When you need them, how to make them and what to spend
Explainers are videos that explain something in a clear and compelling way.
In recent years, explainer videos have surged in popularity, found everywhere from brand websites to Netflix. However, with so many examples out there, I think it’s worth distinguishing between two types:
The first is the straight explainer, which is tightly focused on a particular commercial or brand objective. It’s useful for:
- explaining products and services
- explaining who you are
- training
- customer support
- reports and internal communications
In a text-heavy world, this type of video is a great way to engage audiences on websites, social channels or as a way to start meetings and live events. (Read more: Ways to use video explainers with examples)
The straight explainer is the most common type of explainer commissioned by companies and brands, and most video production companies that produce explainers focus on this type of video explainer.
The other type of video I call the journalistic explainer. Rather than focusing directly on the brand (explain the benefit of x product), it usually focuses on a topic the audience is already interested in. By mixing education and entertainment this type of explainer has become popular with online audiences, with examples ranging from Vox’s Explained series on Netflix and the many successful YouTube channels such as Ted-Ed or In a Nutshell.
Usually, these types of explainers are made by media publishers. (And when I produce this type of explainer it’s usually for clients like The New York Times or the BBC.) But with such a big audience interested in learning about the world in an entertaining way, there is a big opportunity for brands and other organizations to integrate video explainers into their content marketing. In a world flooded with blogs, reports and articles, this type of video has a better chance of cutting through with the audience they’re trying to reach. (Examples here)
Whether you need a straight explainer or one with more of an entertainment focus, video explainers can help:
- grow the audience visiting a website
- grow an audience on YouTube and/or social channels
- build credibility and establish thought leadership
- increase online visibility, boosting a brand in search results
- help audiences see an organisation differently, perhaps after a rebrand, merger or acquisition
I have produced both straight and journalistic explainers for charities, universities and many parts of the BBC.
To help those interested in explainers learn more about the process behind how they’re made and how much they cost, below are some answers to the most frequent questions I get asked. Below you will also find examples of my work.
What’s the process for making an explainer?
A video explainer is built in stages. Just as a building starts off with drawings and models before you start laying bricks and mixing concrete, so explainer videos go through a design process:
- Clarifying — what are the client aims?
- Research and ideas — what’s the best angle or approach for the explainer?
- Scripting — what are the words and pictures that work best?
- Rough cut — a rough video of what’s planned
- Final cut — the finished video
The basic reason for this process is that making changes to a finished video can be time-consuming and expensive. This process means there are lots of opportunities for feedback, minimising the risk that changes will be difficult or expensive. (Read more: The art of building in layers)
Don’t underestimate the value of a good script
When clients think of an explainer video they’re often thinking mainly about the animation or visuals, but I encourage you not to underestimate how important the writing part of the process is.
I’m sure you can think of a big-budget Hollywood film that was full of impressive special effects and visuals but lacked a decent plot. It’s the same with explainers.
A good explainer needs a script that’s easy to understand and works well visually. Good explainers are also interesting, surprising, have a sense of humour, and are structured in a way that keeps audiences watching to the end.
The writing process is normally where I find myself adding the most value and this is usually why clients are working with me and not an alternative.
Video explainers work best when they’re visual
Explainers (and video in general) really come into their own when they are visual. Maybe your video will let the audience meet someone face-to-face, show them a physical location, or maybe it’s centred around a map, diagram or chart. If your subject isn’t visual don’t despair, I have lots of experience of coming up with creative visual approaches, but usually, an explainer will work best when it has something visual at its heart.
How much do explainers cost?
My prices start at £10,000.
This is a frequent question and so I want to give you that price as a place to start, but the truth is it’s hard to give a real answer without knowing anything about you or what you’re after. It’s a bit like asking how much a wedding costs, or how much it costs to build a house; it really depends on what you want.
It’s worth saying there are cheaper options. Googling “cheap video explainer” I found options at $1000, $1750 and even £500.
Also, most people have 4k cameras on their smartphones and the internet is full of free filmmaking tutorials (including my own articles on filmmaking), so you could even do it yourself for free!
To help give a bit of an insight into the process, here are some of the factors that affect how much explainers cost.
How urgent is it?
Ideally, clients want work that’s good, low cost and completed quickly. However, realistically you can only choose two of those three. So, if you want something good and fast, that usually means paying a lot, and if you want it good and low-cost, that usually means a slower turnaround.
