3D animation is the art of creating computer-generated motion videos. It may be a bright short commercial attracting potential investors and consumers to the presented product. The video sequence is consistent, so the information is perceived quite easily. Nowadays 3D animation solutions are widely used in many spheres of business ranging from medicine to cinematography. For instance, architectural animation videos are typical for planning solutions, general image with artistic overtones, as well as site landscaping. Moreover, this type of media is a tasteful addition to any kind of 3D visualization.
3D animation today can be safely called one of the most effective, progressive, and promising presentation materials. But making one is definitely not easy. It is necessary to know the specifics of a particular piece and be able to operate within the framework of special 3D software. You can't do without some educational base and significant experience. That is why, when one wants to come up with a selling project, it is advisable to still seek help from professional CG artists.
As a 3D visualization studio, we devote ourselves to the following types of 3D animation: architectural animation, product animation, 3D interior animation.
3D Architectural Animation Services
3D architectural animation is an advanced way to present a planned project that currently exists only on paper. The 3D animated video will also help to kickstart an effective advertising campaign for construction before actual development. This is an absolute advantage of architectural animation compared to 3D still images or regular advertising videos, which is able to work only with already finished projects.
This most common type of architectural animation is often inherent in large megacities with dense buildings. As part of the creation of such architectural animated videos, the general plan of the territory is initially created, then the buildings. Moreover, if the scenario features interiors, then several ready-made interiors are being developed for the flight of the camera in one stage. At the final phase, nature and people are animated to contribute to the photo realistic feel.
3D Product Animation Solutions
3D product animation is an extremely convenient option to demonstrate the functionality of the product, especially if shooting them, in reality, is impossible or impractical (for example, the product is not available, it is ordered, made to order, etc.). This approach is often used by startups beyond the budget for product photography, but with a strong desire to get ahead of their competitors.
In addition, the development of video animation allows you to approach product advertising more creatively: an unusual viewing angle, the possibility of transformation and special effects, an emphasis on key details, and smoothing out defects.
3D product animation comes to the rescue when you need to show a process that cannot be seen live: either it takes place inside the equipment, or it involves details invisible to the eye, such as heat waves or sound waves. How, for example, to demonstrate the operation of a convection re-flow furnace? There's nothing impossible when it comes to product animation.
3D Interior Animation Services
For interior designers, 3D interior animation has turned out to be the real deal, and nowadays there are few studios that do not use this technology in their work. When сonfiguring the design of an apartment or other spaces, a number of features are taken into account: the layout, lighting, furniture placement, the texture of finishing materials, and much more. A huge number of nuances and details, each of which must be taken into account and correctly "fit" into the new interior. But how they will look altogether — 3D interior animation will show. In motion the dramatic effect of such a presentation doubles. Especially when one animated video features multiple interior designs for one space.
Advantages of 3D Animation Technology
Pitching your idea has always been the hardest part for any producer, architect, real estate agent, or anyone trying to market their product. The task gets even more complicated if the potential client does not have an industry background and has a vague idea of how the presented item operates. This is exactly where 3D animation services come into the picture.
The three-dimensional design attracts more audience and enhances the animated video conceptual effect.
- 3D animation demonstrates the object using the angle, speed, camera point change.
- Animation is made to impress. Present your favorite Excel charts in a new quality - prove to the audience that the future development will sell at a profit by showing its every competitive advantage.
- Using the screen dimension capabilities, you can show the viewer the real product size without actually overloading your counterpart without a special background with technical details.
- 3D animation videos provide the “cinematic” feeling - as if you’re in a movie theater watching a film with a plot and smooth transitions between the scenes. Instead of walking your potential clientele through advanced 2D blueprints and complicated hand-drawn sketches, you can practically immerse them into the presented space.
- Video is easily marketable, shareable, and likable. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a clip is worth a million, especially when it comes to marketing!
- Money-saver. With the speedy development of 3D software, animation services have become as affordable as ever. Especially as an addition to the 3D renderings package - where the scene is already built and worked on.
- Surely, an animated video would easily uncover the faults in the proposed design, as it shows it from every possible angle. So making adjustments would spare lots of money than while production.
How We Make 3D Animation Videos
For convenience and quality control, the animated video development is divided into steps, which are discussed and approved with the customer.
1. Collecting primary information about the product
For an impeccable smooth implementation, we need to get the fullest information about the product. All materials, such as photos, links to examples of your favorite works, drawings, master plans, 3D models in designated software, a detailed task description, timing are essential for the 3D animation creation.
The more detailed you describe the task, the more materials you send, the easier the process will be, and the more accurate the results. In the absence of the necessary information, we are always ready to offer our help.
