The complex, told simply. Animation or live-action – developed and produced with a strategic approach.
An explainer video has one job: make the complicated easy to understand.
It sounds simple. It isn’t. Most explainer videos start with a “we’ll explain our product” brief and end up as a 90-second review of features no customer asked about. That’s not an explainer. It’s a pitch – packaged as a video.
An explainer that works starts with the customer’s question, not your answer. It tells just enough to make the recipient say “okay, I get it” – and just enough for them to take the next step. Every superfluous sentence is a scale tipped in the wrong direction.
At Story & Co, we produce explainer videos where the strategy is locked before the first frame. This is your gateway to when an explainer makes sense, what formats we make, and what it takes to make one that converts.
What is an explainer video - and when does it work
An explainer video is a short movie (typically 60-180 seconds) whose primary purpose is to explain a product, service or process in an easily understandable way. It most often lives on a website, in a sales meeting, in onboarding flows or as a social-first asset.
Explainers work best when at least one of these three is true:
The product or service is hard to understand with text alone. If you’ve seen salespeople fall back on the same explanation over and over again, it’s a sign that an explainer can solve a real problem.
The buyer is new to the category. A complex product for an experienced buyer usually requires professional content – not an explainer. But a simple product for a brand new audience almost always wins with animation.
There is an abstract component. SaaS platforms, financial products, infrastructure, AI – everything digital and invisible – is virtually impossible to film live. Animation makes it visible.
Animation vs. live action - which type of explainer should you choose?
This is the first question we address in the brief phase. Both formats have their strengths:
Animated explainer
Best when the product is digital, abstract or conceptual. Animation lets us show things that can’t be filmed – data flows, AI processes, financial flows. It’s also scalable: one animation can easily translate into 10 languages without re-shooting.
The price range is typically 60,000-250,000 DKK depending on style (2D flat, isometric, 3D, character animation) and length.
Live-action explainer
Best when the product is physical or when human authority/credibility drives the message. Tutorials, expert explainers and product demos often work best in live action – because the viewer needs to see a real person using the product.
The price range is typically 50,000-200,000 DKK depending on location, talent and production value.
Hybrid
We often create hybrid explainers that combine live action with motion graphics overlay – to get the best of both worlds. The person explaining is real, but data and concepts are visualized animated.
How to build an explainer that converts
Our explainer video process differs from the commercial process in one important way: the script matters disproportionately.
In a commercial, visual power can save a mediocre script. In an explainer, it can’t. If the text explanation isn’t clear enough, beautiful animated content won’t help. That’s why we spend extra time on script development.
Our typical flow: 1) Brief & strategic clarification (goal, target audience, primary action). 2) Script in 2-3 iterations – often with read-test with one or two representatives of the target audience. 3) Storyboard with all frames. 4) Animation or production. 5) Voice-over (we have a permanent network of Danish and international voices). 6) Final cut and delivery in all formats.
Cases - explainer videos that have delivered results
Three examples of explainer videos we have produced where the strategy-first approach has made a measurable difference:
Case 1: [Customer name] - Animated SaaS explainer
Goal: [INSERT – e.g. “shorten the sales cycle for new B2B platform”]. Format: 2 minute animation + 4 deep-dive shorts. Result: [INSERT – e.g. “32% shorter closing time, demo conversion increased from 11% to 19%”].
Case 2: [Customer name] - Live-action onboarding
Goal: [INSERT – e.g. “reduce support load from new users”]. Format: 6 onboarding videos of 90-180 seconds each. Result: [INSERT – e.g. “support tickets from new users decreased by 41%”].
Case 3: [Customer name] - Hybrid explainer
Goal: [INSERT – e.g. “explain new service on the website”]. Format: 90 sec hybrid (live + motion graphics). Result: [INSERT – e.g. “+58% conversion on landing that embedded the video”].
How much does an explainer video cost?
Animated explainer: typically 60,000-250,000 DKK. Live-action: 50,000-200,000 kr. Hybrid: 80,000-220,000 kr. Onboarding series (4-8 videos from one shoot): typically 120,000-300,000 kr.
For a concrete estimate:
Frequently asked questions
How long should an explainer video be?
The short version: as short as possible, but not shorter. Most explainers land between 60-120 seconds. Onboarding explainers can be longer (up to 5 minutes). Website explainers should stay under 90 seconds to maintain watch rates.
Can you translate explainer videos into other languages?
Yes, we have. We have produced explainers in up to 12 language versions from one basic project. Animation makes translation significantly cheaper because visual content doesn’t need to be re-shoots – only voice-over and text overlays.
Do I have to deliver the script myself?
We don’t. Script development is a core part of our explainer process. We need the goal, the target audience and 1-2 meetings with a professional at your company – then we build the rest.
How long does it take to produce an explainer video?
Animated explainer: typically 4-8 weeks. Live-action: 3-6 weeks. A complex animation with character animation and custom illustration can take 8-12 weeks.
What animation style do you use?
We adapt the style to your brand and message. 2D flat, isometric, motion graphics, 3D and character animation – we have experience with them all. We are happy to do a short style test before going into full production.
Can an explainer video be uploaded to YouTube and run as an ad?
Yes, but often it needs to be re-cut. An explainer designed for the website rarely works as a pre-roll. We plan from the start if you have multiple channels – then you get both the main movie and 2-3 cuts that work as ads.
Want us to make your next explainer video?
Tell us what you want to explain and who needs to understand it. We’ll get back to you the same day on business days.
