An animated explainer video is great for many types of businesses. It is particularly useful if you are trying to explain a complicated product/service simply and entertainingly. For instance, you can put out an animated video with a mind-blowing story giving people reasons to take part in environment conservation programs or something like that.
Talking about the business side, you can use an animated explainer video for demonstrating the power of your brand new software. The study found that 64% of internet users are more likely to purchase after watching a video.
Image Source: HubSpot
You need to consider various factors before you move ahead with an animation video creation. One of the most important decisions that you need to make to come up with an animated video is choosing an appropriate animation software. No single best animation software works best for every person.
In this article, I will talk about the things that you need to consider that will help you select the best character animation software for your needs.
How to get your hands on the most appropriate software that will suit your needs?
To get your hands on the software that will provide the highest value for your business, you need to be aware of the alternatives and analyze your needs. After following the steps that I am about to mention, your chances of selecting the best software will drastically increase.
Here are the steps that you need to follow in choosing the best possible tools for your project.
1. What is your goal?
At first, you need to figure out what is it that you want to do. Here are some questions you need to ask yourself:
- What kinds of animated videos do you want to produce?
- What are the objectives of the videos? Is it for selling products, producing a short movie, or others?
- What is the sophistication of the videos that you want to the product?
By getting the answers to these questions, you will be able to decide what type of software you need for your project. Still confuse then you can take free consultation from the experts.
2. List out the features that you may need to make the video
You will need a lot of features to create sophisticated animated videos. However, you may not need all advanced features if your goal is to make a simple animated explainer video to sell a product. Make a list of features that you may need to make a video before seeking out for the alternatives.
To list out the features that you may need for your project, you can ask with animators online and research about features of software that is mentioned on the site.
3. Your expertise
Some pieces of animation software have a stiffer learning curve but have many features. If you are starting, you may want to go for an essential part of the software that may not have all advanced features, but is easy to get started and have enough features for your project.
4. Explore the options, according to your needs
Your next job is to explore the options, according to your needs. There are a separate set of tools for 2D and 3D animation.
Image Source: Lynda
Now that you are aware of your needs and the list of features that you require in software to create a video for your project, I will help you explore the options to help you select the most appropriate tool for your project.
2D Animation
- Adobe Animate
Adobe Animate is a simple-to-use software. It does an excellent job for beginner animators who want to get their feet wet. It has an intuitive user interface and enough features for beginners to learn and make amazing online animated videos. You can find a template for character animation and get started right away with Adobe Animate.
Adobe Animate has an extremely short learning curve, but you can find enough drawing tools and rigging tools that let you create fantastic online videos. However, it is not for advanced users. You do not need to spend a lot of money upfront for trying out Adobe Animate.
Here is a sample of Adobe Animate video:
- Anime Studio Debut 10
Anime Studio Debut 10 is yet another affordable software that is great for beginners. It has a beginner mode that walks you through steps for creating a video. It has useful tools like lip-syncing, character props, and so on for video creation.
Here is the Anime Studio Debut 10 video sample:
- Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects is a popular tool for intermediate animators, but beginners can master it too. There are templates of character animation After Effects that let you quickly create a professional video. The quality is on par with industry standards.
- Toon Boom
Toon Boom is a premium animation software that offers above par quality. It is a great asset for professionals, and it contains almost everything that an experienced animator needs to produce stunning 2D animation video. It is a software that Disney, Fox, and other corporations love.
You can make a character sheet animation template and use its features to produce amazing videos. Check out the Toon Boom video:
3D Animation
There are separate pieces of software for 3D animators. Here are the top tools that you can use for creating 3D animated videos.
- Blender
A blender is a free software that allows you to create amazing character animation videos. It is an amazing software for anyone who wants to jump into the world of 3D animation. It lets you play with texturing, modeling, video post-processing, and so on.
- Autodesk Maya
Autodesk Maya is software that demands you to pay annually, but every penny is worth it if you are a professional animator. It has a comprehensive list of tools for 3D modeling, rendering, composition, and so on. It is excellent for games, animated videos, movies, and more.
The standard of Maya videos is above par. It is almost sure that you are going to be satisfied with Autodesk Maya if you know your crafts.
Image Source: Studio Daily
- Cinema 4D
Another spectacular software for 3D animators is Cinema 4D. It has an intuitive user interface, and it integrates directly with Adobe After Effects. It is an excellent choice for professional 3D animators, and it is almost sure to satisfy you. Huge corporations have tried Cinema 4D, and they have loved it.
Over to You
Some people may prefer one type of software over others, and it works great for them. One of the mistakes people often make is that they too go for that same software after observing the excellent results of their peers. However, things do not work that way.
There are plenty of things that one need to analyze before making a selection of the animation tools. If you systematically follow the steps that I have revealed in this article, you will be able to make an informed decision. I hope you can now select the most appropriate software for your needs.
Are there any more insights that you want to add in this material? Do let us know your thoughts by commenting below.
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