An animated explainer video is a brief, engaging video that describes a product or service in an easy-to-understand manner. Whether you’re a startup aiming to introduce your innovative product or a large corporation looking to educate your customers about a new service, animated explainer videos have become an indispensable assets for effective communication.
Explainer videos benefit your business by conveying complex information engagingly. So, if you’re all set to create one for your business, you must know all the ins and outs of explainer video cost factors. On average, animated explainers can cost anywhere between 2,000 to 25,000 USD, depending on the production studio you’re working with, the sort of video, the animation style, the length, and other factors.
This article will explore the intriguing world of animated explainer video production in 2023 and uncover the key elements influencing explainer video pricing.
What Factors Drive the Cost of Explainer Videos?
Here’s a brief explanation of the factors that affect the cost of explainer videos.
Types of Explainer Videos
The chosen animation or video production style can significantly impact the overall cost. To help you understand better, here is a list of the most popular types of explainer videos.
Whiteboard Animation: This style involves hand-drawn illustrations and text being created in real-time on a white background. It requires skilled artists who can create engaging visuals through a series of drawings. The simplicity of the style often makes it a cost-effective choice.
2D Animation: This animation style uses two-dimensional characters, objects, and backgrounds to create movement and convey the message. The cost can vary depending on the complexity of the visuals, including the level of detail in the character design and the intricacy of the movements.
3D Animation: It involves creating three-dimensional objects and environments using specialized software. It offers a high level of realism and can be suitable for complex visual narratives. However, 3D animation generally requires more resources, including skilled animators, powerful hardware, and additional production time, making it a more expensive option.
Live Action: This style involves filming real people or objects in a live setting. It requires a professional videography crew, actors, sets, props, and potentially location rentals. The cost can vary depending on the production scale, talent requirements, and post-production needs.
Screencast: This style captures the screen activity of a computer or mobile device to demonstrate software, websites, or apps in action. It requires screen recording software and editing tools to enhance the captured footage. The cost depends on the complexity of the screencast, such as the length of the demonstration and the need for additional graphic overlays or voiceover.
Video Length
The duration of the explainer video directly affects the cost. Longer videos require more time and effort to create, including script development, storyboarding, animation, editing, and post-production tasks. Consequently, longer videos tend to have higher production costs than shorter ones.
Thus, it’s crucial to remember that the explainer video length should be suitable for the subject matter and target audience. A lengthier video could be required to explain a complex subject adequately, yet a shorter film might be better at grabbing viewers’ attention.
Script and Voiceover
The quality and complexity of the script and voiceover can also influence the explainer video cost. A well-crafted script that aligns with the desired tone and style of the video may require professional scriptwriting services. Experienced scriptwriters can help develop concise and impactful scripts, but their services add to the overall video cost.
Besides, hiring professional voiceover artists with excellent delivery, clear diction, and the ability to convey the desired tone and emotion can enhance the quality of the explainer video. The cost of voiceover services also affects the final cost.
The Complexity of the Project
The complexity of the animation project influences the cost. Here’s how:
- Characters and assets: The number of characters involved, their level of detail, and the complexity of their movements impact the cost. Intricate character animations or custom-designed assets may require more time, expertise, and resources, leading to higher costs
- Music and sound effects: Including background music and sound effects can enhance the overall impact of the video. Licensing existing music tracks, creating original compositions, and sourcing and incorporating appropriate sound effects may involve additional costs
- Backgrounds and settings: The complexity and level of detail in the backgrounds and settings of the video can affect the cost. Complex and visually rich environments require more time and resources, increasing explainer video production costs
Revisions and Changes
The number of revisions and changes requested during the production process can impact the cost of an explainer video. Extensive revisions or frequent changes to the video’s content, visuals, or audio require additional time and effort from the production team, which can result in increased costs.
Production Timeline
The timeline or urgency of the project can influence the cost. If there’s a need for expedited production or shorter turnaround times, additional resources, overtime work, or hiring more staff may be necessary. These factors can increase the cost due to the increased intensity and acceleration of the production process. Considering these factors in detail will help you plan and allocate your budget more effectively when creating an engaging explainer video tailored to your specific requirements.
Explainer Video Cost Breakdown
How much does an explainer video cost? How do you break down the cost? These are some important questions you’re likely attacked with when creating a video. The cost can be divided into pre-production, production, post-production, and additional costs.
Pre-Production Costs
- Concept development: This includes brainstorming sessions, research, and imagination to develop the concept and script for the video
- Storyboarding: Creating a visual storyboard that outlines the scenes, transitions, and actions of the video
- Voiceover script: Developing a script specifically for the voiceover narration
Production Costs
- Animation or filming: Creating the video content, whether it involves animation, live-action filming, or a combination of both
- Character design and development: Designing and creating the characters that will appear in the video
- Asset creation: Creating or sourcing additional visual elements, backgrounds, props, or illustrations that are required for the video
- Music and sound effects: Licensing or creating original music and sound effects that complement the video
- Voiceover recording: Hiring professional voiceover artists and recording their narration for the video
Post-Production Costs
- Video editing: Assembling and arranging the video footage or animation, including adding transitions, effects, and graphics
- Sound editing and mixing: Enhancing the audio quality, adjusting volume levels, and ensuring a balanced mix of music, voiceover, and sound effects
- Revisions and changes: Incorporating feedback and making necessary revisions to the video content, visuals, or audio
Additional Costs
- Licensing and copyright: Acquiring necessary licenses for music, stock footage, or visual assets used in the video
- Hiring a professional vs. DIY: Consider the cost of hiring a professional for a high-quality animation video vs. doing it yourself
How to Plan a Budget for Your Explainer Video?
Ready to create an explainer video? It’s essential to map out the budget beforehand to avoid any hurdles down the road. Budgeting involves careful planning and consideration of various factors that are explained below.
Research Costs
Begin by researching the average costs associated with creating explainer videos. Look into industry standards, production companies, and freelancers to get an idea of the price range for different types and lengths of videos.
Know Your Goals
Clearly outline the goals and purposes of your explainer video. Consider whether it’s meant to introduce a product or service, educate your audience, or drive conversions. Understanding your goals will help you allocate resources effectively.
Determine Your Target Audience
Identify your target audience and their preferences. This will influence decisions regarding your video’s style, tone, and complexity. Different audience demographics may respond better to specific visual styles, voiceovers, or music choices, which can impact the budget.
Estimate the Video Length
Determine the optimal length for your video based on the message’s complexity and your target audience’s attention span. Longer videos generally require more resources and have higher production costs. Balancing the video’s length with the desired level of engagement is crucial.
Pick the Right Video Style and Type
Choose the appropriate style of video based on your goals, target audience, and available budget. Consider the pros and cons of different styles, such as whiteboard animation, 2D or 3D animation, live-action, or screencast. Each style has varying production requirements and associated costs.
Consider Extra Costs
Take into account any additional costs that may arise during the production process. It can include expenses related to scriptwriting, voiceover services, music licensing, sound effects, revisions, and post-production tasks. Be prepared for potential contingencies and factor them into your budget.
Wrapping Up!
When creating an animated explainer video for your business, remember these factors to produce a high-quality video that doesn’t break your pockets.
Throughout the budgeting process, it’s important to balance quality and cost. Be realistic about your financial constraints while ensuring the final video meets your objectives and resonates with your target audience.
Remember, obtaining quotes from different production companies or freelancers and comparing their services can help you make an informed decision and stay within your budget.
Want to stand out in the competitive market? Contact a professional explainer video production company to get a top-quality video that produces results.
