:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/GettyImages-174294003-57c6ee043df78cc16eeab260.jpg)
Updated Windows Movie Makers Top 6 Picks for 2024
Windows Movie Makers: Top 6 Picks
Whenever a film or video is created, it always needs editing. Even pictures after a photoshoot are edited and finalized before any further action is taken. The same is the case with movies. Movie clips are filmed firstly. Then they are edited and finalized before compiling everything. There are various movie editors for Windows in the market.
This article will talk about 6 different and best movie makers for Windows. Although the market is flooded with editing tools, only a few are worth trying. We will be sharing the editors that will bring epic transformation to your movies.
Part 1. 6 Best Movie Editor for Windows in 2024
Who doesn’t want their movie to stand out and shine among other movies? For such a unique and classic movie, the most important factor after the content and composition is the movie’s editing. As mentioned earlier that not all movie editors are worth the try. Only a few movie editors can do the magical editing to your content.
In this section of the article, we will talk about the best Win movie maker 2024. The following movie editing software for Windows has proved to be the best and topmost movie editor for the year 2024. Let’s discuss the editors without any further delay.
1. Wondershare Filmora
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.12 or later
When we talk about movie editing, the first classic editor that comes to mind is Wondershare Filmora. No movie editor can compete for its editing level. The software has a whole new and different editing world to offer its users.
With Filmora, you can do stunning editing to your ordinary movie. Wondershare Filmora is a Mac as well as a Windows movie editor. It offers a lot of editing features. Using Filmora, you can trim your movie, split the screen, rotate the content.
The most brilliant thing with Filmora is to create freeze frames and do motion tracking. You can also join various movie clips together using Wondershare Filmora. Filmora has its own media library, which can be accessed and used.
The stock media library of Filmora has a wide range of editing effects, transitions, and whatnot. You can create a high-quality movie by adding text and titles from Filmora. Using Wondershare Filmora, you can create an amazing movie that will stun everyone.
2. Lightworks
After Filmora comes Lightworks. The movie editing software for Windows is free to download and great to work with. Lightworks is the best option for someone who wants to make stunning movies without spending a penny on it.
Lightworks promises to deliver the final product while maintaining its quality. It never compromises on the footage quality as it matters the most. You can also upgrade the version of Lightworks, and with its upgraded version, you can export the project in different formats. You can also create 3D movies.
Lightworks is a non-linear movie editor. The movie editor offers a variety of features that expensive editors mostly offer. A few of its features are.
- Lightworks supports multitrack movie editing.
- Along with Windows, the movie editor is also available for Linux and macOS.
- You can drag numerous editing windows and create as many layout variations as you want to.
- With Lightworks, you can import and also render footage in the background.
3. Adobe Premiere Elements
The next best movie maker for Windows is Adobe Premier Elements. This software is great for beginners and experts to edit their movies at a professional level. The amazing thing about Adobe Premiere Elements that most software lacks is the ease of usability. This movie editing software is very easy to understand and simple to use.
Although Premiere Elements is a simplified version of Premier Pro, the software has some classic high-end features that make it worth using. Adobe Premiere Elements is relatively cheap, and you can learn it very easily. The software is very capable and strong when it comes to movie editing.
Adobe Premiere Elements contains a variety of soundtracks and audio effects. The software has a wide range of movie editing effects that include various transitions, opacity, and chroma-key. You can also motion tracking along with smart toning. Some more fascinating features of Adobe Premiere Elements are shared below.
- The craziest feature that Adobe Premiere Elements offers is that it lets you select one subject from the movie, and then it will focus on the subject throughout the movie.
- With Adobe Premiere Elements, you can also view animated GIFs within the interface.
- A classical feature offered by this software is Face Detection.
- Adobe Premiere Elements is available for both Mac and Windows.
5. Adobe After Effects
The next movie editing software that should be discussed is Adobe After Effects. The platform is well known for its simple and easy-to-understand interface. Adobe After Effects is known to be used by professionals to add class and uniqueness to your classical videos.
The movie making software is non-linear with a multimedia transcoder. With Adobe After Effects, you can improve graphics quality throughout your video, thereby making it attractive and interesting. A few of its features are mentioned below.
- Adobe After Effects supports the quick conversion of movies.
- The biggest feature of Adobe After Effects is its integration with other Adobe products.
- With this movie editing software, you can create animations, visual effects, etc.
- Adobe After Effects allows you to create and combine 2D layers into 3D space.
6. Studio
The last editor in the list of best Win movie makers 2024 is Studio. The movie editor is one of its types. No one but Studio has a 30-day money-back policy. The editing software is available for Windows.
The best thing about is that it offers more than 1500 effects, various text and title templates, etc., at a very reasonable price. By using Studio, you can do HD editing of your movie. Some other attractive features of this editor are mentioned below.
- With Studio, you can do smart object tracking.
- The editor also supports 8K import and keyframe groups.
- If we talk about Studio’s interface, it has a very simple, user-friendly, and understandable interface.
- Studio offers you color correction as well as time remapping, and a lot more.
Final Words
As promised in the beginning, the article is a complete pack of information about the best movie maker for Windows. If you have been wandering around and looking for suitable movie editors, then this article is all you need. We have discussed the 6 finest and leading movie maker software for Windows in detail.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
For macOS 10.12 or later
When we talk about movie editing, the first classic editor that comes to mind is Wondershare Filmora. No movie editor can compete for its editing level. The software has a whole new and different editing world to offer its users.
