If you are in an era of animation reign, then you are probably watching an animated video or using some of those animated tools, or even probability, that is why you are reading this article now. As an animator, you may have various techniques to rely on and you may never decline to create a fancy animation.

But your budget becomes a constrainer. Nevertheless, the goal of making an explainer video is to convey a complex idea in simpler terms that’s as easy as pie.

To put in a nutshell, creating a 2D animation is as cooler as 3D. On the contrary, 3D animation is complicated to use.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. But, when they fall, they suffer a great loss. So make it simple to your context.

Before you begin producing a video, consider asking few questions to yourself

1. What is the purpose of the animation?
2. What kind of animation would meet your business branding?
3. When is your deadline?
4. Is it easy to make changes to animation?
5. Who are your audiences?
6. What do you want them to think when they watch it?
7. Does it comply with your marketing strategy?
8. How will you market your video?
9. Will it give a different perspective?

• To be more specific in regard to the differences between 2D and 3D is the cost. Creating a 2D animation is much cheaper than producing a 3D animation. The reason is, 3D animation undertakes more process to complete, and hence it takes a lot of time. Apart from that, the software and tools used for making 3D animation are expensive.
• Once your project reaches the jumping-off point, you need to decide based upon your budget, time and of course, on all aspects. After you fix on, you will have to follow the production pipeline, which refers to each step in production process. Apparently, the production process for 2D and 3D are not the same. The pipeline is, indeed, knotty for 3D animation. Whereas, you will carry out simpler production pipeline for 2D. Less work is required in the 2D pipeline. All you have to do is draw frames and sketch characters. You don’t need more materials. The animation becomes simple with few frames, but it looks great on 2D. But, 3D has many parts to be handled. It goes through various levels; each level may be taken care of experts.Even if you want to make some iteration, it is not an easy task to start from the scratch.
• “The biggest problem with 3D, though, is the “convergence/focus” issue. A couple of the other issues — darkness and “smallness” — are at least theoretically solvable. But the deeper problem is that the audience must focus their eyes at the plane of the screen,” quotes Walter Murch, the most respected film editor and sound designer in the modern cinema. The statement here he makes is that people take a lot of time to realize what the story is when it is a 3D. The brain takes time to generate and read the images. It gives one-point perspective to the image.

So, a 60 second explainer video need not be 3D. Make it simple and neat, so as to make the audience prepare what they want to know.

• The major drawback of 3D is that, it does not give flexibility to think beyond the scope. The main idea of an explainer video is to put complex plan into a simpler form. Although, quite few people consider 3D to be better than 2D, the result accomplished when creating an animated video is the same. So, it will not be apt to fund more time and money in composing a complex idea into even more complex design.

The conclusion may seem to satisfy the features and advantages of 2D, albeit never underestimate the power of 3D.

      As a startup you always face a big issue, how do I really explain my complex startup idea to new customers to convince them to sign up or do any call to action. But do you know even big brands like google have such issues. Google knows the need of explainer videos in any new product they release, so they comes with excellent videos which really helps people to understand the product in a better way. This article list out the top 10 explainer videos from google which engage those targets. Startups can inspire a lot to from this videos.

Google Keep

Google Adwords

Google Maps explored

Google voice

Google Wave

Google plus

Google Now

Google wallet

Google Glass

Google TV

Google Translate

      Above videos are developed with minimum effort and plan, but it really made wonders to those products.

      Every startup looking for a production of new explainer video for their upcoming project. Have a big question on what to choose? How to select the best one? Which perfectly fit your budget? Finally where to find the animation studio who can deliver a master piece. Also there are few new explainer video softwares pops up and make the video even affordable for huge audience.

      I hope this article spark some ideas for you if you’re stuck.

      Types of Explainer video

• 2D animation
• 2.5D Animation
• 3D Animation
• Live Action
• Whiteboard
• Typography
• ScreenCast
• Stop Motion
• Infographic
• Ipad/ IPhone Apps
• Music -Only
• Testimonial

2D Animation

      One of the most famous and widely used model to explain any startup idea. This videos perfectly fit in low budget and very easy to make. so it became a all time destination for any new startups.

2.5D Animation

      2.5D is the combination of 3D objects and 2D images in same platform to make the video more appealing. This model of production is bit different from actual 2D which comes with more time consuming and high budget.

3D Animation

      3D diffenitely time consuming and expensive. But for sure this type of video standout from rest of the 2D demo
videos.

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Live Action

      Live action is nothing but a live video which recorded using a video camera with real people. It needs perfect setup like crew, actors, editors, production process, etc. But It can be even done in small budget. It is almost similar to TV marketing videos.

Whiteboard

      2012 most famous and preferred video type especially in startup networks. The whole idea is drawing a sequential images and text in a whiteboard matching the voice over and explaining the whole concept.

Kinetic Typography

      Words speak a lot. Typography is the preferred mode of sharing inspiring text in sequential way. This videos are quite creative and inspires a huge audience.

Animated Screencast

      Most simple and easiest way to develop. Even startups can create their own.

StopMotion

      Step by step screens taken using real objects and video camera to get a excellent crafted video. The process is quite tough and very expensive.

