Darvideo Animation Studio

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company is a Vietnamese app publisher. I act as a Communications Specialist for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio?

We need a celebratory short video to mark our 1-billion download milestone.

What were your goals for this project?

Create a short and quality video to match with our key message (celebrate 1-billion downloads milestone) in a time crunch of 20-day turnover.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Primary research on clutch and other sources.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

We prepared the script and drafted our ideas for story frames so darvideo could skip the storyboard and jumped to illustration part. We broke down the 2-minute video into two parts so darvideo can work on the second part while waiting for first part's edit. We think our working progress went smoothly and helped with the strict timeline.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

There were only me and my manager working on this one so our feedback was communicated efficiently and helped the darvideo team to progress quickly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our teams loved it! Our partners loved it! And we loved it :)

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was effective for the short time given. Their provided frame.io was comprehensive and effective to use during the video review.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were able to deliver our ideas very swiftly and attentively.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Maybe between the reviews, darvideo can be more active and mention their difficulties or roadblocks so we as client can adjust.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an animation production company and I am the primary production manager

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio?

Illustration and animation for our videos - 3D and 2D. We have used Darvideo for several of our videos. We have had an inhouse production team from the summer of 2018, however whenever we require we know we can also rely on Darvideo to deliver.

What were your goals for this project?

Making videos for clients

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Through contacts and connections.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

First we would write the script inhouse, then Darvideo would design the look, then they would illustrate and finally animate. We kept communication all the way from start to finish, and the client was also allowed to provide feedback so we could make the videos in the best way possible for each client

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

They have a project manager for each project that communicated with me, and then illustrator/animators for each of the projects. We used wipster and other online programs to send feedback back and forth between the teams

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The clients were very happy with their end results

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very good. The team always delivered on time and responded quickly, and asked questions when they needed. Using translators and reference photos is reckommended when you don't speak the same language - makes it easier to communicate and ensure mutual understanding.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are very lovely, professional, and easy to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Perhaps just the communication, however that is as much my fault. Always make sure all details and all info is included in the project and that everything is properly communicated at all times. It keeps things running smoothly and you avoid misunderstandings or extra rounds of feedback.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

BashMac.ua is Apple equipment repair service company. I am a Co-Founder and CEO. We have been on the market since 2009.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio?

We have ordered an animated explainer video about our company and services in Darvideo Animation Studio. We were launching a renewed website and needed a landing video for it.

What were your goals for this project?

There we 3 main goals the video should have solved for us: 1. Attracting the new customers 2. Explanation of our services 3. Converting the leads to clients

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We have searched the Internet and other resources for the studios that make animation and specialise on animated explainers. We were selecting among around 10 companies. All of them have had relative expertise and good portfolios. But guys from Darvideo have won our trust being more curious, more involved in our request and being faster and more transparent in communication.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

After we had made the partly down payment, the process started the same day. I was contacted by the dedicated project manager and we had all the communication throughout the project with him. And I find this essentially comfortable. The creative process consisted of three stages 1) script writing 2) making the arts 3) animation. We had the possibility to make corrections on every stage.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

As I have described I was communicating with 2 people in the company - Producer (discussing the details of the project) and Project Manager (during the production). The overall impression of both communications is very good. I had the possibility to apply 2 rounds of revisions on every of the 3 stages.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The video is being prepared for the new landing page at the moment, so we don't publish it for now. It was done in time within the pre-agreed schedule (25 working days). The only thing I should mention, I didn't know that I will be involved in the process so much. But dirring it, I have realised that if I am not involved, I will not get the result I want.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Generally effective. There were some moments I could not respond really fast. But the guys even worked during the weekends to stay on track with the schedule.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I would admit 2 main thing: 1) Fast, clear and attentive communication and availability. 2) The process of production in Darvideo is very exact, it feels like the team really knows the subject.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I wish the guys to be more daring with the ideas and not always believe that the client wants something really straight. So more experimenting and offering really creative things.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Marketing Director at Ross Restoration

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio?

Animated video for water damage restoration

What were your goals for this project?

