People remember what they see better than what they read. That’s why explainer videos have become a marketing must-have. In this article, you’ll find out what they are, why they’re so powerful, the different styles available, how to create one step by step, how much they cost, and concrete examples of successful projects.
What is an explainer video?
An explainer video is a short, clear, visual format that simplifies an idea, product or service to make it understandable to everyone. Generally between 60 and 120 seconds long, it combines narration, dynamic visuals and sometimes animation to make a subject accessible and engaging.
Its aim is not simply to describe, but to transform complex information into a story that captures attention and inspires action.
In today’s marketing environment, where attention is scarce and consumers scroll quickly, explanatory video has become an essential lever. It helps to:
- Hook faster (thanks to a short, punchy format).
- Clarify an offer (by simplifying what may seem technical or abstract).
- Reinforce a brand’s credibility (by showing that it knows how to put itself in its audience’s shoes).
That’s why startups, technology companies, public bodies and even NPOs are increasingly using it to stand out and build trust.
Motion design: your tool for better explaining your ideas
What is motion design?
Motion design, or animated design, is the art of bringing graphic elements (icons, illustrations, typography, diagrams, characters) to life, transforming them into fluid, captivating visual narratives.
Far from being merely aesthetic, it’s a visual language that makes messages clearer. With motion design, you can :
- Illustrate a step-by-step process.
- Represent complex data visually.
- Create visual metaphors to simplify a technical concept.
- Add rhythm and personality to a video.
Why use motion design in an instructional video?
An explanatory video without motion design can sometimes seem too static. Motion design brings :
- Clarity: it helps to simplify what is difficult to explain in words.
- Memorization: animated visuals reinforce message retention.
- Versatility: an animated capsule can be adapted to all channels (web, mobile, events).
- Emotional impact: the graphic style chosen can be reassuring, funny or inspiring, depending on the objective.
In other words, motion design isn’t just an aesthetic “plus”, it’s what turns an instructional video into a powerful teaching tool.
The 4 main styles of explainer videos
The format of an explainer video directly influences how your audience will understand and retain the information. Depending on your objectives and budget, you can choose between a live-action video, 2D animation, 3D animation or a hybrid format. Let’s explore them together to see which one might be right for your project.
1. live-action explanatory video
This style is based on real images shot with a production crew. It’s ideal for showing off your teams, customers or facilities. In an explainer video, live action creates a sense of authenticity and proximity. You can film an expert explaining a concept, or an employee demonstrating a process in action. This format enhances credibility, but requires more logistics (locations, actors, equipment).
2.2D animated explanatory video
2D is the most common style in motion design. Using illustrations, pictograms and animated typography, it simplifies complex ideas by making them playful and accessible. It’s perfect for representing abstract concepts such as a digital service, a customer journey or an educational idea. It’s dynamic, attention-grabbing and easy to adapt to different audiences and distribution channels.
3.3D animated explanatory video
3D adds realism and depth to your explanations. It is particularly useful for presenting a technical product (e.g. medical device, industrial component) or visualizing a process invisible to the naked eye. Longer to produce and more costly, it nevertheless creates a real “wow” effect that can leave a lasting impression and reinforce your marketing strategy.
4. hybrid explanatory video (live action + animation)
This format combines the strengths of both worlds. You can film a testimonial or demonstration in live action, then enhance the content with motion design to illustrate key points. It’s a formidable style for informing and engaging at the same time: live action brings emotion and human connection, while animation clarifies complex information.
How to make an effective explainer video
Define objectives and choose themes to be addressed
First and foremost, you need to know why you’re creating an explainer video, and what you want it to achieve. Is it to attract new customers, simplify a complex service or introduce an innovative product? This step involves defining a clear, measurable objective. Then comes the choice of themes: an effective video doesn’t try to say everything at once. It’s best to select a key message, supported by one or two sub-themes, to keep the capsule punchy and easy to follow.
Work with a creative team to frame the project
This is where the difference between an improvised video and a professional production becomes apparent. A team specialized in video production and motion design helps frame the project from the outset. They guide you in structuring your ideas, identifying the strongest angle and aligning everything with your marketing objectives. This collaboration also helps set a realistic framework: deadlines, budget, resources and visual style. It’s a phase that avoids misunderstandings later on, and ensures that everyone is working towards the same goal.
Write a catchy script tailored to your audience
A well-written script is the backbone of an explainer video. It must capture attention from the very first seconds with a strong hook, then unfold a clear, accessible narrative. The tone should reflect your brand: professional, reassuring, or dynamic and inspiring. The idea is to tell a story that answers a specific question: “What’s in it for me if I watch this video? Working this text with video experts ensures that every sentence can be transformed into an image, and that the narrative remains fluid.
Validate visual structure with storyboard and moodboard
The storyboard and moodboard are essential tools for visualizing the video before you even start production. The storyboard cuts out the video scene by scene, allowing you to check that the rhythm and narrative work. The moodboard, on the other hand, gathers visual inspirations: color palettes, typography, graphic styles. At this stage, you and a creative team validate the visual universe and overall coherence. This avoids costly surprises later on, and ensures that everyone shares the same vision of the project.
