10 Things to Include in a Brief for a Custom Animation Studio

A well-prepared brief gives a custom animation studio the context to turn a business need into a clear visual story. It explains what the animation should achieve, who it is for and what the studio needs to consider before production begins. The more clearly these essentials are set out, the easier it is to discuss creative direction, scope and delivery requirements.

You do not need to arrive with a finished script or every creative choice settled. A useful brief gives the studio reliable information, separates essential requirements from preferences and identifies any decisions that still need discussion. These 10 points provide a practical starting point for that conversation.

1. Define the Communication Goal for a Custom Animation Studio

Begin with the result you want the animation to achieve. It might introduce a product, explain a service, train employees or promote a campaign. Describe what viewers should understand, feel or do after watching, so the studio can connect the creative approach to a clear purpose.

If the project has several objectives, rank them. A video that tries to teach, sell and introduce a whole business at once may become difficult to follow, particularly if the information is complex. Identifying the main goal helps the studio decide which ideas should lead the story and which can be supporting details.

• Introduce a product.
• Explain a service.
• Train employees.
• Promote a campaign.

A clear goal gives the creative work direction. For example, an animation intended to help employees follow a procedure will need to show the steps in a useful order, while a product introduction may need to demonstrate how the product addresses a customer need.

The format, tone and story can then be developed around the intended result. If you want viewers to book a consultation, follow a safety process or understand a new service, state that outcome in the brief so the studio can plan towards it.

2. Describe the Target Audience

Say who will watch the animation and what they already know about its subject. Consider their roles, familiarity with the product or process, and viewing context. An employee watching during a training session may need a different level of detail from a prospective customer viewing a short video on your website.

Then explain what you want the audience to understand or do afterwards. Audience context helps shape the vocabulary, tone, pace and visual detail. A custom animation studio can use those details to judge how much background information is needed and which ideas may be clearer when shown rather than described.

3. Summarise the Message and Essential Points

Write the main message in one or two plain-language sentences, then list the supporting details that must appear. Mark each point as essential or optional, and identify anything that is still being confirmed. This helps the studio understand what the video must communicate and where it has room to simplify.

Consider whether any claims, figures, product information or technical details need approval before they appear in the animation. If so, note who will check them and when. Clear, accurate source material gives the creative team a stronger basis for shaping the story and avoids leaving key facts unresolved late in production.

• The main idea the animation must communicate.
• Essential supporting information.
• Optional details that could be removed if the video needs to be shorter.
• Claims, figures or technical information that require approval.

The brief does not have to be a finished script. It should provide accurate source material and identify any information the studio needs to confirm before production progresses.

A focused message gives the studio room to shape a story without losing the information viewers need. It also helps the team decide what can be communicated through visuals, narration or on-screen text, rather than trying to fit every detail into the voice-over.

4. Share Brand Guidelines and Assets

Provide the logo, colours, fonts, imagery and any current brand guidelines. Mention whether the animation should use an established character or whether a new visual identity is needed. If there are design rules, approved illustrations or visual elements that should not be used, record those too.

Check that the files are current and that you have permission to supply them for the project. If some assets are still being prepared, include an expected delivery date and say whether temporary versions are available. Clear asset information helps the custom animation studio plan the visual direction and identify missing materials early.

5. Explain the Style or Format You Have in Mind

You can state a preference for 2D animation, 3D animation, motion graphics, whiteboard animation or another approach. Explain what appeals to you about it, such as the ability to show a product in detail, illustrate an abstract service or create a consistent training scenario.

If you are unsure, describe what the animation needs to show and ask the studio to recommend a format. A preference is useful context, but the message, audience and viewing conditions should guide the choice. It is practical to settle the visual direction before detailed animation work begins, because changes made after production is under way can affect completed scenes.

6. Include Examples and References

Share links to animations, campaigns or visual styles that communicate what you have in mind. Add a note explaining what you like about each reference, such as its pacing, tone, colour palette, character design or use of on-screen text. A short explanation helps the studio understand the specific quality you are pointing to.

You can include several examples if each one clarifies a different preference. One reference might show the tone you want, while another might demonstrate a visual style or pace that could suit your audience. Make clear whether the reference is about the overall feel, a particular scene or one design detail.

• An animation with a tone or mood you like.
• A campaign with a visual style that suits your brand.
• An example of pacing or on-screen text that works for your subject.
• A reference that shows a character or illustration style you want to discuss.

Treat references as a way to explain direction, not as instructions to reproduce another brand’s work. This gives a custom animation studio a clearer sense of the creative boundaries while leaving room to develop original work for your project.

You can also provide examples you dislike and explain why they do not fit. Describing both your preferences and concerns can make creative discussions more specific and help the studio avoid approaches that would not suit your brand or audience.

7. List the Required Versions and Platforms

Specify where the animation will appear, such as your website, social media, presentations, internal training or paid advertising. Include known requirements for length, aspect ratio, subtitles, voice-over, languages and file formats. If you need several versions, list each one and explain where it will be used.

