The Ultimate Guide to Explainer Videos: From Concept to Launch
- wienotfilms
- Jul 24
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 4
Summary: What You’ll Learn in This Guide
Looking to create a compelling explainer video that actually works? This step-by-step guide walks you through the entire production process—from defining your goals and writing a strong script to animation, sound design, and launch. You'll learn:
How to align your video with business goals and budget
Why scriptwriting is the foundation of a great video
The importance of visuals and dual coding theory
How to pick the right voice, style, and pacing
Tips for giving feedback that keeps your project on track
Whether you're creating a educational video, product demo, or brand story, this guide gives you the blueprint to build an explainer video that informs, engages, and drives action.
A Step-by-Step Blueprint for Crafting a Story That Works
Why Explainer Videos Are the Smartest Tool in Your Storytelling Toolkit
In a world filled with noise, explainer videos offer clarity. Research shows that viewers retain up to 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to just 10% when reading it in text. At Wienot Films, we believe every great explainer video begins with a story. And to build a story with impact, you need a blueprint.
Creating a powerful explainer video is like building a house. It requires planning. You need to start with a clear understanding of your goals, lay a solid foundation, and work with a skilled team to bring everything together. To help you through the process, we've put together your ultimate guide to building an explainer video that lasts.
1. Know What Kind of House You're Building (Define Goals & Budget)
Before you do anything else, get clear on two things: your goals and your budget. Without these, you're not ready to begin.
Ask yourself:
Who is the audience for this video?
What’s the primary purpose—education, promotion, training, or onboarding?
What do I want them to do, feel, and/or understand?
Just like you'd plan differently for a beach house versus a downtown condo, the use case determines everything. Make sure you understand your purpose for creating your explainer video.
Then, understand your budget. A good production partner should give you a realistic range. If you’re within it, you’re likely in a good spot to move forward. If not, you may need to adjust your scope or explore more basic production options. Whether it’s high-end 3D animation, simple text, or a 2D video that falls somewhere in between, there’s a solution for nearly every budget.
You may want the mansion, but sometimes a cozy cottage will keep you just as warm. Your budget will help you set realistic expectations for the type of explainer video you can create.
Review Questions:
✅ What does success looks like for the video?
✅ How much is the budget and what’s achievable within it?
✅ Do key stakeholders agree on these goals?
2. Lay the Foundation (Write a Rock-Solid Script)
The script is your foundation. It determines what your audience hears, in what order, and how it flows. Don't shortchange it. A good script can make up for lower quality visuals, but no amount of special effects can fully compensate for a poor script. Give it the attention it deserves.
Remember: you can't build a strong building with a poor foundation. Likewise, you can't create an impactful explainer video with a shaky script.
A good script has:
A clear structure, with a beginning, middle, and end
An appropriate tone that is easy for the target audience to understand
A sharp focus on the most important elements of your story
Tip: as you review your script, we always recommend reading it out loud. This helps identify awkward phrasing, unnecessary repetition, or areas that need emphasis. Especially if you’re selling a product or service, remember to include elements that will resonate emotionally with your audience. Buying decisions are made on more than just logic.
Review Questions:
✅ Does the script support our goals?
✅ Is the tone right for our brand?
✅ Is the message clear, concise, and emotionally compelling?
3. Plan the Layout (Visual Structure & Dual Coding)
Once the script is mostly locked in, it’s time to plan the visuals. This is where dual coding theory comes into play: people learn better when visual and verbal elements are combined. Explainer videos shine because they synchronize what your viewer sees and hears—a powerful cognitive one-two punch.
As you begin to visualize the story, you may identify opportunities to revise the script slightly. For example, if something is shown clearly in the animation, you might not need to say it at all.
Visual planning is like imaging the layout of your home. It is the step before storyboarding and includes writing visual descriptions to match the script. This is where you’ll first begin to “see” the video in your mind.
Review Questions:
✅ Do the visual plans support and enhance the message?
✅ Are we showing (not just telling) when possible?
✅ Do parts of the script need to evolve slightly to align with the visuals?
4. Choose the Right Visual Style (Brand Alignment & Design Direction)
The visual look of your video should reflect your brand’s personality and resonate with your audience. Whether your brand is playful and creative or formal and professional, your aesthetic should reinforce that identity.
We often begin this phase with reference images, moodboards, and/or style frames to align on direction before fully committing to a design. Think of this like choosing your home’s architectural style—modern, rustic, minimalist, or classic. Consistency and clarity are key.
Once your style is locked in, it's time to build out the full storyboards, which are like having a complete blueprint for your video. This is the stage of the process to make sure everything looks completely ready to go before moving to the next stage. Like digging your foundation and building the structure of your home, everything becomes much more time consuming and costly to change after you move into voiceover recording and animation. Review everything very closely before moving on to voiceover recording and animation.
Review Questions:
✅ Does the visual style match your brand identity?
