Hey guys, Fishbowlbob here, and this is the section where you can find all your awesome brickfilming gear and software!!
This is just stuff I have found useful or good, and I AM NOT ENDORSING NOR ENDORSED BY THESE PRODUCTS!!! I just think this is stuff you should check out. Some is free, some is not.
This is just stuff I have found useful or good, and I AM NOT ENDORSING NOR ENDORSED BY THESE PRODUCTS!!! I just think this is stuff you should check out. Some is free, some is not.
***Updates soon***
This is just a copy of my post from October 2014.
1. Audio recording software
I really have only one recommendation here, because it's free, advanced, and works like a charm.
It's Audacity. Loads of high quality effects, nice interface, it's really all you'll ever need for recording your audio.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
2. Picture Editing software
Masking can't really be done well in stop-motion with video editing software because you're working with individual pictures anyway.
Photoshop is always a good buy, http://www.photoshop.com/products/photoshop
A really advanced software, and is now available through the Creative Cloud as far as I know. A good buy, but a little pricey. Fortunately, there are some free alternatives that you might want to look into before paying $9.99 a month.
Gimp http://www.gimp.org/
An awesome-sauce piece of equipment that really does everything you would need for brickfilming. While Photoshop is more advanced, Gimp is free and I honestly love it. My only complaint is you'll need to learn the interface, which can get tricky at times. Other than that it's great.
Hopefully I'll have a tutorial for masking sometime this month.
Paint.net http://www.getpaint.net/download.html
Oh, well, I had to add this one in there for laughs. I have it, but really never use it, I always liked Gimp better. It's worth a download, just to check it out.
3. Frame capture software (Optional)
I really don't use frame capture software, but only because the camera I use isn't compatible with any. To be honest, I would really love to have a capture-software I could use, such as iStopmotion, or Dragonframe, because frame capture is really useful. If you have the money and the camera, (pretty much any webcam or dslr camera will do,) Then I would highly recommend one of these 2. If you're looking for some free stuff, you could get MonkeyJam, but you're probably better off getting some paid for software.
4. Editing software
This is my favorite part of the brickfilm stage, and as a result, I have LOTS of suggestions for you here.
Some editing software you should possibly look into:
Sony Vegas: http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegassoftware
An expensive piece of software, but very advanced and really user friendly. If you don't want to fork over $600 you can go with the little brother, Sony Movie Studio Platinum, or for even cheaper get the mini version Sony Movie Studio HD. I have this last one and can honestly say I have no complaints. Pro is better, but since you're probably not a big company making multi-million dollar budget movies, you might want to go with Platinum or HD.
Adobe Premiere Elements: http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere-elements.html
Another less expensive software on the video-editing chain, but for your money is an AWESOME buy. I have version 12 and have only a few complaints, such as the audio editing in it isn't the greatest. But it has some features Vegas doesn't, so what I do is organize the clips together in Vegas after doing any advanced visual effects in Elements. I almost use it as a cheaper substitute for After Effects, though it is no where near as advanced.
Final Cut Pro: https://www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/
I have never actually used this software, seeing as how it's an Apple-only product, but have heard good things. In fact, I know someone who edits movies and documentaries for a living and uses this software. A pretty good price at $300.
Adobe After Effects http://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html
A compositing software used by professionals. It is definitely worth the hefty price tag though, it's an amazing software, just not one you would want to put your movie together in, more of a clip-by-clip editor. Still an epic piece of software.
I can hear the groans and the sighs. You're thinking, "Why is all this software so expensive?? Why can't I get some free softwares that do just as well??"
It's simple. You can't.
There is no free software as of 2014 like After Effects that can composite your socks off. If you want awesome software, you're gonna have to cough up a few bucks. But, if you're bent on getting your software free, or don't have the money to pay for it, here are a few free alternatives:
DebugMode Wax: http://www.debugmode.com/wax/
An okay software, a little 32 bit, but it works much like after effects, just with less advanced effects. I should be honest, it works, and for what it does, it does it pretty well. Still nowhere near as advanced as other softwares, but can also organize clips in a timeline editor.
Axogon Composer http://www.bricksinmotion.com/forums/topic/9672/is-there-a-version-of-axogon-composer-that-is-still-free/
The only version I can find that is downloadable, another After Effects alternative. Interestingly enough, this software is basically used only for brickfilms, so it's worth taking a look. Though it's very confusing. It'll take a while to figure out, I still haven't exactly figured how to do all that much in it.
Windows Movie Maker http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-live/movie-maker
This is apparently better than the WMM that came with windows XP. I don't know if that's true, but hey, it's free, it just kinda doesn't have that many capabilities. You get what you pay for I guess.
Physical equipment:
Microphones:
http://www.bluemic.com/yeti/
This is an expensive microphone, but is amazing! Lots of Youtubers use this mic.
http://www.bluemic.com/snowball/
Another really nice mic, the little brother to the Yet, but is really good quality as well.
Other microphones I really can't recommend, I can't do everything for you after all.
Cameras
Are all about personal preference, I can't recommend one here, you might like Canon better than Nikon, or vice-versa.
