How to Make an Animated Music Video, Step by Step

To make an animated music video, you choose the type of video, write a short brief with the song and the story, sketch a storyboard against the music, design the characters and backgrounds, and animate every scene to the beat. In our studio the last three steps are separate stages, and each one waits for the artist’s approval.

Here is the whole process step by step, what you need to prepare, how long it takes, what it costs and how to decide between doing it yourself and working with a studio.

The process at a glance

Step	What happens	Who decides
1. Type of video	lyric, narrative, concept, character or a mix	the artist
2. Brief	the song, the lyrics, the story, references and the release date	the artist
3. Storyboard	every scene sketched against the music	the studio proposes, the artist approves
4. Illustration	characters, backgrounds and lyrics in final color	the studio proposes, the artist approves
5. Animation	every scene animated to the music	the studio proposes, the artist approves
6. Delivery and release	the finished video, ready for YouTube and streaming	the artist

Step 1: Choose the type of music video

Start by listening to the song and deciding what the video should do. A lyric video puts the words first. A narrative video tells a story. A concept video follows one visual idea. A character video lets a cast of characters carry the song. Many videos mix two types, like a story with the lyrics on screen.

If you are not sure, see the types of music videos, with animated examples.

Step 2: Prepare the brief

A good brief fits on one page:

1. The final mix of the song. Animation is timed to the music to the frame, so a change in the mix later can shift every scene. Animate the version you will release.
2. The lyrics, with the timing of each section if you have it.
3. The story or the mood. A few lines on what the video is about and how it should feel.
4. References. Two or three videos, illustrations or album covers whose look you like.
5. Your artwork. The cover art of the single, if it exists, so the video can grow from it.
6. The release date and where it will play. If you also want vertical clips for Reels, Shorts or TikTok, say so now, because framing is decided in the storyboard.

You also need the rights to the song: you have to own it or have permission to use it in a video.

Step 3: The storyboard

The storyboard is a sketch of every scene, matched to the song second by second: which line plays over which image, where the chorus changes the scene, where the big moment lands. Nothing is drawn in color yet, so this is the cheapest moment to change the story.

In our process, the storyboard is the first stage you approve. It is how we make sure the story follows the music the way you hear it. Once it is approved it becomes the base of the video, and changes to the story after that are quoted as a scope change, because they affect everything that follows.

Step 4: Illustration

The approved storyboard becomes final artwork: the characters, the backgrounds, the lyric typography and the colors. You see the look of the video before anything moves, and you approve it as the second stage.

“My Favorite” for Golden Carrot: bold lyric typography and simple characters designed for a kids audience.

Step 5: Animation

The approved illustrations are animated to the music. This is where the beat matters most: cuts, camera moves and big gestures land on the rhythm. A classic animator’s tip is to place a visual hit a couple of frames before the beat, because the eye needs a moment to register it (Animator Island explains it well).

“Ishmael the Interjection” for Norm Birds: an owl character flaps and dances through a city at night, in time with the song.

Animation is the third stage you approve. Each stage includes the revision rounds of your package: 1 per stage on Starter, 2 on Advanced and 3 on Premium.

Step 6: Delivery and release

You receive the finished video ready for YouTube and streaming. Before release, plan the thumbnail, the title and the date you will share it, and use short clips of the video to promote the song in the days before. Premium also includes the source files, for artists and labels who want to edit the video later.

How long does it take?

Delivery starts at 7 days for 30 seconds on Starter and Advanced, and 14 days on Premium. A full song takes longer, and every stage waits for your approval, so we agree on a schedule before we start. The sooner feedback comes back at each stage, the sooner the video is ready. If you have a release date, tell us in the brief.

What does it cost?

We price animated music videos per second of finished video, with a 30 second minimum:

Package	Price per second	A 3 minute song
Starter: clean backgrounds, simple character animation, lyric videos welcome	$5	$900
Advanced: custom illustrations, characters that tell your story	$10	$1,800
Premium: rich worlds, character acting, source files	$20	$3,600

For prices at every song length, and how animation compares with filming, see how much a music video costs.

Making it yourself or working with a studio

Doing it yourself makes sense for a simple lyric video or a looping visualizer, if you can draw or design and have time to learn animation software. Plan for the storyboard and the illustration, not only the animation: they are where most of the decisions are made.

A single freelancer can work when you need one skill, for example animating artwork you already have. You manage the rest: the story, the schedule and the hand-offs.

A studio gives you one team for the storyboard, the illustration and the animation, a fixed price before you start and a stage you approve at each step. It is the safer route when the video is the main visual of a release.

“Peanut Butter and Jelly”, one of six kids songs we animated for Golden Carrot as a series with one consistent look.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to make an animated music video?

Delivery starts at 7 days for 30 seconds. A full song takes longer, and each stage waits for your approval, so the schedule is agreed before the work starts.

How much does an animated music video cost?

With us, $5 to $20 per second: $900, $1,800 or $3,600 for a 3 minute song, depending on the package.

What do I need to send to start?

The final mix of the song, the lyrics, a few lines about the story or the mood, references you like and your release date. Your cover art helps too.

Can I make an animated music video myself?

Yes, especially a lyric video or a simple loop. A full story with characters needs storyboard, illustration and animation skills, and the time to do all three.

Can the video match my album art?

Yes. The cover art is often the best starting point for the look of the video, and you approve the illustrations before anything is animated.

Get your music video animated

Send us your song, the lyrics and the story you imagine. We reply with the price for your song’s exact length and a schedule.

See our animated music video services, compare all our prices or ask us about your song. We are rated 4.9 from 1,776 reviews on Fiverr, where a music client wrote: “They are creative, really brought my vision to life.”

Next step: Animated music videos: packages and samples · All prices

All posts