Studios & The 2D Software They Use

[ngman7]

Hi. Besides Flash and Toon Boom, what 2D animation software do most major animation studios use? Which ones should I learn?

According to what I read, a majority of the studios out there use either Toon Boom or Flash. 

What other software do the major studios use? 

I would like to learn how to use Flash, despite the fact online support for it is coming to an end next year. 

Toon Boom is rather expensive. 

I have heard of a program called OpenToonz but there's only one I have heard of that uses it: 

https://lifehacker.com/opentoonz-the-2d-animation-software-used-by-studio-ghi-1767833445 

I don't know of any others. 

I went elsewhere and posed it and I was told:

 "Some studios use the Maya software and the various Adobe software. Web browsers now use HTML5."

Please help- thank you.

[Ozone]

At 4/18/19 10:01 PM, ngman7 wrote: Hi. Besides Flash and Toon Boom, what 2D animation software do most major animation studios use? Which ones should I learn?

:  "Some studios use the Maya software and the various Adobe software. Web browsers now use HTML5."

Please help- thank you.

Pick one you like and start using it, there are tons of animation program tutorials online as well as resources for teaching animation. You just got to start. @hvanderwegen Explained this well in this: Thread

I hope this helps you proceed on your way to making cool stuff. Good luck.

[ngman7]

At 4/19/19 02:32 AM, OzoneNG wrote:

At 4/18/19 10:01 PM, ngman7 wrote: Hi. Besides Flash and Toon Boom, what 2D animation software do most major animation studios use? Which ones should I learn?

 "Some studios use the Maya software and the various Adobe software. Web browsers now use HTML5."

Please help- thank you.

Pick one you like and start using it, there are tons of animation program tutorials online as well as resources for teaching animation. You just got to start. @hvanderwegen Explained this well in this: Thread

I hope this helps you proceed on your way to making cool stuff. Good luck.

I was told elsewhere most studios use Toon Boom. Someone I know said, "Then use Toon Boom or use the cheaper Flash, Maya or HTML5."

Between these programs, which is the easiest to learn and use?

[Ozone]

They all take time to learn, regardless of which you choose. CHOOSE ONE YOU BIG GOOFBALL

Animation is difficult enough already you shouldn't worry about the program you're using. Here's my advice:

Perhaps try out the trial versions of the programs and free programs and see which you like the best? You're not going to learn which one you will like if you don't try. Try out Opentoonz first and see how you like it. Then the free trail of Toon Boom and so on and so on.

[ngman7]

At 4/19/19 04:44 AM, OzoneNG wrote: They all take time to learn, regardless of which you choose. CHOOSE ONE YOU BIG GOOFBALL
Animation is difficult enough already you shouldn't worry about the program you're using. Here's my advice:

Perhaps try out the trial versions of the programs and free programs and see which you like the best? You're not going to learn which one you will like if you don't try. Try out Opentoonz first and see how you like it. Then the free trail of Toon Boom and so on and so on.

I'll probably go with Flash. I'm interested in learning how to use that anyway. I know a guy on YouTube who makes Flash cartoons.

Do you need a Wacom pad, or any kind of stylus pad to use Toon Boom or any of the other programs I mentioned?

[midgetsausage]

I'll probably go with Flash. I'm interested in learning how to use that anyway. I know a guy on YouTube who makes Flash cartoons.

If you're planning to go with Flash, just remember that all Flash versions, the newest one being renamed Adobe Animate CC (Creative Cloud), are basically the same, except the latest ones have some fancier stuff, like Animate CC having a virtual camera and Flash CS5.5 having the new stage resize thing.

Recommended version is, of course, the latest Adobe Animate which comes in a modest $20-30/month, but if you're cheap, Flash CS6/CS5.5 will do. (CS means Creative Suite, by the way.) For tutorials, I will appreciate if you learn by this video by Alan Becker.

Do you need a Wacom pad, or any kind of stylus pad to use Toon Boom or any of the other programs I mentioned?

You need to draw in the program. But how? With a graphic tablet, of course. Wacom tablets are the best, but Huion tablets will do fine, too.

If you're using a laptop, the mouse pad will also work fine. I animate with the mouse pad, especially the mouth animation. An example is this vid of mine.

