I am looking software (PC) that will allow me to make stop-motion animation films from jpegs (or other file formats) and save it to multiple formats, with a decent editing interface, and of course the ability to add sound. I also don't want to spend a fortune for this - a few hundred dollars, maybe? Any suggestions?
Not cheap, but quite great and easy to learn: http://www.bauhaussoftware.com/2D_Animation.php http://www.bauhaussoftware.com/store_LP.php It has a 30day trial period. You can always fall back on a pirated copy though. p.s. I'm not entirely sure, what stop-motion animation means, so I may have advised poorly.
You should be able to use normal video editing software. It's not great, but just to mess around you could try Windows Movie Maker 2 (it's free). I'm sure the flashier video editing software has animation modes - adobe premiere for example. I'm not 100% though. Something I've never really looked into. There's macromedia flash, which could be useful or worth a look. And there's a prog for making .gif's too. This is free, but I'm not sure you can use jpegs. It mentions a video camera compatible with some windows thing. The site looks quite cool though. Maybe worth a look. http://www.clayanimator.com/english/stop_motion_animator.html Of course, piracy is an option, as Avatar said. It's totally wrong and you'll go to hell, etc. If you'd like further information about where and how unscrupulous, disgusting bastards of people acquire such software, PM me and I'll explain further. I'll look into the subject a little further, as I quite like stop animation. I did my first when I was about 10 using a video camera. Each 'frame' lasted between 1 and 3 seconds, so it was a little choppy. Small animals and characters chasing each other and crashing 1/18th scale cars.. Oh the fun.
Are you creating your frames with a camera or from images you're making? I work with animation and film. for the mac I use, stop motion studio, very simple for use with a camera. I use After Effects for more complex stuff and compositing different mediums, not so simple and not so cheap. The link Phonetic posted looks usable for animating with a camera and it's priced right. Another good program for windows that gives you lots of options for a reasonable price is Pro motion. The lite version is only $30 have a look Coffee cup GIF Animator is another it is geared for web but can also output AVIs trial download and $30 to buy
I have used Windows Movie maker recently to animate some stills, and it worked OK. Output might not be flexible enough for you though, it produces .wmv or you can burn DVD's/VCD, think that's it? On the version I have there's one pain in the arse though, and that is you can't set the duration for a single frame. You have to set that in options. It would be better if there was a default, and you could right click a frame and set a longer duration, for titles etc, instead of having to set it, add a frame, and then change it.
Thanks for all the tips. I'll look into these. As far as where I'll be getting my frames from: Mostly I will be getting them from photographs, but I'd also like the ability to take digital video, remove a frame at a time, edit it in something like photoshop CS, and re-import it.
I strongly suggest you try Bauhaus Mirage trial version. I did and I was very pleased and impressed by it. Alas my need for animation software is gone for now and I don't use the software any more. They have helpful how-to videos at their website, so it's really easy to learn the basics.
Sweet, I just recently bought some Jan Svankmajer and Brothers Quay DVDs. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! - N
OK. You (and their site) sold me. I should be working the night shift by the time I get back from my honeymoon, and I will have enough free time to mess with the free version during hte day and be able to make a sound judgement within a month's time. Thanks for the tip!
Nope. About half her family is Mormon, but she's not. We're not married yet - end of June. I wouldn't marry a Mormon, and a Mormon couldn't marry me anyway (if she was a practicing Mormon who belived in her faith) because I am not a Mormon. Why would you even mention Mormon? I doubt it's an odd coincidence... :bugeye:
I am joking I saw in another post, some time ago, you said you are marrying into a mormon family Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! . Back in Phila PA I worked with a guy at a fine dining establishment who was a biker/fine dining waiter he married a girl from a mormon family. He was also the type that couldn't have been married to a mormon. Best of luck, you are one of the good guys.
