Newbie, looking for advice!

[Nirurin]

Hey everyone, totally new to this forum so I'll start by saying hello to everyone!
Ive read a lot of previous posts on here during all my recent research into animation software, so I know theres a lot of well informed people on here... and I'm hoping someone out there can help me out

Basically I am looking to get into the animation scene, it will start off as more of a hobby than anything else, but I am hoping to learn a piece of software to the point where I can produce some decent work out of it eventually.

All my research narrowed my choices down to either Anime studio pro (obviously, as im here!), or toon boom animate.

I know that there are "beginners" versions of these softwares too, but I'd only bother learning a basic program if it teaches the same shortcuts etc as the full professional program does later (I believe the toon boom ones, for example, are pretty seperate).

Anyway, thats the vague background, and heres the actual question. The scene I am imagining eventually producing, involves characters walking accross the screen as well as towards/away from the "camera". It also involves a camera "pull back" revealing a town below.

The best video example I can show you, is the opening to final fantasy 7, because its the only scene i can think of that has these elements. (plus its a great scene, and has partly inspired my idea, so y'know..)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5Y6Sza8Nt0

the pull-away bit is from 1:10, to about 1:20.

THe question was, is anime studio capable of this style of camera movement? Id searched a long time for this answer, and some sources seemed to say the camera tools in toon boom were better (for 3D effects etc)... but then most of those answers referred to older versions of anime studio. And there are certain tools in anime studio that I prefer, such as the bone tools.

So some professional advice would be welcome, before I spend a lot of time learning a tool that cant do what I want it for!!

Thankyou for any help you can give, and I hope to be around here for a long time to come

Nirurin

edit:
I realise this may not be in the right forum... but seeing as it involves a "how to" question and an "other programs" spin too, I figured the General forum was my best bet. but if it needs to be moved then please do so

[sbtamu]

Sure Anime Studio can do these camera movements. But, if you are wanting to do something like the example you linked to, it will be difficult to do this in a 2D program like AS.

[Nirurin]

All the characters and things will all be drawn in 2D using vector drawings (not drawn in illustrator, but similar).

So I guess its more... 2.5D ?

[Nirurin]

unless of course someone has advice on a different program I should use... but the 2D bones animating would be very handy

[Nirurin]

http://vimeo.com/41010100

This video also shows similar panning effects, but using layers of 2D drawings for the landscape etc... I found it when looking for 2.5D examples so I guess thats what I am looking for! Think it was done using after effects?

I already have CS6 Flash and After Effects, but I was advised against learning animation on them as they are more based around app production these days..

[sbtamu]

That can be done in AS. The people that made that last animation seem to have plenty of experience and probable took months/year to make.

[InfoCentral]

This was all done in After Effects...

A Grim Tale (Ananias and Sapphira)

[Nirurin]

That can be done in AS. The people that made that last animation seem to have plenty of experience and probable took months/year to make.

Oh no doubt, I'm not planning to be making this over the weekend :/
This is a long term project, I'm starting on much simpler ideas. But I dont want to spend a logn time learning a program, that in the long-run will not be able to do what I want it to do. Unfortunately free time is limited!

I know AS is able to do all of the simple animations I have in mind, I just wanted to be sure about the more complex tools.

Though I have been informed that I should be able to take animations from AS, and import them into another program like after effects to do some of the more complex things... not sure how accurate that is though.

edit: The Grim Tale, very nice work I guess thats a +1 for after effects lol

[InfoCentral]

Besides After Effects to enhance Anime Studio I would also recommend Particle Illusion. Its a very powerful particle engine that is relatively cheap.

[Nirurin]

Besides After Effects to enhance Anime Studio I would also recommend Particle Illusion. Its a very powerful particle engine that is relatively cheap.

Ahh so it really is possible to add extra effects and camerawork to anime studio, using after effects.... Well that certainly takes the pressure off, as it means I definately wont be wasting my time learning AS!

I'll get on with my learning then, so I'm sure I'll be around this forum a lot in future I hear its a lot more active than the ToonBoom forums, yet another reason why I preferred this piece of software as its always nice to know that help is available!

[chucky]

No need to go to after effects for this , you can do it all in AS and look out for updates that might help with a move like this.
I haven't got time to go into details now but checkout this playlist almost everything ( besides the frame by frame in the snow one) is AS
You can also download 3d buildings and cities from sketchup , then convert to pz and do 3d flythroughs .

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... ature=plcp

Sorry I can't post more right now.

[AmigaMan]

Chucky's examples demonstrate very well that you can do all you want to do in AS.

I wouldn't recommend buying After Effects and Particle Illusion these days when there is software like HitFilm2 http://hitfilm.com/ that will do pretty much the job of both for less than half the price and is a very capable video editor also. You can do all your camera moves in AS but you might find something like the above useful for adding extra effects and polish to your production.

[chucky]

Never heard of 'hit film', pretty amazing for that price.

[InfoCentral]

Never heard of HitFilm either but it looks nice.