A starting point for your budget
Projects often start with budgets between £5,000 and £10,000. Think of this as a starting point, not a fixed package or a guarantee that every film will land in this range. Bigger campaigns, new character worlds, or more complex productions might need a larger investment. Our quoted rates exclude VAT, as mentioned in our terms of business.
It all depends on what you want your animation to achieve. Tell us about your audience, your core message, where the animation will show up, your deadline, and any budget thoughts. If you’ve seen examples you love, let us know what catches your eye. Maybe it’s the design, the energy, or the rhythm.
What are you actually paying for?
A good quote should clearly describe both the work and the final files, so you know exactly what to expect. Check which stages are included, who’s responsible for any missing pieces, and when you’ll be asked to approve the work along the way.
- The idea and script involve deciding what will be said and how the story will unfold.
- Planning and design: creating the artwork, developing the characters, preparing the storyboards and making a preliminary timed edit to check the pace.
- Animation involves creating the motion, along with any modelling, lighting and work needed to combine the final images.
- Voice-over, music, effects, final inspections and the approved files.
Why a shorter film is not always half the price
Even a single frame of a 30-second film needs a strong idea, a clear design vision, and a full production setup. Cutting a 60-second script in half doesn’t magically halve the creative work. In fact, if assets already exist, making a film longer is often simpler than building everything from scratch.
Picture launching the same service in three unique styles. A graphic film might rely on bold typography and clean diagrams. A character-driven film calls for a fresh cast, multiple settings, and lively performances. A campaign could spin the core idea into a main film, plus short edits and various layouts. The workload shifts dramatically, even if the main films run for the same length.
Make a smaller budget a creative decision
Start by figuring out the one thing your audience absolutely needs to understand or feel. Then look for ways to keep things simple: fewer scenes, a sharper script, simpler visuals, or fewer versions. A strong, clear idea always beats a complicated concept squeezed into a small space.
As you plan, think about what can be reused. Designing a character or graphic system with future projects in mind can be a smart move, though each new adaptation will still need its own planning and production. Decide early what is reusable, what must be created from scratch, and what rights or files you will need.
Compare quotes using the same checklist
Check what is covered in the total cost. Ask for separate quotes for the essentials and any extras. Before choosing a partner, ensure you have:
- The length of the film, the number of scenes, the visual style and any of the provided materials.
- The precise versions: the aspect ratios, the shorter cuts, the languages, the captions and the stills.
- The process of reviewing the script and the various rounds of revision, together with the situation in which a script that has been approved undergoes changes.
- The inclusion of music and voice content, the setting of final file permissions, and whether editable project files are provided.
- The date of delivery, the deadlines for client approval, the stages of payment, and the VAT together with the exclusions.
Bring us the brief, even if it is still a little rough
You don’t need every detail figured out before you get in touch. A simple note like, “We need to explain this service to this audience for this launch, with about this much to spend,” is a great place to start. From there, we’ll explore creative ideas and what’s possible within your budget.
The starting range is just a conversation starter. Your proposal will outline what we are creating, how we will bring it to life, and what the investment will be.
