At Patchwork, we turn complex information into engaging visual stories. We create animation and motion-driven content that helps teams learn faster, understand better, and connect more deeply with the message.
1
Discover
We get to know your audience, your message, and what success looks like.
2
Design
We craft the concept, style, and story that will communicate it clearly.
3
Deliver
We produce polished animation and visual content that brings the idea to life.
What our clients say
A few kind words from teams we've worked with along the way.
At Patchwork Animation, we bring your stories to life through stunning animation. Our team specializes in creating engaging, dynamic content that captures attention and delivers your message with impact.
Short FilmO, Griet! Sy's Droog
Title SequenceO, Griet! Sy's Droog
Crypto ExplainerEURxb finance
Motion GraphicsClicks festive campaign, with Hailr
Lottie AnimationsCorporate asset pack
Advanced RiggingMiles Morales YouTube series
Short FilmNatiki, with Noble Pictures
Lottie AnimationsAppy Pet social app
Product AdNurugo SmartUV, with Crio
Web AdsComputicket Travel, with Crio
AI AvatarPay Just Now, with Sea Monster
Content Services
We work with brands in two ways.
If you're building your brand, we help you show up with animation that stands out on social, in ads, and anywhere your audience is scrolling. From short-form video for Instagram and TikTok to animated posts, stories, and campaign visuals, we bring the craft you'd expect from a studio while staying flexible enough to move at the speed of a growing brand.
If you already have a marketing team, we plug into what you've built. We produce bespoke, on-brand animation that fits your existing strategy, tone, and design system. Think of us as a specialist you can call in for the animation-heavy work, without adding headcount or reinventing your visual language.
Either way, the output is the same: animation that carries your message clearly and looks like it belongs to your brand, not to a stock library.
Our illustration services transform ideas into beautiful visual narratives. We create custom illustrations that perfectly match your brand identity and communication goals.
Character Design
Bringing personalities to life through thoughtful design. We create memorable characters that embody your brand's story, from concept sketches to fully realized designs ready for animation or publication.
General Illustration
Versatile visual storytelling across all mediums. From editorial illustrations to book covers, packaging to marketing materials, we craft compelling imagery that communicates your message with clarity and style.
Click to Explore
Iconography
Designing clear, consistent icon systems that communicate at a glance. From app icons and wayfinding sets to full icon libraries, we craft purposeful visuals that enhance usability and reinforce brand identity across every touchpoint.
From animated web experiences to character-driven mascots that react to your audience, we build interactive content that turns passive viewers into active participants. Hover, click, and play. Every piece is designed to invite engagement.
Interactive Animation
From animated experiences to fully interactive web content, we create engaging animations for websites and apps that respond to your audience in real time. Whether it's a playful brand element or a dynamic UI component, we turn passive viewers into active participants.
Try Me
Try Me
Try Me
Interactive Mascots
Transform your brand mascot into an engaging digital experience. Our interactive character rigs bring mascots to life with real-time user interaction, strengthening brand identity and captivating audiences.
Whether you need a quote for your next project, have questions about our animation or content services, or simply want to explore how we can bring your ideas to life, we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a message and let's start the conversation.
About Patchwork Animation
Patchwork Animation is a creative animation studio built on storytelling, craftsmanship, and variety.
Founded by an Animation Director with over 12 years of industry experience, Patchwork brings together a diverse team of artists, designers, and animators who specialise in character animation, motion graphics, illustration, and interactive content.
We believe animation should do more than just explain, it should engage, entertain, and connect emotionally. That's why we apply cinematic storytelling principles not only to short films and creative projects, but also to corporate, educational, and branded content.
From bold visuals to subtle character moments, we stitch together different styles, techniques, and ideas to create animation that feels human, intentional, and full of personality.
Meet the Leadership Behind Patchwork Animation
Chadley Muller - Founder & Technical Director
With over 12 years of industry experience, spanning every aspect of the animation pipeline, Chadley brings a rare combination of technical mastery and creative vision to every project. Having honed his craft across multiple disciplines, from character design and storyboarding to compositing and final delivery, he understands not just how to create animation, but how each piece fits into the larger storytelling puzzle.
For six of those years, he's led teams as a director, guiding projects from initial concept through to completion with a collaborative approach that brings out the best in every artist. This hands-on experience across the entire production process means nothing gets lost in translation, every frame is crafted with intention, every decision informed by deep industry knowledge and a passion for the art form.
Rhoda Rutherford - Senior Animator & Creative Director
With nearly two decades of industry experience, Rhoda has mastered every corner of the animation world. From high-energy commercials and episodic television series to polished corporate explainer videos, she's done it all and brings an incredibly sharp eye to every project.
