How it’s Made : The 4 Major Steps in Creating an Animated Video

When video needs arise, questions can quickly pile up regarding how on earth you’ll find yourself with the video you need by the date you need it.  

“Does this studio understand my vision?”

“Do I have enough information for this team to get started?”

“How much will I get to see the project in progress?”

When starting a creative endeavor with a new partner, ask about their pipeline or process on the first call. A full service creative team, like Pixel Park, will prepare you in the very first conversations on what to expect through delivery of your final video.  Got a question? Ask away! The studio you’re working with should be your guiding hand at every step, and we know this can be someone’s first go with animation.

So, what does a typical pipeline look like? A design and animation project with Pixel Park usually looks like this:

  1. Discovery – We can start with as little as the general goal of your video (the outcome you would like to see and the audience you aim to reach) or with a script if you have one in the works. We’ll want to know what you identify as the value of the video, as well as explore style directions. 
  2. Scripting – Our team can write the full script or provide recommendations on a script you’ve developed. In addition to the script copy, we’ll also write out the visuals and actions to expect in each frame or scene. We call this a 2-column script. 
  3. Storyboards –  Frame by frame static illustrations will help you and your team visualize what your animation will look like. Sketched storyboards are initial quick drawings that show the layout of each scene. Artists will then complete the design storyboards,  creating the final art of the approved layouts and finishing details for animation. Throughout these stages, you can expect progress to review, provide feedback, and ask questions.
  4. Animation – All of the frames are now brought to life, ready to engage your audience! A couple rounds of review can be expected, assuring the story is being told visually and audibly as planned, if not better than expected. Cutdowns and static illustrations from the piece can also be provided for additional uses on many platforms. Make the most of your assets!

We typically customize this pipeline to your specific project, so if you provide a script or need a video sooner, we can find what adjustments work best. 

Whether you have a video need coming up, or are contemplating one on the horizon, reach out to us (emily@thepixelpark.com or sam@thepixelpark.com) to learn more about our process and how we can help!

Sign up to be a part of our Fresh Pixel Friday e-mail list, where we share some of our most recent work:
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Written On June 2, 2022 By:

 

Authors

More Posts: