Darvideo Animation Studio

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for The Conference Board of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario. We’re one of the utmost thinktanks in Canada, providing independent research for government and the private sector. We’re a nonprofit organization.

I’m a program manager for international programs. I’m managing a project funded by the Government of Canada for helping Ukraine increase trade and investment.

Canada and Ukraine signed a free trade agreement, and the government is funding a project to implement the agreement. The aim is to help Ukrainians export to Canada, and Canadians to invest in Ukraine.

What challenge were you trying to address with Darvideo Animation Studio?

Because of the pandemic, some of the activities of our project had to change and adapt. This had its challenges, but it also opened a few opportunities.

Because the project had already developed a guide for Ukrainian exporters on how to export to Canada, we had the idea of also developing some animated videos to help offer this knowledge to Ukrainian exporters through a different medium.

The contract was for 60 minutes of animated videos, and we first thought there would be 12 videos. It took us a long time to understand what we needed to provide, what the scripts should be, and what kind of feedback Darvideo Animation Studio should get from us.

Animated videos would present the textbook information in a very attractive and succinct way.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We came up with a script and presented it to our project teams in Canada and Ukraine. Through the process, we learned how videos are created. It was totally new to all of us when we started.

Darvideo Animation Studio had to guide us on how many words there should be in a script for a specific video length. I was personally involved in all the phases. It was a very involved approach requiring a lot of time and work on both sides.

What is the team composition?

Four people worked directly with us, including the head of the organization, a project manager, a scriptwriter, and a producer.

I believe that only one of their teams was initially working on our project, but we had a very strict deadline, so their team increased.

How did you come to work with Darvideo Animation Studio?

The Government of Canada funds our project, and the project was larger than $24,000, so we had strict procurement rules. We shortlisted three Ukrainian companies and negotiated with them.

Darvideo Animation Studio was selected based on their offer. They seemed to be more flexible, and they provided examples of their work.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost was $56,400 CAD (approximately $ 44,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We had preliminary discussions in June 2020, and we finalized the procurement process that July. The contract ended at the end of December 2020.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

It took a lot of time for us to understand the process. Darvideo Animation Studio was very good at explaining to us that we could make changes a number of times, but there would be additional charges after that.

We made a lot more changes from our side than the reasonably-acceptable amount, but their team was very good at working with us and guiding us through the process. They made us understand what we needed to provide in order for them to do the work. 

Because the process took a while, we had 10 videos instead of 12 in the end. The videos covered the most important topics, and we were very satisfied.

While they probably don’t amount to an hour, the messaging, topics, quality, and rendering style are all there. This was a huge success for me.

It took some time for their team to understand our message's purpose and technicalities, but they were much faster in getting adjusted than we were, probably because they have multiple clients and do all sorts of other work.

They were working just for us in the last couple of months, or at least it felt like that. They were very responsive and accepted a lot of changes from us. There are some very picky members in our team, but this didn’t deter them.

They continued to improve the videos. They came up with creative ideas that were better than ours and with solutions that were much better than we’d hoped for.

How did Darvideo Animation Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

It took us a bit of time to adjust to each other initially, but their team was very prompt.

What helped a lot was that they insisted on having one point of contact on our side. We had some initial meetings with the larger teams, which are useful for getting to know and understand each other.

After that, our team would convey our changes and requests to one person, and that person communicated with one person from Darvideo Animation Studio. In order to meet the deadlines, it was needed on a couple of occasions that two people from our side talk to two people from Darvideo Animation Studio. The fact that they insisted on having one contact person on each side helped a lot. It was a key factor in completing the work. We couldn’t go over the deadline because the government wouldn’t fund anything after that.

They had their own project management tools, and we had ours. We agreed to simplify the process. We follow the agile system of the Government of Canada, while their team has a completely different management system, which applies to the production of videos. 

We adapted to the storyboards and all the stages that animation production involves, and followed them without integrating too much. There was some adjustment on both sides.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team stood out in terms of price, and the quality of samples they provided was at least as good as the other companies we looked at.

I believe that there was only one that was better, but it was more expensive. The samples that Darvideo Animation Studio provided met our needs.

They’ve also worked with organizations similar to ours. If we’d worked with an organization that only did commercials, we probably wouldn’t have had the good results we got.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There should’ve been a bit more trust in the beginning. Trust has to be built, but Darvideo Animation Video was a bit reluctant to provide us with clear internal metrics and costs. To draw the contract, it would’ve been helpful for me to know the key factors that determine the cost. I got it in the end, but it wasn’t easy. They understood that this was important information, and things worked well after that.

It took a couple of virtual meetings between our team in Kiev and them to make them understand that we wouldn’t prolong the contract beyond December 31st and that we wouldn’t be able to pay for work after that date. After they understood that, more members were added from their team.

