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There is no doubt that the marketing of the XXI century is based on CGI (Computer- Generated Images). Tools like visualizations and animations will most certainly increase your sales if done correctly. However, if you have never used the services of a CGI studio, your lack of experience may make you reluctant about ever reaching out to them. That would be a big waste of opportunity for your company. To prevent you from this loss, we’ve prepared a guide for approaching your first order from a CGI studio.
3D graphic services are all kinds of visual and audio-visual materials, made in a fully digital way. These may be static images like visualizations, or moving ones like animations. The technology behind it allows for an aesthetic presentation of any product, without the limitation of such methods like photography and film. Choosing CGI over traditional methods allows to cut the transportation costs of the products, and costs of renting locations or building physical sets. You could basically place the product on the top of the Eiffel Tower for less of a price than in a custom made kitchen set.
But enough about what they are - you’ve seen them a million times now. Let’s get to how to approach getting them for your company.
You might choose one specific studio that seems to be the best choice for your needs or send an inquiry to a number of different studios. But no matter what strategy you will choose, it’s very important to include the following information in your e-mail. The studio will have to get these information from you sooner or later, so stating them right away will save you some time, otherwise spent on reading and replying to e-mails, specifying your needs.
It might seem to be a no-brainer, but because it is so obvious people tend to forget about including this information. What’s the product? Of course it can be easily found on your website, but if you sell/produce a number of different products, the specificity is crucial for preparing the quotation. For example creating a model of a stool demands a different amount of work than of a cupboard, and so the pricing will differ.
It is a rarity that a company would already have 3D models of the products, but it happens. Sometimes the factory will provide them, and sometimes they might have been previously prepared for a model library for architects. They might have different formats .obj, .obx, .step, .stp, .stl, .max. If you do have the models, make sure to check it’s compatibility with their programs. If you already know that you have the models, you can also skip the next point.
It might seem a bit self-contradictory since you’re here to order visualizations, but without the knowledge of how the product looks it's not possible to evaluate the price of modelling. That’s why it’s so important to include some kind of visual representation of your products. The best would be a combination of photos and technical drawings, but even a few photos taken by phone would be enough.
Is it a packshot visualization - product on a monochromatic background? Or maybe it’s a visualization in a photorealistic environment? Or you wish to see your product on an abstract background, or make it a hero of a commercial or loop animation? Whatever it is, make sure to specify it! Nomenclature is not important. Simply describe what you want to see, with as many details as possible.
Letting the studio know how their work will be used, allows them to make suggestions concerning the design. It’s also important because the formats for example for an IG post and a banner are completely different, and thus the project arranged into a square or a horizontal or vertical bar will not be the same.
Nobody knows your competition better than you. Sending us a few examples of how they approached the same subject will be a very helpful clue of how to match or even beat their advert. Also, there is no better way of communicating how you envision the end product to look like, than adding an exemplary picture or two. It will also work as an assurance to you that both sides are on the same page and the ordered visualizations will have the style and quality you wished for.
It’s always important to have a bigger picture to know what to anticipate. Of course those steps differ from studio to studio so we’ll explain how we work with our clients here in Tektura.
This phase begins with the Client sending us all the necessary information to prepare the quotation. Here we might make some suggestions concerning your order, based on our experience. Wo won’t force you to make any changes, but sometimes a little tinkering in the idea can increase the value/price ratio significantly.
The first draft is prepared according to all the information and references received from the Client, and is delivered to him directly from the designer working on the project. Note that the draft version is always rendered in lower resolution than the final version. The Client can now gather all his notes, corrections, and comments and send them back to the designer. It’s important to do this as a round of corrections, so that we can receive them all before we start working on the second draft. Of course, sometimes the Clients like the first draft so much that there’s no need for corrections. However, that’s rarely the case. That is why we always provide two free rounds of corrections.
When the Client receives the second draft, most often than not, it is accepted and flies right to the final rendering stage (in the proper resolution). In rare exceptions the project demands more corrections.
Now that everything is set and done, you can enjoy the results of your order, rendered in proper resolution.
This description may seem cryptic at first, but knowing what to expect in advance will most definitely help you get the most out of your very first order from a CGI studio, and this will lead to a lot of new marketing opportunities for your company!
