What Is Explainer Video Animation?
Think of a new UPI app that wants to show how to send money in three taps. A 60-second animated video with a friendly voice and clear icons does that faster than a page of text. That is an explainer video.
Explainers sit inside motion graphics: designed shapes, text and icons that move with purpose. If you are still sorting out the terms, read motion graphics vs animation.
Explainer Video Animation Styles
| Style | What it looks like | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Flat 2D motion graphics | Clean shapes, icons and charts that move and morph | Apps, fintech, B2B services |
| Character animation | Simple 2D characters acting out a story | Consumer products, health and education |
| Whiteboard | A hand appears to draw the story on a white page | Training and teaching topics |
| Kinetic typography | Words animate in time with the voice | Short social media explainers |
| Screen and UI demo | Animated app screens with highlights and taps | Software and app onboarding |
Many real projects mix two styles, for example a character plus animated app screens. Kinetic text is a skill of its own; see kinetic typography in After Effects.
How Is an Explainer Video Made? Step by Step
- 1Brief
Who is watching, what one action should they take and how long the video is.
- 2Script
Write the voice-over first. Read it aloud with a timer; if it runs long, cut words, do not speed up.
- 3Storyboard
One small frame per scene with the line of script under it. Clients approve this before any animation.
- 4Style frames
Design 3 or 4 finished-looking frames in Illustrator so the client approves colours, fonts and characters.
- 5Voice-over
Record or get the final voice. Animation is timed to it, so this comes before animating. Our Adobe Audition voice-over guide covers clean recording.
- 6Animatic
Put the storyboard frames on the voice track in rough timing. Fix the pace here, when changes are cheap.
- 7Animation
Build each scene in After Effects. Ease every move; nothing should start or stop dead.
- 8Sound and export
Add music and sound effects, check levels and export versions for the website, YouTube and Reels.
Which Software Is Used for Explainer Video Animation?
| Task | Common software |
|---|---|
| Characters, icons and scenes | Illustrator, Photoshop |
| Animation | After Effects |
| Edit, music and final cut | Premiere Pro |
| Voice clean-up | Audition |
In After Effects, most flat explainer scenes start as shape layers. Adobe's help explains that if you drag with a shape tool while no layer is selected, After Effects makes a new shape layer; the tools are Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse, Polygon and Star. Pressing Q cycles through them[1].
Logos often appear at the start or end of an explainer. Our logo animation in After Effects guide shows that part in detail.
Explainer Video Animation With AI and Agentic AI
AI is changing the early steps. Adobe announced in June 2026 that Firefly can create storyboards and generate video from them. Its AI Assistant can run multi-step tasks across apps; in After Effects the assistant was in private beta at that time[2].
What the human still decides: the script's message, the brand look, the timing of every move to the voice and whether the final video is correct and clear. AI drafts are a starting point, not a deliverable. Some 3D-looking elements in explainers are now made with AI tools and then animated in After Effects; the course teaches that route, not 3D software. CABA's courses now teach AI and agentic AI workflows inside the curriculum.
Are There Jobs in Explainer Video Animation?
Yes. On 29 October 2026, Internshala listed 85 animation jobs[3]. Three posts, in our own words (company names left out):
- Motion graphics designer at a video services company, work from home, 1 year of experience. The role includes 30 to 90 second explainers and promos. Skills listed: Premiere Pro, After Effects, Figma and DaVinci Resolve. Pay shown: ₹2.5 to 4 lakh a year.
- Graphic and motion designer at a finance company, Delhi, Gurgaon or Noida, 1 year of experience. Skills listed: Photoshop, Illustrator, Animate, video editing, data visualisation and Canva. Pay shown: ₹3 to 3.5 lakh a year.
- Junior video editor for AI and creative content, Delhi NCR (hybrid), freshers welcome. Skills listed: Premiere Pro, After Effects, storyboarding, animation and Canva. Pay shown: ₹4.8 to 8 lakh a year.
| Stage | Motion graphics designer pay per month (Delhi NCR) |
|---|---|
| Fresher | ₹15,000 to ₹18,000 |
| After 1 year | ₹28,000 to ₹32,000 |
| After 3 years | ₹40,000 to ₹45,000 and more |
Wondering about the long-term picture? Read is motion graphics a good career.
Three Explainer Projects for Your Portfolio
- A 45-second app explainer: three screens, one hand cursor, one clear action at the end.
- A 60-second school admission explainer: steps to apply, dates as animated text, a calm voice.
- A 30-second Reel explainer in 9:16: one tip, big kinetic text, captions on.
Put the best 10 seconds of each into your showreel. Our motion graphics portfolio guide shows how to order them.
Learn Explainer Video Animation in a Motion Graphics Course
Our motion graphics course in Delhi includes a module on broadcast graphics, infographics and explainer videos, after the base in Illustrator, Photoshop and After Effects. One-to-one training helps here because timing is learnt by a trainer watching your animation frame by frame and showing you where it drags.
The course comes with a 100% Job Guarantee; read the job guarantee terms. See the full syllabus on the motion graphics course page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is explainer video animation?
It is a short animated video, usually 30 to 90 seconds, that explains a product, service or idea step by step with designed visuals, text and a voice-over.
Which software is best for explainer video animation?
Studios commonly use Illustrator for the artwork, After Effects for the animation and Premiere Pro or Audition for sound and the final cut.
How long should an explainer video be?
Most are 30 to 90 seconds. Shorter versions of 15 to 30 seconds work for social media ads.
Can AI make explainer videos?
AI tools can now draft storyboards and short clips, which speeds up early stages. A designer still controls the script, brand look, timing and accuracy of the final video.
Do I need to know drawing to make explainer videos?
No. Flat motion graphics explainers are built from shapes, icons and text. Drawing helps for character styles but is not required to start.