To outline the process of water damage restoration to our potential clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Darvideo was selected through our online research looking for the best animation firm among dozens of other service providers for their cost and quality of animation.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

Darvideo took our script and outline, brought it to life with animation and delivered exactly what we were looking for.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Darvideo walked us through the entire process allowing us to comment and provide feedback at every step in the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The produced result was well received by our team and wish to continue creating additional videos with Darvideo.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was perfect, allowing for a great deal of communication and feedback along the way.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their results. They have produced amazing videos.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I lead the video production department at a consulting firm that specializes in training for HR and learning departments at large organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio?

We hired darvideo to execute the animation on a project that had a tight timeline but approved creative.

What were your goals for this project?

faithful execution of approved creative, within the timeline

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

someone reached out to me on linkedin and I checked their work and tried them out on a small project before moving forward with my larger project.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

I passed along an approved sound bed and illustrator files to darvideo, as well as a storyboard with direction for animation, and they gave me back video rough cuts for feedback. we had 2 rounds of feedback before delivery of a final master and animation project files.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

we used frame.io for feedback and I put notes in the platform for them to address. follow up questions were handled via email. all communication with darvideo was led by their producer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

we stayed within budget and timeline and everyone was happy with the creative execution.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

communication was fairly smooth throughout the process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Darvideo was able to execute in a competitive budget and tight timeline. They brought their own ideas to the project, while also following my creative direction.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would have liked them to be able to bring a little more of their own creative ideas to add to the animation. I also would have liked to be able to move faster (for a higher price of course) if possible.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company makes internet content for a wide variety of publishers. I'm the senior producer and media director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio?

We were hired by a client to help them create their first animated educational video, to get students engaged in what they do.

What were your goals for this project?

There was a balancing act of keeping it fun, entertaining, and relatable, while still being informative.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were willing to try getting the project done during the short time allowed, and with the smaller budget allotted.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

Once the script was done, Darvideo helped us trim it down to a size that was more conducive to the target runtime. Then they helped us create all aspects of the look and feel. Every step of the way--during stillomatic and storyboards--the client wanted very specific tweaks...there were very specific notes for pronunciation during the VO that Darvideo took in stride. Things seemed to be going well, and the project was about to wrap, when people higher up in the client's organization decided that they wanted rapid changes. The publishing date had already been publicized. Still, the animation team kept its cool, and helped usher us over the finish line.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

I interacted predominantly with two individuals, one on a higher level, and the other down in the trenches. The project manager (down in the trenches) went through almost countless rounds of feedback.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The client told me that they're very happy with the end result. I think they're probably collecting detailed metrics, but once I knew they were satisfied, I considered it a job well done.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Darvideo was extremely organized and communicative during the process...and for those of you who haven't experienced it...animation can be pretty complicated. They managed to keep track of everything with the use of Wipster.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have a great attitude and work ethic, and they're talented on top of that.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Sometimes, we didn't make ourselves entirely clear, but Darvideo didn't allow themselves the time to ask as many questions as they needed to (because of the tightness of the schedule); this led to some revisions that may've been avoidable.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Managing Director of a search firm called Jurupa. We are based in the UK and work with tech start-ups, helping them to scale their operations with the best available talent across EMEA.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio?

We operate in a remarkably competitive space where differentiation is difficult; given the rise and importance of video in establishing awareness and driving audience engagement, we launched a search to find a suitable provider of explainer videos and DARvideo won our business.

What were your goals for this project?

To create from scratch the concept and reality of a corporate explainer video - we had a lot of ideas but not much structure. Yuriy and Helen were very patient and helpful as we worked through everything, gradually bringing all the disparate elements together over a period of weeks.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We searched extensively through the internet and revisited some previous referrals - ultimately we got down to 2 vendors, one of them in Paris, the other in Kiev. Price undoubtedly played a part, but the key verification was actually in the quality of their portfolio. Every video looked slick and professional.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

Once we selected DARVideo, they took time to get to know our business in terms of target market, approach, values and what message we fundamentally wanted to get across. These meetings were staged over video call. We were particularly fussy about minute details, but they were calm and patient throughout.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

