From an Idea to an Animation - The Process

At See3D we want you to get the most value possible from any work we do for you. This requires effective communication of ideas and tight control of budgets and deadlines. This may be the first time you have commissioned an animation and we will explain our process to help you understand what is involved. This is not a prescriptive guide, but an outline of the broad process that we would tailor to your project requirements.

First Contact

We would love to hear any production ideas you have, whatever your budget. During our first conversation we will aim to define the primary goal of the project, a broad scope, ballpark budget and timescale within which you would need delivery. If together, we decide that the project is feasible we will normally arrange a face to face meeting.

Meet and Plan

Our first meeting will more tightly define the production. Together, we will discuss in depth, the key messages, props, sets, voice-overs, possible camera positions and moves. We will listen carefully to what you tell us and offer ideas that reflect your needs. The supply of any source material to us will also need to be thought out. We may require CAD files, drawings, photographs, logos or surveys to work from that you will supply. We will also fix project deadlines and budgets where possible. At the end of this meeting, See3D will have enough information to take the project to a storyboard and fix a budget.

Storyboard and Creative Review

See3D Storyboard Panels

See3D will have spent some time digesting your ideas and will produce a storyboard or plan for the sequence of shots for the production. This shot list or storyboard and script will be reviewed with you. Ideally we will have captured what was agreed at the previous meeting and only some fine tuning or supplementary detail will be required. The intent of the shot list or storyboard is to tell how the animation will look, avoiding ambiguity at minimal cost. This is to encourage changes to be made early, before expensive computer animation work begins. The storyboard, shot list and outline script is revised until both you and See3D are happy.

It will now be possible to agree a contract defining fees, deliverables, deadlines and any intellectual property issues that may be important. From this point, the aim will be to spend all effort on delivering as high quality output as possible with discussion focussed upon refinement and avoiding direction changes where possible.

Progress Reviews

See3D will use photographs, plans, our own research and discussions with you to build virtual props and sets. As we work we will put draft still frames and draft animation sequences into your private area of our website, where we can share files and comments. Where there is voice acting or commentary to be recorded we will finalise a script with you that fits to the timing of shots.

We welcome all feedback as often as possible and as early as possible so we can refine our work to fit your needs as closely as possible. We will ensure that you have plenty of opportunity to review our progress.

Screening

Our fully equipped 3D high definition theatre

The exciting final stage of the project has been reached. See3D will have produced a full quality high definition production ready for your approval. This can be sent to you as a digital file or downloaded from your private area of our website. Alternatively, you can visit the See3D offices and view your project in our high definition theatre. We would now expect only very minor editorial changes. With your approval, See3D would now arrange for the production to be distributed to you in the media formats you requested and the project would be signed off upon delivery.