Infographic

      Fluid motion of statistics, numbers, Images, text in most loveable way to attract viewers. This video is preferred in showing big list of financial data, facts, figures, etc.

iPhone / iPad Apps

      The whole video is played inside a video widget which makes easy for any mobile startup to explain the idea behind the concept.

Music Only

      It is similar to typography and infographic with text and image flows with music to explain the whole idea of the startup.

Testimonial

      Oldest but quite best way to impress viewers where a good looking male or female share their whole experience about your startup in front of a camera. Budget can be reduced to minimum by making real people with some handy camera to complete this project.

      Suggest in comments if you have created a different style of video making to any startups.

To Read More

10 Google Explainer Videos Must watch

Top 10 Live Action Explainer Videos Ever

10 Mobile app Explainer Videos to get inspired.

      This works as a two way road.Loffles has some ads that it needs feedback on for its advertiser clients. Users go to their site, view those ads, provide feedback and they are awarded points. Loffle provides that feedback to the advertisers. These points can be redeemed for gifts, absolutely free.

Video Review:

      Loffles uses a startup pitch video to introduce their idea to the viewers hiring a startup video production company. The video is short and to the point. Here are some of its notable features.

• Combination of 3D and 2D animation.
• Interesting background music has been used to make the video a fun watch.
• Only 2 colors have been used for the background, a pale purple and Loffles green.
• Idea is explained by voice over rather than using typography.
• The video starts off right away with explaining what Loffles is without wasting any time on anything else.
• Attractive products are shown to excite and interest the customer to watch the whole video and discover how they can win them for free.

      Loffles has used a simple idea combined it with the social media to make a powerful impact. The explainer video tops it off and was the biggest and most successful part of their launch.

URL:http://benchprep.com/

      Explainer videos are made to inspire people and to excite them about what you have to offer. For startups, the most important element is to gain attention, spark interest and generate business. Animated explainer videos have a deep impact on human psychology, thus allowing startups and other businesses to use it to acquire new customers and build reputation. Explainer videos have helped many businesses increase their revenue by 10 to 15%.

1. Set Yourself Apart

      The World Wide Web is oversaturated with information and it is impossible for you to survive online without much effort. Consumers have a lot of choices to choose from so simply assuming they would choose YOU is a big mistake. Unless and until, you create a unique identity for your brand, you will be there where you started. An explainer video that is able to stand out and go viral will be shared on Facebook and YouTube.

2. Fixated Into Memory

      People remember 68 percent more from watching a video than from reading plain text. With explanation videos, audio and visual senses are tingled at the same time, resulting in better memory of what is seen. Explainer videos are colorful, fun and intelligent, and an interesting way of describing your idea in an exciting way.

3. Gather Mass Interest

      Video have always been appealing since people find it easier to relate to them. It is expected that 53.5% of the entire population will watch online video in 2012. No doubt, people will take note of your startup video and even teasers if they create the buzz. Vooza’s funny video is dubbed as the most hilarious tech startup spoof ever by Huffington Post.

4. Give A Boost To Website Conversions

      People love videos as videos tell a story that is much easier to remember than plain words. For startups, an explainer video is much likely to help the new business pick pace. Explanation videos are best at sparking interest and inspiring conversions thereby generating new business. Dropbox’s success is all thanks to an explainer video which increased conversions by over 10 percent.

5. Give Your Customers A Taste Of Your Product

      Explanation videos let your customers know what your product actually does and how. They would want to find out all they can know about the product before grabbing the deal. Since a single minute of a video is equivalent to 1.8 million words, videos help the audience understand as well as remember up to 68% of what they see in it.

6. Profit From The Viral Nature Of Videos

      Creative animated explainer videoshave an amazing feature of going viral thus taking your product to a larger audience. If it has an element of entertainment, inspiration or wonder, the explainer video will be more likely shared readily on the social media. Visual content has a greater chance of being shared among people thus giving your business the free advertising it needs.

7. Inspire One To Get The Ball Rolling

      A well scripted and designed startup video can inspire a brand evangelist who can act as an advocate for your product and promote it through word of mouth and social media marketing to dozens leading to a huge crowd.For instance, Visually had over 80,000 signups from a video on its LaunchRock page months before it was even live thanks to fans shared it at social networks.

8. Improve Website SEO

      Proper SEO techniques have always been a great element in generating greater visibility. When you post your video on YouTube with a strategic title, a keyword-focused description and relevant tags, you are preparing for a traffic rush to your web page. With 38% of Google universal searches including a video, get things heated up with explainer video production.

9. Buys You Time

      Explanation videos give users insights into a product that allows them to assess it well before making a purchase decision. What this means for startups is that even though the product has not been launched yet, videos give it time to make any changes to the product based on audience reaction.

10. Shrink Any Unsatisfied Customer Base

      Sometimes words simply do not communicate what you really want to. With animated explainer videos, you can better give out product information thus achieving higher level of clarity. Thus would reduce the margin of unsatisfied customers produced after an online purchase since they are in a better position to make informed decisions.

      Thrutu has added the fun back to the phone and makes it feel like you are in the same room with the person that you are having the conversation with. This application is available for Android, iPhone and Blackberry.