At each stage, we were asked to review and approve - this included storyboards, voiceover, animation and the vo text itself. Constant revisions were required and things had to be pored over at length.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The video has just recently been finished, so we don't yet have any feedback or measurement on impact but since this our first video, will be using it extensively to simplify the process of pitching our products and services and expect a good response rate. Initial feedback is so far, very good.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our project manager Helen Nazarok was very "on the ball" and remained diligent and reactive as the project evolved. On the one or two occasions where our feedback was a little harsh or critical, they never showed an adverse reaction and always made the necessary tweaks and adjustments as per our requests.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are very skilled in transforming sketches and conceptual information into the professionally crafted video. They offered useful information and guidance at each step and were pretty easy to deal with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They didn't rush anything and took care to ensure everything was to our satisfaction before closing the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Sprout Marketing is a VP of Marketing for Hire company that works with numerous startups and emerging companies to establish and build market presence, generate leads, and accelerate business growth. I am the founder and president of the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio?

We needed a way to cost effectively explain the value proposition of a new company and its products in the financial services sector. We had limited time and budgets, and we need a company that could produce a great finished product that looked like a million dollars but cost a few thousand dollars.

What were your goals for this project?

Create a series of videos for two sister companies that could go on the website and be distributed via social media and through traditional sales channels.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found this vendor through LinkedIn and selected them based on their portfolio and their price.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Create 5 animated videos, each under 1 minute in length for clearly conveying the product value and introduced a new company to market.

What was the team composition?

We worked predominantly with a single point of contact for production after working with a sales person early in the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The client as well as some key customers/partners really understood what we were communicating in the finished product.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The tools they used were easy to navigate and intuitive to understand so that editing was a breeze.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to take very abstract concepts and bring them to life on screen in a language that is not their native language. Their patience in awaiting feedback and their persistence in staying on top of us to get that feedback were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Paying through their portal was difficult given the currency exchange and bank policies and redtape.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the creative director of a design agency that specializes in digital storytelling.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio?

We needed help with our storyboard and animation for an explainer video.

What were your goals for this project?

To have a beautiful illustration and animation.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I liked their portfolio and the people I communicated with were responsive.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

They created a storyboard for a script we had written, and then animated it. They were flexible with edits and the work was beautiful. I hope to collaborate with them again in the future.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Everyone we worked with was flexible, easy to communicate with, responsive, and totally reasonable at every step of the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The video is beautiful and we're thrilled with the final product.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was great—we got what we needed and they were pleasant to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was really impressed with their responsiveness, creativity, and animation skills. They're really good.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we loved working with them and there was no part of the process that I'd change.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our business offers immersive escape rooms for one hour play. This is a game of the mind, so throughout the game players meet riddles, puzzles, hidden objects, surprises, clues, and all kinds of «important» information, each bringing them closer to solving the room.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio?

We hired Darvideo Animation Studio for the production of five explainer videos to showcase their locations and promote the quests

What were your goals for this project?

The purpose was to engage new visitors to the project and provide them with the full filing overview of the quests. The final goal is to entertain the players with a smart and exciting real-life team game

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The solution to order the videos out of the Darvideo Studio was based on a recommendation and the portfolio reviews

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

At first, we described the task and the goal of the planned videos. After the brainstorm series, the production team came up with the scenarios for five locations. Then they designed the characters and produced the storyboard for each video. After the confirmation, the Studio animated the approved materials into the commercial videos.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

The Darvideo provided the project with a full team of specialists and the project administrator for cooperation with our managers. Also, the team was confirming the results after each stage of video production

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The videos produced by the Animation Studio satisfy their prime goal to explain the concept of the entertainment provided by us and show the insights of five locations they offer

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

In general, the Darvideo provided the professional workflow, were maintaining the stable communication, giving results up to the discussed schedule and at final, completed the given task on time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The vendors' team demonstrated their creativity and professional skills while the project administrator coordinated the creative teams' work in the most appropriate way.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The Darvideo should grow their capacities and power more intense promotion worldwide.

This review was written by the PR manager of Darvideo Animation Studio in agreement with and on behalf of the client, an escape room company.