What are the most important messages you want the video to hit? The fewer, the more impact the video will have.
– CLIENT SIGN OFF –
Write / have a script written. It's important to remember that content is not a script. It needs a story arc. Remember, if it has a voice-over, then read it out loud to yourself so you can be sure it makes sense and feels authentic.
—- CLIENT SIGN OFF —-
What will your video look and sound like? Does it have a voice-over, if so what do they sound like? Agree on a look and feel. Give or get examples if possible. This can often be driven by budget, time and branding. You're not making a Pixar film so be realistic. You may have seen competitors examples which you like. But do you know how much it cost them to make?
—- CLIENT SIGN OFF —-
The more people signing off the video, often the more detail is required and the longer it takes to produce and refine. On rare occasions this can be skipped (timing, a re-work of a video or you just trust the designer!)
—- CLIENT SIGN OFF —-
Source, supply or create illustration, music, video footage & images. Now is also the time to record the voice-over, before starting animating. Remember... a voice-over licence, if used externally to an organisation, incurs higher costs and often rolling yearly fees.
—- CLIENT SIGN OFF —-
Start animating.
Sometimes only one review is required, other times, work in progress at the end of each day(s) can be helpful. Making changes not in the storyboard costs more time and money
—- CLIENT SIGN OFF —-
Source and edit music and sound effects if required. This doesn't include the voice-over which came earlier.
—- CLIENT SIGN OFF —-
Licence assets (music, footage, images etc), encode videos in pre-agreed format (see earlier for where it will be used). Supply final video file and, if agreed prior to animation, another other assets that have been created.