The trend of using hi-end visual effects (VFX) is picking up pace in Hollywood and everywhere. VFX software has become the go-to solution for creating stunning visual effects in movies and videos. In recent years, this exploitative use of visual effects software has helped professionals create, edit and manipulate the story in so many ways.
What is VFX Software?
VFX stands for visual effects software that is mainly used for creating, enhancing, or editing imagery. These effects are useful for industries like media and entertainment where capturing a real event is practically impossible. The VFX artist uses a bunch of digital tools and software to process a scene or imagery and add some visual effects to them for real-life experience.
For a more realistic look, they make use of original characters, objects, and surroundings. VFX software provides a cost-effective and quick way to create scenes that otherwise requires risky locations or a challenging unfavorable environment. As a result, users not only reduce the expenditure on actors and stuntmen but also avoid any mishap during the shoot.
What are the VFX Effects?
VFX effects arecreated by combining real footage with computer-generated imagery to create ascene, especially in action films. Several types of VFX effects can be createdusing specialized VFX software. Some of the common effects are:
- Bullet time or time-slicing will give an illusion of moving through a still moment in time.
- Digital compositing is blending layers from various elements together such that they appear to belong to the same scene.
- Stop motion animation makes the still objects appear to be moving on their own.
- Matte painting is creating a location or landscape by painters to give an illusion of the original place.
- Prosthetic makeup is done to give an illusion of some special character or wound or animal features through cosmetic effects.
There are many other effects used in VFX animations such as Chroma key, motion control photography, digital compositing, virtual photography, and computer-generated imagery.
How Can YouCreate Visual Effects as a Beginner
Visual effectsmake your work easy in many ways like creating video from live footage oraltering a video. If you want to strengthen your brand identity with VFX orwant to make a career in this field, then the qualifications required for youinclude animation experience along with outstanding creativity.
Understanding basic animation concepts like scaling and motion will be a merit if you want to start working with visual effects. Having knowledge of video production such as lighting and sound will be another advantage for beginners. Skills like drawing, visual aesthetics, real-world observation, mechanics movement, and photography will accelerate the learning process as a visual animation artist.
You can learn VFX animations either by going to school or at home by yourself. To enhance your skills start observing local events, start sketching, and watch animated movies.
Interested candidate can build a strong portfolio by obtaining a degree in animation or graphic designing.
List of 10 Best Free VFX Software for Beginners and Professionals
- Blender VFX
- Hitfilm Express
- Krita
- 4D Cinema
- Fusion
- Autodesk Maya
- ZBrush
- Nuke
- Mocha
- Adobe After Effects
Free VFXSoftware List to Learn Making VFX Animations
Here’s the list of best free VFX software for free download. However, with some of these VFX visual editor software options, you will get a few free features while some will be available with the premium version.
Blender VFX
Best For: Compositing and motion tracking
Blender is known for its built-in compositor that allows post-processing of the final results. Since it offers a production-ready camera and object tracking feature, you can edit your 3D scenes in various ways such as importing raw footage. It is free and suitable for freelancers as well as for commercial work. The built-in renders or ‘Cycles’ in the software gives realistic lighting and shading effects.
Features ofBlender VFX Software (Download for Android)
- Allows matching of the lighting in the background scene.
- It is multi-threaded and allows full composting of images and videos.
- You can get a real-time preview of the footage.
- The sculpting feature is available.
- Matchmaking of the real camera motion is possible.
- Suitable for everyone who wants to create realistic visual effects.
Hitfilm Express
Best For: 2D and 3D compositing. Suitable for YouTubers and Vloggers
Hitfilm Express isa visual effects software that comes with a set of professional VFX tools bestsuitable for gaming videos and films. An open source motion tracking platform,it is the best VFX software for PC that is available to everyone from beginnersto seasoned YouTubers.
Features of Hitfilm Free VFX Software
- Comeswith a built-in voice recorder.
- Freevideo tutorials available for beginners and learners.
- Suitablefor both Windows and Mac.
- EasyEditing, titling, and visual effects.
- Easyadjustment of volume and addition of sound effects.
Krita
Best For: Texture and matte painters
Krita is one ofthe best VFX software for PC and can be used to paint comics or illustrations.It is free without any subscriptions or limits. It comes with more than thirtydockers to provide more functionality to the users. There are built-in vectortools for creating comic panels such as a bubble template.
Features ofKrita Free VFX Software for Windows 7
- Youcan customize the layout according to the requirement.
- Allowsyou to create shortcuts for the most used tools.
- Youcan move the dockers or panels to customize the process or workflow.
- Morethan a hundred brushes available.
4D Cinema
Best For: 3D artists, beginners, and seasonal professionals
4D Cinema actionVFX software for free download comes with a variety of tools suitable for 3Dartists. Its logically arranged interface helps the beginners to learn quicklywith efficiency like a professional. It comes with various options liketextures and parametric modeling. A ‘Take System’ is there that allows workingwith multiple versions of a single scene.
Features of4D Cinema VFX Effects Software for Free Download
- Customizablelayout according to the need of users.
- Freeservice packs available.
- Allthe features are properly tested before releasing for use.
- Flexibleto even last-minute changes.
Fusion
Best For: Broadcasts, 3D animation, visual effects, motion graphics
Fusion free VFXsoftware for Mac and Windows is already in use in Hollywood movies and TV showsbecause of its wide range of effects and tools. From dramatic titles to visualeffects, Fusion has many things to offer to an artist. You can easily createmotion graphics using “vector shape tools” or personalize your workflow withits “node tree bookmarks” feature.
