I am a user of Cartoon Animator. I am interested in the world of 3D animation.  I am wondering if iClone will allow me to create and animate my own characters and props to use in CreateStudio. I will purchase iClone 7 and then upgrade to iClone 8 since there is a promotion. Even if I can't directly import characters, would I be able to save the files as .mov so the characters have a transparent background?

There are a lot of plugins and packs to get started. A few additional questions I have:

1. What packs and plugins will I need to get started to create cartoon characters similar to Pixar characters?
2. Do I need to purchase additional programs and which ones should I purchase?
3. How long does it take to create and animate a character?