Choose the right format and graphic style
The format you choose will have a direct impact on how your explainer video is perceived. It influences not only tone and aesthetics, but also budget and production time. Live action, 2D or 3D animation or hybrid format: each style has its advantages, as we saw above.
At this stage, the important thing is to link the choice of style to your marketing objectives. Do you want to create proximity with your customers? Highlight a technical product? Or simplify an abstract concept? The production team can advise you on the most appropriate format and adjust the visual approach to suit both your message and your audience.
Move into production with a specialized team
This is when your concept comes to life. With a video production and motion design team, we get down to business: filming on location or in the studio, recording voice-overs, creating animations. Each role is essential: director, cameraman, sound engineer, motion designer. This phase requires perfect coordination to respect the storyboard and capture professional-quality images or animations. It’s also here that we set the tone and emotion that will make your video stand out.
Bringing your project to life in post-production
Post-production is much more than just editing. It’s where we shape the rhythm, add transitions, standardize colors and insert music and sound effects. For animated videos, this is also the phase where advanced motion design comes into play: animated pictograms, visual metaphors, fluid transitions. A specialized team ensures that everything is coherent, that the narrative fits perfectly with the images, and that the end result is memorable.
Prepare optimized versions for each channel
A good explainer video doesn’t exist in a single version. To maximize impact, it needs to be adapted to each channel: a 30-second vertical capsule for Instagram and TikTok, a longer version for YouTube or the website, short excerpts for targeted ads. Adding subtitles, creating bilingual versions or segmenting the video into mini-capsules are all ways of increasing its reach. This adaptation multiplies the points of contact with your audience and makes the initial investment worthwhile.
Where can I publish an explainer video?
An instructional video is only valuable if it’s broadcast in the right place. The choice of channel directly influences reach, credibility and ROI. Properly placed, it becomes an asset that attracts attention and speeds up decision-making.
On a landing page
An explanatory video on a landing page can transform your results. Saleslion shows that this format can increase conversions by over 80%. Within seconds, your prospect understands your offer and is guided towards action. If your aim is to present your products in a clear and engaging way, read our article on e-commerce product videos.
On a product page
A product page enhanced with an explanatory video highlights concrete benefits and reduces hesitation to buy. It’s a tool that reassures, visually demonstrates value and differentiates your brand. This type of content is particularly powerful in e-commerce, where the competition is often played out in a matter of seconds. According to Wyzowl, 91% of consumers watch an explanatory video to discover a product or service.
In-house presentations and training
Explanatory videos are also an excellent in-house medium. They can be used to train your teams, simplify procedures or facilitate the integration of new employees. In this context, they replace cumbersome documents with a clear and engaging visual experience.
On social networks
LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are perfect playgrounds for an explainer video. Their short, dynamic format captures attention in the news feed. It’s a key strategy for innovative companies who want to popularize their solutions and build trust.
How much does an instructional video with motion design cost?
Factors influencing price
The price of an explainer video doesn’t just fall out of the sky. It depends on a series of variables that can make the budget vary by as much as double. Here are the main factors to consider:
Video length
A 60-second clip won’t cost the same as a 2-minute video. Each second animated or shot requires time for design, narration and production. The longer the format, the bigger the budget. In general, the ideal length is between 60 and 90 seconds, enough to explain without losing attention.
Graphic complexity and visual style
Simple 2D animation (icons, typography, minimalist illustrations) is more affordable than advanced 3D animation, which requires modeling, rendering and sometimes even compositing. Visual style also plays a role. A fully customized design (original characters, personalized illustrations) takes longer than a clean style based on simple shapes.
The choice of format: live action, animation, or hybrid
If you opt for live action, you need to factor in shooting costs: cameras, lighting, technical crew, location, actors. For a 100% motion design video, you eliminate these costs but invest more in animation. The hybrid format combines the two and can offer the best of both worlds, but is often more expensive.
The number of variations and language versions
A single version of a video costs less than several variations (square, vertical, horizontal format). Similarly, a single-language video does not have the same costs as bilingual versions with voice-overs and translated subtitles.
Customization and extras
Adding a professional voice-over, immersive sound design, custom music or an original graphic style increases the price. But it’s also these elements that give the video a high-end look and reinforce its effectiveness.
Factors influencing price
In 2025, an explanatory video with motion design will cost between $5,000 and $20,000, depending on duration, graphic complexity and level of personalization.
- 5,000 to $8,000: a short capsule (60 to 90 seconds) with simple 2D animation, narration and subtitles. Ideal for a start-up or SME that wants to explain its service clearly without breaking the bank.
- 8,000 to $12,000: a more polished video with a custom graphic style, some 3D elements, professional narration and immersive sound design. This is the most common range for companies that want a truly distinctive video.
