- Making a half-minute animation might seem like a simple task that doesn’t require much effort. However, the reality is different. A 30-second animation demands a ton of time and effort, so you need to negotiate the cost of the animation with the client accordingly. /li>
Let the client know how complex of a task it is to create even a simple animation so they understand the value proposition. /p>
To prove the point further, let’s discuss the famous cartoon films and how much they cost per second./p>
- The animation in the movie a href=”http://www.calslater.com/2017/10/31/how-much-does-animation-cost-per-second-illustrated/”>“Tangled” had cost $49,059 per second/a>./li>
- Similarly, “Toy Story 3” animation was also quite expensive i.e. $36,639 per second.
- Along the same lines, “Brave” film’s animation cost around $33,217 per second.
Not every bit of the video production budget goes into animation, but the animation is the most expensive part of the film. There are various types of animation, so their price can vary depending upon that./p>
If we talk straightforwardly, a half-minute excellent quality explainer video would cost between $2K-$4.5K. To ensure that you remain within the desired budget, go with 2D motion graphics and ignore the alluring 3D element./p>
If we talk about the cost difference between 2D and 3D animation videos, there is a vast difference between the prices. Both of them have 3 sorts of variations according to what you need./p>
- 2D motion graphics (simple): /a>This one costs around $875 for a 30-second animation video /li>
- 2D motion graphics with 3D elements (complex): /a>This ranges around $1250-$1750 for a half-minute time frame./li>
- 2D explainer video with character animation/a>: This type costs around $1500- $1750 on a budget./span>
One thing to note is, the first minute of the animation always costs more because it is when the animator creates all the assets./p>
- 3D stylized animated explainer video: /a>This type of video costs around $1750-$2500 for a half minute./li>
- 3D realistic animated video: /a>This one varies from $1500-$5000 depending upon how much 3D modeling it requires./li>
- 3D creature animation: /a>This one is the most expensive category and it can cost around $3500-$10000 for a mid-range project. While a high-end project would cost $200-$300 a second. /li>
With the difference between the cost of various 2D and 3D animations now evident, let’s move onto factors that affect the price of animation./p>
Knowing these factors is quite essential as this will help you make well-informed decisions according to the requirements of your business. /p>
8 factors that affect the price of your 30-second animation video
1. Where the Client Stands in the Buyer’s Journey
There are 3 stages of the buyer journey aka Awareness, Consideration, and Decision. Each video is crafted according to the stage the targeted audience is in currently./p>
There are 3 factors that determine the complexity of the video, the stage of the buyer journey, how mature the industry is, and the type of business. /p>
For example, whiteboard animation would work well if used for the B2B awareness stage. In contrast to that, a cartoon-style video would be a better fit for the B2B decision stage as this stage needs the video which glorifies your company’s products and services, and gives detailed elaboration./p>
B2C businesses demand videos that hook the audience with interesting characters and stories. An example of this is testimonial videos. b>
2. Style of Animation
The animation style you pick for your video will be key in determining the video cost. Whiteboard and infographic videos are budget options while cartoon-style videos require a significant amount of money./p>
2D animation videos cost more because animators create customized 2D characters for each video. /p>
Each animation style serves a different purpose such as cartoon-style video is used when you want to tell a story or want the audience to relate to it (character movement helps it to be relatable). /p>
On the other hand, whiteboard animation is used when you want to display a written message or want the viewers to feel that they are included in the creative part (whiteboard uses drawing style animation).b>
3. Topic Complexity
Complex topics consume more time while researching and gaining an in-depth understanding. This increased research time adds to the pre-production cost./p>
This is because it takes time to make scripts that break down complex topics into a simple and understandable form. b>
4. Content Duration
The video length affects the production cost but there is one thing to notice. The 2nd minute of the video won’t cost the same as the 1st minute of the video. This is because the assets such as characters, props, and backgrounds have already been made. b>
5. Types of Pricing Options for the Video
You have 4 options to decide who will produce the 30-second animation for you./p>
This option is viable if you’re on a tight budget. It will give you access to stock footage and some useful tools but you’ll have to come up with the content script on your own. In this option, it is up to you to find a way to deliver the message effectively./p>
- Hiring Freelancers (Costs can vary): Freelancers charge different prices depending upon the amount of experience they have and the tools they will use for the video production./li>
Sometimes freelancers can end up charging 2-4 times more from you than a video production house in most cases./p>
Just imagine how it would feel to have the whole animation video custom created to your brand’s message and the target audience. /p>
The third option is all about the service experience from start to finish, i.e from the first meeting to the final video production. This option fits well for most businesses./p>
This is an upgraded version of the 3rd option. The only difference is the addition of a marketing team. In this setup, the agency will work with you to design your video strategically in a way that maximizes the return on investment (ROI)./p>
6. Video Content Usage
If the assets like voice-over, video footage, or music requires you to pay for the right to use them then it will add to the production cost. There is an exception if these assets are picked up from the public domain because in that case, it will be free of cost. /p>
Resources from the public domain are limited and they are used by a lot of people so the material won’t be unique if you choose to use them. b>
7. Feedback Duration
Client feedback is an inseparable part of the process. The more late a feedback is the higher the cost can get due to increased production time. Small businesses and startups reply instantly while big corporations and enterprises take a huge amount of time to hit back with feedback.b>
8. Number of Revisions requested by the Client
There is a standard practice when creative work is involved, i.e., there is a limit to the number of revisions that are done for free. Once you go above that specified limit, you will be charged for each revision resulting in increased production cost./p>
Conclusion
Quality video animations are a worthwhile investment. The end goal of these explainer videos is a high return on investment through increased customer awareness, engagement, and conversions./p>
If you’re interested in investing in these explainer videos for some tremendous results, make sure to visit our portfolio to see some samples.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
