How the process works

Like everything we do here at Gisteo, our process for creating animated videos is simple & straightforward. These are the six steps we normally follow, from concept to final delivery.

If you’d to kickstart things and get rolling with Step 1 (Discovery), you can download our Pre-Production Questionnaire by clicking on the button below.

1. Discovery

We start by rolling up our sleeves and doing our homework. We kick things off by studying your pre-production questionnaire to better understand your value proposition and overall goals for your video.

2. Script Development

Next, we proceed to write the script, which serves as the blueprint for the entire gisteo. We send you the draft for comments, make revisions if necessary until the script is approved.

3. Storyboard

We then turn your script into full color, frame by frame visuals so you can get a feel for your final video and send feedback. If it’s a cartoon-style gisteo, we’ll also design the character(s) and submit to you for approval in this stage.

4. Voice Over

We tap into our team of voice artists to record part or all of your script. You choose from this selection of hand-picked custom auditions.

5. Animation

This is the last step of the video production process. Our animators combine all the elements and bring everything to life to create your custom video.

6. Final Delivery

After completing any final revisions, it’s a wrap. We send you the video file to download (normally in .mp4) and share with the world!

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

As they say– there are no stupid questions, just stupid answers.  Here are some of the more common questions we get and, hopefully, only a few of the answers are stupid.  Have another question?  Don’t hesitate to contact us and we’ll get back to you with freakish speed.
Yes, we do offer a 5% discount if you pay the full fee upfront vs. our standard option, which is 50% upfront, 50% upon completion.
Not really. We like to think we offer “everyday low pricing” but you can always try. Hey, business is about “win-win” relationships so, if you have something to offer in exchange for a discount (e.g. you will mention Gisteo in a article that will be seen by thousands of people in a specific industry, you’re an influencer with a large following and you’ll talk about us etc.), we’re all ears!
Not directly, but as a long-standing PayPal Merchant, we can offer you interest-free financing if the total bill is paid in 6 months.  For more information, click on the banner below and apply via PayPal. PayPal Credit
Gisteo is a lean operation. We don’t have a secretary or too many admin people or excessive overhead which can lead to bloated explainer video pricing. We prefer to keep things streamlined and pass those savings on to our clients. In addition, we get a ton of repeat business and referrals so we don’t need to inflate our explainer video pricing to offset massive marketing costs.
Strange but true…but we get this question as often as the above one. Explainer video pricing fluctuates so wildly in this industry that prospective customers are left scratching their heads. We deliver a high-quality product at a fair price. We firmly believe that Gisteo offers the best value-for-money proposition on the market. If you are looking for a “dirt cheap” solution, that is not us. You may want to check out Fiverr or talk to some folks who speak English as a second or third language…but remember, you get what you pay for. That being said, if you’re on a tight budget and want something simple yet effective, be sure to check out of “economy class” offering based on the KISS principle (Keep it simple, stupid) on the site here.  K.I.S.S. Explainers combines the same great storytelling offered at Gisteo with simpler animation techniques to deliver a super affordable, custom-made product. And there’s nothing stupid about that!
Say you plan on doing a 60 second explainer video. Ultimately, the running time extends a bit and the final video is 68 seconds. Other companies will charge you religiously (and handsomely) for every extra second. Not Gisteo. We keep it simple and fair. We’ll round down as long as it’s within the “buffer zone” and those extra seconds are free of charge. If it goes beyond the 10 second buffer, we will apply the full pro-rated fee based on the normal $500 per each additional 30 second increment.
Wow!  You read our mind. Our Gisteo Preferred plan is perfect for those looking to produce two or more videos during a 12-month period. You can check out what it’s all about here.
Of course! 60-90 seconds is the most common length that we produce but we’ve also created countless 30 second spots for TV, websites, social media etc. Subtract $500 from the above base rates and, voila, that’s the fee you can expect.
Our policy is to not have a policy when it comes to revisions. Our end goal is the same as yours: to create a compelling video. If you’re pleased as punch with the end result, we know you’ll speak favorably of us to all your friends and contacts when they ask “who made your video?” We’d much rather have a new Gisteo evangelist out there in the world than to tick you off by “nickeling and diming” you to death over a few extra changes. In addition, projects follow a sequential order, meaning that we don’t embark on the next stage of the process until you’ve given your feedback and approved of a particular element such as a script, voice over, character look etc. This approach help ensure that we have frequent touch-points and no unpleasant surprises.
Well….yes. Every now and then there are a few “special” clients who will cross the line a bit when it comes to requesting excessive revisions. It’s very rare, but it happens. This is especially problematic after a particular stage of a project has been completed and approved and the client decides to change something that was previously green-lighted. In these extreme cases, we may ask for an additional fee to cover an over-abundance of labor-intensive revisions. This is dealt with only on a case-by-case basis when we feel it’s necessary and we always try to be as fair as possible.
Sure, we can cast any native English-speaking accent you need. Cheers mate! Good on ya.
Yes, we write the script in English so you would need to send us a translated version of the final/approved script and we charge an additional fee for this service depending on the length of the video. We can cast voice talent in most major world languages and have extensive experience producing videos for other countries.
We keep things efficient, streamlined and simple here at Gisteo.  Check out how everything works and how to get started here.
Yes, with an asterisk. These are “for hire” jobs and you will own all rights to the video output produced by Gisteo. By “output,” we’re referring to the master video file we send you, most often in .mp4 or .mov format. We do not release source files (e.g. native After Effects project files) as this is our own intellectual property. Requests for source files are dealt with on a case-by-case basis and a one-time surcharge for said release applies (normally around $500-$1,000, depending on video length).
No, not at all. Gisteos are videos that “get to the gist” and do not always need to have a purely commercial or promotional angle. Gisteos could be used to explain a complex educational concept in an interesting way, show people how something works, describe how a non-profit organization uses its funds, etc. If there’s a need to communicate the gist of something, there’s an opportunity to create a gisteo. One of our fastest-growing uses, in fact, is for internal communication/training at larger organizations that need to share important content with their employees in an easily digestible, more engaging way.
Hey there! He’s not necessarily a looker, but he’s our dude and we stand by him. Besides, he does have a certain je ne sais quoi about him that makes him more attractive to many.
Definitely. We work as a supplier to plenty of other marketing or branding firms, ad agencies etc. and we’re open to exploring different types of relationships.
By default, we send the final file to you in .mp4 but we can send you the files in almost any format you need- .mov, .swf, .wmv, .avi etc.