A Smart Client’s Guide to a Smooth Explainer Video Project

You’ll get the best results of your explainer video production when you treat the entire production process as a collaboration and less than just a task to outsource.

Since founding Breadnbeyond in 2009, I’ve seen what makes projects fly and what holds them back. The difference always comes down to how involved, clear, and open the client is during the process. 

If you want a video that truly works, here’s how to show up and get the most out of every step.

What Should I Prepare Before Starting the Explainer Video Project?

You should come in with a clear goal, a defined audience, and a strong sense of what you want people to take away from the video. That’s pretty much it.

If you have those three things, we can handle the rest.

Now, let me break that down a bit.

I’ve worked with clients who showed up with just a rough pitch deck and some verbal notes. But we still created a killer video.

Why? Because they knew exactly what the video was for, who they were trying to reach, and what their product ultimately solved.

The most helpful prep includes:

• Your Why. What’s the purpose of the video? Are you launching something? Trying to increase conversions? Educating users?
• Your Who. Who’s going to watch this? Are they beginners or experts? Internal or public? Tech-savvy or totally new?
• Your Core Message. If someone only remembers one thing from the video, what should it be?

You don’t need a script or even a storyboard. But you do need to focus. 

Because the clearer you are with us at the start, the easier it is for us to translate your goals into a compelling, effective story.

And if you have brand guidelines, past campaigns, product screenshots, or even just a few videos you love. You do yourself and the whole team a favor. It helps us match your voice and aesthetic faster, without guesswork. 

When there’s less guesswork, the creative process becomes smoother, revisions are fewer, and the final video gets delivered faster and closer to what you actually envisioned.

How Involved Do I Need to Be During the Video Production?

You don’t need to be involved in every tiny detail, but staying engaged at key moments makes a huge difference in the final result.

I always say: This isn’t a ‘set it and forget it’ kind of project. Explainer videos are collaborative by nature. 

We bring the storytelling and visuals. You bring the context, the product knowledge, and the gut check on whether something feels on-brand or not.

Here’s the involvement that we’ll typically need from you:

• Kickoff Call: This is where we align on goals, tone, and vision. Your input here sets the tone for everything that follows.
• Script Review: This is the core of the whole video. If the script isn’t clear, concise, and aligned with your voice, no amount of animation can save it.
• Style Frame Approval: We’ll show you a snapshot of the visual direction before we animate. This is your chance to make sure it feels right, visually and emotionally.
• Voiceover Casting (if needed): If we’re picking a voice actor, we’ll share a few options and get your thoughts.
• Final Animation Feedback: We’ll send you a rough cut (or two), and your feedback here helps us fine-tune timing, pacing, or visuals before the final polish.

You don’t have to micromanage the process, far from it. 

But showing up at those key checkpoints and giving clear, timely feedback keeps things moving and helps us hit the creative mark with confidence.

The clients who stay involved (without hovering) always end up with better, stronger videos, and they enjoy the ride a lot more, too.

What Are the Most Common Issues That Slow Down or Complicate Video Production?

The process gets bumpy when your expectations aren’t clear, decisions get stuck in internal limbo, or a video becomes a “too many cooks” situation.

Here are what are most likely to complicate your video production process:

1. No clear decision-maker
2. Late, vague, and inconsistent feedback 
3. Focus too much on what your internal team would think about it
4. Ghosting the production team in the middle of production

And just want to be clear, I’m not saying you have to follow some perfect checklist to work with us, or other explainer video studios, and get a great video. That’s not the point. 

At Breadnbeyond, every client we work with brings their own personality to the table. Some are hands-on, some prefer to check in here and there. My team knows how to roll with it.

I share this quick guide to make the whole production process so much easier for you. The smoother the process, the less stressful it feels on your side, and the better the final video ends up.

1. No Clear Decision-Maker

This one is huge. When it’s unclear who’s actually approving what (or when five people are giving conflicting feedback), we lose momentum fast.

Suddenly, we’re trying to please everyone, and the creative direction starts to blur.

To keep the process efficient, assign a single point person who consolidates feedback and makes the necessary calls.

What Should I Align With My Team Before We Start a Video Production?

If you want to avoid approval bottlenecks and stressful “surprises,” align your team on three things: the goal, the audience, and who gets final say.

These conversations don’t have to take long, but they go a long way. 

When you and your internal team are already clear on why you’re doing this video, who it’s really for, and who will give final approvals, you’ve already eliminated most of the delays that happen mid-project.

We’ll guide the creative. But internal alignment is something only you can lead, and it saves everyone time.

2. Feedback That’s Late, Vague, or Drastically Different From Earlier Approvals

We totally expect feedback. It’s a normal and necessary part of the process. But when feedback arrives late or contradicts earlier approvals, it creates a domino effect. 

The script you signed off on two weeks ago? We’re now deep into animating it. A major rewrite at this stage means undoing days of work. That’s avoidable.

The earlier we catch something, the easier it is to change. And the more precise you are. “This feels too corporate,” or “This isn’t how we’d describe our product to customers,” the faster we can fix it.

3. Using the Video to Please Internal Teams, Not the Audience

Sometimes, the video becomes more about impressing stakeholders than connecting with viewers. Teams start requesting technical jargon, formal voiceovers, or unnecessary feature callouts that “need to be in there for legal/marketing/sales.”

But if your real goal is clarity or conversion, the audience has to come first. Always.

4. Going Silent Midway Through the Process

According to the Project Management Institute’s Pulse of the Profession report, poor communication contributes to 56% of project failures.

Work can get too busy, sometimes. But when we send a script or animation draft and hear nothing for days (or weeks), we lose creative momentum. Not only practically, but also emotionally. That spark of energy and direction cools off. 

