So you’re thinking about getting some animation made and there’s lots of questions buzzing around your head. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

So, let’s cut to the chase. How much does an animation cost?
Every project is unique. We have made 30 seconds of animation for £(small) and we’ve also made 30 seconds of animation for £(BIG). Every project has its specific requirements and we’ll work with you to discover what is right for your project and budget.

We appreciate that there might not always be a set budget in place…but putting a figure on it is the major first step in the production of your animation. If you haven’t given us a figure to work with and we’ve provided a quote that’s come in higher than you’d hoped, don’t walk away in disappointment. Let’s chat about it and reach that magic number together! We are ALWAYS happy to negotiate…especially if we are your preferred supplier. Don’t be the game show contestant that ends up with the briefcase, when you could be walking away with the speedboat (for the avoidance of doubt, yes, we are the speedboat in this analogy…vrrrrroooom…look at us go)!

Once we are all on the same page, the fun begins and our creative cogs start turning to figure out how to give you the biggest bang for your buck!

How long does it take to make an animation?
As you can imagine this varies greatly, with factors like style, technique, and subject matter. We’d say the average 1-minute animation takes around 4-6 weeks to create. The quickest turn around for a minute of animation is around 3-4 weeks. That being said, may I draw your attention to fig.1

Your animation lies somewhere on this Venn diagram. We’ve just got to work out where! NB That ‘sweet spot’ slap bang in the middle…well it’s a bit like a unicorn, sure it’s majestic and beautiful, but sadly it doesn’t exist. Your project will lie somewhere between TWO of the factors! Fast and good is never cheap….fast and cheap is…well….you get the idea.

What is involved in making an animation?
There are lots of steps to making animation and we’ve written a whole step by step guide which you can find here.

When can you start?
Once you have signed on the dotted line and that first payment has hit our account we can start our mad (yet highly trained) scribbling.

How much input will I have?
You can have as much input as you would like, so fill your boots! We love collaborating with our clients. You bring knowledge, insight, and perspective on the subject in question, we bring our expertise and mad skills in animation, mix them together and BOOM, we collectively bring something deliciously new and exciting to the screen! You are involved in all the important decisions and can give feedback at all the key stages in creating your animation. On the flip side of that same coin, if you’re a busy bee, we’re more than happy to crack on, with you only contributing to the crucial stages of production.

Can you make additional art and content for social media?
Of course! We love a good gif and an awesome #CallToAction! We can make specific advertising art for posts and cut downs of the animation. If you know what you’re going to need upfront then that makes it easier for us and reduces those pesky costs.

What if I don’t like what you make?
Just try and not like what we make for you…go on…we dare ya 😀 No seriously, there are lots of stages, especially in pre-production, that you can tell us exactly that. “I don’t like it”. We can then work with you and your feedback to make your animation more awesome. Above the line changes are relatively quick and painless and all part of the process. Once we have completed pre-production, you will have designs and an animatic, which is effectively the blueprint for your film. You will have a very good idea of what the final animation will look like before we begin bringing your animation to life. Below the line changes are fiddly, time-consuming and baring the odd tweak, can lead to some of those pesky costs creeping back up, see fig.2

What payment options are there available?
On smaller projects, this is usually 50% of the budget upfront. When every other aspect of your project is delivered, we then request the rest. On larger projects, we can discuss monthly or milestone payments.

Will I own the animation once it’s done?
Yes, it’s 100% yours to do with as you wish. We deliver your final film in whatever format you need. Congratulations, you are the proud owner of a Sun & Moon animation and you can now show it off!  If you require the source files (working project files used to create the animation) or have a specific request for character design rights buyout (as you plan to use them elsewhere as part of your branding etc) then this is something for us to discuss at quote stage. We are proud of everything we make and with your permission, we love to shout about your project on our social media and share it on our website.

Brilliant! Where do I sign?
We’d love to talk to you about your next project. Send us an email to info@sunandmoonstudios.co.uk or give us a call on +44 (0)117 300 9409.

 

our FAQs!

We’ve got some questions for you! Arm yourself with the answers to this set of questions and you’ll be any studios dream client, straight out the gate….you’re welcome 😉

What is your animation for?
Are you spreading the word? Are you getting new customers? Are you creating a community? What is the goal of your animation?

Who is your audience?
How old is your target audience? Where do they live? What are they in to? Sometimes the answer is everyone!! But even then, it helps to have a specific person or group in mind to focus your project. Who is this person?

How many and how long?
Are we making 3 animations that are 30 seconds long? Or 1 animation 2 minutes long? You get the idea!

What is the outline?
Do you already have an idea of what is going to happen in your animation? Where is it set? Who are the main characters? What are they doing? It is also perfectly fine to not have any answers to any of these questions!

Will you be supplying anything?
Do you have any artwork or characters that you’d like us to work with? Any brand guidelines? Maybe you already have a script or a voice-over track. Whatever you’ve got we’d love to see it!

Platform?
Where is your animation going to live? Television? Social Media? The London Underground? All of the above??

Delivery?
When is your animation being unleashed upon the world? Are there any other key dates during the project that we need to be aware of?

What would you like it to look like?
Maybe you’ve seen something before that you like or have a really clear idea of how you’d like it to look. We’d like to see what you’ve got in mind. Reference images and videos help steer us in the right direction to make something awesome just for you. Maybe you haven’t a Scooby Doo (clue)! If you have no idea what you’d like, then fret not! We love a blank canvas and can help you discover the style that suits your project.

What is your budget?
Aaaah it’s back!! The super ugly question! Don’t worry. We aren’t trying to take all your pennies. If you share that super-secret magic number with us then we can show you the sort of animation you can expect for your budget. We can then adjust costs from there. We’re always more than happy to quote without a specified budget however it does make it more difficult to cater specifically to you. As mentioned above, the cost of animation can vary greatly and we want to make sure we pitch an approach that suits you and your project.

We can’t wait to hear about it!

We hope you’ve found these questions and answers useful for getting to grips with your project. We can’t wait to hear about it! Feel free to get in contact to discuss your project or with any other questions you might have by emailing info@sunandmoonstudios.co.uk or giving us a call on +44 (0)117 300 9409. Speak soon!