Stormy Studio

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the VP of marketing for an innovative telecom company developing a self-powered cell tower.

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

We had a hard time letting potential partners visualize some of the [sometimes difficult to grasp] innovative features such as our tower's installation without cranes, self-protection capabilities, and how the multiple renewable energy systems work together to supply 99.999% uptime.

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

We chose Story Studio based on their exceptional previous animation projects, thorough professional correspondence, and overall value.

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

Stormy Studio walked us through the entire process. We began with our script and talked through our vision on a kickoff call. They soon came back with an animated storyboard to refine. It was easy to give feedback through their system. We went back and forth with feedback and refined the animation each time. They did a great job understanding and implementing our feedback. Final video incorporated voice over, music, and motion graphics.

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

Our project lead was Jon and he was very responsive and thorough with our feedback.

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

We have gotten great feedback and the animation will be a great tool for communication with all kinds of partners from employees to vendors to customers.

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

Stormy Studios utilized Frame.io which made giving feedback to specific sections of the animation very easy. Email was the regular form of communication. Nothing got lost in translation.

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

They had a unique visual style, and I was impressed with how they executed it.

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

No reason to nit pick. Very happy overall.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Marketing Manager for a specialist training and consulting company based in the UK.

For what projects/services did your company hire Stormy Studio?

Historically, all of our training was delivered face to face in a classroom. However, as a result of COVID-19, we were required to convert all of our training into an online delivery format.

Since the pandemic we have continued to provide high quality and engaging training that replicates the interactive nature of our face-to-face training within a virtual environment.

We therefore required an explainer video that could help to showcase how simple and engaging our online training is.

What were your goals for this project?

We understand that some individuals, teams and organisations may be anxious or apprehensive about undertaking our training online - and so, we wanted to be able to firstly showcase how simple our training is to join and participate in, as well as to highlight what attendees will need for the training.

How did you select Stormy Studio?

I spoke with 3 individual content production companies, and from the outset it was clear that Stormy Studio really understand what we wanted to achieve from the project and gave a friendly impression that they would be easy to work with.

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

From our initial discussion and project scoping, to the storyboarding and video content sign-off - each step was simple and friendly.

Jon led the work, and was a single point of contact throughout the whole project.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Each step included a demo and chance for feedback. This included the storyboarding process, followed by a number of live video demos all the way through to the final sign-off.

Any amendments to the work were easily received by Stormy Studio and updated very promptly.

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

The Stormy Team, and Jon in particular, really understood our objectives from the outset, and created an animated explainer video that will greatly improve our overall customer experience.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very easy to work with. Jon was the single contact and always available. In addition to implementing any amendments based on our feedback, he also pro-actively providing his thoughts on where/how the video could be improved.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The quality of work produced by Stormy Studio is exceptional, and working with them could not have been easier.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No areas of improvement needed. Everything was outstanding.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work for a video production agency where we outsource talent globally to help produce videos. I am one of the Client Services Directors. My role is to oversee client accounts and production for videos.

For what projects/services did your company hire Stormy Studio?

We were using another animation team but my client was not satisfied with the work being produced. They needed a bigger team that could work faster and develop unique animation styles. We chose Stormy to get us out of a bad situation with a client and their work saved the account!

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to ensure the client was happy with the project. They wanted to cancel the project but we switched teams and got Stormy Studio on board and they saved the project. The videos are now displayed on their websites

How did you select this vendor?

We had previously used Stormy Studio for other projects but never for this client. After this project Stormy Studio has become one of our regular animation teams for a lot of our client's videos. We have access to over 10,000 creative teams through our production platform, and we picked them, which says a lot. The deciding factors in picking them was their talent, their fast communication and fast delivery.

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

The team had to develop unique animations from scratch for 7 videos. The video topic was very healthcare and technology specific so it was a hard brief to deliver to. The team had to develop animations in 2D but make it look like a 3D space, which was achieved. Stormy had to work long hours and over weekends to ensure we met deadlines, which they did!

