XO3D Studio · Guide
What is a 3D Animatic?
The pre-production tool that prevents expensive mistakes, and why no serious product CGI film should begin final rendering without one.
The studio behind this guide
Why we insist on this stage
XO3D is a director-led product CGI studio, and the animatic is where camera, sequence and pacing get settled before anything is rendered. It exists for a commercial reason: creative decisions are easier to assess and change at this stage, before shots are lit and rendered, and the same decisions revisited after final rendering usually take far more work. The agreed scope still governs revisions. If a supplier does not offer this stage, that tells you what kind of supplier they are.
How XO3D compares to the other five supplier modelsA 3D animatic is a timed preview built with simple 3D geometry and camera moves, before final-quality work begins. It is a moving version of the storyboard. It tests the decisions that shape the film: which shots there are, how long each one runs, how the camera moves, how the product moves and how one shot leads to the next. How much detail, sound and camera precision it carries depends on the brief. It cannot show final materials, colour or finished sound, so it is not a picture of exactly how the final film will look. For how animation is used across product brands, see our overview of 3D animation types, process and uses. Our guide to camera choreography and shot types explains the shots an animatic sets out.
On an XO3D product film, the animatic is where the main creative decisions are reviewed, rather than after the first render is delivered. Changes to shot order and timing can be assessed before the affected shots are lit, rendered and finished. The agreed scope determines the review allowance.
XO3D's artists also call this stage the greycard: an untextured clay preview of the animation that shows the movement and the camera moves. The client signs it off before material previews begin.
In plain terms: An animatic is a rough moving preview of your film's shots, timing and product movement. You review it before the work moves on to final materials, lighting and rendering, so it is one of the most useful approvals in a product CGI film project.
What an animatic contains
The elements that are shown, and what to look for when reviewing.
Camera Choreography
Every shot, every move
The animatic shows the planned camera positions, moves and cuts in sequence. This is where you judge how the film will feel to watch, before final frames are rendered. If a camera move feels wrong here, this is the easiest point to raise it.
Timing and Edit Rhythm
Duration of every shot
The animatic runs at the planned speed of the film, with each shot held for its planned length. Timings can still be refined later, but this is where you discover whether a product reveal feels rushed or a shot lingers too long.
Product Movement
How the product behaves in frame
Product rotations, mechanism movements, component assembly and interactions are shown in rough form, at their planned speed and in their planned order. The product owner checks the sequence against the approved product information; the animatic shows what is planned, but it does not prove how the product works.
Placeholder Audio
Structural sound and music timing
A music reference or click track can be added so the edit rhythm can be felt, not just seen. Final sound design is agreed separately; placeholder sound only shows how picture and sound are meant to line up.
Compare the stages
3D animatic, storyboard and final animation
| Stage | Purpose | What it usually looks like | What you decide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storyboard | Lays out the intended shots and their order. | Still drawings or frames with notes on camera and action. | Are these the right shots, in the right order? |
| 3D animatic | Tests timing, sequence and camera in motion. | Simple 3D geometry and camera moves, played at the planned speed. | Does the film read, and is each shot long enough? |
| Greycard | At XO3D, the artists’ name for this same animatic stage. | An untextured clay preview of the movement and the camera moves. | Sign-off of movement and camera before material previews. |
| Final animation | Adds the agreed materials, lighting, rendering and sound. | Finished frames. | Does it match the approved plan and the product? |
A general guide. Teams use these words differently, and stages can overlap; the exact steps follow the workflow agreed for each project.
How to review the preview
Watch it at full speed more than once, then ask:
- Is the opening message clear?
- Does each shot reveal the feature it is meant to?
- Is there enough time for each action to read?
- Do the transitions support the story?
- Does any placeholder sound serve the planned rhythm?
Name two people before playback: the creative owner on your side, who judges the story, and the product reviewer, who checks the product is shown correctly. Leave final lighting and surface finish out of the review when they are not in the preview. A checklist like this helps structure feedback; it is not an automatic approval, and it does not test how an audience will respond. Prepare review feedback with our review guide.
Product movement and evidence
If the film shows a mechanism, ask the product owner for the approved sequence, the product revision and any warnings that must appear. The animatic shows what is planned. It does not prove that the product works that way or that the operation is safe. Agree who on your side signs off the depiction before final production starts.
Changes and scope
Reviewing early makes some changes easier to assess, because shots have not yet been lit, rendered and finished. Changes still take time, and the contract and agreed scope govern revisions. There is no fixed saving in time or money. What reopening an approved sequence involves depends on what has already been produced and agreed.
Next step
Bring your storyboard or a short outline of the film, the product source and the names of your reviewers. Scope a product film, prepare the brief, and plan sound alongside the edit.
Past production insight from
Jack Robertson
Former Mid-Level Artist, XO3D
Test unusual lighting at the greycard stage
A greycard has no materials applied, so it cannot show how the finish will look. When the lighting plan was specific, Jack tested it at the greycard stage anyway.
His example: if the hero shot is going to have strong coloured lighting, he put that into the greycard to get a feel for it early. That saves changing the lighting once materials arrive, and possibly changing cameras to accommodate it.
From a production discussion while Jack worked at XO3D, edited for clarity. XO3D's named expert on this subject is Thomas Howcroft, Founder and Creative Director.
FAQ
Common questions, answered.
How long does producing an animatic take?
Does every CGI project need an animatic?
What should I look for when reviewing an animatic?
Your next project
Approve the sequence before the finish.
An animatic is the place to test what happens, where the camera looks and how long each idea holds. Materials and final lighting follow a sequence that already communicates.
A route to consider
Product CGI Films
A product film developed through creative treatment, storyboard, animatic, product review and final picture and sound.
Bring these three things.
- What is the opening message?
- Which actions must appear in order?
- Who approves camera and timing?
Start with an outline. We review the product, intended outputs and timing before agreeing the production scope.