Animation Services In A Nutshell
If you have been googling “What services does an animation agency offer?” you have landed at the right place.
Here, we will explore everything an animation agency does, from the most basic services to the most intricate, specialized ones.
But if you are looking for a brief version of the answer here, it is.
What services does an animation agency offer?
In a nutshell, an animation studio will offer you this: a full spectrum of digital services under one roof. Anything you can think of, they can make it happen.
Animated video production companies typically help brands create a compelling digital marketing strategy with custom animated videos. They use striking visuals, alluring typography, and relatable storytelling to give the brand its unique voice that will be heard loud and clear and make an impact.
But why animation? Can’t traditional marketing techniques achieve that? Well, no.
And this is why.
The Need For Animation
Humans are inquisitive creatures. But they are also creatures that get bored very, very quickly. As wonderful and as bright as we are, we need constant stimulation to remain focused and alert. With an attention span of a mere 8 seconds, we fall along the same range as goldfish (it is heartbreaking, I know).
But! This short attention span has brought about the evolution of animation; because moving images always, ALWAYS beat static ones.
The emergence of the celluloid film in 1888 marked the beginning of the animation, as produced for theatrical screenings, television, and later on home entertainment. However, cinema aficionados and historians will argue that the history of animation began much earlier, as early as 1659, with the shadow play and the magic lantern.
Even though the actual origins of animation are relatively insignificant for our intents and purposes, the human need for animation is not.
Humans need animated images to become involved, pay attention, understand what they are seeing, and recall it later on.
Savvy marketers have realized that animation is the way to bait your prospects, grab their attention, hook them and keep them hooked.
Enter the emergence of animation agencies.
So, what services does an animation agency offer?
Video Animation Services
The past decade has seen an explosion in video marketing. Consumers are more interested in watching videos about a product or service rather than reading about it. As a result, businesses are ready to jump on board the video bandwagon and reap the benefits this medium has to offer.
Unsurprisingly, video animation services have risen in popularity, and research suggests that video marketing is the best form of ROI. So, if you are a business, you are probably considering hiring an animation agency to create compelling videos for your brand.
However, video animation services should be seen as the general umbrella, with several other subcategories falling under it.
More specifically, these are:
Animated Video Explainers
Storytelling Videos
Animated Video Infographics
Whiteboard Animation
Product Demo Videos
Tutorial Videos
Health and Safety Videos
Landing Pages
Internal Communication
1. Animated Video Explainers
Several companies have seen their fantastic products fall behind in sales because they lack the skills to effectively sell the products to their audience. Having an excellent product but failing to communicate how awesome it actually is, is similar to writing a Pulitzer-prize-worthy book and never publishing it. As a result, neither the fantastic product nor the book will ever reach the intended audience.
It is logical therefore, to argue that companies need and have to showcase their products to their buyers.
But sometimes, it is hard to explain something using just words. You know the old saying, "a picture is a thousand words?" Now imagine these pictures moving in an animated video. The possibilities are endless!
So, animated video explainers are superb if you want to showcase your new product. Why waste energy, money, time, and resources creating a written copy that your consumers will simply ignore (or skim in the best-case scenario)?
A video will say it all and will grab your consumers' (ever-diminishing) attention while respecting their time (it takes far more time to read something than to see it!). But, more than that, videos will evoke an emotion. People will never remember what you say to them, but they will remember how you make them feel.
Animated video explainers will create an emotional connection between your brand and your consumers. In less than 3 minutes, you will have made an impeccable, lasting impression in your consumers' minds and will have succeeded in increasing sales leads by more than 50% (as reported by recent statistics).
So, having said that, what can you generally use animated video explainers for?
If you want to cut straight to the chase, animated video explainers are a very compelling go-to option when you:
● Need to introduce new products to your audience
● Need to explain how a product works
● Need to produce inspiring corporate videos
● Need to communicate a charity’s outreach
● Need to reach your new employees and share the company’s vision with them
2. Storytelling Videos
We all love a good story. In fact, we are suckers for it.
Why? Because we are creatures of reason and logic. And we are also emotional creatures. A good story taps into these needs by helping us understand something and allowing us to connect with it.
As creatures of logic, we seek explanations and clarifications until something makes sense and until the new information feels right.
As emotional creatures, we seek an emotional connection and a way to relate to things around us. We tend to understand things better when they resonate with us and when we feel a connection with them.