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

There were 2-3 animators working on this project at any given moment. Their role was to animate the videos. They were very generous in terms of rounds of feedback, they just wanted to deliver the project successfully and didn't complain about how many amends there were!

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

The client did not cancel the project or account with us and has not put up multiple projects in the pipeline which we have not engaged with Stormy Studio to assist with. This project was important for my client in terms of getting their message about their software out to their consumers. All our goals were exceeded for this project. The client LOVES the videos!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I don't think the team could have assisted us any better than they did. I was calling and texting them all hours of the day and they always answered and met their deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their strengths are communication, creativity, staying calm under pressure, listening to the client's requests and delivering on time all within a reasonable budget. I like working with Stormy because I feel I can get in contact with them at any time. That is key for vendors we work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No there are no areas for improvement.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I run a marketing advisory firm called Hockeystiq

For what projects/services did your company hire Stormy Studio?

We hired Stormy to help develop a creative marketing campaign, characters, storylines, and a video series highlighting our product.

What were your goals for this project?

To create compelling video content that would explain the value propositions that our product delivers in a fun, light-hearted and effective way.

How did you select this vendor?

We put out a request for proposal, and from the very start, Stormy was professional and brought great ideas to the table.

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

Stormy handled almost everything from end-to-end with some collaboration from our side on the narrative, and technical details of the process.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

The team at Stormy was very supportive and worked with us through a few rounds of iteration until everyone felt confident with the end result.

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

We've used the videos to acquire upwards of 90% of all users of the mobile app and have since translated the video into various languages.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They produce high-quality work, while maintaining great communication and quick turnaround times.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing to report.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Head of External Relations for Malaria Consortium, a global health non-profit organisation, dedicated to the comprehensive control of malaria and other childhood infectious diseases (pneumonia, diarrhoea), malnutrition and dengue.

My role is pivotal in ensuring the positioning of the organisation with external audiences through a wide range of communications and advocacy activities.

For what projects/services did your company hire Stormy Studio?

We needed an explainer animation that combined real life imagery with animated sequences that covered the complex reasons why women do not always take up preventive treatment for malaria when pregnant.

Pregnant women in malaria-endemic countries are very vulnerable to malaria and the disease can have severe and even fatal consequences for both them and their unborn child.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to get across quite complex but sensitive issues in a short video that could speak to a wide range of audiences - both in affected countries and globally.

How did you select this vendor?

We developed a tender document, and drafted the narrative, then sent out to several agencies who provided animation services.

All responses were assessed and compared against specified criteria such as cost, experience, style, by the Head of ER and an independent procurement committee to ensure adherence to internal policy and external Charity Commission procurement rules.

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

The script was finalised internally, with some inputs from Stormy Studio with respect to timing and structure. The design process was discussed and story boarded.

This was adjusted to fit with cultural and contextual requirements for such a sensitive film. The music options were shared and discussed, as was the VO choice. The whole process was very collaborative.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We developed a one-to-one relationship, as their response time was excellent and they were very supportive.

We usually caught at least once a week and any small changes/adjustments were done almost immediately to pave the way for the next major phase of development.

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

The project was very successful both in design and in the collaborative style of Stormy Studio. I am very happy with that as it isn't always the case (I have worked with other animators).

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective workflow. Any delays on either side were acknowledged and allowed for.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Superb design style and attention to detail. Extremely responsive to requests for change/adjustments and determined to find solutions. Very good creative approach to illustrating a complex issue and finding the links.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

Please describe your company and your position there.

Manager of Marine business park.

For what projects/services did your company hire Stormy Studio?

We hired Stormy to carry out some mock up design work for a future regeneration project.

What were your goals for this project?

To create a design to help visualise the finished project

How did you select this vendor?

We spoke and Stormy grasped quickly what we needed in terms of delivering the project.

Describe the project in detail.

Stormy communicated with us throughout, the project went very smoothly.

What was the team composition?

We delt with a project manager who kept us informed and updated with progress throughout.

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

Visuals and graphics were superb, just what we needed. The project was completed on time and on budget.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was easy, we had confidence in their team throughout the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Skill set, communication, delivered what we asked for.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can see