Tools for visualizing & animating your movie/script.

[ICD Films]

Finished that 150 page script that you'll never see in a theater anyway... BUT. The method I'm using now is "making a movie" from loads of random artwork, music, etc..... Works, but of course if I would wanna show it online there would be hell of work asking for permissions/replacing copyrighted stuff. Although, this seems like the most "logical" way to visualize a screenplay for private use(?).

Could we get a list of software etc for visualization use? Storyboard animation software, maybe even some basic "preset-3D" animation tool one could use for those tricky camera shots, and so on. I have no idea what's out there, but I assume there is standarized methods aswell, although I suspect that making a +2 hour film into animation isn't that common... a fools errand, actually

 

[TrueIndigo]

Martin, you might like to look at Moviestorm. I haven't used it much myself but I'm thinking of trying it again sometime. This software is mainly used for machinima but could be used for movie pre-visualization.

www.moviestorm.co.uk

 

[Boon]

FrameForge 3D Studio?

 

[Chris Adler]

In my opinion you'll never see anything even remotely close to "the movie" until you make it. You either spend piles of time and invest the attention to detail for the "preview" or "previz" or you spend it on the movie. Nothing is free, and really nothing is even cheap when you consider time and other resources. Even the best software out there for previz (I've used Frameforge) still takes a ton of energy and resource if you want to see anything substantial. If every character can look the same, be dressed the same, and do things in the same style of locations then maybe its for you.

Big-budget movies use previz to ensure they can pull off their complex stunt sequences. I can't say I've ever seen a full-movie previz that was worth the time and money it cost to make. To me even storyboarding is a bit iffy. Probably better for formalizing some concepts than "seeing" the movie.

 

[ICD Films]

Regarding costumization of characters etc that's not mainly what I'm after. Think more like, amazing helicopter shots, pans etc that you simply cant make justice out of in 2D. (Wich suddenly reminds me of Terragen, hmm might be partially what I'm after).

Of course there is no free lunch here, rather the opposite. HUGE amount of work doing this, even if so just painting stick figures.

In my opinion you'll never see anything even remotely close to "the movie" until you make it.

I'm a very visual director so for me it's also about develpoing the story further. By painting and adding music & sound effects I'm able to "feel" my vision in reality, go back to the script and improve.