Computer Animation Software

With the help of computer animation software almost anyone can create some fantastic computer generated imagery (CGI) animation today. The advanced tools that are available can help one create 3D animation and incorporate moving structures in this as well, thus creating an animated movie with ease. The software you buy depends on your budget and your skill level and your knowledge of the basic types of animation, and even if you are a beginner you must not despair because there are plenty of choices all around you.

The large number of choices available often end up confusing most people, especially beginners. For this reason, an in depth research into the animation software you wish to buy will aid you immensely, and it will even be helpful to consult someone who has a considerable amount of experience in this field. With that being said, here are some choices for computer animation software for beginners that you should be on the lookout for.

The basic concepts of computer animation have evolved from the frame by frame animation of 2D objects and the stop motion animation of 3D objects. Using the best computer animation software, one can now create 3D versions of people and animals based on real skeletons, and this lends the animations an air of realism. The modeling of the animations is an integral part of the entire process, and all the software for this purpose pay enough attention to this concept. Once you develop an interest in this field you will begin to understand the concept of computer animation better. It simply involves creating images over backgrounds with the best 3D software, and then moving them at a rapid pace so that it appears that the image is moving smoothly. This movement is carried out at the speed of either 24 fps (frames per second) or 30 fps, and to the naked eye no disruption in the image is visible.

Most Popular Animation Software

Adobe Flash CS5
The newest version of Adobe Flash brings with it many enhanced features and benefits, emphasizing why it is considered the best animation software around. It is an expensive purchase though, and it does take up plenty of space. That being said, you can enjoy some added features like code snippets, code hints and Flash Builder interaction to give you a more comprehensive tool at your disposal. You can also export content to your iPhone. Flash is known to release expensive upgrades that do not really change much, but this version is definitely worth the extra money that you will need to shell out.

Price: $699

Poser Pro 2010 3D Modeling & Animation Software
This is a highly thought of computer animation software that lets you carry out a variety of tasks and make your own animation with minimal effort. It is compatible with a number of other applications like Maya, 3DSMax and Cinema 4D as well, but it can be a little difficult for beginners to grasp at first. The customization options offered are very professional in nature, and the multilayered animation and quick lighting features are commendable as well. The realism granted to the animations with this software is eerily accurate, and even though the interface seems a bit complicated, users will eventually master every facet of the software.

Price: $499

iClone 4.0 Pro
This software comes with a bunch of preloaded animation objects, and it is surprisingly easy to master. Hollywood like rendering and filmmaking studio, makes it an ideal computer animation software for kids. You can now add high-end 3D effects, edit faces and models in real time, make use of transition controls and motion paths for added effects and work with some pretty impressive texture effects. You must be warned though, that you will need a very resource heavy computer to use this computer animation software. The demo animations and the interface are very simple to get around, and this will make your task very simple indeed.

Price: $199

Anime Studio Pro 6
This software offers a very wide set of tools, and it is used by many professionals for this very reason. Auto-shading and bone-based animation are just a few of its salient features. You can even try out the free trial version before you buy the actual thing. Auto shading, LUA scripting, motion video tracking and onion-skinning are just some of the salient features of this software. For many people though, Anime Studio Standard version works just fine too, considering it is considerably cheaper.

Price: $199

Reallusion's WidgetCast 2.0
This upgrade on the original WidgetCast (which was the best animation software according to many people) brings plenty of new features with it, but many experts still feel it is overpriced. Integration and compatibility with Flash components, iClone and Adobe AIR are obvious advantages of this computer animation software. Online storage is also offered, but accusations of being overpriced are still aimed at this software. You can also create your own Avatars and publish them on your websites, and all this can be done with undoubted simplicity. You even have the option of working offline, over a number of platforms.

Price: $299

Apart from these listed choices, here are a few more options of such animation software that are worth exploring.

Computer Animation Software	Price
Ulead GIF Animator 5	$49
KoolMoves 7.0	$49
Flash Professional 8	$49
Flash Effect SiteBuilder	$99
CrazyTalk 6.0 Pro	$149
The TAB Manga	$199
SmithMicro's Poser 8	$249
Eovia Carrara 5	$299
Xara Designer Pro 6	$299
Toon Boom Animate	$699

Computer animation software and skills are used in most movies today where we see special effects. Obviously these are much more advanced pieces of animation, but the basic concept is the same. Animated movies and cartoons also use this technology, and this is becoming more advanced by the day. This is increasing the demand for skilled animators who excel with certain computer animation software. Free versions of these software are available on a trial basis, but you cannot really see their true power in these versions. You will need to buy the full version to understand and master it completely.