From Concept to Creation: The Step-by-Step Process of an Animated Video
- Roxana A
- Jun 3
- 5 min read
Creating an animated video involves much more than just putting together some graphics and sound. It’s a detailed and creative journey that requires collaboration, vision, and a structured approach. Whether you’re making an explainer video, a promotional animation, or a product demo, the animated video creation process is a thrilling experience from concept to completion.
In this post, we’ll break down the entire animated video creation process, explaining each step in detail. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how animation projects come to life and what to expect when working with an animation studio like Aron Animation.
Step 1: Scriptwriting – Developing the Narrative
The foundation of any great animated video is a solid script. This step is all about shaping the narrative that will drive the rest of the project. A well-crafted script is the skeleton of your video—it sets the tone, conveys your message, and ensures everything that follows aligns with the overall goal.
Why Scriptwriting Matters
Good animation tells a story, and the script is what makes that story clear and compelling. Whether you’re creating a short explainer or a longer promotional video, the script needs to outline:
The Problem: What challenge does your audience face?
The Solution: How does your product or service solve that problem?
The Call to Action: What do you want the viewer to do after watching the video?
This stage usually begins with a client consultation where we discuss your brand, your goals, and your message. Once the basic ideas are solidified, a scriptwriter drafts the script, keeping in mind your target audience, tone, and purpose.
For example, if you’re creating an animated explainer for a tech product, your script might break down how the product works in simple, approachable language, while focusing on the benefits for the user.
Pro Tip: Keep the script concise and focused. People have short attention spans, so your message should be clear, engaging, and to the point.
Step 2: Storyboarding – Mapping Out the Visual Flow in the Animated Video Creation Process
Once the script is finalized, it’s time to translate those words into visuals. Storyboarding is a visual blueprint that maps out the animation scene by scene. Think of it as a comic strip for your video, where you can plan the key moments and movements before jumping into production.
Why Storyboarding Matters
Storyboards help visualize the flow of the video, ensuring that every scene aligns with the script and overall message. In this stage, you’ll see a rough representation of what the final animation will look like, including the characters, backgrounds, and movements. It’s essentially the blueprint that guides the animator’s work.
A well-thought-out storyboard ensures that:
The timing of each scene is correct.
Transitions between scenes are smooth and logical.
Key visual elements align with the message.
It’s also the moment where clients get to see their ideas come to life for the first time. If there’s something you’d like to change or adjust, this is the time to do it. The storyboard acts as a guide to avoid any confusion later in the process.
Pro Tip: Keep the storyboard simple, but detailed enough to ensure that your message and tone come across. It doesn’t have to be perfect at this stage, but it should give everyone involved a clear understanding of the flow.
Step 3: Style Frames – Defining the Look and Feel
Once the storyboard is approved, the next step is to define the look and feel of the animation through style frames. Style frames are essentially high-quality, still images that depict how a specific scene or key visual in the video will appear once fully animated.
Why Style Frames Matter
This step is where you’ll solidify the visual direction of your animation. You’ll decide on things like:
Color palette: What colors will represent your brand and mood?
Character design: What will the characters look like? Are they realistic or abstract?
Typography: What fonts will be used, and how will they complement the animation?
The goal of style frames is to establish consistency in the visuals and ensure that everything will work cohesively in the final video. It’s also a good opportunity to finalize any visual elements that need tweaking, such as backgrounds or logos.
Once style frames are approved, they serve as a reference for the animators during the next step.
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to explore different styles. Whether it’s flat design, 3D animation, or hand-drawn visuals, choose a style that fits your brand’s personality and message.
Step 4: Animation – Bringing the Idea to Life
With the script, storyboard, and style frames in hand, the animation process can begin! This is where the real magic happens, as the video comes to life in motion. Depending on the complexity of the project, animation can take some time, but it’s worth the wait.
Why Animation Matters
Animation adds a dynamic and engaging quality to your video. It takes your previously static storyboard and brings it to life by adding movement, transitions, and sound effects. In this step, all the elements—characters, objects, backgrounds, and text—are animated according to the storyboard and style frames.
The animation process can vary in style and complexity, but the core tasks involved include:
Character animation: Making characters move, talk, and interact.
Scene transitions: Smoothly moving from one scene to the next.
Adding motion graphics: Using dynamic effects to enhance storytelling.
At this stage, the animator pays close attention to timing, ensuring that each animation follows the script’s pacing and tone. This step often requires collaboration with sound designers to align the animation with audio cues like voiceovers and music.
Pro Tip: Keep client feedback in mind during the animation process. Open communication ensures that you’re staying true to the vision and meeting expectations.
Step 5: Final Touches – Adding Sound, Voiceover, and Tweaks Based on Client Feedback
Once the animation is complete, it’s time to add the finishing touches. This includes sound design, voiceovers, and any final tweaks based on the client’s feedback.
Why Final Touches Matter
Sound and voiceover are integral to the success of an animated video. Here’s what happens in this stage:
Voiceover: A professional voiceover artist records the script. The voice should match the tone and personality of your brand. Whether it’s friendly, serious, or energetic, the voiceover brings the video’s message to life.
Sound design: Background music and sound effects enhance the emotional impact of your animation. Proper sound design can take a good video and make it unforgettable.
Final tweaks: This includes color correction, adjusting timing, and making any final changes based on client feedback to ensure the video is polished and perfect.
This is also when the client gets to review the video for the last time. Feedback is incorporated, and once everyone is satisfied, the video is ready for delivery.
Pro Tip: Don’t rush through the final touches. The smallest sound effect or tweak can make a huge difference in the final product’s overall impact.
Wrapping It All Up: The Magic Behind Animated Videos
Creating an animated video is a collaborative journey that takes time, creativity, and precision. By following a structured process—starting from scriptwriting, moving through storyboarding and style frames, and finishing with animation and final tweaks—you ensure that the end result aligns with your brand’s vision.
For businesses, understanding the entire animation process helps manage expectations and fosters better communication with your animation studio. Whether you’re creating an explainer video, product demo, or social media ad, each step is designed to craft a video that resonates with your audience and delivers your message in a compelling way.
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