I use a Canon PowerShot A520, not my favorite camera, it is ALOT better than my last camera though.
Webcams can always be a good buy though, the only one I can send you to is Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000. It's a popular camera among brickfilmers, and is used by the awesome Twick-A-Brick. It renders in HD!
I really have only one recommendation here, because it's free, advanced, and works like a charm.
It's Audacity. Loads of high quality effects, nice interface, it's really all you'll ever need for recording your audio.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
2. Picture Editing software
Masking can't really be done well in stop-motion with video editing software because you're working with individual pictures anyway.
Photoshop is always a good buy, http://www.photoshop.com/products/photoshop
A really advanced software, and is now available through the Creative Cloud as far as I know. A good buy, but a little pricey. Fortunately, there are some free alternatives that you might want to look into before paying $9.99 a month.
Gimp http://www.gimp.org/
An awesome-sauce piece of equipment that really does everything you would need for brickfilming. While Photoshop is more advanced, Gimp is free and I honestly love it. My only complaint is you'll need to learn the interface, which can get tricky at times. Other than that it's great.
Hopefully I'll have a tutorial for masking sometime this month.
Paint.net http://www.getpaint.net/download.html
Oh, well, I had to add this one in there for laughs. I have it, but really never use it, I always liked Gimp better. It's worth a download, just to check it out.
3. Frame capture software (Optional)
I really don't use frame capture software, but only because the camera I use isn't compatible with any. To be honest, I would really love to have a capture-software I could use, such as iStopmotion, or Dragonframe, because frame capture is really useful. If you have the money and the camera, (pretty much any webcam or dslr camera will do,) Then I would highly recommend one of these 2. If you're looking for some free stuff, you could get MonkeyJam, but you're probably better off getting some paid for software.
4. Editing software
This is my favorite part of the brickfilm stage, and as a result, I have LOTS of suggestions for you here.
Some editing software you should possibly look into:
Sony Vegas: http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegassoftware
An expensive piece of software, but very advanced and really user friendly. If you don't want to fork over $600 you can go with the little brother, Sony Movie Studio Platinum, or for even cheaper get the mini version Sony Movie Studio HD. I have this last one and can honestly say I have no complaints. Pro is better, but since you're probably not a big company making multi-million dollar budget movies, you might want to go with Platinum or HD.
Adobe Premiere Elements: http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere-elements.html
Another less expensive software on the video-editing chain, but for your money is an AWESOME buy. I have version 12 and have only a few complaints, such as the audio editing in it isn't the greatest. But it has some features Vegas doesn't, so what I do is organize the clips together in Vegas after doing any advanced visual effects in Elements. I almost use it as a cheaper substitute for After Effects, though it is no where near as advanced.
Final Cut Pro: https://www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/
I have never actually used this software, seeing as how it's an Apple-only product, but have heard good things. In fact, I know someone who edits movies and documentaries for a living and uses this software. A pretty good price at $300.
Adobe After Effects http://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html
A compositing software used by professionals. It is definitely worth the hefty price tag though, it's an amazing software, just not one you would want to put your movie together in, more of a clip-by-clip editor. Still an epic piece of software.
I can hear the groans and the sighs. You're thinking, "Why is all this software so expensive?? Why can't I get some free softwares that do just as well??"
It's simple. You can't.
There is no free software as of 2014 like After Effects that can composite your socks off. If you want awesome software, you're gonna have to cough up a few bucks. But, if you're bent on getting your software free, or don't have the money to pay for it, here are a few free alternatives:
DebugMode Wax: http://www.debugmode.com/wax/
An okay software, a little 32 bit, but it works much like after effects, just with less advanced effects. I should be honest, it works, and for what it does, it does it pretty well. Still nowhere near as advanced as other softwares, but can also organize clips in a timeline editor.
Axogon Composer http://www.bricksinmotion.com/forums/topic/9672/is-there-a-version-of-axogon-composer-that-is-still-free/
The only version I can find that is downloadable, another After Effects alternative. Interestingly enough, this software is basically used only for brickfilms, so it's worth taking a look. Though it's very confusing. It'll take a while to figure out, I still haven't exactly figured how to do all that much in it.
Windows Movie Maker http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-live/movie-maker
This is apparently better than the WMM that came with windows XP. I don't know if that's true, but hey, it's free, it just kinda doesn't have that many capabilities. You get what you pay for I guess.
Physical equipment:
Microphones:
http://www.bluemic.com/yeti/
This is an expensive microphone, but is amazing! Lots of Youtubers use this mic.
http://www.bluemic.com/snowball/
Another really nice mic, the little brother to the Yet, but is really good quality as well.
Other microphones I really can't recommend, I can't do everything for you after all.
Cameras
Are all about personal preference, I can't recommend one here, you might like Canon better than Nikon, or vice-versa.
I use a Canon PowerShot A520, not my favorite camera, it is ALOT better than my last camera though.
Webcams can always be a good buy though, the only one I can send you to is Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000. It's a popular camera among brickfilmers, and is used by the awesome Twick-A-Brick. It renders in HD!