The Cost of 3D Rendering and Animation

3D product rendering and animation have become essential tools in modern marketing and advertising. They offer an unparalleled level of consistency, creative control and flexibility, enabling businesses to showcase their products and services in ways that traditional photography simply cannot match. However, the cost of 3D product rendering and animation services can be difficult to determine, leaving many businesses wondering what factors contribute to pricing and why rates are not always crystal clear.

One reason for the ambiguity is that it is challenging to have a one-size-fits-all scenario that accommodates everyone’s unique needs. Before we dive into the factors that contribute to the cost of 3D rendering, it’s important to understand the difference between fixed-rate and hourly-rate contracts. Purchasing a 3D rendering or animation service is not like buying a typical product. Instead, you’re paying for someone’s time, whether it be an individual or a team, to deliver a service. Depending on who you choose, some may prefer to charge by the hour, and others may charge by the project.

Hourly rates tend to be more common among freelance 3D artists and can be very helpful in quickly letting their potential clients know how much they expect to be compensated for their time. However, there may not be any guarantee that the project won’t go over the original hourly estimate, which could result in additional fees for revisions and iterations.

Fixed rates, on the other hand, provide an upfront estimate for the entire project and typically account for at least a few rounds of feedback. Fixed rates are usually itemized quotes based on the specifics requested, which limits the ambiguity of the hourly rate estimate and ensures that you know what you’re going to pay upfront. This is generally the preferred pricing structure for most studios and agencies, who have a lot of experience quoting similar projects and are therefore comfortable enough to offer a standard pricing structure based on how many hours they expect it to take.

Now let’s look at some of the factors that contribute to the cost of 3D rendering and animation projects:

• Reference & Direction: The first thing a 3D artist needs to know is what reference and direction you, the client, will be providing. The more information and clarity you can provide, the easier and less ambiguous the job will be for the artist and, in turn, the cheaper the costs. If you can provide clear direction for the camera angles, lighting style, etc., the artist will spend less time figuring out what you want and more time creating the product and pushing the quality to higher levels.
• Scope of Work: The more work you want done, the more the project is going to cost. If you’re working via a fixed rate, try to find out what the per image rates are if you’re interested in still 3D renderings, or what the per second rates are for 3D animations. These rates may vary depending on other specifics, but you should be able to get a general sense of what the starting rate is.
• Complexity: The complexity of the project also plays a significant role in determining the cost of 3D rendering and animation services. Complex animations or intricate designs will require more time and skill to create, resulting in higher costs.
• Deadlines: Tight deadlines can also impact the cost of 3D rendering and animation projects. If you need the project completed quickly, you may need to pay more to get it done on time.
• Experience and Talent: The experience and talent of the 3D artist.

GETTING AN ACCURATE QUOTE

Below is a list of specific items you’ll want to have ready when looking to have your project quoted.

THE PRODUCT

Best – 3D CAD product model

The CAD format would a .STP/.STEP file. If you don’t have direct access to these files, they can sometimes be located from industrial design or mechanical engineering departments.

Better – Physical product

If there isn’t a 3D CAD model or the model in inaccurate, the next best thing is the physical product. This option will be more expensive simply due to the fact that the product will have to be modeled from scratch.

Good – Photos of the product with dimensions

Sometimes the physical product is too large or isn’t available to mail. This option takes longer than the “better” option. More “back and forth” should be expected during the modeling phase.

ADDITIONAL PRODUCT INFORMATION

• Material samples

This can be anything from physical samples, photography, website links, hex color codes, etc.

• Artwork files

Typical for products with labels, logos or packaging shots. An Adobe Illustrator file is preferred. This allows more flexibility when creating “textures” that will be applied to the product model.

SHOT TYPES

• Isolated on white background

These are ideal for e-commerce and keeping the file size to a minimum as a simple .jpg is provided.

• Isolated on transparency

Also ideal for e-commerce but a gives more flexibility if the product is to be displayed on different backgrounds.

• Isolated on a stylized background

Need something that draws some attention, these are good for e-commerce and social media.

• 360 turntable views

Allows the product to be viewed from front to back.

• Packaging

Want to show off that fancy box the product comes in… add it to the list.

• Lifestyle

Certain products need to be shown in a setting. Sometimes it’s just for a scale reference or to show off a feature. Light Fixture products for example benefit by showing off how they light up their environment.

• Infographic

Typically needed to callout some features or dimensions.

• Trade Show Imagery

Extreme High Resolutions are typically needed. Knowing the booth’s wall/banner size is important to have at the start of the project.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

• Number of Shots
• Number of Material Variations
• Image Aspect and Resolution (length x width @ 300 dpi) – 3000×3000 pixels is standard for most isolated shots
• Deliverable Format (.jpg, .png, .tif, layered .psd, etc.)
• Deadline

PRICE LIST (rough project types & estimates)

$1000 Initial Product Development (this includes CAD model prep, materials, lighting, camera setup & 1 Isolated Product Rendering)

After the Initial Product Development stage is complete…

$200 per Additional Isolated Product Rendering $600 per Isolated Product 360° View (36 images at a 10 degree rotation)

$400 Infographic

$400 Stock Photo Lifestyle Environment Composite

$2000 Custom Modeled Lifestyle 3D Environment

$200 per Additional Product Rendering (pending camera angle and scene buildout)

$2000 per 10 seconds of Animation (1920×1080 HD base resolution)

Every project is different and the above pricing is only an average estimation. It assumes, among other things, that the provided 3D CAD model will be used “as-is.” Final pricing will be provided after all of the startup files have been reviewed.

If you don’t have a 3D model of your product and need one created, CONTACT US for a quote.