How Much Does a 3D Animation Cost?

If you’re considering an animated video or series, chances are you’re caught in a rock and a hard place. You know that 2D animated video is generally less visually appealing but you also know that it is significantly more affordable than a 3D animation. But how much does a 3D animation cost? That’s a great question. Sadly, the only real answer we can provide is — it depends. The actual cost of 3D animated video can range from $10,000 per minute to more than $10,000 per second. Let’s take a look at what goes into figuring out the total cost of a 3D animated video.

Features

First and foremost, the cost of a 3D animated video is largely based on the features. It takes a ton of effort for an animation studio to create that animated video content. You may not even realize how much time and effort goes into creating 3D movies. Features such as additional characters, advanced backgrounds, or amazing effects all add to this budget. That’s why you often see animated videos listed by a cost per finished second instead of the total cost per minute. Many past 3D animations, like Monsters Inc, cost upwards of $15,000 per finished second of video. 

Art Work & Creativity

You get what you pay for! As you consider the answer to your question, “ how much does a 3D animation cost? ” the fact is, art and creativity are not cheap and they are highly subjective as to what is “the right price.” Animation studios often spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in recruitment and hiring and ongoing long-term investment costs as they attempt to find the right animators for their projects. This will certainly cost you! Even on a smaller scale, the more creative and advanced you expect the artwork of your 3D animation to be, the more it’s going to cost.

Studio Rates

Just as you would pay studio rentals for in-house production of a live-action video, you also have studio fees associated with 3D animations. You can expect studio rates to vary between anywhere from $100 to $400 per hour. Now, think about how long animations take to produce, configure, and finalize — you could have significantly higher budgets in your studio than what you would have thought of.

Technology

Finally, as you think about what 3D animation costs per minute, it’s important to consider technology. You’ve got both hardware and software costs when animation comes into play. Animation is a highly technical task that requires advanced computer technology and a team that understands how to operate this technology. Paying for professional animations that utilize things like Adobe Effects and countless hours of rendering for that perfect scene may seem silly — but it also could be what causes your animated film to succeed! 

So, you see, 3D animation can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 or more per minute and this all depends widely on the skills, the story, and the technology that is used to bring your animations to life. Need more information? Give Beverly Boy Productions a call!