2. Script and concept development
Then, together with the client, we define the basic concept of visualization and draw up a contract. Firstly, the creation of the storyline. It will reflect the plot, describe the actions and actors. We also discuss everything connected with voice acting, music, and sound effects. After the script is ready, we are able to estimate the manpower required for the project and determine the cost and timing of the development. Then the creation begins.
3. Animation pre-production
Having agreed on all the points of the previous round, we get down to bringing your ideas to life. We start off with a draft video that demonstrates the main camera positions, draft animation, the location of items in the scene, and their actions. This enables understanding already at the beginning what the final product will look like approximately.
4. Building 3D models and assets
In parallel with the third step, 3D elements are being prepared and produced, as well as assets for all animation video scenes. Meanwhile, the team can go out to find the additional necessary materials, search for references. After that, models and textures are created.
5. Animated video production
When we’re finished with 3D models, the long-awaited animated video and render are taking the stage. At this moment we see the item that does not exist yet but has already been visually worked out.
6. Post-production
The closing point, where we bring each clip episode to the best appearance, put the final touches in the design, and finish polishing the small details. After the post-production is completed, the client receives the ready product.
The most important thing in this scheme is that at each step the customer controls the entire creation course. The result of which is exactly the product that he expected to receive.
Cost of 3D Animation
Over the years we have developed some markers which influence production cost and may alter the final budget. Such triggers are:
- Technical specifications fullness. Whether the project 3D model has to be produced from scratch or there’s one present, if the scenario idea is fully developed or to be proposed, the level of idea refinement - all these factors are to be taken into account when planning your animation video budget.
- Presence of a character. Constructing a character, plasticity, gait, mastering the details-all this leads to an increase in price. An architectural landscape, for instance, with and without characters will cost 2 different figures which are crucial to take into account.
- The presence of water. A lake, a river, a waterfall, a fountain, or a splash-all of this increases the time spent. After all, the texture of water and each drop is a very delicate work of specialists.
- Explosions, smoke, and other special effects. In such cases, as with water, the animation video requires a huge time resource of highly qualified specialists.
- 3D animated video length – as each animated second done by Lunas is almost a piece of art, the total production cost would depend on how long the output is.
- Final resolution – while Lunas creates its content in 4k, if a higher resolution is requested, we would certainly go for it and cater to such needs. However, a weighty file will take more power and time to render, so the costs of such a request may vary.
- Item’s & background complexity – undoubtedly, we can all agree that a product animation of pomegranate on a grass background can not compare in its complexity with that of an Apple watch which changes the screen wallpaper and has a moving background. That’s why it’s crucial to communicate all the requests to your reel clearly to receive the most accurate estimate possible.
- If the course of action is changed on the go, the animation video budget increases by adding additional hours for new tasks.
Overall, 3D animation is an invaluable magic wand when it comes to a memorable project presentation. A video brought to life by true professionals with artistic vision passionate about their job will inevitably touch many hearts and minds. That’s why here at Lunas we pride ourselves on going an extra mile for each and every customer to come up with not just a simple reel, but rather a piece of art, that will inspire and impress.
Full video production services
What if a 3D animated video is not enough? What if a more complex reel is needed? Lunas comes to the rescue! We offer a full video production cycle if on-set shooting is required. But first, let’s look into what this process encompasses.
The usual video production course consists of three main stages:
Pre-production services
Pre-production is basically mapping out all the details for your future video:
- drafting the script depending on the message you aim to convey, audience, and the desired outcome;
- creating a storyboard (small details that make the deal - costumes, colors, visual references);
- timeframe;
- location;
- putting together a shooting team;
- compiling the needed equipment list;
- budgeting the project.
You might find it surprising, but this stage is usually the most time-consuming one. At this very stage, it is crucial to decide exactly how to convey your point to the targeted audience with the resources you have at hand. Why these people should watch your video? What do you want them to do afterwards? What emotions do you need to evoke? How the video can influence your potential clients’ decisions in favor of your service/product? What makes your video stand out? All these things are crucial to consider before getting down to shooting.
Production services
The getting-down-to-business part of the project. This is the most exciting part of the whole enterprise with the actual shooting. The actors are already on the set, familiar with the script and dressed in the clothes picked out especially for them (or covered in the green cloth for future special effects). If the actual location is hard to shoot at - costly, far, spiced with unpredictable weather or just non-existent, green screen is there for you. With the help of this technology, we can easily integrate the actors into any landscape - be it somewhere in space or just the 3D scene of your residential project.
Video post-production solution
This is the part where the magic happens - all the merging, computer graphics, color corrections, and compiling pre-prepared parts into one exciting masterpiece. Sounds and captions are added for further illustration of the point. At this crucial step, we integrate the shot footage with the 3D scene that we’ve developed for the project.
Overall, when it comes to video production, Lunas is there to cover for your needs - be it solely a 3D animation reel or a full on-set shooting.
