Moho Forum

Hey All, Just wondering if any of you have come across these cloud based, DYI animation services (drag n drop animated characters and backgrounds)? I found out about this on Youtube. One of the ads playing before the video I was watching was offering this service. I personally use ASP just as a recreational tool as a hobby. I know some of you though on this forum however use ASP as a tool for work. I don't know how long these services have been out there but just wondering if it is hurting your biz? Any thoughts?

If I do business, I can't use any service with pre-fabricated characters because a) nearly always they don't allow their stuff being included in commercial work and b) my clients insist on getting something original, if not exclusive. And last time I checked the design quality of what these services offer was abysmally bad.

Ditto to what Slowtiger said. I stop doing 3d because I was using other peoples models and backgrounds. Sure you can get your story out faster, but what I did a 100 other people can do the same thing.

Dale

This reminds me of a really funny video about this subject. This is a professional artists opinion about drag-and-drop programs.

IMO they're little more than powerpoint clip art on steroids.

When ppt arrived (along with the supporting technologies) and transparencies left the building it was like a breath of spring which, over the years has increasingly included aromas from the nearby farmyard to the point that when someone slaps a ppt on the screen built from standard clipart with over-egged effects usually all you can smell is the sludge and silage...

so the next step from the "presentation software market" was to refresh the clip art and add extra bells and whistles, such as character animation, which also grab the attention when they first arrive but which, as with anything shiny and new, soon lose their lustre...

dkwroot's post sums it up.

IMO, this not much of a threat to working artists. Professional clients typically have specific designs or concepts in mind and they are not going to settle for 'canned' artwork and animation.

These services are generally used by people who don't have the budget to hire an artist/animator in the first place. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just a different market.

G.

Thanks all for the reply. I think slowtiger summed it up as far as originality being sought. I think however I might have been misunderstood. I wasn't referring to third-party services for animators but full service do-it-yourself animation that anyone can do (this service even had an app). In other words if you were a business person who didn't want to hire an animator you could down load this app and piece together an animation start to finish within minutes. Yes they are limited as to what you can make the pre animated characters do and at best not near as good of quality as some of the hard hitters on this forum like slowtiger can do. LONG LIVE ASP!!!

Yes, but you said it yourself: This service is for the business person who doesn't want to hire an animator. 1.) This person isn't going to hire you anyway, and 2.) You wouldn't want to work for this person--the expected headache wouldn't be worth the trouble.

It's a different market from the one that needs and desires qualified artists. (LIke where I work.)

G.

dkwroot wrote:This reminds me of a really funny video about this subject. This is a professional artists opinion about drag-and-drop programs.

Harry Partridge is in a class by himself!