Skip to main content
Calcimator

Animation Budget Calculator

Estimate production cost from duration, complexity, and frame rate.

Inputs

min
fps

Results

Estimated Budget

$20,000.00

≈ 10 gaming PCs

Cost per Minute$10,000.00
Total Drawings1,440
Animators Needed5
Cost per Frame$6.94
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Duration, Frame Rate, and Complexity (1=Simple, 2=Standard, 3=High).
  2. Set Exposure.
  3. Review the Estimated Budget ($) result.
  4. Use Cost per Minute ($) and Total Drawings to inform your decision.

How the result changes with Duration

DurationEstimated Budget
12$120,000.00
42$420,000.00
78$780,000.00
108$1,080,000.00

What each input means

Duration
Total length of the animation in minutes.
Frame Rate
Animation frame rate.
Complexity (1=Simple, 2=Standard, 3=High)
1 = motion graphics, 2 = standard 2D, 3 = feature-quality.
Exposure
Drawing exposure (1 = on ones, 2 = on twos, 3 = on threes).

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Duration = 2, Frame Rate = 24, Complexity (1=Simple, 2=Standard, 3=High) = 2, Exposure = 2 = 4 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Estimated Budget
    Estimated Budget
    20000 = $20,000
  3. Calculate Cost per Minute
    Cost per Minute
    10000 = $10,000
  4. Calculate Total Drawings
    Total Drawings
    1440 = 1440

The questions that sit next to this one — chosen by subject, including calculators filed under a different category.

More in Creative, Media & Design.