The Explainer Video Process: A Breakdown

Something we frequently talk about on this blog is how we can make explainer videos effective. All of those tend to cover all the extras and things we do to help you in your marketing journey and what makes your animated explainer video successful. But something we haven’t covered very much is what the full process of making your explainer video looks like.

The Creative Brief

First up in our explainer video process is our creative brief. This is our call with you where we’ll gather all the information we need to write the script. This includes anything about your brand, covering how your service might work, and the overall direction for the video. Should it be serious? Funny? Are there strict guidelines we want to color inside or do you want something more outside the box? All of that will help guide the script writing process. And the more we speak with you and learn about your company, the better we’ll be able to capture your voice.

But don’t worry, this is still a collaborative process. So after we’re done with the script, we’ll present it to you for any feedback you might have. We may be the video marketing experts, but you’re the expert in your brand and industry. Or maybe you thought you wanted a more serious video but then decided it should be a little more quirky. Changes like that are okay and are expected in the process.

Mood Boards and Style Frames

At Digital Brew, every explainer video is custom built for you. Based on your direction and the script we’ve written, we’ll send you a collection of images featuring different art styles. You’ll pick the ones you like the most and we’ll use that guidance to create your custom artwork. For example, maybe in one image you like the way a character’s head is shaped. In another image, you like their body proportions. Maybe there’s a third image where you really like the background style. All of that is great feedback for our illustrators.

Now with all of that information, we’ll create style frames for you. This is when one of our illustrators will create three or four frames of your video with your customer artwork. This will show you both what your custom art will look like as well as how it will be used in your animated explainer video. And just like the scripting process, we’ll work with you on any changes you may have to your new art. Maybe we went all out on color and came up with something explosive but you’d rather it a little more muted. Or maybe something about character proportions are off. Or maybe your brand team thought it strayed too far from the guidelines. 

Voiceover

Getting the voiceover for your animated explainer video is a process that can be happening in tandem with style frames and storyboards. The important part is that the script is finished. This is something else we’ll cover in the creative brief. How do you want your video to sound? Do you want the VO to be male or female? Should they have an accent? Depending on your industry and your marketplaces, there could be something very specific you’re looking for. If so, we’ll look for voiceover artists who match that. If you’re open, we’ll look for a range of artists that we think capture your tone and the script. Once we’ve found the right fit, we’ll schedule a recording session with us, you, and the artist. You’ll be able to help direct the artist in real time and we’ll go through as many times until we have the line readings you like.

Storyboard and Animation

Script? Done. Style Frames? Looking good. Now it’s time to show you what your animated explainer video will look like and bring it all to life. With your artwork and style frames approved, we’ll storyboard your video from beginning to end. This way, you should have a really good idea about what the finished video will look like (minus the animation). Once again, you’ll be able to provide any feedback. Maybe we used an analog clock for a line about time and you want to make it a digital clock. Or we depicted the factory one way and want it to look another way.

And now *drumroll* we finally are at the animation state of your video. Wow, there’s a lot that goes into this, huh? But since we’ve gone through so many steps together, you should have a great idea about how your final video will turn out. We want to make sure there are as few surprises as possible when you see the finished product. BUT! You’ll still be able to make changes at this point too. Within limitations, of course. We couldn’t overhaul the entire script. That would completely change everything we’ve done (which is why we like to keep you heavily involved at every step). But you might not like the bounciness of a character or the speed a scene plays out. Those types of changes we’re still able to make.

Freshly Brewed Animated Explainer Videos

Now you’ve got a freshly brewed video! But don’t worry, we don’t just send you one your way with your new video. We provide a number of additional services that help you figure out how to get the most out of your new animated explainer video. Of course, all of this is a pretty quick rundown of what our process looks like. So if you want to learn more about how we can make you a video that converts, you can always reach out to us here.