Start with the artwork you have
A layered character with clean vector shapes may need less preparation than a flattened image. Even polished brand artwork can require changes before eyes, mouth and limbs can move independently. A PNG is useful for review, but it does not reveal the hidden structure needed for rigging.
If there is no mascot yet, design becomes its own stage. Brand exploration, direction selection, expression planning and editable artwork all contribute to scope before animation begins.
Count behaviors, not just seconds
Interactive animation is not priced meaningfully by duration alone. A ten-second loop is different from a character that combines gaze, blinking and multiple event states. Rig structure, transitions and interruption rules affect the work.
List the core behaviors first: idle, eye tracking and a click reaction. Then separate optional hover responses, celebrations, errors and loading states. Two well-defined reactions are easier to scope than an open-ended request for the character to “react to everything.”
Separate animation from website integration
Delivering a .riv file and input reference is one responsibility. Connecting it to a customer’s website, forms or application events is another. Existing code quality, platform constraints and testing access can affect integration effort.
State who will add the character to production and which platforms the examples should cover. A general JavaScript sample is not the same as tested implementation inside a specific React app or commerce plugin.
Account for advanced character systems
Lip sync, AI listening and speaking, audio-level reactions, multiple variants and complex event priorities can expand both the rig and the application adapter. The necessary input data must exist before the animation can respond to it.
Ask what source files and usage rights are included, how many revision rounds are covered and what counts as a scope change. These details make proposals comparable without assuming that every provider’s package contains the same work.
Prepare a brief that can be quoted
- Share the artwork and its editable source format.
- Name the website platform and intended placement.
- List essential states separately from optional upgrades.
- Describe the actual events that trigger reactions.
- Identify who approves design and who owns integration.
- State any launch constraints without assuming a delivery promise.
Website Mascot offers Cursor Follow + Idle for $250 USD, Mascot Design + Interaction for $450 USD, and a Talking Mascot setup for $650 USD. Each additional state costs $75 USD. All packages include website integration documents. The pricing page compares three product paths; a written proposal establishes your project’s price, scope and schedule.