Working with a professional animation studio: 8 tips for success

Whether you're looking to work with an animation studio for the first time or the 100th time, there are always ways to strengthen your relationship and deliver stronger results. 

Having worked with clients from all around the world on lots of different video projects at Sparkol Studio, we've identified 8 tips that can boost success. In today's blog we'll be walking you through exactly what they are and how you can ensure a great result. 

Why work with a professional video producer or animation studio?

But before we get into our tips for partnering with a professional video creation company, you might be thinking - okay but why should I be working with one in the first place?

While advancements in technology have made filming and creating your own videos a whole lot easier. There's a level of professionalism, creativity and polish that you're probably not going to be able to achieve with a DIY approach. So what do animation studios bring to the table...

• Expertise - this is a big one. Professional animators are professionals for a reason! They've got years of experience and in most cases, training and qualifications in their field. So when it comes to creating your video, they're not just taking what you provide and running with it, they're bringing all that expertise, learning and experiences from other projects to ensure yours is the best it can be. 
  
  
• They save you time! We know you probably already have an extensive to-do list and adding a video to the list just isn't feasible (especially if you want it finished sooner rather than later). Which is where a dedicated video resource can come in super handy. Not only do they take the pressure off you, but help you deliver professional results to your deadline without dropping any of your other priorities. 
  
  
• You get a better result - because professional animators have so much experience and in most cases, professional training, they're able to create videos that really do stand out. The quality speaks for itself!
  
  
• A fresh perspective - when you're making a video about your business, idea, products or services, sometimes it's hard to distill it down into one succinct message. It's natural that the more invested in something you are, the harder it is to see from an outside perspective. That's where a dedicated video producer can be incredibly valuable - they can question your assumptions and challenge positioning with their fresh perspective. All in all, helping you end up with a video that appeals to your target audience. 

8 Tips to successfully work with an animation studio

So, hopefully we've now convinced you that working with a professional animation studio to create your next important video is a no-brainer... 😎 Let's look at how you can get the most out of it - here are our 8 tips. 

1. Define your goals

First things first, is to really understand what it is you want your video to achieve. It could be educating an audience, boosting sales or presenting your idea - whatever your goal, make sure you've clearly defined it and agreed it with all stakeholders. 

This will make a massive difference when it comes to working on a creative brief because you'll be able to ask yourself and the animation studio - does this move us closer to or further away from our goal? A key reference point to ensure the final video delivers what you need it to. 

2. Know what you do and don't like (with examples)

Now your animation partners are absolutely there to help boost creativity, propose new ideas and guide you in your animation journey. However, having an idea of the types of animation you do and don't like or even the imagery you'd like to include will make building storyboards and meeting your expectations a whole lot easier and quicker. 

This doesn't have to be detailed and often just having an example video that you've seen elsewhere can be enough to get an idea of the type of video you're aiming for. Similarly, most animation studios will have a showreel of their recent work that can also stimulate ideas and get you thinking about your own video. This is ours 👇

3. Be open and honest about your expectations

Now this might sound obvious but sometimes you just don't want to seem picky or might be nervous about flagging things that you don't like or need changing. But the truth is your video partner just wants to deliver a video that you love, so if you're not feeling the color scheme then let us know. 

The more transparent you are about your vision and what you expect the finished video to look and feel like, the more closely studios will match it. Which is a win all round! 

4. Know your budget and limitations

Of course, as with any outsourced talent there's a cost and often timescales attached. So make sure you've confirmed with internal stakeholders how much budget you have available for your project and how quickly your video needs to be delivered. 

Animation studios and video production agencies will mostly offer a range of video styles and processes to suit different budgets and timescales so be up front about what you're working with to get the best results.

5. Take on new ideas and creative directions

Now we know we said it's good to have an idea of what you do and don't like, but we're also here to present new ideas, boost the creativity and challenge your perceptions. So don't be surprised if your video partner suggests some new styling, imagery or story flow. 

Keep an open mind to new ideas because they just might lead you to a better animation. Check out how we've visualized a complex topic like bitcoin in a new way 👇

6. Be thorough with feedback 

When it comes to giving feedback and making edits - it's always better to do it in one or two chunks. That way you can really see the impact of the edits and get a better feel for your video. Plus, it saves a whole lot of extra back and forth emails! 

So really take the time to watch and rewatch the first draft of your video to make sure you pick up on any changes you want to make and they don't slip through to the next round of edits. 

7. If in doubt - over communicate

As with any creative project, the best way to stay aligned is to maintain strong communication. You video partner will continue providing updates on how the project is progressing and any new decisions to be made or clips and assets to see, but it's also important that if you have any concerns, questions or ideas, you voice them throughout. As we've said, if in any doubt over communicating is always better than under communicating. 

8. Measure success 

Our final tip is actually one of the most important. It's to always put metrics in place to measure success. Not only will this help you determine whether your video partner delivered the value you expected, but it'll help you learn and develop your video campaigns and projects. 

Ready to start your journey with an animation and video partner? We'd love to work with you. Drop us a note to discuss your ideas and learn more about how we could help 👇