Storytelling videos are quickly gaining ground as one of the animation agencies' newest favorites, most precious darlings, and most sought-after services.
If you want to win your audience and reap the benefits of the newest corporate buzzword, animated storytelling videos are the way to go.
Why storytelling, then? Because:
● Storytelling is emotional and memorable
● Storytelling is unique and authentic
● Storytelling forms a connection point
● Storytelling removes complexity
● Storytelling allows for valuable teaching lessons
● Storytelling will pass your message in a seamless and natural way
Animation agencies will create compelling, riveting storytelling videos to inspire your audience, advertise your product, convey your brand's mission, illustrate a case study, offer a professional Bio, etc.
In the world of online marketing, the marketer who connects with their audience is the marketer who wins. But, with so many alternative products and services out there, what will make your audience choose your brand and not a competing one?
A powerful storytelling animation video: this is what will set you apart from the crowd.
“Start selling stories, not products or solutions, and you will connect to your consumer to a deeper level” Rohan Iyer (world’s leading marketeer).
3. Animated Video Infographics
Statistics can become tedious, tiresome, and downright dull. But, sometimes, there is no way around it. You just have to use numbers in your analytics.
Infographics have been praised as the unsung heroes of a company's marketing strategy. Numbers will convince people more than words will, and infographics will convey these numbers in a memorable way.
And yet, little by little, the infographics are slowly falling out of favor.
Millennials and the Z's generation are shifting from perceiving static pictures to animated visuals.
These shifting trends in preference are evident in the rise of video platforms like Tik Tok. Research shows that there are one billion Tik Tok users worldwide. Created in late 2018, Tik Tok has been downloaded 2.6 billion times to date and was the app with the most downloads globally in 2020. Adding to these staggering stats is that 90% of Tik Tok users visit the app more than once daily, and you can understand why consumers have shifted their preference from pictorial infographics to animated ones.
An animation agency will help you present your pictorial infographics (data, facts, figures, and numbers) in an engaging, memorable, and innovative manner through custom-made video animation infographics.
Aligned with your brand's voice and tone, an animated video infographic will present information in an exciting way and will help your audience grasp your analytics better and faster. Research shows that video infographics generate a large number of social shares and also significantly impact SEO performance.
"Video Infographics" are a step ahead of infographics and an effective way to reach out to your consumers and make a lasting impression in your viewer's minds.
Animation agencies are frequently requested to create infographic animation videos that corporate businesses use in their quarterly and annual sales meetings, PowerPoint presentations with investors, and so on.
If you are still not convinced about the potency of animated infographic videos, this is a quick list of what top animation agencies have to say when asked to comment on the effectiveness of animated infographic videos.
So, why animated infographic videos?
Because animated infographic videos:
are memorable
are interesting
allow for creativity
make content digestible
simplify complex concepts
are easier to share
drive top of the funnel traffic
add to the brand’s value
convey the brand’s voice
boast higher usability
are recyclable and reusable
create link-building opportunities and backlinks
4. Whiteboard Animation
A whiteboard animation is perfect for introducing videos in your marketing campaigns. It is easier to make and costs significantly less than full-scale animation videos, and it is becoming a favorite among the services offered by an animation agency.
While not a full-blown film or animation video, whiteboard animation is still a very compelling way to convey your message.
But what exactly is it?
Well, think of it this way. Your viewers are students in your classroom, and you are the teacher scribbling notes or drawing sketches on the whiteboard. Now imagine your whiteboard writings (or drawings) being videoed in the making and broadcasted. That's it. This is what whiteboard animation is, which is why it is frequently called video scribing.
The illustrations and the writings are sometimes accompanied by a narration that walks the viewer through the story that is being portrayed in the drawings. While simple at its core, whiteboard animation is undoubtedly very engaging.
Why would you use a whiteboard animation video?
For starters, they are easier to make and cost less if you find yourself to be on a budget.
However, the real magic of whiteboard animation videos lies in the fact that they are an exciting and innovative way to market your services, products, or brands. They are short and to the point, taking away any unnecessary fluff, which makes them memorably potent.
Moreover, as these videos are streamlined and focused, they succeed in getting your message across loud and clear.
How could you use this very powerful marketing tool? When it comes to whiteboard video animations, sky is the limit.