Her versatility across genres and formats is matched only by her commitment to quality and storytelling. Whether it's breathing life into characters, crafting compelling motion graphics, or elevating a brand's message through thoughtful animation, Rhoda's seasoned expertise ensures that every frame serves the story and resonates with audiences.
Lauren Muller - Client Service Administrator
Lauren is the steady hand behind every client relationship at Patchwork. From the first conversation through to final delivery, she keeps projects on track, briefs clear, and timelines honest. Whether you're a returning collaborator or coming to us for the first time, you'll likely hear from Lauren before anyone else on the team.
Her approach blends genuine warmth with sharp organisation. Good client service, in her view, is about understanding what each project actually needs and making sure the team has the space and information to deliver. With Lauren coordinating the day-to-day, the creative work stays focused on the work itself.
Bespoke web apps and progressive web experiences we've built for clients.
MaxJJ App
A members-first Progressive Web App for a Cape Town BJJ academy. Schedules, training, events, and community, all editable by the academy owner.
Client: Maximillian Jiu-Jitsu
Passion Projects
Self-initiated pieces we build because we want to. Playtested, shipped, and maintained on our own steam.
Warriors Chess
Chess plus a 20-card deck of ability cards. Every move still runs through a real chess engine, but each turn you draw a card that bends the rules for a single move.
Self-initiated project · Playable in your browser
Our Tools
Free apps we've built and shared with the community.
Digital Press
Turn your image sequences into interactive digital comics with realistic page-turn effects. No install. No sign-up. Just open and create.
Try it free. No sign-up required.
Motion Loom
A free browser-based animation suite. Storyboard, 2D animate, 3D design, and edit video all in one place. No install. No sign-up.
Free for everyone. Students, hobbyists, creators.
Referral Agreement
Generate professional commission-based referral agreements with digital signatures and instant PDF export. Perfect for networking.
Free to use. No sign-up required.
Score Keeper
A flexible score keeper for any game. Track scores, HP, RPG stats, rounds, and turns. Installable on your phone, works fully offline.
Patchwork Animation (Pty) Ltd · Last updated 31 July 2026
This page brings together our Terms of Service, our approach to pricing, and our refund and cancellation policy. It covers what to expect when you engage us, how we quote and invoice, and how deposits, milestones, and cancellations are handled.
1. Our terms
Who we are
Patchwork Animation (Pty) Ltd is a registered South African company, based in Cape Town. We are a small animation studio run by working animators, and we build every project by hand. Throughout these terms, "we" and "us" mean Patchwork. "You" means the client engaging us.
What these terms cover
These terms apply whenever you engage us for animation services. That includes 2D and frame-by-frame animation, motion design, character work, illustration for animation, storyboarding, and any related production, direction, or consulting we take on. Signing off on a quote, paying a deposit, or issuing a purchase order means you accept these terms alongside whatever we have written in the quote itself. Where the quote sets specific terms for a project, those specific terms apply for that project.
How we scope and quote
Every project starts with a brief. We turn that brief into a written quote covering scope, deliverables, timeline, and price. Quotes are valid for 30 days from the date issued. If the brief shifts after we quote (extra scenes, new characters, added deliverables, a compressed deadline), we will scope and quote the change before we start on it. We do not absorb scope creep silently.
Payment
Standard terms are 50% deposit before work begins, with the balance due on delivery of final files. Larger or longer projects may be split across milestone invoices agreed upfront in the quote. We invoice in ZAR by default, and in EUR or USD for international clients. Invoices are payable within 14 days. Overdue amounts pause active work and may attract interest at the prescribed legal rate.
Intellectual property
You commission the work, we make it. Ownership of the final delivered animation and any bespoke assets created for your project transfers to you once the final invoice is paid in full. Until then, we retain ownership. Source files (project files, rigs, working comps) are not included by default. If you need them, we scope and price them into the quote. We keep the right to display finished work in our portfolio, showreel, and on social media unless you have asked us in writing to keep the project confidential.
Confidentiality
We treat your brief, unreleased work, and business information as confidential and will not share it outside the production team without your permission. If your project needs a formal NDA, tell us early and we will sign yours or provide ours.
What we need from you
Good work needs good input. You agree to give us a clear brief, timely feedback within the review windows we agree on, sign-off at each milestone, and any brand, script, voice, music, or reference assets we have scoped as coming from your side. Delays on your end can shift the delivery date on ours.
Revisions
Standard quotes include two rounds of revisions. Additional rounds, or changes that fall outside the agreed scope, are quoted separately.
Delivery
Final files are delivered digitally at the resolution, frame rate, codec, and aspect ratio set in the quote. We provide reasonable delivery variants (for example, a square cut for social) when scoped. Delivery is via a link to downloadable files, and we archive project data for 12 months after delivery.
