How to save on your 3d video animation for architecture

3d video animation for architecture is an extremely powerful tool for presenting a project. It can make customers want to buy a property by showing them the advantages of the offer at a glance. 3D software provides a photorealistic simulation of the building’s exterior and interior. By seeing a place full of life, viewers connect emotionally with what they see. In this way, a 3D video enables architects or developers to make people dream – and close sales.

3d video animation for architecture is unlike any other type of presentation material. Drawings and sketches only show the architectural idea schematically. Physical models explain the space and show the building from different perspectives – but their creation requires a great deal of time and effort. With 3D animation services, on the other hand, an architect can produce a photorealistic architectural film effortlessly.

A real estate company wishing to present a film of its project should therefore contact an agency specializing in the creation of 3d video animation for architecture. But what if your budget doesn’t allow you to afford animation worthy of the name?

To ensure that everyone has access to an effective means of communication, there are ways to optimize the cost of an architectural video. Here are 5 simple and proven ways to reduce the cost.

#1. Base your 3d architectural video animation on a detailed brief

Architectural perspectives created in 3Ds Max are always breathtaking. However, 3D animation is subjectively more beautiful than the best 3D renderings, because an animated film provides a captivating effect. And that’s exactly the feeling you’re looking for when you need to convince someone to invest in a property that currently exists only on plans.
The creation of an architectural project begins with an idea. And to transfer this idea into the mind of a 3D artist, it’s necessary to draw up detailed specifications. This will save the architect unnecessary to-ing and fro-ing, as well as money. But to prepare a good brief, it’s essential to know what it consists of.

The brief for a 3d video animation for architecture should contain general information such as :

• type of building,
• purpose of the video,
• target audience,
• the storyboard including the different sequences of the video, the camera path, the insertion of animated characters…

In addition, the specifications must include a chapter on interior design, illustrated by photos showing the desired general atmosphere, textures and lighting. It’s also important to specify the type of building – whether residential or commercial – and to describe its surroundings.

#2. Focus on what’s most important

Every second of a 3d video animation for architecture is made up of dozens of fixed 3D renderings, each of which mechanically increases the cost of the 3D film. So, if your budget is limited, it’s a good idea to order a short video that focuses only on the key points. While a video featuring a succession of scenes showing the beautiful surrounding scenery at different times or seasons is certainly appealing, a short 3D animation may be sufficient to explain the project.

In particular, they’ll see the construction from different angles, the clever architectural solutions, the materials, the color palette, the way the elements work together, the perception of space, and much more. In fact, it will provide enough information to understand the project and impress customers.

#3. Use ready-to-use templates in your 3d architecture video animation

Another way to save money on the production of a 3D architectural film is to allow your graphic designers to use certain models from their library. In general, studios have a large number of objects available for set elements, furniture, plants, etc. This way, the 3D service provider is able to save on production costs.

This way, the 3D service provider doesn’t have to buy or model all the objects from scratch. Instead, he or she simply inserts parts that have already been produced into the scenes, which requires less time and therefore less money. So, to reduce the cost of a 3D architectural animation, the architect or developer should specify in the brief that he authorizes the use of ready-to-use 3D models for certain details of the sequence.

#4. Insert photorealistic animated characters with Anima®

Inserting realistic animated characters adds a significant plus to your video. It brings the animation to life and encourages greater immersion on the part of the viewer. However, not all character insertion techniques are created equal. Some are much more costly and logistically demanding – as can be the case with the green-screen inlay technique.

Not so with the animated characters offered by Anima® software. This is an application specially designed for architects and designers, enabling them to inlay pre-animated characters. Thanks to artificial intelligence, 3D artists can insert a crowd of characters who wander around without ever touching, climb stairs or sit in discussion with other characters.

However, this technology is only suitable for large spaces. Using an animated character in a small room will be somewhat unrealistic. So the architect or developer will have to choose carefully where to insert these characters.

#5. Provide the 3D studio with as much usable information as possible

Another secret to keeping an architectural video animation on budget is to provide the 3D studio with ready-to-use elements for the animation, such as 3D modeling of the building or aerial video of the site’s surroundings taken with a drone. These materials will considerably simplify the work and reduce the cost of the 3D video project.

When presenting a real estate project to clients from the outside, architects want to show what the building will look like from every angle. And an aerial view offers an immediate vision of the project. This view can pose a problem for the 3D artist, who will be obliged to model the entire terrain, recreating all the trees, roads and urban features in the vicinity. This then takes up a considerable amount of time, which can be saved by taking a drone video of the surrounding area and attaching it to the brief.

#6. Order your 3D architectural video animation in advance

Producing a 3d architectural video animation in a hurry is obviously more expensive than it would normally be. But if you plan well in advance, you won’t have to mobilize additional staff and incur the cost of overtime. After all, you’ll need to pull a lot of all-nighters to meet your tight deadlines! Not to mention the fact that other projects would no doubt be in progress, and that your project cannot be pushed through at the expense of others.

#7. Ask for your free architectural perspectives!

As we explained earlier, each second of animated video is made up of twenty or so successive 3D visuals. Studio 3D can extract a few HD visuals from the video sequences and offer them to you. This is one way of making architectural animation profitable. Done separately, an architectural perspective would cost you around 400€: if you draw 5 or 6 perspectives from the video, you’ve already made a profit of over 2000€!

These tips can have a major influence on the price of a 3D architectural video animation. So be sure to prepare your specifications carefully, and think about the storyboard so that the video doesn’t last too long. And don’t forget to order your video well in advance, so as not to add unnecessarily to your budget. And if you already have 3D models of the building or aerial views that can be added to the project, don’t forget to include them in your brief.

Would you like to benefit from professional 3D animation services? Contact Le Studio 3D: we’ll create a 3D film that’s sure to touch your customers’ hearts and minds!