If there’s one question that gets asked more than most in any post-production related role, it’s what software do you use?
The answer is never a simple one as, honestly, most professionals use a variety of different applications, based purely on what is required from the project.
There is never a one size fits all solution when it comes to deciding what program to work in, despite everyone having their favourites.
I am going to be speaking purely from a VFX/Motion Graphics perspective, as that is my background; if you are a video editor then, whilst the principles of what I am going to expand on are the same, the software options will differ.
Mine most-used and favourite software is certainly Blender, the open-source 3D program that has been around for years on the peripherals of the industry; only now starting to make inroads into professional workflows. It’s a shame it’s taken so long for companies to appreciate its value, but that’s a discussion for another day.
I use Blender for almost all 3D work I do. Its great strength, in my opinion, is its versatility. Whether it’s modelling, sculpting, rigging, texturing or animating, it has tools that keep getting better year on year. I even find lots of uses for Blender’s compositing capabilities.
I have also used Blender a fair bit for 2D animation. I find the ability to rig a model consisting of 2D planes super quick, simple and efficient. In my experience it’s a bit more intuitive doing the same thing in something like After Effects (well aware this could be largely due to my feeling more comfortable in the software I’ve been using the most over the last decade).
This brings me to a key point.
You may hear people say to you that you should be using a certain program for a certain task, and that using a different program makes no sense. However, someone super proficient in one software may be able to accomplish the same end result far quicker and more efficiently in that program over one that appears to the mainstream as better suited to the task.
Don’t let anyone tell you that there’s only one solution to accomplish a certain effect; that is almost never the case.
Another program I find myself working in a lot is After Effects; as well as an array of other Adobe applications.
After Effects I find super useful for quick 2D motion graphics or typography animation. I tend to find it way easier to get that snappier, slicker animation using graphs in AE than in Blender.
I’ve recently also got into Adobe Animate, for more traditional frame by frame animation.
A crucial thing to remember is this:
Most software tends to follow the same principles and rules. So in my case back when I started out in 3D, getting a base understanding of 3D software stood me in good stead to step into an assortment of other programs down the road (Maya, 3Ds Max etc.)
Another example would be understanding node-based workflows. If you can establish an understanding of how nodes work as a concept (say in Blender’s node-based shader editor or compositing system) you should find it easier to one day pick up another application that works off of the same system i.e. DaVinci Resolve.
This is all to say:
Don’t fret if you feel you aren’t using industry standard software. More important is to focus on doing good work. At the end of the day, if the work is of a high quality, who really cares what software it came out of.
Sure, there may be particular jobs where the client may require you to work in After Effects or Cinema 4D, but the vast majority simply won’t give two hoots.
Learn the principles of the format you are working in, the tools with which you use to create should be a secondary concern.
Jack Milam
Filmmaker, CG Artist & Founder of Glass Puppet
Instagram - @jackcmilam
Twitter - @MilamJack