The more present and responsive you are, the more engaged we are, and that shows in the final product.

How Can You Set Yourself Up for the Best Explainer Video Experience?

Here’s how you can help yourself get the best results from your explainer video project:

1. Communicate your clear goals
2. Assign one point person
3. Give honest and early feedback
4. Be open
5. Think beyond the delivery date

If there’s one thing I want clients to know, it’s this: we’re on the same team. And when you show up with the right mindset and just a little bit of prep, the entire experience becomes smoother, faster, and a lot more enjoyable. Not just for us, but for you too.

1. Start With a Clear Goal

Before we even get on a call, ask yourself: What does success look like for this video? Are there more signups? Better onboarding? A simplified pitch for investors? 

When you define what you’re aiming for, everything else becomes easier. Writing the script, choosing the tone, and designing the visuals. 

A 2025 study by Ziflow found that agencies starting with clear project briefs experience 30% fewer revisions compared to those without structured onboarding.

2. Assign One Point Person

This is a game-changer. The more people involved in approvals and feedback, the slower things move.

By having one person manage communication on your side (someone who knows the goal, gathers team input, and speaks for the project), you’ll avoid the dreaded “design by committee” trap. You’ll save yourself time and avoid endless revision loops.

3. Give Honest, Early Feedback

Don’t wait until the animation stage to bring up major concerns because by then, we’ve already poured hours into building visuals around the script and voice. The earlier you speak up, the easier (and cheaper) it is to pivot. 

And don’t worry about “hurting our feelings.” Honest feedback is a gift. What helps most is being clear, specific, and solution-focused. Instead of “I don’t like it,” try “This feels too formal for our audience, can we make it warmer?”

How Much Should I Rely on the Studio vs. Taking Initiative?

Lean on us for the creative aspects, but take the initiative when it comes to clarity, goals, and communication.

We’ll handle the script, visuals, timing, animation, and sound. But we rely on you to bring the context. You know your brand voice and what success in your industry looks like. 

And if you ever feel stuck or need more time, just let us know. We’re here to help.

You don’t have to wait for us to follow up. A quick message goes a long way in keeping things on track and making the whole process smoother for everyone.

Should I Involve My Team in Every Step?

Only if you want the process to slow down and get more complicated.

Here’s what I recommend: bring your team in at key checkpoints. But don’t build by committee. 

As we mentioned earlier, assign one person to lead the project, consolidate feedback, and represent the team. That person doesn’t need to make decisions in a vacuum, but they do need to protect the creative clarity.

When too many people give input at every stage, the video gets pulled in different directions.

What started as a sharp, focused message turns into a bloated “greatest hits” of everyone’s ideas. You can avoid that by aligning internally before passing feedback to us.

4. Be Open, Not Overprotective

You know your product better than anyone, but we know how to explain things visually and emotionally. The best videos happen when there’s room for creative interpretation.

Let the video speak like a human, not a press release. 

Trust us to simplify, rephrase, and reshape things to resonate with your audience.

Don’t get me wrong. This doesn’t mean that you need to let go of control; you’re co-creating.

5. Think Beyond the Delivery Date

The average explainer video production takes around 4 weeks, but scope changes and unclear approvals can stretch timelines by 40–60%. – Breadnbeyond internal data.

But the deadline is one thing, and the impact is another.

Producing a professional explainer video means that you’re creating an asset that can (and should) work across multiple channels. We can advise you on how to cut it up for social, add captions for mobile, or repurpose the story for different formats.

Ask us how to get more out of what you’ve just made because great videos deserve more than one moment in the spotlight.

Takeaway: Get the Most Out of Your Explainer Video Production

If there’s one thing I’ve learned after working on hundreds of explainer videos, it’s this: the best outcomes come from a great partnership.

After producing hundreds of videos, I can usually tell early on whether a project will flow or stall. Most of the time, it comes down to a few small habits. Here’s a side-by-side look at what helps (and what hurts) the process.

When you come in with clear goals, stay involved at the right moments, and trust the process (while speaking up when something feels off), the experience becomes smoother, faster, and a whole lot more fun. You get a video that does its job.

So if you’re planning a video soon, think of it less like a task to check off, and more like a chance to craft something valuable with people who want to make you look good. 

We’ll bring the story, structure, and visuals. You bring insight, clarity, and collaboration. That’s the combo that works every time.

If you’re still not sure where to start, we’re just one call away! Contact us and schedule a 30-minute call.

FAQs

What if I’m too busy to stay involved every step of the way?

That’s totally fine. We’ll work around your bandwidth. Just let us know when you’ll be slower to respond, and make sure someone else on your team can step in if needed. As long as we keep communication open, we can pace the project in a way that works for you.

What if my team isn’t fully on board yet?

No problem. It happens all the time. Share a few examples of explainer videos with them and talk about your goals. Sometimes people just need to see the potential. We’re happy to hop on a call and help get everyone aligned before we dive in.

Do I need to be “creative” to be a client?

Not at all. You just need to know your brand, your audience, and your goal. We’ll take care of the creative heavy lifting. The best results come when you bring your expertise and trust us to bring ours.

What’s the best way to communicate during the process?

At Breadnbeyond, we use Basecamp, Zoom, and Skype. There will be an Account Manager who will guide the workflow, but feel free to tell us what channel works best for your team, too.

How do I balance giving input without micromanaging?

The sweet spot is offering high-level feedback that focuses on your goals and brand values. Let us handle the how. For example, instead of asking to move a button two pixels to the left, tell us what’s not feeling right and why. We’ll take it from there. You’re part of the process, not stuck in the weeds of every frame.