Anime Studio

Infobox_Software
name = Anime Studio (Moho)

caption =


developer = e frontier
latest_release_version = 5.6
latest_release_date =
operating_system = Windows 98 / Windows Me / Windows XP / Windows 2000, Mac OS X, Linux
genre = 2D animation
license = Proprietary
website = [http://graphics.smithmicro.com/article/articleview/1913/1/793?sbss=793 Anime Studio homepage] [http://www.lostmarble.com/forum/ User forum]

Anime Studio is a proprietary vector-based 2D animation software for animators originally distributed by LostMarble, later by e frontier. The software comes in two flavours, named Anime Studio and Anime Studio Pro, the first being restricted in terms of possible length and image size, as well as not having all the functions of the Pro version. Anime Studio is available for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux operating systems.

The software was originally developed under the name "Moho" by LostMarble, the last Moho version 5.4 was identical with the first release of Anime Studio Pro. Current release version is 5.6. LostMarble is still the home of Papagayo, a free lip sync software which works with Anime Studio.

Despite its name, Anime Studio isn't restricted to animation in anime style. It can serve as a time-saving frontend to create flash cartoons, it can create cutout-style animation quite easily, and it can, within its restrictions, even mimick some pencil drawn animation. Since it features some basic 3D funcionality, it can be seen as a 2½D program. Short films, especially those which tell their story in one scene, are fast and easy to create. For bigger projects some additional software is required, like video and sound editors. Several professional animation studios have integrated Anime Studio into their workflow and use it for advertising and TV series.

Since November 2007 Smith Micro Software distributes Anime Studio. [cite web
url = http://www.smithmicro.com/default.tpl?group=news_full&id1=414&id2=13
title = Smith Micro Software press release] .

Features

* Anime Studio features layers of different types for artwork as well as for grouping and switching assets. Layers can be animated in perspective.
* Layer ordering can be animated (since v5.6)
* Camera movements can be animated easily.
* Pressure-sensitive tablets in combination with brush shapes create strokes which look quite good and more similar to natural media than pure vector graphics. Artwork created in Anime Studio is basically resolution-independent.
* The animator can create a skeleton of Bones to which pieces of artwork are attached. The skeleton works with inverse kinematics and makes it much easier to animate a character.
* Tweening of all layer, vector shapes, and bone animation.
* Styles for outlines and fills can be defined and applied easily.
* Masks are possible, if just a bit difficult to do.
* Anime Studio has some 3D abilities, useful for multiplane camera effects and even complex set building.
* Anime Studio supports several file formats to import pictures and video. Alpha channels of PNG and video files are recognised.
* A soundtrack can be added (only one at a time). In combination with Papagayo Anime Studio provides automatic lip sync.
* Anime Studio exports films to .swf, but without certain effects which are not part of the .swf file format. Export to video or image includes everything and can be done in any resolution. Videos can be rendered with an alpha channel.
* Most tools are completely scriptable (in Lua (programming language)).

Restrictions

* Anime Studio is not the tool of choice for frame-by-frame animation. Every object exists for the entire length of the scene and can only be switched visible/invisible, or its movement can be manipulated.
* Anime Studio is not able to combine several files into one, and it doesn't have several scenes within one file. For longer projects additional software is needed (a video editor for video output, or Flash for .swf output).
* Only one soundtrack can be loaded into a scene, this starts at the first frame and can only be shifted in time by changing the start frame of the project in the project setting dialogue box (though downloadable scripts can make the sound more flexible).
* Because of Anime Studio being a 2D program, movements like head turns are difficult to do. Workarounds are discussed in the user forum.

See also

*KoolMoves
*Express Animator
*Toufee

External links

* [http://graphics.smithmicro.com/article/articleview/1913/1/793?sbss=793 Anime Studio homepage]
* [http://www.lostmarble.com/forum/ User forum]
* [http://www.lostmarble.com/papagayo/index.shtml Papagayo, the lip sync software]

References