Features ofFusion Action VFX Software for Free Download
- You can easily save your compositions as a template.
- Editing a template is possible.
- Noise reduction and sharpening tools are available.
- Features like animation curve modifiers available for easy compositions.
- Sync Audio animations available to playback audio.
Best VFX Software to Create Stunning Visual Effects as a Professional
Here’s the list of some of the best VFX software for PC and mobile apps.
Autodesk Maya
Best For: 3D animation, motion graphics, and VFX effects
Having its application found in creating animation, Autodesk Maya has been used in creating magic in films like Harry Potter, Kung Fu Panda, Half Blood Prince, etc. The software has also been used quite extensively in games like FIFA 09, Prince of Persia, etc. It is one of the best animation and VFX software available to us right now.
Maya is already being usedin Hollywood. From creating sweeping landscapes to explosive battle combats,Maya has remained the top choice of creators in the 3D and VFX world. For itsquick and easy animation, the software is popular among high quality VFX studios.
Features of Autodesk MayaVisual Effects Software
- Quick and easy to createblockbuster-worth special effects
- Simulates high-level details inthe scenes where you need them
- Create realistically rigid andsoft-body simulations
- Delivers high-quality productionready characters in lesser time
Pricing: ₹92,040/- per year. More details are available on the official website.
ZBrush
Best For: 3D modeling, texturing and painting
As a digital sculptingtool, ZBrush is used for creating hi-resolution models for video games andmovies. It leverages the visual effect artists both resolution and space tomake global or local changes.
Featuresof ZBrush Visual Effects Software
- Gives the mesh an appearance as ifit is sculpted as a fine art
- Helps you focus on sculpting andignore polygon distribution
- Provides more depth and details toyour 3D picture
- Sculpt and render it in real timewith accuracy and capture every stroke
Pricing: ₹62,650/- per year. More details are available on the official website.
Nuke
Best For: Digital compositing and visual effects application
Nuke is also an importantVFX animation software used for visual effects in movies like Black Swan,Avatar, etc.
It is a compositing toolthat is customizable and versatile in use. The animation and VFX software isuser friendly, and enables creative talent to explore and expand ideas. It comeswith advanced plug-ins for 3D camera tracking, cleanup and corrections. The VFXvideo editing app also has a community and tutorials page that helps beginnerswith VFX learning.
Featuresof Nuke VFX Video Editing App
- Helps you track a moving camerafor compositing
- Learn how to work with several 3Dworkflows in a scene
- Clean or create pictorial detailson your character’s skin
- Adjust a final look in a matter ofseconds without rendering the whole image
Pricing: ₹790, 860/- per year. More details are available on the official website.
Mocha
Best For: Motion Graphics, looks and stylization
An Academy Award-winningplanar tracking software for visual effects and post-production, Mocha is aGPU-accelerated planar tracking and object removal program with imagestabilizations, 3D camera solver and advanced roto with edge snapping feature.
Mocha VFX video editingsoftware has tools that enhance image editing, help in compositing a scene,video, or film. The special effects software also helps visual effects artiststo follow the shots that simplify scene tracking for them especially forupheaval and moving shots.
Featuresof Mocha VFX Video Editing App
- You can add objects into scenes
- Remove things that you don’t wantfrom a footage
- Helps you mask and track organicshapes
- Replace screen contents from afilm/video sequence
- Allows you to insert 3D elementsinto the scenes
Pricing: ₹41650/- per year. More details are available on the official website
Adobe After Effects
Best For: Motion graphics and visual effects
Used as post-productionsoftware, Adobe After Effects is programming application software that hasfound its application in advertisements, TV projects, Hollywood movies etc.This visual effects software was used in Harry Potter’s enchantment spellscenes.
Adobe After Effects is acreative digital program that helps one in producing visual effects, motiongraphics, and compositing application. It is the best VFX software for moviemaking, hi-end 3D games, and TV production. The software is primarily used forkeying, compositing, tracking, and animation.
Featuresof Adobe After Effects Free VFX Software for Android
- Make interactive motion graphicsand animations with data files
- Provides tools and features thatassist users in making engaging videos
- You can create VR environmentswith its “Creative VR Environment”
- Makes animation of video objectsand scenes simpler and quicker to do
Pricing: ₹20,100/- per year. More details are available on the official website.
PopularVFX Software Used in Movies for Creating Special Effects
A vast field in terms of opportunities in the media and entertainment industry, the scope of VFX isn’t limited to a certain animation tool or particular software. Today, to create a good scene or a great game, it takes several VFX artists to work together on different digital tools and software to create a good visualized shot.
Essentially, VFX is themost carefully controlled software that doesn’t have any live actions. But itis the most critical aspect of movie making and a game. Here is the list of mostcommonly used VFX software that are used for creating outstanding visualeffects.
One popular VFX software for movies is Autodesk 3DS Max. It has been widely used in TV, films, interior designing and computer games. The VFX animation software has been primly used for making computer games like Demand for Speed, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, etc. When it comes to movie making, this VFX software has been used in movies like 2012, Iron Man, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Avatar, and Transformers.
Conclusion
At last, we would like to reiterate that all best in class VFX software have in common, is their ability to mold itself to the requirements of the clients. The software should be able to deliver a pragmatic, realistic picture to the viewer so that a picture can look more realistic, seamless, and not a copy-paste job. It should be able to give those nuances and details to the picture so that it doesn’t look like made up.