Explainer Video Production Guide
How professional explainer videos are made, what style to choose, and what separates a high-converting explainer from one that gets ignored.
What Is an Explainer Video?
An explainer video is a short, focused video — typically 30–120 seconds — that communicates what a product, service, or concept does, who it's for, and why it matters. Explainer videos are primarily used on home pages, landing pages, sales decks, trade show booths, and onboarding flows.
The format originated in SaaS marketing around 2010 (Dropbox's early explainer video is the canonical example of high ROI from simple production) and has since expanded into healthcare, professional services, education, nonprofits, and government communications.
Types of Explainer Videos
2D Animated Explainer
The most common format. Characters, icons, and scenes are illustrated and animated in 2D. Range from simple flat motion graphics (icon-based, no characters) to fully custom character animation with lip sync. Cost-effective compared to live action or 3D for most use cases.
Best for: SaaS, apps, B2B services, consumer products, nonprofits.
3D Animated Explainer
Three-dimensional animation for products requiring spatial visualization or premium visual treatment. Products shown from multiple angles, interiors shown as walkthroughs, medical devices shown in anatomical context. Higher cost and longer production time than 2D.
Best for: Medical devices, physical products, enterprise software with complex architecture, real estate.
Whiteboard Explainer
A hand-drawing-on-whiteboard style that emphasizes simplicity and information density over visual polish. Often simulated digitally rather than actually filmed. Strong performance for educational and training content where the audience expects information, not brand entertainment.
Best for: Internal training, financial education, government and nonprofit programs, B2B technical explanations.
Screencast / Product Demo
Screen recording of actual software, typically with voiceover narration and motion graphics callouts highlighting key features. Lower cost than full animation. Limited shelf life as the product UI changes.
Best for: SaaS onboarding, feature release announcements, technical documentation supplements.
Live Action Explainer
Human talent on camera — interviews, demonstrations, or scripted performance. Creates trust and personal connection more effectively than animation for services where the human relationship is the product (consulting, financial services, healthcare practices).
Best for: Professional services, healthcare providers, local businesses, HR and recruitment.
Mixed Media
Live action footage combined with 2D or 3D animated elements, text overlays, and motion graphics. Commonly used when the product has a physical dimension (show the real thing) but the mechanism or data story requires animation to visualize.
The Explainer Video Production Process
Step 1: Brief and Discovery
Client and studio align on purpose, audience, key message, tone, length, and intended placement. A good brief answers: what problem does this solve, for whom, and what should the viewer do after watching?
Step 2: Script Writing
A scriptwriter crafts the narration or dialogue. For a 60-second explainer, the script is typically 120–160 words. The structure follows a standard pattern: problem → solution → how it works → social proof or differentiator → call to action.
The most important rule in explainer scripting: write for the viewer, not the client. Internal jargon, feature lists without benefits, and weak CTAs are the three most common script failures.
Step 3: Voiceover Recording
For animated explainers, voiceover is ideally recorded before animation begins. Animators time scenes to the actual audio, preventing sync problems in post. The VO talent should match the brand's tone — approachable for consumer brands, authoritative for medical or financial.
Step 4: Storyboard
Scene-by-scene breakdown of the script showing what appears on screen at each moment. Storyboards are typically presented as rough thumbnails with notes on action, character position, and on-screen text. They serve as the production blueprint for all subsequent work.
Step 5: Style Frames and Design
Fully-designed still frames showing the final visual look — character design, color palette, background style, typography. Style frame approval locks visual direction. This is the creative milestone — changes after approval require design rework.
Step 6: Animation
The approved designs come to life. For 2D explainers, this involves After Effects or Toon Boom work to animate characters, icons, and transitions in sync with the voiceover. For 3D, this involves rendering individual frames and assembling the sequence.
Step 7: Sound Design and Music
Sound effects (UI sounds, whooshes, impacts, ambient) are added to support visual transitions and action beats. Licensed background music or original composition is added and mixed against the voiceover.
Step 8: Review and Delivery
The completed video is reviewed through a secure portal, revisions are addressed, and final exports are delivered: typically H.264 MP4 for web, ProRes for broadcast, and MP4 social cuts (square, vertical) if specified.
What Makes an Effective Explainer Video
Length
60–90 seconds is the established sweet spot. After 2 minutes, most audiences disengage. Under 30 seconds, there's rarely time to establish a problem and present a solution before the CTA.
The Hook
The first 5 seconds determine whether someone watches the next 55. The hook must establish a relatable problem or create enough curiosity to keep the viewer invested. Starting with company history or a feature list is the most common explainer video failure.
One Message, One CTA
Explainer videos that try to communicate five benefits to three different audiences convert poorly. The most effective videos make one clear argument and end with one clear action. "Try it free" outperforms "Contact us to learn more, explore our blog, follow us on LinkedIn, and schedule a demo."
Voice and Tone Match
The voiceover performance and animation style should match the brand's positioning. A playful, upbeat explainer for a serious enterprise security product creates cognitive dissonance. A stiff, formal VO on a consumer app feels cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should an explainer video be?
60–90 seconds is the proven sweet spot. Viewer retention drops sharply after 2 minutes. Under 30 seconds leaves insufficient time for problem → solution → CTA structure.
What is the best animation style for an explainer video?
Flat 2D for SaaS/tech, character animation for consumer/emotional narratives, 3D for physical products or medical content, whiteboard for information-dense educational topics. Match the style to your audience's expectations.
What do I need to provide to get an explainer video made?
At minimum: what you want explained, target audience, preferred length, brand guidelines, and examples you like. Script development is typically included by full-service studios.
Need an explainer video? Austin Visuals has produced explainer videos for healthcare, technology, legal, and enterprise brands since 2007. Request a quote →