Planning CG Animation correctly

CG Animation is a wonderful way to present complex products or content. But before you plunge into production, you should consider a few things. Because only if you approach the planning correctly you will be rewarded with a great result in the end.

So, what should you look out for in a CG Animation?

Define your goals

Before you even start planning, you need to be clear about what goal you want to achieve with the animation. For example, do you want to present a complex product or explain an intuitive step-by-step process? Once you know what you want to animate, you can move on to the next phase of planning.

Writing a script – the cornerstone of CG Animation

Every good animation starts with a script. In this script you define what exactly should happen in the animation and in which order the scenes should run. It is important not to put too much into the animation – otherwise you will only confuse the viewer in the end. So it’s better to write a few scenes less than too many. This way, your audience can keep an overview and concentrate on the really important information.

Create a storyboard

Now you have finished your script and know exactly what content you want to work through in your animation. But before you start implementing your animation, it’s a good idea to create a storyboard. This is where you visualize each scene and plan in advance how it will look later. The storyboard also helps you to identify and correct potential mistakes in the sequence of scenes at an early stage. This would also be an ideal time to discuss the feasibility of your ideas with your agency or the animation studio.

Check resources and define budget

If you are working on a technical CG Animation, you will probably use CAD files. The rule here is to check the data for completeness and usability in good time. Often, hoses, cables, labels, etc. are missing from machines, which can quickly lead to a considerable modelling effort. This in turn has a direct influence on the production budget. Data quality is therefore of crucial importance for your production and budget planning.

Plan your CG Animation with realistic timings

Of course, everything should be finished as quickly as possible. But CG Animation takes time. Complex scenes can – depending on the render performance – take several days of rendering time. In addition, you should never underestimate the coordination and approval processes. The more decision-makers are involved, the longer it takes. For complex productions, it is advisable to use an approval tool such as Filestage.

Choose production partners carefully

If you are producing your CG Animation with an external partner, you should take a close look at their industry expertise. The expert for character animation is probably not the right one when it comes to presenting a hydrogen catalytic converter in a clear and understandable way. Especially if technically complex interrelationships are to be depicted, it is important that your production partner has the appropriate know-how.

Any questions about the production of a CG Animation?

Our team of experts is always ready to help and advise you. We would be happy to show you in a personal presentation how we can breathtakingly stage your product. We look forward to your call at +49 5485 – 9979040.

The production of a technical CG Animation can take from a few weeks to several months. It depends on the complexity of the animation and the scope of the project.

Usually, the production starts with a planning phase in which the concept is created and the storyboard is developed. Then the 3D models are created and animated. Finally, sound and music are added to the animation.

The cost of a CG Animation depends on various factors such as the duration, scope and difficulty of the animation. A simple animation can be created for as little as € 500, while an elaborate animation can cost several thousand Euros.

A storyboard is a graphic illustration of a story told in a series of images. To create a storyboard for a CG Animation, you first have to sketch or draw the scenes of the animation. Then you have to put these scenes in a certain order and label them with the dialogue and the respective actions.