The CGI Production Process Explained: From Concept to Final Render

So, You’re Making a CGI Video. Here’s What to Expect.

Creating CGI content for your brand can feel like magic. But behind the curtain, it’s a thoughtful, layered, collaborative process — a bit like building a world from the ground up with nothing but pixels, sketches, and a shared sense of taste.

If you’re working with a studio like ours for the first time, you might wonder: How does this actually work? When do I give feedback? And what’s a styleframe again?

Here’s a friendly step-by-step walkthrough of what to expect — from the first call to final delivery.

1. Ideation & Client Input

We start by getting to know you — your goals, your brand, your dreams for the project. This stage is part creative therapy, part detective work.

We ask a lot of questions (some surprisingly existential), like:

“What do you want people to feel when they watch this?” “If this piece were a movie or a song, what would it be?”

We also clarify technical stuff like budget, formats, timelines, and how approvals will work. It sets the stage for everything that follows.

2. Creative Treatment and Moodboarding in CGI Projects

Once we have your input, we distill it into a creative treatment — a document that outlines the narrative, tone, and visual direction. Think of it as the project’s North Star.

We pair it with:

• Moodboards (color, texture, light, emotion)

• Visual references (real-world examples or past work)

• Sometimes: nods to cinema, photography, or art that spark the right feeling

3. Script & Storyboard

This is where the story takes shape.

First, we write the script — the narrative spine. It includes dialogue or voiceover, visual descriptions, and emotional beats. Then we sketch out a storyboard, frame by frame, to preview camera angles, pacing, and composition. It’s like laying out the blueprint before building the house.

4. Concept Art Development in CGI Animation

Here, imagination starts to materialize. We explore characters, spaces, props, and moods through detailed illustrations. Concept art helps everyone (you, us, the render engine) visualize the world we’re creating before it's built in 3D.

Usually, this comes after scripting and storyboarding — one neat layer at a time. But sometimes, like in our project for McIntosh, we jump ahead. The storyboard already was the concept. We sketched out the entire idea, atmosphere, and visual tone in one go — essentially blending concept art and styleframes into an early blueprint.

5. Styleframes

Styleframes are polished stills showing what key moments will look like in final render quality. They combine layout, lighting, textures, color grading, and vibes. They’re crucial for locking the visual style before animation begins — and they look great on a moodboard.

6. Animatic

Think of this as a sketchbook version of the final film.

The animatic combines storyboard frames, timing, transitions, and rough audio. It’s our chance to test pacing, spot gaps, and get alignment on structure. It’s not pretty, but it’s powerful — like a rough cut of your idea in motion.

7. Stillframes

These are fully rendered high-res images of key scenes. Basically, they help us all be 100% sure we’re on the same page before the heavy rendering begins.

But they’re not just internal tools — clients often love them so much they repurpose them for banners, landing pages, social media, and even out-of-home campaigns.In other words: they pull double duty — both as checkpoints and as beautiful, usable assets in their own right.

8. Revisions (1 to 3 rounds)

Feedback time. Depending on the project, we plan for 1–3 rounds of revisions across key stages: animatic, stillframes, full animation.

Each round includes:

• Client notes

• Creative tweaks

• Quality checks

We always keep things clear and trackable. No disappearing feedback, no scope creep monsters.

9. Music & Sound Design

Sound is where things get emotional. It’s half the story. We handle:

• Original scores or licensed tracks.

• Voiceover recording.

• Foley + sound effects.

• Final audio mixing for that cinematic punch.

  
  

A great soundscape can elevate visuals from “cool” to “can’t stop watching.”

10. Final Delivery – Exporting Your CGI Video

The finish line is all about precision. We export in the right resolution, codec, and format — whether it’s a 4K cinematic cut or an Instagram Reel.

We also include:

• All video and image assets

• Optional cutdowns, captions, or thumbnails

• One last QA pass for polish and perfection

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And that’s it — the full behind-the-scenes of how a CGI project comes to life.

From the first conversation to final delivery, most campaigns take between 4 to 8 weeks, depending on complexity and how well the creative stars align. (Spoiler: good synergy speeds everything up.)

If you’ve got a project in mind — we’d love to hear about it.We promise a thoughtful, collaborative, and genuinely enjoyable experience.

Fill out the form on our site and let’s make something great together:

FAQs About CGI Video Production

How long does it take to produce a CGI video?

What’s the difference between styleframes and stillframes?

Can I use CGI video content for social media ads?

What input do I need to provide as a client?

Do I get to review and approve each step?

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