studio. It’s hard work to get the soundtrack right – It has to match the flow and mood of each scene and fit the length of the video. We have tie-ups with sound studios worldwide to produce an impressive range of soundtracks for every kind of video.
Quality Check
The video is analyzed pixel by pixel, note by note, frame by frame for any flaws. Once the video passes the quality check, it is ready to be shown to the client.
Delivery
The final files are rendered in HD format and given to the client. For a shot of extra publicity, we’ll be happy to upload it to our YouTube and Vimeo channels!
Do you like what you see? Click here to watch the rest of our awesome explainer videos. Do you want your idea explained? Let’s talk! Contact us at +91 8113 884 884 or get in touch at hello@wowmakers.com.