A whiteboard animation can be the perfect addition to your company's website, email newsletters, social media campaigns, etc. It can be used as an influential call to action or as a straightforward way to show your consumers why they need your products or services and why you are the best at what you do.
Presenting complex company information in simple illustrations helps your customers better understand your brand's details. For example, instead of using PowerPoint presentations, you can use whiteboard animations as a training library to deliver practical and perhaps intricate information to new employees.
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a video is surely worth a million. And you can bet a whiteboard animation is worth your money.
All you need is an idea; the animation agency will take over the rest and work their magic.
5. Product Demo Videos
Animation studios and animation agencies are frequently assigned the task of creating product demo videos used for training purposes.
For example, if you own a company that produces heavy-duty machinery, you would create a product demo video to demonstrate the usage of said product. While instructions are always included in the packaging, more and more companies are turning towards tutorial videos that clients are directed to view via QR quotes.
Product demo videos beat written instructions anytime. For starters, videos can present the internal working of the product, which helps your customers achieve a deeper understanding of the intricate details involved. Second, product demo videos are more interesting to observe and follow the basic human premise: we learn by watching (not by reading).
Note, however, that product demo videos can also be a critical asset in your marketing strategy. Whereas they are used to showcase the workings of a product, such videos can also be used to push your prospects further down the sales funnel.
Let us suppose that a prospective buyer is torn between buying your product versus a competitive one. So naturally, one of the first things they would do is search for videos, reviews, manuals, etc.
A skillfully done product demo video will succeed in tipping the scales in your favor. Add to that a tutorial video, and voila! Leads are guaranteed.
6. Tutorial Videos
Even though you might intuitively assume that tutorial videos and product demo videos are essentially the same, they are actually not. There is a difference between the two, and leading animation agencies offer distinct services for both.
So, what exactly are the differences?
A product demo video is exactly that. It demonstrates how a product works and is usually most helpful after a customer has already decided they need the product. A product demo video is crucial in helping prospects pick your product over any other one. With these videos, you showcase the practical usage of your product, advertise it, and help reach a wider audience.
A tutorial video, on the other hand, is most useful when prospects are still at the consideration stage of their buying journey, still unsure whether they really need the product and whether it can add value to their lives. Unlike product demo videos, tutorial videos reach your audience on a more emotional level by forming a connection and showing that their lives can indeed improve should they choose to purchase what you are selling.
7. Health and Safety Videos
We have all seen Health and Safety videos before. At airports, ports, schools, malls, construction sites, and pretty much everywhere else.
Some videos are informative, some are interesting, some are engaging, and some are entertaining (should they take a humorous spin-off on safety concerns). The point is that we have all seen such videos and might even recall a few memorable ones. However, we rarely stop to think about what goes into the making of such Health and Safety videos.
Animation agencies have been particularly busy creating Health and Safety videos for governments during the recent pandemic. While we were all self-isolating, animators worked hard in animation studios to produce informative videos that would keep us safe during the widespread of Covid.
Of course, animation agencies had their hands full even before the pandemic, releasing Health and Safety videos for several industries and their construction workers. Such videos educate workers about the potential hazards in their work sites and instruct them on how to avoid them. These videos unfold an incident/accident scenario and talk about equipment safety operating procedures and engineering processes. Some top-of-the-notch Health and Safety videos may even offer a 3D walkthrough in the industry and prepare current and prospective employees on how to avoid and, if needs be, survive and handle a hazardous situation.
8. Landing Pages
In digital marketing, a landing page is a standalone web page that serves as the entryway to a business or company's actual webpage. A landing page is where a visitor "lands" while surfing around the net or while using search engines to find specific products or services. Typically clicking on a link in an email, Google Ad, Bing, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter will direct the viewer to the specific landing page.
Unlike web pages, landing pages serve a specific purpose and are designed with a single focus or goal in mind: the call to action, or CTA for short. The focus might be anything, depending on what you want to achieve. Sign up for an email newsletter? Participate in a survey? Download the products catalog? View the product demo? You name it! The options are endless.
A landing page can serve several purposes and is the go-to option for companies and businesses looking to increase their conversion rates and their leads.
Since landing pages should, by default, be quick and to the point, videos are a superb add-on for these pages. However, since different landing pages of the same company are designed for different ends and purposes, the same video could not be used in all (and this would not look good in SEO terms either!)
