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Companion CG tool for FCPX?
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[David A Fenton] “a realistic UFO to be keyed into some footage being edited in FCPX”
I just love that “realistic UFO” cos we all remember the last time we saw one of those in the real world 😉
Pretty much any 3D software will get you started and they will all enable you to render out files with embedded alpha that you can use inside FCPX (although you’ll always get a better result compositing in a specialised compositing app than in an NLE). LightWave or the entry level Cinema 4D are probably your best bet for this kind of thing.
Simon Ubsdell
Director/Editor/Writer
http://www.tokyo-uk.com -
Haha…good one 🙂 and thanks for the recommendations.
-david
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Ah, good news then. As Simon points out, most any 3D program can get you started here. Cinema 4D and Lightwave are good choices because they are relatively inexpensive and they both have animation, rigging and modeling tools built in. They both also have fairly large and active communities where you can get help. Here is a short list of inexpensive but good tools that you may want to check out.
https://www.moi3d.com (an insanely good NURBS modeling application)
https://www.projectmessiah.com/x6/index.html (3d animation and rendering)
https://www.3d-coat.com/ (an inexpensive modeling, paint and texturing tool)
https://www.pixologic.com/home.php (a more expensive modeling, paint and texturing tool)
https://fxhome.com/products/ (VERY inexpensive compositing and VFX software)
https://www.imagineersystems.com/products/mochapro (okay, this software isn’t exactly inexpensive, but it is hands down one of the best roto, tracking and removal applications on the market)
https://www.ssontech.com/ (IMO the best 3D tracking application on the market)
https://www.dvgarage.com/conduit-2 (the second least expensive node based compositor on the Mac platform)
You may also want to consider that there are other aspects of this kind of work that you’ll need to understand; compositing, tracking/matchmoving (3D and 2D), rotoscoping, 2D VFX, grading, HDRI photography, etc. So, as important as the tools are, you’ll certainly want to learn about theory, workflows and techniques. Here are a few resources to get you started:
Books (by no means an exhaustive list)
https://www.amazon.com/Setting-Up-Your-Shots-Filmmaker/dp/1932907424/ref=pd_sim_b_17
https://www.amazon.com/Film-Directing-Shot-Visualizing-Productions/dp/0941188108/ref=pd_sim_b_8
https://www.amazon.com/DV-Rebels-Guide-All-Digital-Approach/dp/0321413644/ref=pd_sim_b_7
Online resources (again not an exhaustive list, but some of my favorites)
https://www.cmivfx.com
https://www.fxphd.com
https://www.videocopilot.net
https://www.digital-tutors.com
https://www.lynda.comFinally, I wanted to address one of your original questions:
“…similarity in pricing and long term potential”
To be honest, if you’re after long term potential and growth related to VFX, you’re better off learning After Effects, Nuke or Digital Fusion (instead of Motion). They all have their strengths and weaknesses, but you’ll hit the limits of Motion a lot faster than you will with any of the other applications (IMO). 🙂
I hope this helps.
Shawn Miller
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my God…awesome list! thanks
-david
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No problem. 😉
Shawn
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