Video Review:

      As an explainer video they have created a very interesting to watch video on their site. Startup video production is a must for any startup company. Thrutu has realized that and made one to explain how their application works. Here are some notable features of their video:

• The video starts by telling the story of different people and how they have used Thrutu. It is an interesting to watch 3D video footage.
• A model takes the viewer through all the uses of Thrutu and its advantages. This adds a human touch to the video and allows the viewer to actually relate to the situations.
• 2D iconic images have been used to show different things like photos, maps, etc.
• Nice and decent grey background is used throughout the video to bring more notice to the images shown.
• Logo is shown multiple times in the video to reinforce the brand image.

URL:http://www.thrutu.com/

      There are eight steps you have to follow while making an animated demo video. The steps can be divided into two groups of four. The first four steps, included here, cover the process of creating the video.

Scriptwriting

      The script is the nucleus of your demo video. Getting the script spot-on is essential or else the house of cards collapses. There are some scriptwriting guidelines to follow:

• Around 70 to 80 words are communicated in a 30 second video. Decide the length of your video so that the word count for the script can be calculated.
• Focus on the features and benefits of your products/services. Don’t make the video a sales pitch. Rather, use it to inform viewers.
• Add a call to action at the end to hold the viewers’ attention and convince them to buy your products.

      Keep a strict watch on the word count to ensure no points are missed out. You can use Final Draft or simply Microsoft Word to write your script.

Storyboarding

      Storyboarding is the expression of how you envision your demo video. The storyboards comprise the frame by frame outline of the video. Each scene is drawn out on a paper. The storyboarding process can be done digitally, provided you have the right tools for it. It helps to look at samples of storyboards created by professionals so you have a fair idea of what you have to do. Google Sketchup is reliable software for creating storyboards.

Voiceover

      The golden rule of doing voiceover in an animated demo video is to be conversational. Don’t sound as if you are just reading from a piece of paper. Add some expressions and feeling to your voice. It helps keep the viewers interested in watching the video.Needless to say, your pronunciation and accent have to be flawless so the listeners understand each and every word. Record the voiceover on your iPhone using the voiceover app or you can download software on to your PC or laptop. One important thing you have to keep in mind is that there should be no noise in the background whatsoever. Most recording software have the tools for filtering background noise.

Animating

      Animating is the most important step in the process. You have to get the animation right so that it syncs with your idea, the script and the voiceover. Use online tools to get help with animation or hire a professional to do the job for you. Animation is a challenging task and will take up a lot of your time. The key is finding topnotch software, like After Effects.

      When you have the right tools at your disposal, your job becomes much easier. The software best for your project depends on the type of animation, for instance, Anime Studio is the best for 2D animation and 3D Studio for 3D and Flash animation. Startup businesses should look to save costs and go for a 2D video with quality sound and visuals.

      These are the four initial steps to follow for creating the video. Don’t be in a hurry; you still have to get through post-production.

      Once you have made the video, complete with animation and voiceover, it is time to enter the post-production stage. This is where you will work on your video to bring it into its final form. Most experts believe that this stage is more important than the first one where you make the video. This is because viewers only see the final product. They have no idea of the hard work you would have put in initially to create the video.

      Here are the four steps to follow to bring the video to its final shape. This stage may take up more time than the first one.

Sound Effects

      The sound effects and background music have to complement the animation and voiceover. You can opt for creating your own effects and music or use from the stock music available online. Regardless of your decision, make sure the music is in keeping with the theme of the video.

      The demo video is a crucial component of your business’ brand imagery and you have to leave a good impression on viewers. Avoid loud sound effects that can drown out the voiceover. Use the best possible software and recording equipment for recording the audio. Audacity is a great resource for sound effects and you can edit them on the software too.

Editing

      Getting the sync between the video and voiceover right requires a perfect editing job. Fortunately, the length of animated demo videos is short enough to edit for a person with no prior experience. The first step is to find a quality editing software. There are a number of editing tools available online, Final Cut Pro being considered the best.

      Since the video is short, you will only have to do some basic editing. The key here is to get the audio and video perfectly synchronized. Out of sync videos leave a bad impression on the viewers. Final Cut Pro is easy to use and you will be able to edit your videos perfectly.

Delivering

      The dimensions for videos to be uploaded vary from site to site. There are different file formats in use, namely MPEG, VLC and QuickTime. Delivering your video to a number of websites requires you to compress and encode the video according to their specifications.

      Decide on the websites you want to deliver your video to before you create it. This enables you to get done with the compression and encoding quicker. There are innumerable options for delivering your video, the foremost being YouTube. Most of the video sharing websites require you to sign up before you can upload your videos.

Promoting

      An awesome animated demo video promotes itself, but you do need to do your bit. Promote your video through social media marketing, using Facebook, Twitter and the likes. Post your video to your fan pages and website and get your fans to ‘like’ and ‘share’ it. Let your fans create the buzz you need to promote your video. Promoting your video is by far the simplest of the eight steps covered in this series. There are a lot of platforms through which your video can be promoted including YouTube.

      This concludes the step-by-step procedure to create an awesome animated demo video for your business.