I want to get my head around how making small, animated films and basic film editing work. Nothing great, somthing Flash might be useful for at some point, I don't know. Can you give me an idea where to start?
There's quite a lot of software available, many of which have free trials - so you can download and play around with it for a month. Flash is okay but, even though it is an animation program, it isn't really aimed at people making animated stories (if that's what you want to do) as such, with characters etc, but you could use it for that. The latest version is CS3, you can get a trial here: Adobe - Flash CS3 Professional, Interactive Multimedia, Interactive Design Swish is probably worth a look too, it's like Flash only much cheaper and perhaps a little simpler? You could also have a go with this: 2D Animation | Computer Animation Software | Toon Boom if you want to try 2D cartoon type stuff. Even if it's too expensive or not what you're after, it might be worth messing around with the free trial to get some ideas. There's also 3D Studio Max where things start to get a little bit more expensive, but rather amazing at the same time.... and even higher up the scale is Maya I'm sure there's stacks more that others know about too.
Some good animation packages there, Mal. hsing, If you are looking for editing software, windows xp comes with the windows movie maker, which isn't as bad as I thought it would be. In the higher range (aka the expensive range) there is adobe premiere and aftereffects. If you have a mac it comes with iMovie. And I can't recall the name of the big league package for the mac. Something something pro. I'll write more tomorrow at work.
I forgot about Poser, which looks more interesting every time I see it. There's also a couple more bits and pieces on the same site.
Busy busy busy. Did I say I have been busy, anyway congrats are in order for Spiky. Edit: wrong thread.
Welcome to the wonderful world of animation, Hsing! It's extremely rewarding and you didn't need your sanity anyway! :smile: This here thingie is another cool-looking program that is similar to Flash but is tailored more towards character animation (i.e. makes it easier to believably animate people's walks, gestures etc). I keep meaning to play with it...
Kat, if you beat me to trying out the Animation Studio, I'll end up bugging you for pointers :tongue:
