Animation Production Checklist
Every step from brief to final delivery. Read it here, then download the Excel version to tick off tasks, assign owners and track progress.
Download the Excel checklist (.xlsx)Want it in a spreadsheet with dropdowns, due dates and a progress dashboard?
Download the Excel checklistQuestions or suggestions: animationalerts@gmail.com
Animation Checklist FAQs
Quick answers about the checklist and the Excel file.
What is an animation checklist?
An animation checklist is a step-by-step list of the tasks you need to finish before, during and after making an animation. It helps you avoid missing steps like approvals, licences, backups and delivery specs. This one is a project checklist, not a set of animated checklist graphics. It has 91 tasks across 7 phases, from the first brief to final archive, with a priority label and a short tip on each task, and it suits solo animators, students and small studios.
What are the stages of animation production?
Animation production is usually split into pre-production (script, storyboard, animatic and design), production (creating the animation itself) and post-production (editing, sound, effects and export). This checklist adds planning at the start and delivery, publishing and wrap-up at the end, so you get seven phases: Planning & Brief, Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production, Delivery & Legal, Publishing & Promotion, and Wrap-Up & Archive.
Does this checklist work for 2D, 3D, motion graphics, stop motion and game animation?
Yes. Every task is tagged either “All” or a specific type. Use the filter buttons above to show only the tasks for your project, or the “Applies To” filter in the Excel file. For example, rigging tests are tagged for 3D, locking camera exposure for stop motion, and in-engine testing for game animation. Not sure which style fits your project? Read our guide to animation types and styles.
How do I use the Excel checklist?
Download the file and open the Checklist sheet. Filter the “Applies To” column for your animation type, then set each task’s Status from the dropdown: Not started, In progress, Done or N/A. Add an owner, due date and notes. Tasks that don’t apply to you should be set to N/A so they don’t count against your progress. The Progress sheet updates automatically, and overdue tasks turn red. You can also open the file in Google Sheets, though some formatting may look slightly different.
What should I check before delivering the final animation?
Before you send the final file, confirm the delivery specs in writing with your client or platform, do a full quality-control pass from start to finish, add captions, set audio loudness to the platform’s target and confirm you have licences for all music, fonts and plugins. Get the final approval in writing and archive your master file. The Delivery Specs sheet in the Excel file lists typical formats for YouTube, social media, broadcast, festivals and game engines. Always confirm exact requirements with whoever you are delivering to.
How much time and budget should I plan for an animation?
There is no single number, because time and cost depend on the length, style, complexity and how many revision rounds you allow. Use the checklist’s planning tasks to set milestones, add buffer time for revisions and agree the revision limit in writing. For budgets, adding a contingency of roughly 10–20% is a common rule of thumb. For a first estimate, try our Animation Budget Calculator.
