I am a game designer. I need a lot of spines for my project, but most of them are simple spines (like videos). Or but spine is a bit more difficult. Can I ask if the cost to hire someone to design the spines is high? How much does it usually cost for a spine like that?
How much does it cost to hire someone to design a spine animation file?
namduoi You might have more luck posting with the Networking tag.The pricing really depends on the freelancers.
Those animations are extremely simple. They have 3, maybe 6 keys total. You could easily make them yourself. Hiring someone to do it might cost an hour of their time, if you have the images already. You'd be able to swap the images with others pretty easily, so you probably only need one animation.
2 months later
I agree, that so simple spines might be better to DIY when you need a few. Though if you have a large number of spines, as mentioned, it could take time and extend the project duration. By going DIY, you will be able to save budget, but you’ll spend much time. Also, whether you choose freelancers or studios may impact the timeline—freelancers might take longer, while studios could work faster. Although, studio’s video production pricing should cover the time & quality you gain. The cost of hiring an animator depends on the complexity, the animator's experience, and your project's scope. On Upwork for example, you can find a prices with big difference as of 80$ to 200 $ or more per spine. Here there was also discussion a few years ago: https://en.esotericsoftware.com/forum/d/2152-budget-for-animation/5 The dilemma is classical: time/money/quality.
So, I’d consider the budget and the balance between cost and quality. Freelancers might be cheaper per hour but could take longer, while studios might be pricier but potentially more efficient. In case of DIY – all is in your hands, incl. you time cost.
这个很简单，应该用不了多少钱的
2 months later
Also, you shouldn't call those "animations" , those are just "movements" and it is not the same.
Animation should have implicit some intention involved, details that express something, also should show some attention to the weight and the natural physics of the object or the character moving (inertia...).
Calling that "animation" is degrading real animators job.