The attention to detail on the project management side could’ve been better. What was obvious to us should’ve been obvious to them as well.

Although they had a project manager for our contract, that person wasn’t always available to check the consistency between videos. That factor was very important, especially for the overall logic. We had characters. Let’s say that a character is producing furniture in video one, and the same character would be producing cookies in video four. There were some inconsistencies between them.

Certain videos had too many dynamic elements, while others had none. Their team should ensure that the work is consistent on projects that involve multiple teams.

Other than that, they should continue the great work they’re doing. It was a pleasure to work with them and not frustrating.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend starting by having a few meetings to build trust and then working with one person on each side. Clients should make sure that the project manager always checks the quality and consistency of the work.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a marketing agency, and I’m the director of the production.

What challenge were you trying to address with Darvideo Animation Studio?

They finished an explainer video project. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

We engaged their services right after we wrote the script. As a result, they provided us illustrations, storyboarding, and animated everything for us. They did 2D and 3D animation for me. The team also did a music search and did some voiceover as well. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with two main folks from their team. One of them was Maks (Head of Marketing).

How did you come to work with Darvideo Animation Studio?

They found me on LinkedIn. I’m always cautious about people I find on Linkedin and wary of scams, but I found Darvidea Animation Studio wonderful. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $1,850.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our video product ran from September–November 2020. We also have an ongoing engagement for other projects with them. 

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We were so grateful for their work because the Koreans loved it — they were obsessed with the video. Our external stakeholders used it on their landing pages and social media channels. We also placed it in our portfolio and it helped us award new work — so we were very thrilled about that too.

How did Darvideo Animation Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They used a platform to share edits with me and I reviewed it that way and leave my feedback there. In terms of project management, this particular project was pretty seamless. We didn’t really have any hiccups or miscommunications. If I needed edits turned around by a certain time, they were able to accommodate that. Overall, we were very happy with their work. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their skills and the way that they were able to take the script we provided, visualize things, and suggest the movement impressed us. They also helped in giving us the dimension to the story and illustrations to animation — they were just a talented group of artists. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes their work was not QA’d thoroughly enough since I caught little mistakes. In connection with that, just a little closer attention to detail would've been awesome. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work with these guys and enjoy their incredible creative studio. Be ready to collaborate together on ensuring you have a high-quality product. Just have a dedicated project manager on your team that could work with them and enjoy the process.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Media Production

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

Animation Services.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals were to create something new and unique.

How did you select this vendor?

Darvideo are the perfect collaborators. It can be difficult to find teams that work this well, with clear communication and effective work flow. Darvideo are real talents that you can trust to deliver to your needs.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

A client wanted to use animation in a innovative way. Merging creativity with social media

What was the team composition?

There were many members on hand and I was designated my own project leader.

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

Darvideo created ground breaking content. I have such an honour to work with them.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The best workflow and communication, I have come across. Working in the creativity this is a big statement. I love their process to completing projects. I certainly would not look anywhere else for effective content.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

exceeding project expectations, finishing before project deadline. Regular update about the progress of the project and all round good team work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of. I am extremely happy with their service

Please describe your company and your position there.

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

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.

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.

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.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of Clockwork. We give B2B tech and startup businesses access to the best independent marketers, designers, coders, and copywriters in the world – 24/7 Businesses need an agency that works as they do – all the time. So that’s exactly what we’ve created: an international team of creatives and account handlers who are ready to work when you are. Anytime. Why? Because great people are everywhere!

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio, and what were your goals?

We needed to find a strong animation partner to help us execute our storytelling methodology for complicated tech businesses - and when we hooked up with Darvideo, I haven't looked back. The process is simple and clear with a great structure when delivering their work. Storyboarding, voice-overs and illustration work are to a great standard - along with a very competitive price point.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I needed to find an agency that was able to deliver high-value animation work. Not just a freelancer but a structured agency that could become a trusted partner. When I found Darvideo that's exactly what I got!

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

The process of the work is smooth. The project managers are on hand through base camp all the time and supply regular updates on timings. We go through a solid creative process of script, storyboard, illustration, VO, animation, and SFX. Every stage is clear and efficient and my clients are very pleased.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

The feedback has been great on end products. We've worked with some high-end tech businesses so they expect high-end delivery - which is exactly when they get!

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

Unfortunately, we don't have a clear ROI on videos as they're for internal use only.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Really good systems in place - with clear structures. I never feel lost during the process.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their illustration and animation work was clearly what hooked me into working for them. I've found their communication and project management are second to none.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No.... all working well so far.

Please describe your company and your position there.

