Scaling Animation Production Without Sacrificing Quality: A Guide

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Table of content
  1. Introduction
  2. Understanding the Animation Production Pipeline
  3. Implementing Efficient Workflow Management
  4. Leveraging Technology and Automation
  5. Ensuring Quality Control
  6. Scaling Teams Effectively
  7. Balancing Quantity with Quality
  8. Animation: Our Best Work
  9. Mastering the Art of Scalable Animation
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Jonathan Yohanes
4 months ago・5 min read

In the fast-paced world of content marketing, animation has become a cornerstone of engaging storytelling. However, as demand for animated content continues to rise, creative leaders face a critical challenge: how to scale animation production while maintaining the high-quality standards their audiences expect.

For Heads of Video, Content Strategists, and senior animators, the balance between quantity and quality requires strategic planning, effective tools, and optimized workflows. This post explores actionable strategies to help creative teams meet growing demands without compromising artistic integrity.

Understanding the Animation Production Pipeline

Scaling animation production begins with mastering the animation pipeline, which serves as the backbone of every project. Breaking it into three key phases ensures clarity and efficiency:

  • Pre-Production: This phase involves concept development, storyboarding, and design. Establishing clear goals and expectations early on reduces costly revisions. For Content Strategists, ensuring narrative alignment during pre-production is critical to maintaining content production workflows. 90 Seconds Plan enables brands to research content ideas, develop creative concepts, script, and storyboard all in one place, allowing for optimal narrative alignment. 
  • Production: Activities like modeling, rigging, and animation take center stage here. Efficient workflows, such as standardized rigging workflows and streamlined animation pipelines, are essential for senior animators seeking to balance speed and quality. With 90 Seconds Shoot, brands are provided with a seamless end-to-end shoot process, crewed with quality assured, talented creator partners. 
  • Post-Production: Tasks like compositing, sound design, and editing bring the animation to life. Quality checks during post-production ensure the final product is polished and cohesive, vital for Heads of Video or Marketing Directors overseeing delivery timelines. 90 Seconds Edit takes care of this process, delivering any necessary edit skills and centralizing content review on the Content App. 

By understanding and optimizing each stage, teams can scale their operations without losing sight of quality.

Implementing Efficient Workflow Management

To scale animation effectively, workflow optimization is key. Adopting standardized processes and tools ensures consistency and clarity across teams.

  • Standardized Processes: Documenting workflows and adhering to consistent procedures minimizes errors and saves time. For Content Strategists, standardized workflows also simplify collaboration with external teams.
  • Effective Communication: Maintaining open communication channels and leveraging tools like project management software ensure alignment among animators, producers, and content leads. For Heads of Video, these tools provide visibility into production timelines and task completion. 90 Seconds’ Delivery hub gives brands an overview of all their team’s progress, based on what’s happening now and coming up next.  

Streamlined workflows reduce bottlenecks and create space for creative innovation.

Leveraging Technology and Automation

Technology and automation are powerful allies in scaling animation production. Creative teams can achieve more with less effort by integrating the right tools.

  • Advanced Software Tools: Investments in cutting-edge tools such as real-time rendering engines or collaborative animation platforms boost efficiency. These tools are essential for senior animators managing animation workflows across large projects.
  • Automation: Automating repetitive tasks, like in-betweening or basic rigging, accelerates production. For Heads of Video, this reduces turnaround times while freeing up animators to focus on high-value creative tasks.

By embracing technology, teams can scale their production capabilities without sacrificing the quality that audiences expect.

Ensuring Quality Control

Scaling shouldn’t mean compromising quality. A robust quality assurance process is essential to maintain high standards across all projects.

  • Regular Reviews: For Heads of Video, frequent quality checks during production help identify and resolve issues early, preventing costly delays in post-production. 
  • Feedback Loops: Creating structured feedback mechanisms encourages continuous improvement. Senior animators can use iterative feedback to refine their frame-by-frame quality control, ensuring consistency in every detail. On the 90 Seconds Content App, all content is delivered for timestamped review and feedback. 

These processes safeguard the integrity of animations while keeping projects on track.

Scaling Teams Effectively

As demand increases, expanding and optimizing teams becomes crucial. Scaling doesn’t always mean hiring full-time staff—it’s about leveraging the right talent at the right time.

  • Talent Development: Investing in training programs enhances the skills of existing team members. For Marketing Directors, this ensures internal teams can meet evolving project requirements without reliance on external resources.
  • Strategic Outsourcing: Outsourcing specific tasks, such as motion design or complex effects, can provide flexibility without overloading in-house teams. For Heads of Video, choosing partners aligned with quality standards ensures seamless integration with internal efforts.

A balanced team structure enables scalability while preserving quality.

Balancing Quantity with Quality

The ultimate goal of scaling animation production is to increase output without diluting quality. Achieving this balance requires thoughtful prioritization and resource allocation.

  • Prioritization: Focus on high-impact projects and allocate resources strategically. For Heads of Content, this means aligning production efforts with key campaign objectives.
  • Resource Allocation: Matching tasks to team strengths optimizes productivity while maintaining artistic integrity. Senior animators benefit from delegating repetitive tasks to external teams, allowing in-house talent to focus on creative innovation.

By managing resources wisely, creative teams can meet growing demands without compromising on excellence.

Animation: Our Best Work

At 90 Seconds, we’ve helped some of the world’s biggest brands bring their stories to life through stunning animations. From dynamic explainer videos to immersive motion graphics, our work showcases the perfect blend of creativity, technical expertise, and storytelling. Here’s a look at some standout animation projects that demonstrate how we help brands engage audiences and leave a lasting impact.

PwC – Business Align and Connect 

This animation project for PwC seamlessly illustrates the importance of aligning business strategies and fostering connections within teams. 

Tripadvisor – Spring Break Safely 

Tripadvisor wanted to create a series of four social-first videos in partnership with Walgreens designed to inform and instruct travellers on safe travel practices as they navigate the new normal.

FedEx – International Priority Express 

This animation was created for FedEx to showcase their International Priority Express service.

Mastering the Art of Scalable Animation

Scaling animation production is a challenge, but it’s far from impossible. With a well-structured animation pipeline, efficient workflows, cutting-edge technology, and thoughtful resource management, creative teams can deliver high-quality content at scale.

For Heads of Video, Content Strategists, and senior animators, embracing these strategies ensures they not only meet growing demands but also elevate their storytelling capabilities.

Ready to scale your animation production without sacrificing quality? Let 90 Seconds help you achieve seamless scalability with world-class tools and talent. 

Get started today!

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