Toon Boom is hard to learn due to its complex tools, different versions (3 different versions!), super expensive prices ($15-$40/month, depending on version) and hard learning curve, but it will do better in the long run. There's a lot of Flash vs. Toon Boom comparison videos in YouTube, but I prefer this one. It illustrates the differences well, and I love it.

Apologize for the links and the wall-o-text, but this is just one of the topics I enjoy talking about. :)

[Carr77]

I don't know if the other people were joking here or if I misunderstood the question, but HTML5 and Maya is definitely nothing you want to use to animate regular 2D animations with. Note that you can make 3D animations that you render in a 2D/toon way by using such shaders, but that's still 3D animation.

Use ToonBoom or Animate (in combination with After Effects). Another program you could look into is TVPaint (which is neat if you want an old school styled animation).

[ngman7]

At 5/11/19 10:23 AM, Carr77 wrote: I don't know if the other people were joking here or if I misunderstood the question, but HTML5 and Maya is definitely nothing you want to use to animate regular 2D animations with. Note that you can make 3D animations that you render in a 2D/toon way by using such shaders, but that's still 3D animation.

Use ToonBoom or Animate (in combination with After Effects). Another program you could look into is TVPaint (which is neat if you want an old school styled animation).

Is HTML5 related to Flash?

[Carr77]

At 5/11/19 10:39 AM, ngman7 wrote:

At 5/11/19 10:23 AM, Carr77 wrote: I don't know if the other people were joking here or if I misunderstood the question, but HTML5 and Maya is definitely nothing you want to use to animate regular 2D animations with. Note that you can make 3D animations that you render in a 2D/toon way by using such shaders, but that's still 3D animation.

Use ToonBoom or Animate (in combination with After Effects). Another program you could look into is TVPaint (which is neat if you want an old school styled animation).

Is HTML5 related to Flash?

HTML5 is relevant if you want to create something interactive. Instead of making games in flash you can use HTML (and Javascript e.t.c.). I don't get why HTML5 is brought up in this scenario since the question concerns, as far as I understand, animated short films. Not animated web pages or interactive games.

Btw, use Animate instead of Flash, if you choose Flash. Animate is the new Flash. Adobe just change the name and some other stuff, but it is basically the same program if you want to create animations and Animate is still getting updates e.t.c.

[ngman7]

At 5/11/19 04:07 PM, Carr77 wrote:

At 5/11/19 10:39 AM, ngman7 wrote:

At 5/11/19 10:23 AM, Carr77 wrote: I don't know if the other people were joking here or if I misunderstood the question, but HTML5 and Maya is definitely nothing you want to use to animate regular 2D animations with. Note that you can make 3D animations that you render in a 2D/toon way by using such shaders, but that's still 3D animation.

Use ToonBoom or Animate (in combination with After Effects). Another program you could look into is TVPaint (which is neat if you want an old school styled animation).

Is HTML5 related to Flash?

HTML5 is relevant if you want to create something interactive. Instead of making games in flash you can use HTML (and Javascript e.t.c.). I don't get why HTML5 is brought up in this scenario since the question concerns, as far as I understand, animated short films. Not animated web pages or interactive games.

Okay. I am still interested in learning Flash.

[Carr77]

At 5/11/19 04:09 PM, ngman7 wrote:

At 5/11/19 04:07 PM, Carr77 wrote:

At 5/11/19 10:39 AM, ngman7 wrote:

At 5/11/19 10:23 AM, Carr77 wrote: I don't know if the other people were joking here or if I misunderstood the question, but HTML5 and Maya is definitely nothing you want to use to animate regular 2D animations with. Note that you can make 3D animations that you render in a 2D/toon way by using such shaders, but that's still 3D animation.

Use ToonBoom or Animate (in combination with After Effects). Another program you could look into is TVPaint (which is neat if you want an old school styled animation).

Is HTML5 related to Flash?

HTML5 is relevant if you want to create something interactive. Instead of making games in flash you can use HTML (and Javascript e.t.c.). I don't get why HTML5 is brought up in this scenario since the question concerns, as far as I understand, animated short films. Not animated web pages or interactive games.

Okay. I am still interested in learning Flash.

I assume you're meaning "Animate" when you say "Flash". Learn Animate/Flash, it is a good program. Especially for beginners. When you want to do more advanced stuff I'd recommend to combine Animate/Flash with After Effects. That will expand what you can archive technically.