Overview CGI Ads
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CGI ads product films and images made in 3D

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Product films and images made in 3D, with no shoot. This page explains what a CGI ad is, the kinds we make and how to choose between them.

Overview

A CGI ad is a product film or image made on a computer. We model the product in 3D, build a set around it, light it and move a camera through the scene. There is no shoot, and the product appears as it was designed.

Brand teams ask for CGI ads when a shoot cannot give them the shot: a macro move along a razor blade, a keyboard shown key by key, one continuous move around a suitcase. They also ask when the product is not manufactured yet. This page sets out the kinds of product CGI ads we make, as stills and in motion, and what each is used for.

What it covers

  • 01

    Product films

    A CGI video of the product in motion, cut for TV, Reels, product pages and in-store screens.

  • 02

    Product stills

    Pack shots and hero images rendered from the same 3D model, for listings, print and campaigns.

  • 03

    Fragrance and beauty

    Glass, liquid and close-up shots of bottles, jars and textures, which are hard to control on a set.

  • 04

    Furniture in room sets

    A furniture piece shown in a styled room, without building the room or moving the piece.

  • 05

    Many cuts from one model

    Once the product is modelled, new angles, colours, sizes and lengths come from the same file.

  • 06

    Accurate to the product

    The model is built from your CAD, drawings or a sample, so the shape, the label and the colours match what you sell.

From the studio

Product films and stills we have made in 3D, from razors to perfume bottles.

Macro 3D render of the Gillette Fusion 5 razor head Gillette Fusion 5 — Product Film3d product rendering — hero campaign loop
Duke & D’or Noir 50 ml perfume bottle, CGI product render Duke & D’or PerfumesNoir & royal eau de parfum
Cosmic Byte keyboard, frame from the 3D product film Cosmic Byte — Keyboard3d product film — keyboard animation
American Tourister suitcase, frame from the 3D product film American Tourister — Suitcase3d product film — suitcase animation
3D product render of a phone on an orange set Product Image RendersHero stills & packaging visualisation
All creative media work

What counts as a CGI ad

CGI stands for computer-generated imagery. In Indian marketing, a CGI ad usually means a hyper-real product film. The product, the set and the light are all made in 3D software, and the result looks like a filmed commercial. A CGI advertisement can also be a still image.

The term is also used for videos in which a large 3D object is placed into real street footage. This page is about product CGI, where the whole frame is made in 3D.

We make four kinds of work under this heading. 3D product rendering is for stills. 3D product animation is for films. Fragrance and beauty CGI deals with glass, liquid and macro detail. Furniture rendering is for catalogue and room-set images.

Stills, a film or both: how to choose

Choose by where the work will run and what the product has to show. A film and a set of stills are often ordered together, because the model, the materials and the lighting are shared.

You needAsk forTypical use
Clean images of the product on its own3D product renderingMarketplace listings, website, packaging, print
The product in motion, ending on a hero shot3D product animationTV spot, Reels and YouTube ads, launch film, in-store loop
Bottles, jars, liquid, glass and close textureFragrance and beauty CGIPerfume, skincare and cosmetics campaigns
A sofa, a table or a light shown in a roomFurniture renderingCatalogues, website room sets, social posts

CGI, a shoot or AI

A shoot suits a product that already exists and a scene with people in it. Product CGI suits a product that is not manufactured yet, a range with many colours or sizes, and shots a camera cannot take, such as a move through the inside of the product or liquid that behaves the same way every time.

AI video is a third route. It handles people, places and mood well, and it is weaker at keeping a pack, a logo and small text exactly right from shot to shot. The two are often combined: the product is modelled in 3D, and AI is used for the scenes around it. See AI ads and our guide to AI and CGI.

What decides the cost

A CGI ad film is quoted per second of finished film, or per film when the length is fixed. Stills are quoted per image. The 3D model of the product is counted once and shared between them. A simple shape in one material takes less work than a product with many parts, transparent surfaces or liquid.

Liquid or cloth that has to move adds work. So do extra versions: aspect ratios for different platforms, and colour variants. If you already have an accurate 3D model or CAD file, tell us, because it can reduce the modelling. The CGI ad cost guide explains how to read a quotation.

How it runs

  1. 01

    Brief

    You send the product CAD, a sample or photographs, plus references and where the ad will run.

  2. 02

    Storyboard

    We draw the shots in order and agree the look, the length and the formats.

  3. 03

    Model

    The product is built in 3D and checked against your drawings or sample.

  4. 04

    Draft animation

    You see the camera moves and the timing in plain form, before materials and lighting are final.

  5. 05

    Final film and stills

    Materials and lighting are finished, and the film and stills are delivered in the agreed sizes.

Questions

How much does a CGI ad cost in India?

Film is quoted per second of finished film, or per film. Stills are quoted per image. The cost depends on how complex the product is to model, the number of shots and any liquid or cloth that has to move. Send the product details and references and we send a quotation.

How are CGI ads made?

The product is modelled in 3D from CAD, drawings or a sample. A storyboard sets the shots. The camera moves are approved in draft, then materials and lighting are finished and every frame is rendered.

What do you need to start?

Product CAD if you have it. If not, a physical sample or clear photographs with dimensions. Also the label artwork, the brand colours, references you like and the list of places the ad will run.

Can you make a CGI video before the product is manufactured?

Yes. It is a common reason for ordering product CGI. We work from the design files and the packaging artwork, so no physical product is needed.

Is a CGI ad cheaper than a product shoot?

Sometimes. For one simple product photographed once, a shoot may cost less. CGI tends to make sense when there are many variants, when the shots are impossible on a set, or when the model will be reused for later campaigns and stills.

Do you make CGI animation for agencies?

Yes. An agency brings the script or the storyboard and we produce the product CGI. One team does the modelling, the rendering and the film in-house.

Keep going

Get in touch

Send the product, the references and where the ad will run. We reply with an approach, a quote and a schedule.

or write to hello@covecraftstudios.com