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The cost of an anamorphic 3D billboard campaign is really two budgets: renting the screen, and producing the content that plays on it. The screen budget is set by the media owner who operates the screen. The content budget is shaped by the idea, the product model, how many screens you book and their geometry, the length of the film, the number of versions, the revision plan and whether you want a social media extension. This guide gives no prices or ranges. Instead it breaks down the items that make up the content budget and shows, with real examples from our CGI ad film production work, which decisions move the budget and where. The aim is that you know what to settle before you ask for a quote.
What is an anamorphic 3D billboard, and why are there two budgets?
An anamorphic 3D billboard is a physical LED screen, usually wrapped around a corner, that creates an illusion of depth when watched from a specific viewpoint: the content seems to come out of the screen. It is watched on site, and the film is built for that screen's exact corner geometry. That is why the campaign has two separate owners. The media owner sets the screen, its location, the booking calendar and the rental fee; that item is outside the studio's control and changes by city, screen and duration. A CGI studio produces the content: the idea, the product's 3D model, the film built to the screen geometry and the versions. At Clytech we sit on the content side. You or your media agency book the screen with the media owner; we produce the film that plays on it and its social media versions. We do not quote screen rental figures or country-level estimates; that question belongs to the media owner.
The 7 items that shape the content cost
Seven decisions shape the content budget far more than the number of seconds.
- The idea and the product model: Is it one product pushing out of the screen, or a scene that builds a whole space? If you have a 3D model or design file of the product, it does not need to be built from scratch; if you only have photos, the product is modelled first and this item grows.
- Number of screens and their geometry: Every anamorphic screen has its own corner angle, ratio and viewpoint. The film is built for one screen; for the second and third, the same idea is adapted to a new geometry. More screens means more adaptation work.
- Film length and loop: 3D billboard content plays in short loops. How long the loop is and how many separate scenes it holds drives production time directly. The target is not a long film but a short, clear moment that rewards repeat viewing.
- Number of versions: Versions for different cities, product colours, languages or campaign periods are each a separate item. Derived from the same 3D model and scene, they are much lighter than the first film.
- Revision rounds and approval points: Defined approval points at idea, preview and final stages keep the budget predictable. A product colour or packaging change is an update in CGI, not a reshoot; a change of idea after approval is a new production.
- A FOOH version for social media: A vertical FOOH film that shows the screen illusion on real city footage usually becomes the most shared part of the campaign. Produced from the same model, it is a small addition next to the screen film; built as a separate idea, it is a separate production.
- Music and sound: The screen may play silent, but the social version will not. Music and sound design enter the budget mainly through the FOOH version.
One 3D model, two films: how it changes the budget
The single decision that lowers the budget most is planning the screen film and the social version together from the start, because the product model and material decisions are made once and both films grow from that base. The table compares the two ways of planning.
| Item | Screen film only | Screen film + FOOH version planned together |
|---|---|---|
| Product model | Built once | Built once, used in both films |
| Idea and preview | For the screen geometry | Screen and vertical frame thought through together |
| Location footage | The screen film is built from the 3D model | For the FOOH version, our team films the real street where the screen stands |
| Delivery formats | The screen's own resolution and ratio | Screen format, plus vertical and horizontal social versions |
| Campaign lifespan | Limited to the booking period | The film keeps being watched on social media after the screen period ends |
So when you ask for a quote, asking for "a screen film and a social version" rather than "a film for the screen" means one production line instead of two separate productions.
What changes in the budget between a 3D billboard and FOOH?
FOOH has no screen rental at all; the whole budget goes into producing the idea, and the film is watched only on social media. With a 3D billboard, screen rental is a large part of the budget and the content is tied to that screen. We explain what each format is in FOOH vs 3D anamorphic billboards and break down the FOOH budget in FOOH cost: 8 factors that shape the budget. The short rule: if the goal is a spectacle watched on site in one square, choose the 3D billboard; if the goal is a moment shared on social media, choose FOOH; if you want both, plan the budget as one production line.
5 things to settle before asking for a quote
- The screen or screens: location, ratio, corner structure and the technical specification from the media owner.
- The schedule: the booking period and the content delivery date.
- Product assets: a 3D model, a design file or photos only.
- The social media plan: a FOOH version, vertical and horizontal formats, and the accounts the campaign will run on.
- Version needs: city, language, product variant and period.
If you are planning in London, 3D billboard and FOOH production in London looks at the screen-versus-FOOH decision for that city. As a studio based in Istanbul and London, we run the same flow in both: brief, idea, approval points and delivery cut per channel.
Examples from Clytech
Clytech is a CGI, FOOH and AI advertising studio based in Istanbul and London. The projects below show how a billboard idea becomes an illusion on social media, and how one idea travels between screen and feed.
Nutella 3D billboard illusion: The brand becomes a larger-than-life spectacle through a bold 3D billboard illusion. Produced in vertical format, the piece pairs the attention-grabbing power of the 3D billboard format with the brand's warm, familiar world; it is our clearest example of how the screen look works on social media. Project page.
PROJECT VIDEO
The Future is Here, London: A giant banner unfolds across London's iconic bridge to reveal the message "The Future is Here". Produced as our own brand piece, this FOOH illusion shows how a city-scale idea in London travels on social media. Project page.
PROJECT VIDEO
MAD Parfum billboard breakout: A giant perfume bottle smashes through a city billboard. The film turns conventional outdoor advertising into an immersive experience built to spark conversation online; it is the FOOH counterpart of the "product coming out of the screen" idea. Project page.
Reis Kuyumculuk billboard: A digital installation placed into real street footage puts the jewellery brand's shine on display at an unexpected scale through a giant billboard illusion. The vertical FOOH film was edited to drive engagement on social media. Project page.
Frequently asked questions
What decides the price of anamorphic 3D billboard content?
Far more than the number of seconds: the idea, the source of the product model, the number and geometry of the screens, the number of versions, the revision plan and the social media version. We quote once these items are clear in the brief.
Do you book the screen?
No. The media owner sets the screen, the schedule and the rental fee; you or your media agency book it. We produce the content that plays on the screen and its social media versions, and we build the film to the technical specification we receive from the media owner.
Can we use the same film on different screens?
The idea and the 3D model stay the same, but because every anamorphic screen has its own corner angle and ratio, the film is adapted to each screen separately. That adaptation is a much lighter item than the first production.
Can a 3D billboard film also be used on social media?
Yes, and that is the best use of it. A vertical FOOH version derived from the screen film keeps being watched after the campaign's screen period ends.
What should I send for a quote?
The screen specification, the schedule, product information (a 3D model or photos if you have them), reference work and your social media plan. A short brief is enough; we reply within 24 hours with an approach.
Let's work out the content budget for your 3D billboard campaign together. Send a short brief and we'll reply within 24 hours: get in touch. If you are thinking of an illusion for social media only, without a screen, see our FOOH ad production page, and for an overview of all our work, our company deck.