3D Animation Pricing

• The cost of 3D animation films is determined by their length, complexity and style.
  
  
• Length
  The longer the film, the more expensive it is. Determining the cost per end-customer of a 3D animation film, is usually done by calculating the cost of one animated second. One second of animation costs between $100 and $20,000. This huge price gap exists due to immense differences in quality between a very simple film and a high-quality film. It is important to note that one 3D animated film can employ many professionals. The level of professionalism of the filmmakers must be taken into consideration.
  
  
• Complexity
  The complexity of an animated film depends on the wealth of details that fill the scenes' environments, and the animated characters & moving objects.
  
  Visual complexity
  If the film includes animated characters, the degree of visual complexity will depend on their level of details. If, for example, a simple human or animal character is required without many details, the degree of complexity will be considered relatively low. But if a very detailed character is required, with rich interior, body and clothing textures, it will create a complex scene that will greatly increase the complexity of the entire film. Another aspect of complexity is the video quality of the finished film. This degree of quality is greatly influenced by the required richnessof its components. Images with heavy calculations, such as lighting and simulation of complex materials are quite complex. Materials characterize the accessories and the set in the film. Films that require materials imaging in high aesthetics and quality such as: transparencies and reflections, brittle light through liquids, increase the complexity of the whole film.
  Creating such visual and optical properties also require two-dimensional drawings of special texture maps displayed on the screen and “wrap” the models' surfaces. They are done to eventually convince the viewer how real the images look. For example, a chair that looks like an antique wood, and an animal creature sits on it with its white realistic fur, soft and pleasant to the touch.
  In addition, preparation of such rich materials has highly significant implications at the later stage of film production. The final “Render” or “rendering” phase requires the maximum utilization of highly powerful computing resources. Materials with difficult properties such as translucency or a blurry reflectionof metallic materials with many maps of scratches and rust, will significantly increase the duration of computers' automatic computation to reflect the high quality of the materials and their propertie. The resources for such process will increase as the film has more complex simulations. Render that requires large computer resources take a long time, increases the Render time and increases the price of the film.
  
  Animation and choreography complexity
  In addition to the complexity of the visual, the account also takes the complexity of animation and choreography. For example: complex characters choreographed with complex physical skills, like martial arts, dance and acrobatics, or, for example, a theatrical description of running or stylized walking like “Strained,” drunk, lazy, or cheerful. Such demands require animators with high skill and diligence. The same complexity also applies to facial animation and lyp-sync (matching the movements of the lips and facial muscles to characters' voice / speech in the soundtrack). As describe, a greater wealth of oral forms with artistic and optimal precision along with facial expressions with rich in nuances and emotional expression, increases complexity. Sometimes simplification and intelligent minimalism of the animation does a good artistic job and ensures easier and shorter work. Special effects are added as a final stage of the film production. Although the effects stage is final and done much later in time, the filmmakers plan ahead of time and carefully foresee the future effects. Proper and accurate design of the animator's work and the work of effects, allow greater flexibility in making changes even after the animation stage is finished and the cost of intervention in later stages becomes particularly expensive, both in time and cost.
  
  
  
• Style
  The style in 3D animation is largely related to the degree of reality in shaping the characters and the style of the entire scene. The style determines the unique artistic tone of the script. Determining of style is part of the preliminary production stages. This is a 'thought' stage of the film and it is usually done by a series of paintings called “Visual Key (s).” Each key describe a single frame of the film, or several major future film. Which is at the top of the creators and / or the client ordering the animation, begins to materialize visually. A customer can also come to an animator or a studio without any definite idea, but with mere marketing need and allow the animators to offer a corresponding script and style. Visual Keys can be drawn by an animator (usually by freelancers and small studios) or by a professional artist.
  
  
• Professionalism
  The networked world of today offers 3D animations rates ranging from almost nominal number of dollars to thousands of dollars per second. Customers who need very simple animation films with 3-4 seconds of animated gestures, can turn to the lower price market. On the other hand, a customer who needs in a high-quality 3D animation film to represent his business/aims in an impressive and high-quality manner, must turn to professionals.
  
  Like any kind of business, one can reduce costs even with professional 3D animation suppliers.
  How?
  There are highly skilled freelancers with very high level of multidisciplinary abilities. If the required films are not very long, it is highly recommended contactingt them and get quotes to compare with large studios. In most cases, products quality will be equally high.