Aug 6, 2021 3:31:48 PM
If you want to work with an animation studio to bring your video vision to life but you’re not sure which vendor would be best or you need to follow a tender process, you’ll need a Request for Proposal (RFP).
In this blog we walk you through the quick and easy steps to create your own effective RFP to reach out to animation studios. We've also created a handy pre-made template to make this job even easier - read on to download it.
What is a 'request for proposal' (RFP)?
An RFP is a document that details all the needs and requirements of a project. It acts as a type of proposal to potential contractors and agencies who will submit a bid for the work if they're able to meet your requirements.
If you want to find the right potential partners to work on your upcoming project then it's super important to get your RFP right. Your contacts need to understand what you're looking for so they can offer up their best services or solutions to meet your needs.
But don't worry, creating your own RFP for animation projects can be quick and easy with the right structure. Which is why we're sharing our foolproof steps and a ready-made template to help you speed through this process and get onto the fun part - bringing your vision to life! 👇
How to write an effective animated video RFP
With your RFP template in hand - here's a bit more detail on each of the steps we'll be taking to help you secure the right animation partner for you 👇
Step 1: Introduce yourself and your company
So let's ease ourselves in with something simple. First things first your potential partners need to know a bit about you. This doesn't have to be an essay just a couple of statements about your focus in your organization and a summary of what your company does.
Step 2: Provide background to your project
Once we've covered the basics, it's time to get into the juicy stuff - your dream animation project! For this step we've split it into a few key sections as we don't want to miss any vital detail.
Your goals: All successful video projects start with a clear objective in mind. Without this it's very hard to say whether your animation has performed well or missed the mark. So ensure you've agreed your goal/s internally with relevant stakeholders then let your potential partners know.
Context to the animation - what's it all about? Again this might sound obvious but sometimes when you're so close to a project, it's easy to overlook key bits of information like context. So bring your audience into the loop - let them know why this project is important, where it fits in your organization and the gist of what it's about.
Target audience: Who is going to be watching your video and are there any key characteristics they share? i.e. they're all experts in Sci Fi films... 🤷♀️ Knowing this will not only allow your readers to do some more research into this audience but they might have already created videos for similar audiences and an share some of this expertise with you.
Distribution and specifications: Now, where is this video going to be used? i.e. your website, an advert in a shopping centre or on social media? Where your video will be shown can influence what size or length the animation should be, which has a knock on effect on pricing. So be clear up front about what format your animation will need to be.
Animation style and examples of work you like: This is where you can have a little fun! Share three examples of existing animations or videos that you like - for whatever reason. It could be that you like the color palette in one, the storytelling style in another and the voice-over tone in the third. Whatever it is that's calling to you, spell it out in your RFP. That way, your partners can propose ideas that are more closely aligned to your expectations - saving both of you time!
Check out some of our examples of the different animation styles featuring Fred the fish 🐟👀
TOP TIP - Look through vendors' showreels for inspiration and to get a feel for what they can create. Here's our Sparkol Studio showreel 👇
Audio and voice-over requirements: Will you want a voice-over, just background music or both? Or maybe you're after on-screen captions? Again these requirements not only have an impact on costing but it's a good opportunity to check that potential providers have either in-house recording facilities or trusted partners to bring your voice to life.
Timelines (for bids and animation delivery): As with all projects, without clear deadlines it's easy for them to drift. So be clear up front about when you'll need bids for the work and also the animation delivered.
Budget: Last but by no means least in this section is a biggie - how much are you able to spend on this project? The funds you have will greatly impact which providers you can work with and the scope of the project. So do some research before hand to make sure you're not under or over offering as you don't want a sub-par animation or to blow your budget unnecessarily.
Step 3: Selection criteria
Now your potential vendors know what your project is all about, it's time to let them know what you're looking for in an animation partner. What's most important to you? It could be relevant experience, it could be that all elements are created in-house or maybe you're on a tight turnaround and have to have it delivered by a certain date.
With this insight your potential vendors will be able to create much more tailored bids that address your core needs. Or, they'll be able to say that the project is not for them if they're not able to hit these requirements.
Step 4: Ask for key information
Now you've shared everything from your side, here's where you ask your potential partners for some detail on them. We've split this up into a few points but of course you could add or remove any of these points as you need.
Animation studio introduction and team members: Again, let's start off by learning more about the animation studio and who would be working on your video. After all, it's the people you'll be working with for the duration of the project that make the difference so check your values are aligned.
Capabilities and specialisms: It's good to understand where each vendor thinks their key strengths are. Maybe they're excellent at scripting and storytelling or maybe they're stronger on technical stop-motion animation. Knowing this will help you make the decision about which studio is right for you.
Relevant experience: Have they worked with an organization similar to yours before? Maybe they're experts in the style of animation you like? Or perhaps they've created videos for your target audience in the past? These would be big wins for you as you know this vendor could bring extra expertise and really guide you to the best results.
Animation process: It's also important to understand how your animation comes to life. Different studios will have different processes which changes when you'll need things like scripts and voice-overs. You can discover our animation process here for reference.
Pricing: Now this is probably one of the most important bits of information. For the project to go ahead, of course it has to fit within your budget so you need to know what price vendors would charge.
Revision and edit allowances: While you might get lucky and see a first version of the video that's perfect, chances are you'll have some feedback and want to make a couple of changes. So agree in advance how many revisions each vendor allows for so you know you've got some flexibility.
Usage rights: Something else to consider is what the animation studio is happy for you to do with the video afterwards. Generally speaking, the video in it's final format can be used as you please, but sometimes you might want to edit sections later on or adjust it to suit new formats. It's worth checking whether the animation studio could support with this or whether they'd be happy for you to adjust yourself.
Step 5: Share your contact details and next steps
The final step is just to share your contact details and remind potential vendors of the next steps. Including when your deadline for bids on the work is, when you'll be contacting successful applicants and when the project would commence.
Then you're ready to get your RFP out in the world and start on your animation journey! 🎉
P.S. If you didn't already check out our RFP template, you can find it here too 👇
There we have it - the simple steps to create your own RFP to ensure you find the right animation partner for you and your project. If you'd like any more help and advice or to talk to us about partnering on an animation, get in touch with our Sparkol Studio today.
