An explainer video takes something complicated, your product, your service, the thing you do that nobody quite gets on the first try, and makes it click in 60 to 90 seconds. Good explainer video production is the difference between a prospect who bounces and one who finally says “oh, that’s what you do.” At Johnson Media Co., we’ve spent over a decade helping Austin companies turn confusing pitches into short videos people actually watch to the end.
What an explainer video actually does
It answers one question clearly: what is this, and why should I care? The best explainer videos lead with the problem your customer feels, show your solution in plain terms, and end with a reason to act. No jargon, no ten-minute demo, just a tight story that respects the viewer’s time. That’s harder than it sounds, which is why so many explainer videos ramble. Ours don’t, because we treat them as storytelling first and information second.
When your business needs one
Explainer videos earn their keep in a few specific moments:
- Launching something new, where the market doesn’t yet have language for what you built.
- A homepage or landing page that needs to convert cold traffic fast.
- A complex service like software, healthcare, or finance, where trust and clarity both matter.
- Sales enablement, giving your team a consistent, polished way to open every conversation.
The styles we produce
There’s no single right format. We match the style to your message and budget.
Animated explainers
Great for abstract ideas, software, and processes that are hard to film. Our animation production team builds custom characters and scenes so the video feels like your brand, not a template.
Motion graphics explainers
Clean, modern, and fast to produce. When your story is more about data, steps, or features than characters, motion graphics carry it with polish. This is often the most cost-effective route.
Live-action explainers
When a real face, a real location, or a real product builds more trust than animation, we shoot it. This pairs naturally with corporate video production when you want the founder or team on camera.
How we make one
Our process is built to protect the one thing that matters most, clarity.
- Discovery. We learn your product, your customer, and the single idea the video has to land.
- Script. This is where explainer videos live or die. We write tight, then cut it tighter.
- Storyboard and voiceover. You see the whole video on paper before we build a frame.
- Production. Animation, motion graphics, or a shoot, whatever the script calls for.
- Revisions and delivery. We refine with you, then hand off every format you need.
Why Austin companies work with Johnson Media Co.
We’re a full-service Austin video production company, so an explainer video isn’t a one-off gig we outsource. It’s made in-house by the same team that handles our commercial, corporate, and branded work. That means the writing, the design, and the finish all hold to one standard. We care more about whether your audience understood the message than whether the video looked expensive, though ours tend to look expensive anyway.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an explainer video be?
Most land between 60 and 90 seconds. That’s long enough to explain the idea and short enough that people finish it. If your product genuinely needs more, we’ll build a longer version, but we start by fighting for brevity.
How much does explainer video production cost in Austin?
It depends on the style and length. Motion graphics explainers are usually the most affordable, custom animation costs more, and live-action varies with crew and locations. We’ll give you a clear quote after a short conversation about scope.
What’s the difference between an animated and a motion graphics explainer?
Animation usually means custom characters and illustrated scenes, which is ideal for story-driven or abstract concepts. Motion graphics lean on text, icons, and shapes in motion, which is faster and great for features, steps, and data. Many videos blend both.
How long does it take to produce?
A typical explainer runs three to five weeks from kickoff to final delivery, depending on style and revision rounds. Rush timelines are sometimes possible, just tell us your deadline up front.
Let’s make your message simple
If people keep asking what you do, an explainer video fixes that. Get in touch or call us at (512) 751-3051 and let’s talk about the one idea your video needs to land.