✅ Is it appropriate and engaging for your audience?
✅ Are there any final concerns to address before storyboard approval?
5. Build the Structure (Voiceover & Animation)
With the script approved and visuals planned, it’s time to bring the video to life. This is where all of the work creating the storyboards—your blueprint for your video, complete with your script narration, visuals, and animation planning—comes to life.
Voiceover
The voiceover is the emotional guide for your audience. Choose a voice that fits your brand tone and audience expectations. Consider a live-directed session if nuance is critical. Audition voices until you’re satisfied with your choice.
Don’t rush the spoken word. Viewers need time to absorb what they’re hearing and seeing. Leave breathing room in the pacing to avoid overload. A fast-talking video may sound efficient, but it often leads to viewer fatigue.
Animation
This is where the visual plan comes to life as a dynamic, moving experience. The animation should be tightly synced with the voiceover, reinforcing the dual coding principle and enhancing clarity. This is part of the magic of animated explainer videos.
Review Questions:
✅ Does the voice match the tone of the story and the brand?
✅ Is the animation fluid and engaging?
✅ Are key concepts reinforced both visually and verbally?
6. Add the Finishing Touches (Music & Sound Design)
Just like furniture and decor add polish and emotional appeal to a new home, sound design elevates your video and infuses it with emotional power.
Choose music that sets the right tone. For high-emotion or complex stories, consider a custom score, or at least pick a dynamic music track that can be cut to match the emotional “beats” of your story. Use sound effects to highlight transitions, movement, and to add realism.
Investing in sound design can make a huge difference in the way your video is received by your audience. The goal is to enhance, not distract. A good sound designer will make your video feel complete.
Review Questions:
✅ Does the music support the tone of the story?
✅ Are the sound effects helpful, not overwhelming?
✅ Does everything feel polished and emotionally resonant?
7. Final Walkthrough (Review & Polish Before Launch)
This is your quality control phase—not the time for strategic changes. Think of it as your final home inspection. You don’t change your blueprint after your home is built. Likewise, avoid changing your script or visual style after your video is complete unless you want to expand your scope and budget.
When reviewing the video, focus on:
Timing and flow: are there any rushed or slow spots?
Voiceover and music: are they balanced and well-paced?
Sound effects: do they overpower or support the message?
If something still doesn’t feel right, it’s better to fix it now—but ideally, all major decisions have been made. This is all about fine tuning, not dramatic changes.
Review Questions:
✅ Are there any errors or inconsistencies?
✅ Does the video flow smoothly from start to finish?
✅ Does it match the original goals and feel ready to launch?
8. Feedback: The Secret Ingredient to a Successful Build
Throughout the entire process, consistent and constructive feedback is essential. This will help speed the overall process and ensure you're happy with the final explainer video.
Here are some feedback tips:
Provide it early and often. Don’t approve a blueprint and change the design halfway through.
Involve the right stakeholders early. Late-stage rewrites can delay production and increase costs.
Appoint a single point of contact. Multiple voices can lead to conflicting feedback. Choose someone who can gather input, evaluate it, and prioritize what matters most.
Diverse feedback is valuable, but design by committee is a recipe for mediocrity.
How Long Does It Take?
Expect 6–8 weeks for a standard explainer video if you're moving efficiently. It may take longer if you need extra time for internal reviews, complex script development, or prolonged approvals.
Conclusion: Build It Right, Build It Well
A well-crafted explainer video is like a well-built home—designed with care, aligned with purpose, and meant to last. It takes time and effort to do it right.
At Wienot Films, we guide clients through every phase of this process with a focus on story, strategy, and simplicity. We don’t just build videos, we help you communicate what matters most so that your audience understands and is ready to take action.
Ready to bring your story to life? Reach out to us today.
References & Further Reading
Forbes: How To Incorporate Video Into Your Social Media Strategy
Paivio, Allan (1971). Imagery and Verbal Processes
MarketingProfs.com: Storytelling: An Entrepreneur’s Secret Weapon
Ma, Lin (2022). Research on the effect of different types of short music videos on viewers' psychological emotions (NIH)
East End Arts and Humanities Council: Setting the Tone: The Crucial Role of Music in Movies
Wienot Films: Male vs. Female Voiceovers: What You Should Really Consider
Wienot Films: The Secret to Knowing When You Need an Explainer Video
About Wienot Films
Wienot Films is a top-rated animation and explainer video production company that helps organizations simplify complex ideas through clear, compelling visual storytelling. Specializing in high-quality animated explainer videos, Wienot transforms information into engaging content that’s easy to understand and hard to forget. Based in Austin, Texas, with offices in New York and Australia, Wienot serves clients around the globe. From corporate explainers to nonprofit and educational campaigns, Wienot delivers award-winning animation production services that drive understanding and inspire action. Visit wienotfilms.com to learn more.
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