ZOE International is a christian nonprofit reaching the world with the Gospel and rescuing children from human trafficking. ZOE has been operating since 2002, we now in five countries. I am the marketing manager and am conducting a campaign for Christmas that required a bit more explaining.

For what projects/services did your company hire Darvideo Animation Studio, and what were your goals?

I hired Darvideo to create an animated explainer video. This video is meant to explain how the marketing campaign works, and get people excited about the campaign.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Darvideo reached out to me via Linkedin. Then we communicated over email.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

The process was very well thought out. They gathered the concept and came up with a timeline. They sent me a gantt chart. Then we selected an inspiration video. We like to control our messaging so we wrote the script. Then Darvideo gave me the story board and character concept. We did a few reviews as specified by the timeline and we were done.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

Darvideo team did the work and teh review process took place online. I had the option to give the feedback on the video or via email.

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

The video was perfect for what we need it for. We will be launching the video this month.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Gantt chart with timeline, I was also assigned a project manger. They had collaborative online tools for commenting on the story board, character inspiration, and the video.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I really like all the collaborative tools, and how on top of the timeline they were.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

It was a little difficult to communicate the concept in the beginning. We had a video call that was helpful, but perhaps maybe one more video call at some point.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the communications consultant for a software company that helps general contractors collect insurance documents from subcontractors.

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

We were looking for a short but clear explainer video to describe what the software is for and how it works.

What were your goals for this project?

To convert prospects into software users.

How did you select Darvideo Animation Studio?

My sister is an art director at a marketing agency and she referred me to them.

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

Darvideo sent us a brief to fill out so they could understand our needs. They then helped us create the script and we provided feedback until we were satisfied. Then they created the storyboard, the illustrations and the animations, adding improvements and adjustments several times on each phase.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

For every stage they sent us a link to review updates and provide our feedback.

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

We just finished the project and we are pleased that it communicates our software clearly and succinctly.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

These projects often take time, but Darvideo was very responsive to us, following up at each stage and making sure the project didn't lag.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They really understood our software and were able to create an excellent summary of it. They were communicative and organized, staying on top of the project every step of the way.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would've liked to have had more verbal/video communication to help clarify certain things but there was a slight language barrier. Nevertheless, in our email communications there was no language barrier at all and we were able to get everything right. They are detail-oriented and able to execute quickly.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a content-marketer at Nektony. We create cleaning software for macOS and iOS.

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

One of our applications MacCleaner Pro (https://nektony.com/mac-cleaner-pro) had got a major update, new features, and new design. We wanted to create a special video about this for our users and new customers. Usually, we create videos by ourselves. It was the first time we decided to asked for a video production company to create a video for us.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a video to publish on the product page of the application and show up how the users can easily clean up and speed up their Mac computers with our software. We expect to increase the number of our users with a help of this video.

How did you select Darvideo Animation Studio?

We were searching for video production companies in search engine. I had a list of 10 companies in Ukraine who can produce such a video. I contacted each of them and DarVideo provided the quickest answer, it has the best portfolio so we decided to work with them

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

We had a video call to describe in more detail what we want. Then they sent a storyboard for the video and after submitting we started the work. We sent all necessary details, screenshots, and logos for the video. In a while, they sent the first draft. We gave the feedback and asked to make some changes and they corrected everything we wanted in the video.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

After getting the video they sent us examples of music and we chose the best that suited us.

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

We have only started showing up the video, so now I can't give any feedback about the results.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

All their responses were always fast and clear. We had a positive experience. We were communicating using messenger software. To give the feedback we had usually a video call so that we could think of solutions for some cases together.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We liked the results and I can recommend this company for anyone who needs also to produce a video for the products or services they provide.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It would be great if you propose more creative solutions for your clients, organize a video call for the whole team for a better understanding of the product of the client

Please describe your company and your position there.

OTT service provider

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

To create a short animation video.

What were your goals for this project?

To create creative, unique and lively animated video to be used on the website and for advertising campaigns.

How did you select this vendor?

We were referred to Darvideo by our marketing company.

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

The video featured creative design and approach in presenting the information in an interesting and understandable manner. We communicated over email. Communication was always quick and all concerns were addressed in a very professional manner.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We were designated a project manger and she was great at handling all the correspondence and addressing any concerns that we might have had.

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

It was an innovative way for our company to market our services. Something which we have never done before and we believe the video created by Darvideo will have great success in our marketing campaigns.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Everything was done in a highly professional manner and all work was completed based on schedules that our project manager provided.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

All comments and concerns were dealt with immediately. Amazing communication and collaboration level. Darvideo came up with very creative approach to presenting our material.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everything was top-notch!

Please describe your company and your position there.

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

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

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

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.