Consequently, a company will require several videos. However, unless their budget is off the charts, which would allow them the creation of live videos, simple animated videos are an excellent option.
Depending on your brand's voice, the landing page animated video can tone-match and can be informative, humorous, professional, friendly, reassuring, etc.
9. Internal Communication Video
Internal communications are crucial to ensure that your employees and co-workers share your vision for your business. Without effective communication amongst team members, efficient collaboration cannot be achieved. Moreover, without collaboration, productivity drops, and performance worsens.
However, in the hubbub of busy daily proceedings, internal communication can be easily lost, oftentimes without even realizing it.
Animation agencies are frequently asked to step in and mediate this communication misaligning by creating intercommunication videos.
Animation videos have become an essential aspect in building healthy relationships amongst the members of an organization by fostering communication and setting the groundwork for an emotional connection amongst team members.
Strong motivational messages are used in such videos to inspire the same work ethic, enthusiasm, passion, and zeal in all those involved.
Types Of Video Animation Agencies Offer
Animation agencies and animation studios offer four different types of videos, each of which can be used to create any of the previously described subcategories.
These different types of videos are:
Motion Graphics Videos
2D Animated Videos
3D Animated Videos
Live Action Animation
Motion Graphics Videos
Motion graphics videos are animation videos but have the text and graphic designs as their pivotal axis. It is as if graphics are brought to life. Animation agencies use a series of creative cinematography techniques (animation, visual effects, sounds, etc.) to create stunning motion graphics videos that are sure to impress your audience.
2D Animated Videos
One of the services you can expect an animation agency to offer is the creation of 2D animated videos. 2D animated videos are produced digitally with two-dimensional motion images. This type of video is the perfect format for explaining your business model, products, and services in a simple, straightforward, compelling, and exciting manner.
Using dazzling production elements, these videos are an excellent attention-grabbing marketing tool that will help your company stand out from the crowd while at the same time delivering helpful information to your audience.
Relying on unique characters and engaging storytelling that resonates with your audience, this style of 2D video animation is excellent for communicating conceptual services or products in a streamlined manner.
3D Animated Videos
3D animated videos utilize motion in a three-dimensional space in order to bring characters, objects, scenes, and props to life. Movement, custom graphics, and computer graphics are all brought together to create excellent results and stunning 3D videos.
Traditionally 3D animated videos have been used to create video games, films, and TV shows. But gradually, yet steadily, 3D animated videos have grown in popularity, and animation agencies are making them to boost companies' and businesses' marketing efforts.
Unlike 2D animated videos, 3D animated videos are more realistic, sophisticated, and complex and open up a world of opportunities to bring any idea to life.
Live-Action Animation
Animation companies that offer live-action animation services will combine live-action filmmaking with animation to create an animated film. Typically, live-action and computer-animated films will feature real actors and 2D or 3D animations. Bringing the best of two possible worlds, live-action animations make for excellent communication methods and are ideal when trying to connect with your audience.
Live-action animation videos fall under one of two categories:
● Animated typography videos.
● Stop-motion animation videos
Animated Typography Videos
Animated typography videos focus on moving texts to convey an idea, a message, or tell a story to your audience. Through careful use of voiceover, sound effects, and music, such videos can easily evoke emotions in your audience and help you connect with them.
Stop Motion Animation Videos
Stop motion animation videos are also called stop-frame-animation videos. These videos capture one frame at a time, and between each frame, physical objects, characters, props, etc., are moved. When these frames are rapidly played back in sequence, the illusion of movement is created.
Why Choose Animated Videos?
Animated videos are an excellent way to grab your audience's attention and make sure that you hold it long enough to convey your message. There are many benefits of using animated videos, and the possibilities are endless while the sky is the limit.
But in case you are still wondering why the services of an animation agency are so crucial, here is a comprehensive list of the benefits incurred.
Animated videos offer precise, straightforward, and simple explanations of intricate, complicated, and tricky concepts. Remove the complexity of written instructions by creating an informative video that successfully delivers but not overwhelms.
Animated videos offer precise, straightforward, and simple explanations of intricate, complicated, and tricky concepts. Remove the complexity of written instructions by creating an informative video that successfully delivers but not overwhelms.
Animated videos make for easy distribution on multiple social platforms. They can be used almost everywhere to reach your targeted audience. From corporate websites to landing pages to social media and even TV ads, animated videos are a true gem that will catapult your marketing strategy to success. By recycling and reusing your videos on different platforms, animated videos are the gift that keeps on giving.
