FAQ
There are lots of reasons authors should consider animating their covers. Check out this list.
What type of animation do you offer?
The kind of animation we do here is 2D animation on static images. This is what you'll find on the majority of animated book covers. currently. We “paint” simple but eye-catching effects on your cover. You’ll love the results! What we don’t do is make characters on your cover walk, talk, or morph, or make objects that are already on your cover change locations. Please see our sample animated covers so you have a sense of the kind of animations we offer. You can also look at the types of effects we often use .
Do you offer cover design?
We don't design covers at this time; we handle cover animation only. Once you have a completed cover that you love, either one from a design professional or one that you made yourself, you can hire us to animate the cover from there. Make sure you have a high resolution version of your cover, like the kind you would put up on your sales page, before ordering from us,
Why do you create your animated covers in MP4 format?
We give you MP4s of your animated cover because it enables us to make the quality of the file high, while still meeting the file size limitations of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. These platforms have low size limitations on GIFs, so the quality of your animated cover would be much lower in GIF format at the size we'd have to make it.
Do I need a GIF of my animated cover?
Probably not. An MP4 file of your animated cover can easily be upoladed to social media posts and to your author website,. You can also insert an MP4 into videos if you're trying to make a book-inspired video that includes your animated cover. MP4 is the best choice for almost every use an author would have for an animated cover. However, if you still feel you need a GIF, or AVI, or .MOV file, just ask before the end of the design process, and we'll provide one at no extra charge.
How many seconds is an animated cover supposed to run?
The animated cover just needs to play long enough for all the animations on it to run through completely. We usually make the MP4 file long enough for all the animations to run through completely several times. Generally, 10-12 seconds is more than enough for this. Some types of animations (like going gradually from dark to light and back again) need longer to complete, so a few animated covers might run as long as 30 seconds. When you upload your MP4 cover to social media, it will play until it is finished and then will automatically start back up again.
Will my book cover animation play in a loop on social media?
Yes. Most animated covers have a running time of just a few seconds, but they will all continue to play in a loop when uploaded to social media. Social media users and visitors to your website will see continuous animation on your cover.
There are a number of things you could try. Check out this list; It gives some detailed suggestions.
How long before I can expect my animated cover?
Please allow 3-5 business days for us to complete your animated cover once we have received payment. But we often have it done much sooner! If you need to guarantee it will be done in 1-2 days, please choose rush delivery. You can let us know in the contact form.
Can you animate other things besides book covers?
Yes! We can do website banners, audio book covers, 3D mockups of books, etc. Just about any still image can be enhanced with some kind of animation. If you're getting an animated cover from us, you can add on an animated web banner, audio book, cover or mockup for a discounted price.
What format of my cover is required for animation?
We need to work with a high resolution image of your cover in order for the animations to be visible and crisp. We don't recommend a resolution any lower than 640 X 480 pixels. Amazon's minimum cover resolution is 1000 X 625 pixels. We'd recommend even higher than that to get the clearest animations.
A simple png or jpeg image of your cover (what you'd upload to your sales page) is all we need from you; we don't require Photoshop files that show layers.
How do I order?
The first step is to submit the contact/order form and we'll go from there.
Can I tell you what I want?
Yes, of course! We welcome your design ideas and hope you will tell us if there's something you have in mind, especially at the beginning of the design process. Before ordering, please study the sample book cover animations on the home page and the animation ideas to get your creative juices flowing; it's helpful to understand the kinds of animations we typically work with. If you don't have any ideas, that's ok, too; we'll come up with some good ones for you! After we make up your animated cover, we'll send it to you for approval. We want you to be happy with the finished product, and we're confident you'll be proud to show off your animated cover.