# How are these simple animated videos made? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 31, 2019, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-these-simple-animated-videos-made/834812 "2019-05-31T08:01:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-these-simple-animated-videos-made/834812/1 "2019-05-31T08:01:09Z")
The internet is full of videos like these: [Quantitative Easing Explained - YouTube](https://youtu.be/PTUY16CkS-k) They’re pretty much always two bears talking with computer voices about something. How are they made? Are the creators just dubbing over a cartoon? I don’t think that’s the case. I think maybe there is some cheap, popular animationn software that people are using to make these. Am I right? If so, what software is used? Is there a JibJab type site that lets you make these online? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-these-simple-animated-videos-made/834812/2 "2019-05-31T08:29:24Z")
There are several websites that allow making videos like this one. The one in the OP was made on the now-defunct site [Xtranormal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xtranormal), as show by the watermark…that article lists a few others. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-these-simple-animated-videos-made/834812/3 "2019-05-31T08:33:35Z")
There is a site that lets you make them–you choose The characters and set (lots more options than just bears) choose camera angles and such, and write the script, which the site converts to speech. I played around with it around 10 years ago, but I don’t remember the name. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-these-simple-animated-videos-made/834812/4 "2019-05-31T08:37:59Z")
(Was writing my reply at the same time as KN–Xtranormal was probably the one I was talking about.) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-these-simple-animated-videos-made/834812/5 "2019-05-31T08:44:40Z")
The site may be gone, but you can still see how it worked, [thanks to Mister Whisper](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RtjQlztrA2A). ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-these-simple-animated-videos-made/834812/6 "2019-05-31T13:13:16Z")
_Bang!_ “Santiago!” 😕 ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-these-simple-animated-videos-made/834812/7 "2019-05-31T13:13:59Z")
It looks as if it is still around: [Xtranormal Online](https://xtranormal.en.softonic.com/web-apps) ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-these-simple-animated-videos-made/834812/8 "2019-05-31T15:45:27Z")
Thanks everyone! It looks like Xtranormal was purchased by [https://www.nawmal.com/](https://www.nawmal.com/) where they have the current version up and running. It’s $166 per month. I was hoping for a “per movie” price, but at least I have my answer. Thanks again.