Are you making lots or just one?
Generally, the more videos you make the cheaper each individual one is. This is partly because you only have to make some decisions once (e.g. what typeface should we use for onscreen graphics?) and partly because you can batch certain production tasks together in a way that makes them cheaper (e.g. you can film three interviews in a day and only pay one set of hire fees). This is one of the reasons formats are powerful: you spend money developing a good idea, and then to repeat costs relatively less.
How bespoke do you want the film?
A tailored shirt is more expensive than something off-the-peg. If you go for one of the lower budget options available out there, then normally you’ll be following some kind of template with limited options. Most clients I work with want more control and that inevitably costs more.
Do you have a presenter?
Some explainers don’t have a voiceover, communicating just with text on screen. However, I generally think having a real voice over or someone presenting on camera makes a video more compelling. One option is to hire a voice-over artist or presenter, though this can be expensive. Alternatively you might have someone internal who could play this role (though I recommend a screen-test first!).
What kind of visuals do you want?
Often when people think of explainers they think of animation — either a hand-drawn style or motion graphics (animated words, shapes and pictures). However, this can be quite expensive and personally, I find think videos are often more engaging when you have a mix of visuals — presenter and animation for example. (Read more: Visual options for explainers).
Can you avoid the “feedback vortex”?
One area where costs can escalate is when lots of changes are asked for late in the process.
As explained above, video explainers are created in layers, starting out rough and becoming increasingly polished, with lots of opportunities for feedback as you go along.
However, if a client asks for changes late in the process, costs start to add up. And worse, some projects get trapped in a “feedback vortex”: a cycle of changes and feedback that never seems to end, sometimes because different people are asking for contradictory things!
This is an expensive and stressful place for your video producers and is one of my biggest concerns working with a new client. If there seems like a risk of a feedback vortex — perhaps the organisation has a flat structure with many people involved with decisions, or perhaps this is the first video they’ve ever commissioned — then I normally have to build a safety margin into the initial quote, or charge a daily rate.
Conversely, if you can allay these concerns you can often negotiate a discount.
Is the explainer going to be based on something already written?
If an explainer is based on a blog post or existing document, the process will be a lot faster and thus cheaper. In fact, writing an article on your subject, either before or alongside making a video explainer, is a good exercise. Not only does this mean a jump start on the scripting process, but it also makes it emotionally easier to leave out elements from the final video.
Shorter doesn’t always mean cheaper
An explainer video isn’t usually very long — say 400 words for a three-minute video (I estimate 120-150 words per minute) but actually, this isn’t always good news for the budget. It will save you money on animation but it will take longer to distill your words and decide what is most important to include. As the saying goes, “If I’d had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.”
Can you get a bargain with a new filmmaker?
Sometimes new filmmakers will work for a lower price if it’s going to help their CV. This is called “doing it for the reel”, as they can use the video on their showreel. Some filmmakers also charge less for charities or good causes.
Although this might mean a bargain for you, the downside is the filmmaker will often not be available in future at the same rate, which might mean starting your search for a video partner all over again. The benefit of collaborating with a filmmaker long-term is that they will get to know your process, understand where you’re coming from and offer valuable insight and expertise, all of which means it’s usually worth finding a rate that is sustainable for both parties.
Final thought: Video explainers aren’t the answer to everything
It may be surprising for someone in my position to say, but video explainers aren’t the answer to everything. They’re not usually super cheap or fast to produce, and there are times (for example when your audience is strongly motivated to absorb your material) they can be less effective than simple text.
But for many audiences, a video is an attractive way to learn about something because it will be succinct, clear and easy to absorb — especially with good visuals to make concepts clearer. Many people who will skip over PDFs, reports and website text will happily click on a video.
In the right situation and made in the right way, explainers can be a powerful way to engage with your audience.
Examples and case-studies
Below are some examples of explainer films I’ve made for clients. (More of my work)
Learn more
If you’re looking for inspiration, YouTube channels like Vox, Ted-Ed, In a Nutshell, and CGP Grey are all great places to start. I also collect examples of brands using video explainers here.
If you want to learn more about how explainers are made:
- Visual options for explainers
- How to write visually
- Building in layers — fundamental principle of producing explainers
- Titles – how to come up with killer titles for explainers on YouTube
There are many more articles on filmmaking here.
If you wish to contact me, my email is: mail@brendanmiller.co.uk