Liability
We take our work seriously and stand behind it. That said, our total liability for any claim connected to a project is limited to the fees you have paid us for that project. We are not liable for indirect or consequential losses such as lost revenue or lost opportunity.
Termination
Either of us can end an engagement in writing. If you cancel after work has started, the deposit is non-refundable and you are liable for work completed and committed up to the cancellation date. We will hand over what has been produced and paid for. Full cancellation stages are covered in section 3 below.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any dispute we cannot resolve directly falls under the jurisdiction of the South African courts.
2. Pricing and how we work
We do not publish a fixed price list because no two animation briefs are the same. What we do publish is exactly how we arrive at a number and what shapes it. If you have a brief, we can usually get you a quote within two business days.
How we quote
Every quote is built from three things: scope (what needs to be made and how much of it), timeline (how much runway we have), and complexity (style, revision expectations, delivery formats). We break the brief into tasks, estimate the effort each one takes, and share the breakdown with you, not just a total.
The five things that shape most quotes:
Length of the final piece.
Complexity of characters, scenes, and style.
Timeline, standard turnaround versus rush.
Revisions, standard quotes include two rounds.
Deliverables, how many aspect ratios, formats, or language cuts you need.
Tell us as much as you know about these and we can turn a quote around quickly.
What we typically make
Short-form 2D animation (15 to 60 seconds), for social, ads, and brand moments.
Explainer videos (60 to 120 seconds), longer-form storytelling for products, services, or ideas.
Lottie and Rive interactive animations, lightweight web-native pieces that respond to hover, click, or scroll.
Ongoing retainers, monthly scoped time for teams needing consistent output.
If your budget is fixed, tell us upfront. We would rather scope to your number honestly than pad an estimate.
How we handle common situations
Revisions: Standard quotes include two rounds of revisions. Additional rounds are quoted separately.
Rush rates: Work required outside standard turnaround may attract a rush surcharge, agreed in advance.
Expenses: Any third-party costs (stock footage, fonts, plugins, licences) are passed through at cost.
Deposits and invoicing
Standard terms on quoted projects:
50% deposit before work begins, to secure your slot on our schedule.
Balance due on delivery of final files.
Larger or longer projects may be split across milestone invoices, agreed upfront in the quote.
Deposits are non-refundable once production starts, because your slot is held against other work. Full refund and cancellation detail is in section 3 below.
What every quote includes
Delivery in standard broadcast and social formats (ProRes, H.264, GIF where relevant).
Colour, aspect-ratio, and format variants as scoped.
Source files (Toon Boom, After Effects, Blender) available on request, quoted separately if outside scope.
Get a quote
Send your brief to hello@patchworkanimation.co.za or use the contact form on our home page. Include what you are making, when you need it, and any reference. We reply within two business days with either a quote, questions, or an honest "not the right fit."
3. Refunds and cancellation
Patchwork creates custom animation and creative work on commission. This section explains how deposits, milestones, and cancellations are handled. It is written to be fair to both sides and to reflect how commissioned creative work actually functions.
The nature of our work
We do not sell stock products or resell goods. Every project is custom-built for a specific client, using time we have set aside on our production calendar. Once work begins, that time cannot be resold to someone else, which shapes everything below.
Deposits
We typically require a 50 percent deposit before production starts. This deposit secures your slot in our schedule and covers the initial setup, planning, and creative direction work. If you cancel within 3 working days of paying the deposit, and before we have started production, we refund the full deposit. After that, or once production has begun, the deposit is non-refundable because the allocated capacity has already been committed on your behalf.
Milestone payments
Larger projects are split into milestones. Each milestone is invoiced and payable upon your written approval of the work delivered at that stage. Approval of a milestone confirms the work meets the agreed scope and unlocks the next phase.
Cancellation before production starts
If you cancel within 3 working days of paying the deposit and before we begin production, we refund the full deposit. If you cancel after that window but still before production begins, we refund the deposit less any preparatory work already completed, billed at our standard hourly rate.
Cancellation mid-project
If you cancel while a project is in progress, you pay for all work completed up to the cancellation date, billed at the agreed rate. Your deposit is applied against that amount. If the deposit exceeds the work done, the balance is refunded. If the work done exceeds the deposit, the remainder is invoiced.
Cancellation after delivery
Once final files have been delivered, the full project fee is due. Refunds are not possible at this stage because the work exists and has been handed over.
Revisions versus new work
Revisions within the agreed scope are included at no extra cost. Changes that fall outside the original brief, such as new scenes, additional characters, or shifts in direction, are quoted separately as an add-on.
