No matter if you’re watching a commercial, a video, or even a Pixar movie – animation is designed to capture attention. It can be fun, emotional, and visually stunning, which often leaves people wondering: How does something like this even get made? How long does it take? What’s the process behind it?
The truth is, that while the animation process follows a similar structure across different projects, the specifics depend on the goal and the approach taken. When it comes to explainer videos for purpose-driven brands, animation is a tool to communicate values, engage communities, build trust and much more.
But how does the explainer video production process actually work?
At Motion Manor, we’ve spent over a decade refining our production process to make it as seamless as possible for our clients. Unlike other studios that stretch production across seven or more stages, we’ve grouped our process into four structured phases, so that collaboration is extremely easy with minimal touchpoints. Allowing you to focus on what matters.
With that being said, here’s how we bring purposeful animations to life.
Before we start with production, we set the groundwork to make sure the project runs smoothly from start to finish. This includes:
When we have everything in place and the right people involved early on, it keeps the project on track. Good for the team, great for the client.
Once we’ve ticked these off, we’re ready to move into production.
A strong animation starts with a strong story. No matter how impressive the animation, it won’t be effective if it doesn’t connect with its audience. For this reason, the first stage involves defining what we want to say, how we want to say it, and who we want to say it to.
Understanding your brand, its mission, and its audience is rule number one. We research competitors, demographics, and messaging styles to ensure the animation aligns with the brand’s purpose and resonates with the right people.
At this stage, we essentially put on our copywriting hats and get to work. We start by crafting the message our audience will hear, whether through voiceover narration or on-screen text. The script needs to be clear, engaging, and aligned with the brand’s values. We aim for storytelling that isn’t just informative but also emotionally compelling. After all, your goal is typically to drive some form of action.
Before jumping into design, we compile a visual reference board that reflects the tone and style we want to achieve. These references are called moodboards, known as the first step in shaping the overall look and feel of the project.
They act as a collection of inspirations, such as images, colour palettes, typography, and design elements that help guide the animation’s aesthetic. However, it’s important not to confuse mood boards with Storyboarding, which comes next in the process of bringing the visuals to life.
Now that we know what we want to say, we focus on how it needs to look.
You might think of storyboarding as creating a comic strip of the animation. Each scene is sketched out to map the visual flow, helping us refine ideas and lock the story in before moving into detailed design work.
We develop initial artwork inspired by the moodboards and the story direction that was defined early in the process. This helps us refine the visual identity before finalising the design – which also prevents us from going back to the drawing board mid-production.
Once the client approves the concept art and storyboard, we create a style guide. This serves as the reference for how all elements in the animation will look across the board. That way, every frame remains visually cohesive – whether it’s the way characters move, the backgrounds are shaded, or the text appears on screen. It keeps everything aligned, preventing inconsistencies and streamlining the production process.
At this point, we have a full visual plan in place. Next, we move to the sound elements that tie it all together into animation mode.
Visuals might take centre stage in animation, but sound plays a huge role in creating the right mood and reinforcing important messages. In purpose-led animation, sound encompasses music, voiceovers, and animatics.
We find or create the perfect soundtrack that complements the animation’s tone and pacing. Depending on the story we’re telling, it could be an uplifting instrumental or something more cinematic. As always, context is everything.
A professional voiceover artist records the script to ensure clear, engaging narration that aligns with the brand’s tone. We direct them on the tone, pacing, and emphasis so that the message fits perfectly with the visuals.
Before jumping into full animation, we create a rough version called an animatic. This is essentially the storyboard timed out with voiceover and music, giving a preview of how the final animation will feel. This gives us a chance to make any tweaks before we get to the heart of the project.
Once the audio and timing are locked in, it’s time for the final stage: bringing everything to life through animation.
Before animating, we wrap up any additional artwork, from characters to backgrounds and supporting elements. Every visual detail ties back to the choices made early on. We don’t stray from this foundation, keeping the look and feel of the animation aligned from start to finish.
This is the most intensive stage of the process, but thanks to the work done in earlier phases, it becomes hassle-free.
Here, we set our characters in motion. Our team animates every scene in fluid motion, engaging pacing, and seamless transitions. Every last detail is fine-tuned to improve storytelling and viewer engagement.
Sound effects add depth and dimension to an animation, making movements feel more natural and each scene more engaging. The subtle rustling of fabric, the click of a button, or the whoosh of a transition…these details help create a sense of realism and rhythm. Well-placed SFX can make the animation feel more immersive without overpowering the visuals.
Once the animation is fully built, we review it in detail and make refinements to make sure it’s polished and aligned with the brand’s message. Again, the style guide and every initial consideration are always in the back of our minds.
Once approved, we prepare the final files for delivery.
A well-produced animation only makes an impact if it reaches the right audience, on the right platforms, at the right time. This stage focuses on preparing multiple versions of the animation, optimizing it for different channels, and making sure it’s distributed effectively to maximise reach and engagement.
An animation designed for social media will look different from one built for a website or ad campaign. A short, attention-grabbing version might work best for Instagram or TikTok, while a longer, more detailed version could be better suited for YouTube or a company’s homepage. We keep this in mind based on the clients’ preferred channels.
We verify that the animation integrates seamlessly into different content types, whether it’s a hero video for a homepage or a cut-down version for Instagram Reels. We adjust formats, aspect ratios, and resolutions to fit each platform’s requirements, making sure the animation looks sharp and performs well wherever it’s shared.
Animations can (and should) be repurposed beyond the main video. That’s why we extract assets, key visuals, and clips that marketing teams can use in different ways to maximise value beyond a single campaign. These might include short teaser clips for social media, GIFs for email marketing, still frames for blog posts, or background loops for websites and presentations. As a result, brands get more content mileage without extra production time.
Making animations accessible is at the core of what we do. Throughout the process, we consider:
Accessibility isn’t something we tack on at the end, but something that is built into the process from the start.
Before investing in animation, brands should ask:
Every animation follows the same structured process, but getting clear on the problem you’re solving is the foundation which everything else builds upon.
A discovery call is a great starting point. We’ll talk through your idea, explore its potential impact, and break down timelines and costs. More importantly, we’ll help you figure out whether animation is the right fit, or if another content format might serve your goals better.
Book a free discovery session, and let’s start crafting an animation that tells your brand’s story in the most engaging way possible.
