Why Choose Animation Over Live-Action?
It’s well known that video is one of the most effective ways to engage audiences, as our minds are naturally drawn to movement. But why choose animation over live-action?
Simply put, animation offers far greater flexibility. Through design, motion, and tone, existing brand guidelines can be represented effectively in a way that feels authentic and engaging. Animation opens up endless possibilities for storytelling. Essentially, if you can dream it, you can animate it.
But like any dream, you need a plan. And that’s where the workflow becomes crucial.
When we talk about workflow, we’re referring to the process of building and organizing a project. Animation is labor-intensive; a 1-minute animated video can take around 6 weeks to produce—or even longer—depending on the complexity of the design and animation techniques.
Efficiency is key to a successful workflow. Each stage of production should be timed correctly and serve a purpose. Feedback is provided at optimal points to avoid wasted time, effort, and cost. Here’s an overview of the process for creating an impactful animation video for your brand.
The first step in creating a motion design video is to ask foundational questions:
Ideally, studios will conduct their own research alongside the client. This can involve exploring core brand elements and concepts to find a design that truly reflects the brand.
One element we love to add at this stage is a Moodboard—a collection of visual references that showcase the design style we envision, based on our initial discussions with the client.
There is no right or wrong in this phase; it’s all about open communication. The studio should be a partner, helping you navigate the creative process.
The script is the foundation of any film. Focusing on core communication is essential to keeping things engaging and concise. Once we know what you want to convey, we determine the best way to say it.
Motion design offers a range of tones—playful, serious, dramatic, emotional, inspiring, and more. Sometimes, it even makes sense to forgo voiceover and communicate ideas through text and visuals alone, which is broadly known as an "infographic video."
For our Shillington Manifesto film, we chose an approachable and optimistic tone to inspire prospective students to explore Shillington’s design courses.
Writing a script can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks, depending on the complexity and timing of the video. Some things to avoid in scriptwriting include:
If the video includes narration (Voice Over or VO), the storyboard process begins only after the script is approved.
The storyboard broadly shows all shots in sketched form, providing an idea of the animation and guiding the design. Once the storyboard is approved, we edit these sketches into a video called an Animatic. The animatic includes simple animations on important assets and main camera movements, which helps visualize the pacing and storytelling in the final film.
Form follows function! Choosing the right design approach is essential to making your video shine.
Design usually dictates the animation technique, but rules are occasionally made to be broken. A good rule of thumb is: the more complex the design, the more complex the animation will be.
Close collaboration between your team and the creative motion design studio is key to aligning the brand image and campaign messaging. If you have visual or design references, share them early during the project discovery phase to ensure the design starts on the right foot.
Considerations like color palettes, forms, character design, and font choices should all be made at this stage, as implementing these elements becomes more challenging later in production.
Once the studio understands your design vision, they will develop Style Frames—selected scenes from the storyboard that show what the final design will look like.
It's only after revision and approval of the Style Frames that the rest of the design universe is developed.
Now that you’ve defined your design style, it’s time to start the fun part: Animation!
Once the design is fully approved, we move into the animation phase. Typically, there are 2 or 3 Work in Progress (WIP) versions during animation, with each version becoming more refined and complex. Client feedback and approval are gathered at each WIP stage to ensure alignment between the client and studio.
In our experience, this is truly where the magic happens.
Since you’ve been kept up to speed with the animation’s progress from the storyboard phase, there should be no major surprises during the WIP stages. Each WIP is presented to the client with a series of notes that outline what to expect in future versions. It’s all about staying attentive throughout production!
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Sound, when given as much care as the visuals, will amplify the tone and complement the animations. Once the animation is approved and the timing is locked, we move on to sound design.
Sound is also approved in stages: starting with Voice Over (VO) at the storyboard stage, then music selection (at the Animatic or first WIP stage), and finally sound effects.
Customized music can elevate your video to new heights, though it may increase the project budget. Fortunately, many quality music libraries are available if budget considerations are a priority.
Once all the sound elements are in place, we master the sound. This process involves mixing the audio levels of the VO, music, and sound effects so that they’re balanced and work harmoniously.
Congrats—you now have a perfectly crafted video asset! But what’s next?
Strategy and promotion are crucial to ensuring the right audience sees your asset. While promotion is typically handled by an agency, CARTEL offers consultancy on this for direct clients.
After reviewing and approving all stages, it’s time to set your video free! Going live is always an exciting moment, and we still get butterflies each time!
