If animating traditional action/comedy is possible/practical what is the best software to do that? I expect that to be complicated with a steep learning curve -- that's where an animator comes in -- but if the concept might work I'll buy the software, animator animates, I write (& find other writers), and find actors for voices when the animation is done along with sound/music. Whew --
Animation : Concept by Steve Krause
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Maya from Autodesk is the industry standard.
Nice. Thanks D Marcus. Didn't know animation/CGI for productions is done now. I've never seen one. So if you do, say - Bourne, animated will it look cartoony? Can it be done so it has a realistic feel? I think Maya is only around $5k but steep learning curve so would need an experienced person for it. Voice first... good to know... thanks.
Are the voice tracks recorded in Maya?
How photorealistic it looks depends on many factors. Final Fantasy (2001), Beowolf (2007), A Christmas Carol (2009). Japan makes more than the US does. But a realistic feel can be done. Astoundingly expensive to get full photorealism.
Ah, I'll watch Beowolf today. '...expensive' for realism... cheaper than the alternative? That is, sets/actors/location equip/etc.? I suspect the costly part is animator time. I'm thinking if it's possible & cheaper than the alternative building a content library of all original movies (only 5% original today) then either sell for streaming to Amazon/Alibaba/Netflix (trend now) or big screen with distributor (I have those contacts now). Ground floor studio, just me, an animator & a lot of time. Sounds like it's possible --
Hmm, kind of looks like it would take a TEAM of animators.
I, too, look at the credits list of fully animated movies and I do not see one person. Or even 20. I suspect that has to do with time. One person doing all that work is likely to take 15/20 years. I don't know all the costs but since the major studios aren't doing Bond or Bourne or even Avengers using 100% CG animation I am led to the belief that it's more expensive. Certainly it's more expensive than a comedy like "Superbad" or "Juno". If you're thinking this might be less expensive than live action how about trying a 5 minute short? See how long it takes you and an animator using Maya to make a photorealistic short.
Another flawed concept bites the dust...
Without even trying....
Yeah, Beowolf is kind of what I had in mind thinking that could be done with animation but they have over 50 animators plus all the traditional production costs & spent almost $200M & roughly broke even worldwide. My hope was all the traditional elements/costs could be avoided with animation/CGI but tell the same kind of action story. That doesn't appear to be possible. Too bad.
Theoretically possible through technology such as photogrammetry for photorealistic characters and environments, and performance capture for photorealistic motion. It would certainly take a ton of experimentation, and it wouldn't be cheap, but I believe it's possible. Private message me if you want to compare notes.