Explainer Video Production UK: Process & Costs

What an explainer video is (and when you need one)

Explainer video production is the craft of compressing something complicated into a short film that a stranger understands in under a minute. It is not a brand film and it is not an advert. Its only job is clarity: by the end, the viewer should know what you do, who it is for and what to do next.

You probably need one when:

• You are launching a new service that people don't yet have a mental model for.
• Your offer involves a multi-step process, such as a legal claim, a tax return, onboarding or a subscription.
• You sell a considered purchase, where confusion is the main reason people don't enquire.
• You need to onboard customers, staff or students the same way every time.

A simple test: if prospects regularly ask "so what exactly do you do?", an explainer is worth making before almost any other video.

Types of explainer video

There is no universally "best" style. Animate it if the offer is abstract, show a person if the offer depends on trust, and demonstrate it if the offer is visual.

What goes into a great explainer

• One idea. The most common failure is trying to fit three messages into 60 seconds. Choose the one that matters most to the buyer.
• A hook in the first three seconds. Open with the problem your customer recognises, not your logo.
• Problem, solution, proof, call to action. A simple structure that keeps the viewer moving towards the next step.
• Plain English. Write for the ear, not the page. Short sentences, everyday words, no jargon.
• Captions and sound design. Most social viewing starts on mute, so the film must work silently. With sound on, voiceover and music should feel considered.
• A single next step. Book a call, get a quote, start a trial. One action, said and shown.

How long should an explainer video be?

• Social and paid ads: 15 to 30 seconds, built around one benefit.
• Homepage or landing page: 60 to 90 seconds, covering the full problem-to-solution story.
• Onboarding or how-to: as long as the task needs, split into short chapters.

A useful rule of thumb is that a natural speaking pace is roughly 140 to 160 words per minute, so a 60-second explainer script is about 150 words. If your draft is 300 words, either the film is two minutes long or the message needs cutting.

The explainer video production process, step by step

1. Brief. A short call to agree the offer, the audience, where the video will live and the one action you want viewers to take.
2. Script. A hook-led, benefit-first script, written to be heard. This is where most of the value is created, so it is signed off before anything else happens.
3. Storyboard. A scene-by-scene plan showing what is on screen against each line of the script. You approve the look before production starts.
4. Production. Animation, AI-generated scenes, AI-presenter footage, screen capture or filmed footage, depending on the agreed style.
5. Edit. Voiceover, music, captions, colour grade and sound design, followed by a review round.
6. Delivery. The master film plus cutdowns and aspect ratios for your website, social channels and ads.

Because sign-off happens at script and storyboard stage, changes are made when they are cheap, and there are few surprises at the end.

How to brief an explainer video

You will get a better film, faster, if you can answer these before the first call:

• Who is the viewer, and what do they already know?
• What problem are they trying to solve when they find you?
• What is the one thing they must remember?
• What should they do after watching?
• Where will the video be used (website, ads, sales emails, social, events)?
• Do you have brand guidelines, fonts, colours or existing footage?
• Are there words, claims or visuals you must avoid, for example for regulatory reasons?

How much does explainer video production cost in the UK?

Our explainer videos fall under our Promo Video package, which starts from £1,499 (see our pricing). That starting point includes script, storyboard and creative direction, AI, filmed or hybrid production, voiceover, music and sound design, and cutdowns for each platform.

What moves the price up or down:

• Length and number of scenes. More scenes means more to design, generate or film.
• Style. Custom character animation, filmed presenters and location work take longer than motion graphics or AI-generated scenes.
• Voiceover. A professional voice artist, multiple languages or celebrity voices change the budget.
• Versions. Extra aspect ratios, languages or audience-specific edits.
• Usage. Broadcast or large paid-media campaigns may need additional licensing for music or talent.

For a fuller breakdown of how video budgets work, read our UK video production cost guide.

How long does it take?

For our Promo Video package the typical timeline is 7 to 14 days, assuming feedback is returned promptly at script and storyboard stage. Projects with filming, multiple languages or several stakeholders take longer, and we will give you a realistic schedule on the first call.

Explainer videos by sector

• Law firms: plain-English process explainers, such as "what happens after you instruct us", that reassure anxious searchers. See our page on video for law firms.
• Accountants: short one-answer clips on deadlines, allowable expenses or switching accountant. See video for accountants.
• Software and tech: product walkthroughs that show the core value quickly.
• Education: course, open-day and enrolment explainers. See video for education.

For more examples across industries, read our video marketing by sector guide.

How we produce explainer videos

We handle explainer video production end to end: brief, script, storyboard, production, voiceover and edit, delivered with platform cutdowns. We use AI where it saves time and money, and human creative direction for the story, brand and final edit. One call is usually enough for us to recommend a style and give you a written quote and timeline. You can see the full scope of our AI video production services or book a free call.