Here at Whistle Video we don't just specialise in video production, we are also big fans of animation - 2D animation to be precise. In the last few years 'Explainer' videos have become really popular. I remember only a few years ago you had to explain (funnily enough) what exactly an explainer video was. Now we get contacted every week from businesses wanting an explainer video on their website to promote their product or services.
Explainer videos are a great way to convey a message or tell a story in a slightly less 'corporaty' way. They normally have a more humorous tone to them and are a bit quirky. This is sometimes a preferred choice than a classic talking head interview video. Animation is also a great way of simplifying complex content and making it a lot more understandable for the viewer.
Ypsilon PR explainer video animation
Creativity
Animation removes any limitation you might have with standard video production and also opens up the possibilities of creativity. It also keeps the budget from getting carried away. For example, if you needed a few shots of your talent under the Eiffel Tower in a brand new Bentley that could push the costings up using video production. However, with animation, anything is possible!
Preperation
With every project, be it video production or animation, we always keep things simple for clients. We have found the best way to create an effective explainer video, that the client is happy with, is to get things clarified straight away. This is why we always produce a script that is accompanied with a rough storyboard and a couple of key visuals. This gives the client an idea of what the completed animation will look and feel like. We always promote suggestions and tweaks at this stage of the production as it will save time in the long run. Once the client is happy with the look of the storyboards and script then we get cracking with the animation.
Below is an example storyboard page and a couple of key visual examples we created for People Per Hour, the UK's number one freelancing website. They were really happy with the storyboard and visuals as they already had an idea of the flow of the animation before we started creating all the assets required.
People Per Hour Explainer Video Example Storyboards and Key Visuals
We never wanted to be a company that produced animation work that all looked the same. This is why we take great pride in listening to the client's needs and their specific brand. There is a time an a place for humorous animation but sometimes you need a slightly more formal approach. We find that using kinetic typography as part of an animation can work well and helps get across a lot of specific facts and figures. A good example of this is an animation we created for GSK's Paradontax which can be viewed below:
Location
Another positive about using animation instead of video production is location. It doesn't matter that you are based in the US and we are here in sunny Sheffield, England. We can create all assets and content remotely and then simply send you the animation once complete. We don't have to get a plane and come and shoot at your offices, we can illustrate and animate! We have created animations for a range of international clients ranging from the US to India.
So if your business is in need of promoting a product or you would like to tell your story through the use of animation then we would love to hear from you. No matter where you are based!
We look forward to hearing from you,
Joe
