How Much Does Animation Cost Per Second? (Illustrated)

calslater (25)in #animation • 9 years ago

How Much Does Animation Cost Per Second?

When a client approaches me for animation work, the trickiest part is always negotiating the price. Most individuals interested in freelance animation don't realize how much time, money, and effort goes into even the simplest of cartoons.

Below, I've listed famous examples of animation, along with how much each second cost to create (Budget Adjusted for Inflation / Running Time). Hopefully this can help other animators and potential clients judge pricing more clearly.

Keep in mind, though, that the employment laws and studio systems differ from country to country, and different animation styles require different amounts of time and resources. Studios usually hire entire teams of animators, celebrity voice actors, etc., so not every bit of the budget went toward animation, but animation is typically the most expensive part of any film. Plus, if you were hired to create something that looked like Toy Story 3, for example, someone would need to pay for the rigging, modeling, animation, and rendering, so most expenses are unavoidable.

For more tips on animation, storytelling, and film-making, check out my free eBook here