What to Look for in an Animated Video Production Partner (That Google Can't Tell You)

If you’ve landed here, you’re probably looking to commission an animated video. Maybe you’ve browsed a few animated video production company websites, played some showreels, read some agency bios, and now you’re trying to narrow it down.

But here’s the thing. You’re not just choosing a video. You’re choosing a creative partner.

And that’s where most searches fall short. Because what actually matters is how they think, how they work, and how they respond when things change. Those things won’t show up on a portfolio page.

Here’s what years of experience have taught us about what really matters when choosing the right animated video production partner.

The Problem With “Top 10” Lists

Search for a production company and you’ll find plenty of rankings and review sites. They’ll show you websites, testimonials, price bands and logos. But that only scratches the surface.

None of it shows you how a studio responds to feedback. Or how they work through creative deadlock. Or whether they can adapt without losing clarity.

And that stuff? That’s where the real value lies.

What Google Won’t Tell You

Here are a few things that don’t show up in search results — but have everything to do with how successful your project will be.

1. Do they ask better questions than they give answers?

Good animation studios say yes to the brief. Great ones ask why the brief exists. They want to understand your audience, your goals, and the change you’re trying to create. If they’re not pushing for clarity early on, expect confusion later.

2. Are they really listening, or just pitching?

You can feel this early. Some teams walk you through a templated process and predefined look. Others slow down, get curious, and shape the work around you. A good partner meets you where you are. They don’t just sell what they already have.

3. Do they get your audience?‍

We work a lot with SaaS brands and non-profits. The difference in tone, pacing and structure is huge. And getting it wrong means losing the viewer fast. Your video shouldn’t just reflect your brand, it should connect with your audience. That takes more than design. It takes genuine insight into knowing your audience.

What Actually Matters in a Creative Partner

After more than a decade making videos that help brands grow, raise awareness, and land funding, here’s what we believe matters most:

Strategic Thinking

Animation is just the medium. What you’re really buying is clarity. A good production agency helps you uncover the story, sharpen the message, and build something that actually moves people.

When you're exploring an explainer video agency, look out for their thinking — either on their website, or on the call.

True Collaboration

Not just polite communication, but real back-and-forth. A partner who listens to feedback, interprets it well, and brings stronger work back. Not a watered-down version. That loop is where the best creative happens.

We’ve detailed more about what working with a studio looks like if you’re wondering what to expect.

Clarity Under Pressure

Stakeholders change. Deadlines shift. Feedback comes in late. The right team holds the thread when the rest is moving. Calm heads, clear process, and an ability to reframe instead of react. These are the things that keep things on track.

Creativity Within Constraints

Any studio can create something beautiful with time and budget. But how they work within your limits is the real test. Can they deliver the good with what resources are available? This shows you whether they genuinely know how to engage, or are just flashy.

What to Look at Instead of Just a Showreel

A showreel tells you they can do good work. But you also want to know:

• What part of the process they owned
• How closely the final result aligned with the original goal
• Whether the client came back
• And what kind of impact the video had
  

Sometimes that insight is buried in a case study. Sometimes it’s a conversation. But if it’s nowhere, that’s worth noting.

So How Do You Actually Choose?

Let’s say you’ve got a shortlist. They all look good on paper. Here are a few practical ways to feel things out:

• Ask how they’d challenge your brief
• Look for signs of flexibility in their past work (different styles, audiences, approaches)
• Ask how they handle late feedback or changes in direction
• Pay attention to how they talk about their process. Does it feel collaborative, or rigid?
  

We wrote a full step-by-step guide to comparing agencies if you’re trying to weigh up options.

You’ll learn a lot before you’ve even signed.

Mistakes That Kill Engagement

One of the biggest mistakes we see? Videos that get the strategy wrong. Too fast, too dense, too generic.

If you’re in the middle of planning one now, it’s worth checking our take on mistakes that kill engagement (and how to avoid them). It’s often not the animation itself that misses. It’s the thinking behind it.

One Last Thought‍

Most clients don’t just want a video. They want to feel confident that the video will work. That it’ll say the right thing, in the right way, to the right people.

The best animated video production partners help make that happen. Not by guessing, or templating, or charming you into a sale. But by thinking with you, every step of the way. And that’s something no top-10 list can tell you.

If you’re looking for a more in-depth guide, check out our blog on creating explainer videos people actually want to watch.