Include requirements you already know, but identify any details that still need to be confirmed with the studio. A video used in several settings may need different edits or layouts, so sharing the intended uses at the start gives the production team a clearer picture of the deliverables.

• Website video.
• Social media versions and aspect ratios.
• Presentation or internal training versions.
• Paid advertising edits.
• Required length, subtitles, voice-over, languages and file formats.

Language and accessibility requirements are useful to settle early. South Africa recognises 12 official languages, including South African Sign Language, though a particular project may need only one or a few versions.

State the intended languages and whether captions or other accessible formats are required so they can be considered in the scope and schedule. Listing the planned versions early also helps the studio determine what needs to be produced and delivered, instead of leaving extra exports or adaptations to be decided at the end.

8. Set Out the Budget and Timing

Share a realistic budget range and the date you need the final files. Mention fixed launch, event or campaign dates, and identify any parts of the schedule that can move. If the scope is flexible, say which elements could be adjusted to fit the available budget.

This information gives the studio useful context when preparing its proposal. It can also help clarify whether the deadline, production requirements and planned versions are compatible, before your team commits to a particular scope.

• Your budget range.
• The date you need the final files.
• Fixed launch, event or campaign dates.
• Flexible dates or parts of the scope that could change.

The schedule should include time for your own reviews as well as production. Script approval, storyboard feedback and final checks can all affect delivery, so consider how quickly reviewers can respond at each stage.

By sharing these constraints early, a custom animation studio can assess whether the proposed scope is workable and explain any trade-offs before the project begins. This helps both sides plan around the same expectations and identify where the schedule may need flexibility.

9. Identify Reviewers and Approvals

Name the people or teams who will review the script, storyboard, visual direction and final animation. Confirm who has final sign-off and who will collect comments from the other reviewers. If different teams are responsible for brand, product or technical accuracy, make their roles clear.

Agree how feedback will be sent at each stage. A clear approval route helps the studio understand who should provide comments, when decisions will be made and how the project team will resolve conflicting feedback. This can keep reviews focused on the agreed objective and reduce uncertainty about whose direction to follow.

• Script reviewer and approver.
• Storyboard reviewer and approver.
• Visual direction reviewer and approver.
• Final animation approver.
• Main contact who will gather and send consolidated feedback.

For example, imagine a company commissioning an animation to explain a new internal process. Its brief names the process owner as the final approver and asks department managers to provide one consolidated response on the storyboard. This is an illustrative scenario, not a reported client case study.

It shows how setting an approval route can help prevent conflicting notes from arriving at different stages. Bringing relevant reviewers into the process early also gives them a chance to flag important details before work moves forward.

10. Confirm What the Quote and Delivery Include

Ask whether the proposal covers scripting, storyboarding, illustration or modelling, animation, voice-over, sound design, revision rounds and final exports. Clarify which materials your team must supply, who is responsible for each stage and when the studio needs your input.

The proposal should make the included work and review stages clear. Ask what the final delivery will contain and whether any extra versions or materials will be priced separately, so you can compare the proposed scope with the requirements in your brief.

• Scripting and storyboarding.
• Illustration or modelling and animation.
• Voice-over and sound design.
• Included revision rounds and final exports.
• Source files, usage rights and future adaptations.

Also ask what you will receive at delivery. Confirm whether alternate edits, source files, usage rights or future adaptations are included or priced separately, and make sure the agreed terms are recorded in the project documents.

The South African Copyright Act provides a legal framework for copyright, so record the agreed ownership and usage terms clearly. If you need help interpreting them, seek legal advice before finalising the agreement.

Where Can I Get Custom Animation Videos Tailored for South African Brands?

At Oliver Karstel Creative Agency, we offer custom animation videos tailored for South African brands. Our services cover different animation approaches, and we can customise each one to suit the project’s message, audience and intended use.

Our animation work includes character animation, animated graphic design, data visualisation, whiteboard storytelling and visual recreations for safety analysis or training. We can adapt the creative treatment within each service to reflect the needs and requirements of the project.

• 2D character animation, using rapid animation or fully custom illustrations.
• 3D character animation, for detailed visual communication or distinctive settings.
• Whiteboard animation, to make difficult topics and systems easier to follow.
• Infographic animation, turning data into moving visuals.
• Motion graphic animation, using animated graphic design elements.
• 3D accident recreations, visualising safety incidents and dangerous events for analysis or training.

We can tailor each service to different project requirements, whether the animation needs to explain a complex subject, present information visually or support training. Our experience spans more than a decade in content production.

A portfolio and showreel can help businesses compare animation styles, visual approaches and storytelling techniques. Reviewing examples can also clarify which formats suit the subject, audience and intended use of a project. 

Prepare a Clear Starting Point

A useful brief does not need to resolve every creative decision. It should give a custom animation studio a clear understanding of the goal, audience, message, brand, schedule and required deliverables, while identifying questions that still need discussion.

If you are planning an animation project, contact us to talk through your brief, clarify the production requirements and explore an approach suited to your audience and objectives.