What Does CGI Advertising Cost? How to Brief and Compare Quotes
Understand the work behind a CGI quote: modelling, shots, simulations, formats, review rounds and handover. A practical budgeting guide for brands.
There is no reliable universal price for a CGI advertisement. Two videos of the same length can require very different amounts of work. A simple camera move around an existing model is different from a new product model, several environments and a complex fluid simulation.
The useful question is: what needs to be produced, checked and delivered? A clear brief makes proposals easier to compare and reduces surprises after production starts.
The six parts of a useful scope
1. Product modelling and preparation
Tell the studio whether you have CAD files, an existing 3D model or only reference photographs. Existing files may need geometry cleanup, material work or missing components. A model’s suitability needs to be checked before the modelling scope can be confirmed.
2. Storyboard and number of shots
A short film with many distinct scenes can involve more work than a longer film built around a few controlled shots. Agree the purpose of each scene before animation. A rough animatic lets you review timing and camera movement without committing to final renders.
3. Materials and environments
A product on a clean background requires a different setup from jewellery with close-up reflections, transparent packaging or a large constructed environment. The references should show both the desired style and the level of detail that matters for the product.
4. Motion and simulation
An exploded mechanism, fabric movement, liquid splash or particle sequence adds setup and review work. Ask which effects support the message. An effect that looks impressive but hides the product may be the wrong use of the budget.
5. Output versions
List the delivery ratios, languages, cutdowns, still images and product variants before the quote. A vertical composition can require changes to framing and labels rather than a simple crop of the horizontal film. Confirm audio, caption and display requirements for each destination.
6. Review rounds and handover
Name one person who consolidates feedback. Agree when product geometry, materials, storyboard and animation are approved. Ask how changes after those approvals are handled. Source models, editable project files, fonts, stock assets and usage rights should be discussed explicitly rather than assumed to be part of every delivery.
Compare proposals using the same checklist
| Check | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Creative work | Concept, storyboard and animatic included or separately scoped |
| Product accuracy | References needed and who approves geometry, labels and motion |
| Production | Number of products, scenes, simulations and variants |
| Reviews | Number of review rounds and stages where feedback is expected |
| Delivery | Resolution, ratios, file formats, sound and cutdowns |
| Schedule | Dependencies, approval dates and the final delivery date |
| Rights and files | Agreed usage, licensed assets and any source-file handover |
A lower quote may cover fewer shots or reviews. A higher quote may include assets you do not need. Compare the deliverables before comparing only the total.
Where to simplify a first project
Start with the product feature that is hardest to explain with current images. Reuse an accurate model across a small set of scenes. Approve the look before final rendering, and settle label artwork early. These choices make the work easier to scope without promising a specific saving or turnaround.
For listing images, see Amazon product rendering. For a moving product demonstration, see 3D product animation. Manufacturers can use industrial animation to brief a mechanism or assembly sequence.
Get a project-specific estimate
Send the product or machine, available files, a reference style, the intended output and your deadline. Include a budget range if you have one, so the scope can be discussed realistically.