How to make a great whiteboard video?

March 06, 2021

What is a whiteboard animation? You’ve probably used a dry-erase whiteboard to sketch ideas out during a meeting, illustrate a problem in math class or keep track of your grocery list. But you can also use a whiteboard to create animated videos.

Since the style lends itself well to illustrating complex ideas in a visual way, most whiteboard animations are created as marketing videos or educational explainer videos. The combination of bright, graphic illustrations with an engaging and interesting story instantly grabs attention and can keep both customers and students engaged. “Whiteboard animation is traditionally done on a dry-erase whiteboard with simple pens. There’s no shading and it’s usually made with very quick line drawings,” explains animator and illustrator Mark Wooding. The videos are often accompanied by a voice-over, explaining the content or narrating the scene.

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How to make a great whiteboard video.

1. Make an outline for your whiteboard animation video.

The key to a great video is a great script. “The video will only be as successful as the story is. If you want to make a really compelling video, it has to begin with a great script,” says animator and illustrator William Warren. Before jumping in with your pens, focus on the content of your video, what you want to say and how you want to say it.

Most whiteboard videos explain a topic or tell a story. But remember, even dull educational topics can be engaging when presented in the right way. “There’s always a compelling story to tell. It doesn’t matter what your topic is, you can always communicate it well with principles of good storytelling,” explains Warren.

2. Create storyboards and decide on an animation style.

Planning and creating your storyboards will help you to decide what imagery should pair with each part of your voice-over. “If you have a great step-by-step storyboard to begin with, the odds are that your final product will be great too,” says Warren.

Plan your drawings for each part of the animation and consider how they’ll work together. “With a whiteboard video, it’s the visual concepts that steal the show. Seeing those visuals come to life gets people’s attention and draws them in,” explains Wooding. Think about what animated characters you want to include. Think about the colours you plan to work with. Consider including some text elements in addition to illustrations. For complex parts of your voice-over, write out certain words to keep viewers engaged.