Considerations for Hiring the Right Animation Studio

If you want a killer animated explainer video for your company, choosing the right production studio is critical. Your video is a reflection of your brand’s personality. It’s also a chance to make a great first impression on potential customers. Therefore, above all else, quality is imperative.

One of the best ways to assess quality is by asking for a portfolio of the videos they’ve produced and evaluating whether their previous work fits well with your brand’s needs. Are the visuals outstanding or do they come from a clip art gallery? Are they accompanied by a good story? Is the audio understandable? How does the music make you feel?

Another factor to consider is the amount of videos the company has previously made. If the studio’s webpage, for example, displays 50 excellent videos, you can be confident about the quality of the product you will get. But if they only display 3 or 4 videos, does it mean they do not have enough experience, or that they only display some of their videos and not others?

Here are a few things to take into consideration when comparing different video production companies:

The story

A video should create a bond between the brand and the viewer, so characters must be alive. Humor is very important too, although there are cases where formality is necessary. Pay attention to the details as you watch a company’s samples. If you understand the underlying message, it means the story was properly transmitted.

The animation

Videos must be clear. A video with incomprehensible graphics is useless. It’s the same thing with the overall design; drawings should be original and pleasing. In the case of motion graphics, drawings should be modern and attractive. Since the video is a marketing tool that will be integrated with the rest of your marketing campaign, keep an eye out for consistency with the company’s logo, brand, or website.

The voiceover

Voiceovers should be done by a professional speaker who has the proper command of tone and genre, and reflects the local language. For example, different English speaking countries use different pronunciation; the pronunciation of British English is different from the pronunciation of American English.

Customer service and communication

There are tons of companies with high quality products and affordable prices, but they have little time to effectively communicate with clients. It’s important to be able to establish an open dialogue and receive good customer service, guiding you through the entire process of creating the video.

The production company should respond promptly to your questions and queries and let you actively participate in all stages of production. At the end of the day, no one knows your business better than you!

Genuine testimonials

What kind of feedback have past clients given about the company? This can be determined through reviews, ratings, recommendations, and testimonials on their website or their LinkedIn profile.

Verifying testimonials can give you more confidence when deciding whether to hire the company or not. A reliable production company shouldn’t hesitate to provide this information.

Responsibility and coherence

If a company is experienced enough, they will be able to guide you properly through the video process, helping you to select the best style (motion graphics, character animation, and whiteboard animation), duration, and beyond for your video.

Nobody knows more about your company and brand than you do, but a video company probably has proven expertise in the field. Listen to their recommendations, even if they disagree with you.

Be careful with companies that don’t put a stop to peculiar requests like “I need my video in a week, with the best quality and at a low cost.” If this happens and the vendor doesn’t say a word, you are on the wrong track. A good company isn’t characterized by being complacent, but by being responsible and coherent to desperate requests.

At Yum Yum Videos, we’ve made videos in a rush. However, quality and speed are inevitably linked to price. To get an excellent product in a short period of time, a whole team must work to their fullest. If the vendor says “yes” ’to everything, it’s more likely their aim is to close a sale, not to create a high quality product.

Your budget

How much do you want to spend on your explainer video? Prices may vary depending upon not only your needs, but also your constraints, especially if you’re a startup.

It’s ideal for companies with a low budget to hire a freelancer responsible for the whole video production process, from script writing to post-production.

Another option is to use one of the many high-quality templates that are available. However, a pre-made template won’t genuinely reflect your identity, and worst of all, you are at risk of having the same video as another company.

If you have a bigger budget and you’re looking to differentiate your company from your competitors while creating a bond with potential customers, hiring a studio is a great option for creating your video. Search for animation companies with queries like “start-up videos,” “animated marketing videos,” “corporate videos,” or “video production company.”

Typically, a video production company has an organized structure with professionals specialized by area: scriptwriters, directors, illustrators, voiceover talents, animators, and post-producers.

Pricing may vary significantly between companies. Always keep in mind that high prices are not always indicators of better quality. There are many companies with higher costs than average, and their quality is not particularly good (don’t forget to always verify the portfolio). Also, be cautious with extremely small budgets (cheap can be costly).

An integrated approach

Will the company help you get the most out of your video as the powerful marketing tool that it is? Onto which platform will you upload it? Which language are you going to use? Do you want many versions of the video with different calls-to-action (CTAs)? Will you make banners ("creative") using the characters of your video?

Since each video production company handles their extra services in a customized way, make sure that they fully understand your needs and the needs of your target audience.

We hope these tips guide you on your way to choosing the best company to make your explainer video. What do you take into consideration when seeking out a production company?