Animated videos are ideal for branding and rebranding purposes. To create a strong brand presence, animation studios will play around with colors, typography, visual effects, voiceovers, sound effects, and other cinematography techniques.
Already have a brand, but you are in need of rebranding? No problem. Animation agencies will give your existing brand the facelift it needs and will revamp it to introduce a whole new brand concept to your audience.
Other Services
Animation studios are your go-to option when trying to improve, enhance and strengthen your marketing strategy. Videos are a potent tool for reaching out to your customers, and the benefits of using professional animation videos are infinite.
Choosing the services of an animation agency is always an astute step towards your marketing success because videos are known for their effectiveness and success in creating strong brand names for companies and corporate businesses alike.
However, animation agencies offer a range of other services that can be used to increase awareness of your services and products and generate more leads and sales.
More specifically, such services include:
Graphics design services
Video Editing Services
Brochure Design Services
Logo Design Services
Digital Campaigns
Social Media
Branding
Graphics Design Services
Animation studios will frequently offer graphic design services.
Graphic designers working in animation studios will create visual content to communicate messages. They apply visual hierarchy and page layout techniques to create a design that is aesthetically pleasing, inviting, and memorable. Unique typography, riveting pictures, stunning images, and interactive designs are all used in perfect harmony.
Graphic designers work carefully to strike the perfect balance between functionality and looks, thereby achieving an optimized user experience.
Video Editing Services
Do you have a video ready but needs that unique pizzaz element? If your video is lacking that extra something, but you can't quite put your finger on it, an animation agency will take over the editing.
During their video editing services, animation studios will review and refine your video adding special effects, soundtracks, voiceovers, and other cinematography techniques to bring about that "wow" result you are looking for.
Sharpen your video before launching it to ensure it impacts your audience precisely like you want it to.
Brochure Design Services
You can trust the design of your brochures, flyers, sales leaflets, etc., in the expert hands of professional designers working in animation agencies.
An impressive brochure will help increase your sales and spread awareness about your services and products by creating a lasting impression on your target audience.
Digital Campaigns
Animation agencies have a team of expert designers, savvy marketers, professional animators, authority brand managers, and skillful content writers that can create your digital campaigns from scratch.
Leading animation studios will design, create and implement a digital campaign that will reflect your brand's tone and voice, will reach out to and connect with your audience.
The right animation agency will create and implement a stellar digital campaign that and will help your brand fly through the roofs.
Social Media
Since social media are now seeing an explosion of animated video use, it makes sense that animation agencies can and will take over your social media presence making sure that your product and services are seen and heard!
While paid and organic social media are best harnessed for different purposes, a more holistic approach combining both of these is ideal for achieving maximum visibility and ultimate conversion.
Animation agencies will harness the use of both paid and organic social media traffic and will create compelling animated videos with impeccable results.
Work With Us
While the value of working with an animation agency is immense, the benefits are measurable and can be immediately seen in your company's ROI, leads, sales, and visibility.
Having said that, you should note that in order to reap the rewards and enjoy the benefits, you must find the animation agency that will best capture your ideas and put your thoughts, values, and voice into action.
Finding the perfect match of an animation agency is not an easy task, but it begins with us!
Work with us–a Professional Independent Film Production and Video Company!
LittleFire Films is a New England-based company that has helped hundreds of companies and corporate businesses materialize their ideal video. We have been proudly serving big-name companies such as:
● National Geographic
● Lego
● Hilton
● Lululemon
● Disney
● BlueCross BlueShield
● More
However, we are also working with smaller-scale boutique companies, and we express the same zeal, enthusiasm, devotion, and commitment as we would with any other big brand name.
Because we know and we understand what it takes to make a name for yourself. We understand small businesses as much as we understand big ones. Because LittleFire Films started small and slowly became big.
So trust us; we will take your brand and catapult it to success. We have an impeccable stellar record of successful video creations with global outreach.
Come to us with an idea, and we will make it happen. Even if you don't have an idea, we will sit down and work with you until you know exactly what you are looking for.
The rest is our job. We will take this idea and bring it to life.
We create magic, one shoot at a time.
Trust us to create your ideal, engaging videos with compelling content that will be ready to premiere in no time.
So, what do you say? Are you ready to create a little bit of magic with us?