- 12,000 to $20,000 and up: more ambitious projects with advanced 3D animation, multiple multilingual versions, hybrid production (shooting + motion design) or tight deadlines.
Please note: some very complex projects, with several videos in a single campaign, can go well over $20,000.
Factors influencing price
Budget overruns are not inevitable. Most of the time, they occur because pre-production has been botched. An ill-defined message, a script changed midstream, or a storyboard approved too late, all lead to extra hours of work in animation or editing.
To avoid this, here are three best practices:
- Validate each phase before moving on to the next
A well-structured project moves forward in stages: framing → script → storyboard → production → postproduction. Until a phase has been validated, we don’t move on to the next. This limits costly returns and keeps the project under control. - Be clear about deliverables from the outset
Do you want a single 90-second video or short capsules for social networks? A single language or two bilingual versions? The earlier these needs are defined, the more precise the quote will be, and the better the budget. - Choose an experienced team
Working with a video production agency and experienced motion designers may seem more expensive at first glance. But it’s often more cost-effective, because the team knows how to anticipate pitfalls, avoid technical errors and deliver on time.
How much does an instructional video with motion design cost?
Local transportation plan – Ville de Montréal
The Sud-Ouest borough wanted to make accessible the technical results of a major public consultation. The challenge: to transform engineering language into a 2-minute video that everyone could understand. We worked with stakeholders to define a clear, accessible tone, then created dynamic illustrations and pictograms inspired by the official plan. The result: a capsule screened at public sessions and broadcast online, which enabled citizens to quickly understand the mobility issues at stake.
What you can learn from this: if you need to popularize complex data for the general public, relying on a clear illustrative style, simple language and accessible subtitles will help you reach a wider audience and avoid misunderstandings.
Le Chemin de l’Eau – City of Lachute
After several episodes of brown water, public confidence had been shaken. Our brief was to explain the technical reality behind these incidents in simple terms, while reassuring the public. We devised a scenario in three acts (water path, problem, solution) and used visual metaphors (arrows, particles, animated diagrams) to convey the concepts. The tone of the narrative was deliberately calm and reassuring. Every visual element was designed to faithfully represent the local infrastructure, in order to build trust.
What you can learn: if your organization is dealing with a crisis of confidence, an explanatory video can transform technical data into a clear, reassuring narrative. Visual authenticity and choice of tone are essential to recreate the link with your audience.
Genio & Wave capsules – Standard Pro / Aimlite
Standard Pro needed to explain mandatory emergency lighting tests to its partners and customers. We developed a bilingual motion design capsule, integrating technical 3D renderings directly from the product files. The whole thing was designed to run without sound, so that it could be integrated into an interactive mobile application. By adapting the colors and logos, we were able to quickly deliver a second version for their sister brand Aimlite.
What you can get out of it: if you need to train or raise awareness of technical standards, think motion design combined with 3D. You’ll be able to illustrate details invisible in real life, and produce scalable versions for different contexts or brands. See also our article on explainer videos for tech companies, which shows how to simplify your technologies and inspire your customers.
Master Plan – City of L’Ancienne-Lorette
The City of L’Ancienne-Lorette wanted to explain the major orientations of its new urban plan. The challenge: how to make content generally perceived as heavy and technical attractive and understandable? We opted for a 100% motion design capsule, inspired by official maps and enriched with simple pictograms. The clean, animated style transformed a dense document into a clear, engaging experience, easy to distribute online and on social networks.
What you can get out of it: if your communications are based on long or complex documents, motion design can condense your content while retaining its rigor. It’s an effective way of capturing attention without losing precision.
Volunteer recruitment capsule – CABM
The Volunteer Bureau of Montreal wanted to mobilize more citizens around volunteering. We designed an animated capsule with a colorful, accessible graphic style, accompanied by an emotional narrative. The playful, human animation conveyed an inspiring message, while making volunteering more concrete and attractive. The video, broadcast on social networks and at events, generated engagement and directly supported the VBM’s recruitment efforts.
What you can learn: if you’re looking to mobilize your community, an explainer video that combines storytelling, emotion and engaging design can become a powerful tool. It allows you to reach your audiences on a rational and emotional level, multiplying the impact of your message.
Create your explainer video now!
At Studios Machiavel, we don’t just produce an animated vignette: we design an explanatory video that supports your ambitions and transforms your ideas into concrete impact. Our approach is based on three pillars: strategic framing that clarifies your message, a script that grabs attention from the very first seconds, and a customized visual style that reflects your identity.
By combining creativity, technical expertise and motion design, we deliver videos that educate, engage and convert. It’s much more than a communication tool: it’s a growth gas pedal for your brand.
Do you want a clear, effective video that will move your project forward? Let’s talk about it today.
Experience the immersion. Feel the emotion.
At Studios Machiavel, Immersive Video Production Agency, we amplify the emotion of the audience most passionate about your brand. We combine our experience in storytelling with our expertise in the most advanced video technologies, such as indoor drone, 2D/3D animation and virtual reality.
LEAVE A COMMENT
You must be logged in to post a comment