I am currently evaluating which options I should use for a major project that we're starting. I need some insight and advice. Not sure whether or not this is the correct forum. But not sure which forum is the best for pre-sale questions.
I downloaded a copy of CrazyTalk and I've been looking at PowToon and Vyond and RealAllusion's Animator product. We have tools that I can use to do animation but they ramp up time will kill me.
My immediate need would be for the ability to create on screen conversations between say two or three characters about products and services. This is for internal training. I'll be weaving this into some onscreen animation that I'll do in a tool called Articulate Storyline. My objective is to weave together the discussions with on screen animations about concepts - product, service, etc. And then have discussions between characters regarding those products and services.
I'm not sure whether CrazyTalk 8 will be enough. Powtoon looks so cartoonish and the characters don't look very realistic. CrazyTalk 8 looks interesting. I'm not sure how viable the ability to take say photographs - front and side view - will be to create photo-realistic people characters. We really want something realistic looking. Adobe Animator is just far, far too complex. And the results are rather ugly unless you're a talented graphic artist - plus the ramp up time looks horrid. 
Can any of Allusions product combinations provide me with easy to create conversations with realistic looking characters in a not too difficult to learn tool / interface. Or are these tools better suited to pros who really get animation? Can a newbie do this? (Thus the Newbie section choice here). Ideas? Feedback?

Hi...

For simplicity CrazyTalk 8 would be the perfect choice. It allows you to create and animate a 2D or 3D talking head from a photo in just minutes. However the downside for you is that it can only animate a single talking character per project. If you need multiple characters having a conversation then CrazyTalk will not be the right choice.

For multiple characters in one scene you may prefer to go for Cartoon Animator 4. Like CrazyTalk this allows you to create 2D talking heads from photos, but CTA4 is also a full 2D animation package where you can animate full bodied characters, load props and add additional scenery as well as just have talking heads. Of course having more features adds to the complexity so there is a steeper learning curve than for CrazyTalk 8. That said you don't need to be an expert animator to be able to produce quality results quickly in CTA4. It even has an easy to use facial motion capture plug-in available separately which can quickly capture facial animation for your characters using just a webcam.

Please take a look at the Cartoon Animator 4 page below for full information.

https://www.reallusion.com/cartoon-animator/default.html


                                                                

Peter
Forum Administrator

www.reallusion.com