How to Make an Animated Explainer Video, Step by Step

To make an animated explainer video, start with one clear job. Say what changes for the viewer, then build the film around that one point.

Before you start: pick one job for the film

An animated explainer video is not a tiny company brochure. It has one job. The viewer should understand one thing, then do one thing. If you try to explain the product, the pricing, the origin story, and the team, the film gets muddy fast.

Start with the place the film will live first. A website needs a different pace than a phone feed. A sales page can carry a little more detail. A social clip needs to land fast, because people scroll with one thumb and little patience.

For most explainers, 30 to 60 seconds is a good rough range, but pacing changes it. A calm voice needs more room than a fast one. If you want a fuller guide on length, How Long Should a Short Animated Film Be? helps you choose before you write.

Step 1: write the one sentence your film must say

1. Step 1

   Write the core sentence. Use a plain line like: we help X do Y without Z. Keep it concrete. If you cannot say it simply, the viewer will not get it quickly either.

2. Step 2

   Make it about the viewer. Say what changes for them, not what your company has done for years. Viewers care about the result, the time saved, or the hassle avoided.

3. Step 3

   Test the sentence out loud. If it sounds stiff, cut the fancy words. A good explainer starts like a normal person talking across a counter.

If the sentence keeps getting longer, the offer may still be too broad. That is useful news, not bad news. It means the film is telling you to narrow the point. If you want help getting from blank page to first draft, Explainer video without an agency is a good next read.

Step 2: turn that sentence into a short script

For a short explainer, aim for about 70 to 120 spoken words. That is a rough range for 30 to 60 seconds, depending on the voice, pauses, and reading speed. Read the draft aloud. If you run out of breath, the viewer will too.

A simple structure works well: problem, solution, next step. First, name the pain. Then show the fix. End with one clear action. That action can be signing up, booking a call, starting a trial, or checking the website.

Write in short lines. One idea per line. Keep each line easy to say. If a line repeats the same point in new clothes, cut it. The film is stronger when it does less.

For a tight script shape, 30 second explainer video script examples you can steal tonight shows how little you need when the point is clear.

Step 3: choose the visuals before you animate anything

Do not start with motion. Start with a list of scenes. Six to ten scenes is plenty for a short explainer. Each scene should match one line of the script or one simple idea inside it.

Good explainers use plain visual building blocks. Think one screen, one hand, one chart, one button, one icon, one product shot, or one simple room. You do not need a cinema set. You need objects the viewer understands in half a second.

Here is a practical test: if a scene needs a long explanation, it is too busy. If it can be understood without the voice, it is probably useful. Keep the look readable on a phone, where tiny details disappear fast.

If you do not draw, that is fine. Use shapes, text, and simple scenes. How to Make a Short Animated Film Without Drawing has a simple way to get moving without turning into an illustrator overnight.

Step 4: add voice, sound, and timing

The voice carries the meaning, so record it clearly. A clean recording on a phone can work for a rough draft or a simple film if the room is quiet and the script is short. If you already have a voice recording, build around that. It gives the film a real rhythm.

Let the voice set the pace. Then place the scenes to match the words. If the picture changes too slowly, the film drags. If it changes too fast, the viewer misses the point. A short pause can help after a key line, but long silence usually wastes space.

Use music under the voice, not over it. Music should support the message, not wrestle it. Sound effects are best when they mark a change, show a click, or make a small action obvious. Too many effects can turn a clear film into a toy box.

Step 5: choose the right shape and version

Where the film lives decides the shape. Wide works well for a website. Tall fits a phone screen. Square is handy for feeds. If you need the same message in several places, plan the formats early instead of cropping later and hoping for the best.

Short films also need a clear version plan. If you need one in English and one in Spanish, make one version per language from each translated script. That keeps the timing honest and the voice natural. One script rarely fits every language neatly.

With Nine, films come in wide, tall, and square shapes, so one film can fit a website, a phone, and a feed. A film can also start from a sentence, a script, a document, a template, a voice recording, or a website address. If you paste a web address on the front page, Nine reads the colours, lettering, and words of that website. Seeing the film in your own colours is free and needs no account.

Step 6: build the film once the script is ready

Now turn the script into a sequence. Place each scene next to the line it supports. Keep the order easy to follow. The goal is not fancy structure. It is clear flow.

Match timing to the words first. Then tighten the scenes around the voice. Add music after that. Sound effects come last, because they should mark the moments that already matter. A film that is built in this order is easier to read, and easier to fix.

When the cut is close, watch it once with sound off. Then watch it with sound on. The silent watch tells you if the pictures hold up. The second watch tells you if the voice and motion land together.

If you want comments from teammates or clients, a private review link with no account helps. Notes can be pinned to moments, which is much better than a long email with fuzzy directions.

What usually goes wrong, and how to fix it

The most common problem is too much content. The film tries to explain everything, so nothing lands clearly. Fix that by cutting whole lines, not just words. If a sentence does not move the story forward, it goes.

The second problem is pretty visuals that do not explain the point. Nice motion is not the same as useful motion. Every scene should earn its spot by helping the viewer understand faster.

The third problem is weak timing. A film can be right in content and still drag. Read the script aloud while watching the draft. If a scene outlives its sentence, shorten it.

The fourth problem is a vague ending. Do not leave the viewer guessing. Say the next step plainly. If the film is for signups, say sign up. If it is for a booking, say book the call. A film can be kind and direct at the same time.

If you want a finished film of your own, it comes with a plan. The plan details are on /pricing.

How long the whole job takes

If the topic is simple, the first draft can happen in an afternoon. A script can take one hour or three, mostly because of trimming. The visual list often takes less time than the script. The voice and final polish usually take the most patience.

For a small team, a rough path is this: one hour to write the core sentence, one hour to draft the script, one hour to map scenes, and another block for review and cleanup. The film itself may be short, but the thinking before it matters.

If the message is still fuzzy, pause. Fuzzy ideas take longer to fix later. A clear film is faster to polish because the decisions are already smaller.

Want to see how short films can be used for different jobs? The inspiration room on /ideas is a useful place to start.