Step 1: Understanding your needs
At our first meeting our objective is to gauge the scope of the project and, with an appropriate NDA, gather all pertinent documents and data. It is of great importance to us that our work captures all the intricacies and technical depth of your innovations. We spend quality time listening to you, your team, your scientific advisors and marketing professionals. We take time to read through all the relevant publications you have so we can intimately understand your work.
We will then take all the information gathered from step 1 to create our initial proposal in step 2
Step 2: Interpreting your needs
The best way to show our correct understanding of your concept is to explain it back to you - the expert.
We will propose to you a narrative that we feel will best communicate your needs. The narrative will capture our perspective and understanding as well as what we feel would be the best visual approach given your particular topic, audience and brand.
The outcome will be a live Powerpoint document that summarises the key ideas that are to be communicated in the animation. When all these details are agreed upon, variable costing breakdowns are supplied for different potential animation solutions.
Step 3: Telling your Story
After there is a mutual feeling of clear communication it is time to convert the concepts into a visual narrative that is accurate, meaningful and accessible. To do this we create a Storyboard to capture all of the pertinent visual moments of the narrative. When you are satisfied with the storyboard this becomes the scope and structure of the project
The outcome will be a Storyboard accompanied by a service agreement and detailed costing that makes clear the agreed scope, pricing and structure of the animation project
Once the service agreement is signed the actual project will commence.
Step 4: Setting the Scene
Just like a film we need to create sets, props, actors, lights and cameras. This is however an entirely virtual process in a virtual world so everything is created from scratch. 3D Models are sculpted, painted and animated. All these elements are then brought together to create the 3D animated draft preview version of the narrative. The images are provided at preview quality so as we can come to an agreement on the way things move as well as timing and composition. A scratch voice over track is also very helpful at this stage.
The outcome of this stage is a preview quality video for feedback and revisions
Step 5: Bringing your Story to Life
At this stage the visual quality of the animation is defined by lighting and rendering the images as well as any text or titles. The animation starts to take on a polished rendered quality. This stage will only entered when stage 4 is fully approved by the client.
At the completion of this stage you will still be able to easily change colours, text and certain aspects of the visuals, just not the 3D animated aspects.
The outcome of this stage is the high quality video with the agreed visual style and lighting.
Step 6: Tell your story to the world
The process is nearing completion. The animation is now close to its final quality. By this stage we should have also come to a final version of the voice over text. Professional voice over talent is brought in to record the narrative text for each accent and language you require. Appropriate background music is also sourced at this stage. As the visuals are complete you now have to option to create long or short versions of the narrative for various target platforms.
At this stage you will be supplied with the final animation.
We are happy to do minor edits even after the final deliverables have been supplied. Any major changes to the animation will require re-scoping.