To make a Kurzgesagt style explainer, write a short script around one big question, then describe the look once: flat vector shapes with rounded corners, soft gradients and a deep navy background. Give each paragraph one clear scene, link scenes with smooth camera zooms, and add a calm narrator, ambient music and soft sound effects.
Real outputs from the Videotto template gallery.
When a flat animated explainer is the right choice
Flat animation is slower to plan than a talking head, so it pays to be sure it fits. It is strongest in three situations.
- Scale. Something tiny next to something huge, then zooming out again and again: a person, a city, a planet, a star.
- Process. Step by step change nobody can film, like a signal travelling through the body or a seed growing.
- Comparison. The same world twice, with one thing changed, side by side.
It is a weaker fit for news, opinion and anything that needs real evidence on screen. There, a document led journalism style explainer works better, because viewers want to see the source. And if the idea is a sequence of steps you would sketch on a whiteboard, a hand drawn style can be faster to make and just as clear.
How to make a Kurzgesagt style explainer in 6 steps
- Pick one big question. "What would happen if the sun went out?" works. "Space" does not. The question is also your hook for the first 3 seconds.
- Write the script in beats. Five to eight short paragraphs of 20 to 30 words, one scene each. For a 60 second short that is about 150 words in total.
- Rewrite abstract lines as pictures. "This has major implications" gives the animation nothing to draw. "If the Earth were a peppercorn, the sun would be a bowling ball 24 metres away" gives it a whole scene. Underline every line without an image and rewrite it.
- Describe the world once. Background colour, shape style and character style in two or three sentences. Paste the same description into every video in the series.
- Add the voice and sound. Upload your own voiceover or ask for a calm, curious AI narrator, with ambient music and soft effects on key moments.
- Check consistency and facts. Every scene should look like the same world, and every claim should be checked. Friendly visuals make claims feel true, so be strict.
Building it by hand vs with Otto
This look is traditionally built in Adobe Illustrator for the vector art and After Effects for the animation. Free routes exist too: Inkscape or Figma for drawing and Blender's Grease Pencil or Canva for simpler motion. These are typical effort estimates for a 60 second piece with six scenes.
| Stage | Illustrator and After Effects | Otto |
|---|---|---|
| Style frames and characters | Roughly 1 to 2 days | Described once in the prompt |
| Drawing six scenes | Roughly 1 to 3 days | Generated from the script |
| Animation and camera moves | Roughly 1 to 2 days | Part of the first draft |
| Voice, music and sound | A few hours | Asked for in the same prompt |
| Changes after review | Hours per round | A few minutes per follow up request |
The hand built version gives you full control over every shape and a character design you own outright, which matters for a long running channel. The prompt route is for getting an idea in front of an audience this week.
Flat animated explainer prompt for Otto
Adapted from real requests Videotto users sent to Otto. Save the style lines and reuse them so every episode looks the same.
Make a flat animated explainer, vertical 9:16, about 60 seconds, no footage. Question: [your question] Script: [paste your script] Bright flat vector shapes, rounded corners, no outlines, soft gradients and a gentle glow. Deep navy background with saturated accents. Simple round characters where needed. One clear scene per paragraph. The camera glides and zooms between scenes so it feels like one world. Calm, curious AI narrator. Ambient synth music, small soft effects on key moments. Small clean captions at the bottom.
Shorter flat explainer prompts
- "Make a 2D animated explainer about how vaccines work, friendly and simple."
- "Show the scale: zoom out from a person to the whole galaxy."
- "Smooth easing, no bouncing, no flashy transitions."
- "Keep the same character design in every scene."
Worked example: "How big is the sun?" in 45 seconds
An illustration of turning one question into scale scenes. About 110 words of narration, six scenes, one camera that keeps zooming out.
| Time | Narration | Scene |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 4 s | "How big is the sun, really?" | A small round character looks up at a bright disc |
| 4 to 12 s | "Shrink the Earth to the size of a peppercorn." | A tiny blue dot on a deep navy floor |
| 12 to 20 s | "The sun would be a bowling ball, about 24 metres away." | Camera pulls back, a glowing ball sits far across the floor |
| 20 to 29 s | "You could fit around a million Earths inside it." | Tiny dots pour into the ball until it fills |
| 29 to 38 s | "And it is only a medium sized star." | Zoom out further, a much larger star appears beside it |
| 38 to 45 s | "Which makes our peppercorn very small indeed." | Back to the character, now holding the tiny dot, hold 3 s |
Each line is concrete enough to draw, and the camera move carries the idea of scale, so there is almost no on screen text. Check figures like these against a reliable source before you publish your own version.
Checklist before you publish a flat explainer
- Every scene is vector. No photos or realistic textures slipped in.
- The style description is identical to the one used in your last episode.
- On screen text is labels only, three to five words, clear of the bottom 15% of a 9:16 frame.
- The first 3 seconds state the question with a strong image.
- Every number and claim has a source you could point to.
- Characters are your own designs, not a channel's mascots or birds.
- The last scene holds for 2 to 3 seconds so the answer lands.
FAQ
What software is used to make Kurzgesagt style animation?
Kurzgesagt style animation is usually made with Adobe Illustrator for the flat vector artwork and Adobe After Effects for the animation and camera moves. Free alternatives include Inkscape or Figma for drawing and Blender for animation. The software matters less than the rules: simple shapes, a limited palette and one clear idea per scene.
What colours are used in flat science explainers?
Flat science explainers typically use a deep, dark background such as navy or purple with bright, saturated accents like teal, orange, pink and yellow. Soft gradients and a gentle glow add depth without breaking the flat look. Keeping the palette to five or six colours across a whole series makes every episode feel like the same world.
How long does it take to make an animated explainer video?
An animated explainer video made by hand typically takes days to weeks, depending on length and detail. A one minute flat explainer with custom characters can take a skilled animator several days, and long YouTube episodes take far longer because research, scripting and sound design all add up. Simpler styles and reusable assets shorten that a lot.
How many words should a one minute explainer script have?
A one minute explainer script should have roughly 140 to 160 words, because a calm narrator speaks at about that pace. For flat animation, aim for the lower end so scenes have room to breathe and the camera can move between them. If your draft is over 180 words, cut a beat rather than speaking faster.
Can I use Kurzgesagt's characters or style in my videos?
You cannot use Kurzgesagt's characters, birds, artwork, music or name in your videos, because those are their work. A general visual approach, such as flat shapes on dark backgrounds, is not owned by anyone. Design your own characters and palette, avoid copying specific scenes, and do not suggest any affiliation with the channel.
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