How to create a truly effective animated explainer video

In this world, there are two types of people: those who know how to make shoes and those who think they can make shoes without knowing. The first group does what they know, and, of course, they usually do it well. The second group dares to try anything, even if they’ve never done it before. It might work out for them occasionally; life is full of coincidences. However, most of the time, they mess up. And when the future of your product or brand and your company’s money are at stake, it’s advisable to be cautious. The cobbler shoud stick to his last. It’s best to trust the specialists. This is especially true, for example, when it comes to decide how to create an effective explainer video.

Animated explainer videos are known throughout marketing departments as one of the most effective communication tools in the digital landscape. But they aren’t effective by magic. They are when done well, meeting the requirements that experience has shown to work best. And that, only specialists know how to do. Creators who have produced hundreds of videos and have the knowledge and experience for it.

 

How to create a truly effective animated explainer video

The process of creating an animated explainer video is complex and consists of several phases. Let’s go through all of them because each one is important. Only by taking care of all of them, the result will be excellent and, therefore, effective.

Let’s begin.

 

The Script

The first step to create a truly effective explainer video is scriptwriting. Everything starts here. Most film directors believe that to make a good movie, the most important element is to have a good script. The same goes for explainer videos. The script is not only the first step in the process, but it is also the most crucial one.

It has to be concise; people don’t have time for long stories. The shorter, the better. Above all, it has to make good use of two essential scriptwriting techniques: storytelling and visual thinking, to make it engaging, understandable, and memorable.

 

Storytelling

Storytelling helps generate interest and captivate the viewer until the end of the video. Whenever possible (it’s not always possible), the script will be written in the form of a story. What is a story? A story is the explanation of conflict resolution. You should try to present a problem, a question, or a need at the beginning of the script and dedicate the rest to explaining the solution. And who will solve the problem? Of course, the product or brand that we are presenting with the video. The product should always be the hero of the story, the star of the video.

 

Visual Thinking

Visual thinking involves using images to express concepts and ideas. Images have the ability to communicate powerfully and universally, regardless of language, and are the most efficient way to reach the brain and stay in it. That’s why, if one wants to produce a truly effective animated explainer video, they have to write the script already thinking about the images they will later use to illustrate it. In other words, they have to think in images, as we did, for example, in this video for the European Regional Development Fund. Click on the image to watch the video.

 

Example of visual metaphor.

 

The Storyboard

The storyboard is the visualization of the script in images drawn like a comic. It’s the story told through drawings. Not with final illustrations, but with simple, very basic drawings, sufficient to understand the story. This is the moment to truly apply visual thinking, although it helps a lot if the scriptwriter has already taken it into account in the scriptwriting phase, as mentioned in the previous paragraph.

The entire process of producing a highly effective explainer video is a creative exercise, as expected, but probably in the design of the storyboard is where one has to be most creative. You have to look for those visual metaphors, those powerful, surprising yet easily understandable images that help explain the video’s narrative in an interesting and memorable way.

 

The simple drawings of a storyboard.

 

The Drawings

We’re talking about explainer videos. And although, at times, they can be made with real-life footage shot with a video camera, the most common type of explainer video, the one we’re discussing here, is the one that uses animated illustrations.

The first quality that defines the best explainer videos is personality. It is primarily the responsibility of the illustrations to infuse the video with personality. Take a look at the explainer videos you see online. You’ll notice that some, few in number, have illustrations with a special, distinctive, and highly attractive style. Others, on the other hand, the majority, use a bland, standard style, lacking any personality. The first ones grab attention, are more memorable, and generate more brand association. The latter… well, who wants to have a video that goes unnoticed?

As you can imagine, the difference between the first and the latter is not just a matter of boldness or creativity but also an economic consideration. Quality illustrations, created by talented illustrators, are more expensive. But I assure you that it’s always worth paying that extra cost to have a truly effective explainer video that stands out for its originality.

 

The Animation

When you’re producing an explainer video and have already created all the illustrations outlined in the storyboard, it’s time to do the animation. In other words, to give movement to those illustrations to bring them to life. It’s the moment of magic. Animation is a key part of storytelling; it’s the difference between a collection of individual images and a story that captivates and stays in the viewer’s memory. Animation is the cement that binds the images, breathes life into the story you’re telling, smoothens transitions, and focuses attention.

 

The Voiceover and the Soundtrack

It might seem that at this point, we almost have the video finished. Well, that’s not the case. We’re missing almost half of it. We have only the visual part of the video; we’re lacking everything that comes through the ears: the voiceover and the soundtrack. And this part is as crucial as what we’ve done so far and needs to be treated with the same care.

The voiceover should be done by a professional narrator. With good diction, a pleasant tone that conveys trust, and persuasiveness. It’s the one that presents the message and story in a memorable, informative, and convincing way.

The soundtrack is completed with music and sound effects. Music is crucial; it helps generate a mood, creates an atmosphere, and makes the story flow naturally. And sound effects reinforce the movements of the images and make them believable.

 

Creating a truly effective explainer video is a team effort

Now you know how to create an effective explainer video. It’s a long and complex process that requires the involvement of various specialized, creative, and experienced professionals, putting all their knowledge in the service of a product, a brand, or a message. It is advisable to leave your explainer video project in their hands. Are there other ways to do it? Yes, of course, if you have a budget to spare for experiments.