With Filmora, you can do stunning editing to your ordinary movie. Wondershare Filmora is a Mac as well as a Windows movie editor. It offers a lot of editing features. Using Filmora, you can trim your movie, split the screen, rotate the content.
The most brilliant thing with Filmora is to create freeze frames and do motion tracking. You can also join various movie clips together using Wondershare Filmora. Filmora has its own media library, which can be accessed and used.
The stock media library of Filmora has a wide range of editing effects, transitions, and whatnot. You can create a high-quality movie by adding text and titles from Filmora. Using Wondershare Filmora, you can create an amazing movie that will stun everyone.
2. Lightworks
After Filmora comes Lightworks. The movie editing software for Windows is free to download and great to work with. Lightworks is the best option for someone who wants to make stunning movies without spending a penny on it.
Lightworks promises to deliver the final product while maintaining its quality. It never compromises on the footage quality as it matters the most. You can also upgrade the version of Lightworks, and with its upgraded version, you can export the project in different formats. You can also create 3D movies.
Lightworks is a non-linear movie editor. The movie editor offers a variety of features that expensive editors mostly offer. A few of its features are.
- Lightworks supports multitrack movie editing.
- Along with Windows, the movie editor is also available for Linux and macOS.
- You can drag numerous editing windows and create as many layout variations as you want to.
- With Lightworks, you can import and also render footage in the background.
3. Adobe Premiere Elements
The next best movie maker for Windows is Adobe Premier Elements. This software is great for beginners and experts to edit their movies at a professional level. The amazing thing about Adobe Premiere Elements that most software lacks is the ease of usability. This movie editing software is very easy to understand and simple to use.
Although Premiere Elements is a simplified version of Premier Pro, the software has some classic high-end features that make it worth using. Adobe Premiere Elements is relatively cheap, and you can learn it very easily. The software is very capable and strong when it comes to movie editing.
Adobe Premiere Elements contains a variety of soundtracks and audio effects. The software has a wide range of movie editing effects that include various transitions, opacity, and chroma-key. You can also motion tracking along with smart toning. Some more fascinating features of Adobe Premiere Elements are shared below.
- The craziest feature that Adobe Premiere Elements offers is that it lets you select one subject from the movie, and then it will focus on the subject throughout the movie.
- With Adobe Premiere Elements, you can also view animated GIFs within the interface.
- A classical feature offered by this software is Face Detection.
- Adobe Premiere Elements is available for both Mac and Windows.
5. Adobe After Effects
The next movie editing software that should be discussed is Adobe After Effects. The platform is well known for its simple and easy-to-understand interface. Adobe After Effects is known to be used by professionals to add class and uniqueness to your classical videos.
The movie making software is non-linear with a multimedia transcoder. With Adobe After Effects, you can improve graphics quality throughout your video, thereby making it attractive and interesting. A few of its features are mentioned below.
- Adobe After Effects supports the quick conversion of movies.
- The biggest feature of Adobe After Effects is its integration with other Adobe products.
- With this movie editing software, you can create animations, visual effects, etc.
- Adobe After Effects allows you to create and combine 2D layers into 3D space.
6. Studio
The last editor in the list of best Win movie makers 2024 is Studio. The movie editor is one of its types. No one but Studio has a 30-day money-back policy. The editing software is available for Windows.
The best thing about is that it offers more than 1500 effects, various text and title templates, etc., at a very reasonable price. By using Studio, you can do HD editing of your movie. Some other attractive features of this editor are mentioned below.
- With Studio, you can do smart object tracking.
- The editor also supports 8K import and keyframe groups.
- If we talk about Studio’s interface, it has a very simple, user-friendly, and understandable interface.
- Studio offers you color correction as well as time remapping, and a lot more.
Final Words
As promised in the beginning, the article is a complete pack of information about the best movie maker for Windows. If you have been wandering around and looking for suitable movie editors, then this article is all you need. We have discussed the 6 finest and leading movie maker software for Windows in detail.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
For macOS 10.12 or later
When we talk about movie editing, the first classic editor that comes to mind is Wondershare Filmora. No movie editor can compete for its editing level. The software has a whole new and different editing world to offer its users.
With Filmora, you can do stunning editing to your ordinary movie. Wondershare Filmora is a Mac as well as a Windows movie editor. It offers a lot of editing features. Using Filmora, you can trim your movie, split the screen, rotate the content.
The most brilliant thing with Filmora is to create freeze frames and do motion tracking. You can also join various movie clips together using Wondershare Filmora. Filmora has its own media library, which can be accessed and used.
The stock media library of Filmora has a wide range of editing effects, transitions, and whatnot. You can create a high-quality movie by adding text and titles from Filmora. Using Wondershare Filmora, you can create an amazing movie that will stun everyone.
2. Lightworks
After Filmora comes Lightworks. The movie editing software for Windows is free to download and great to work with. Lightworks is the best option for someone who wants to make stunning movies without spending a penny on it.
Lightworks promises to deliver the final product while maintaining its quality. It never compromises on the footage quality as it matters the most. You can also upgrade the version of Lightworks, and with its upgraded version, you can export the project in different formats. You can also create 3D movies.
Lightworks is a non-linear movie editor. The movie editor offers a variety of features that expensive editors mostly offer. A few of its features are.
- Lightworks supports multitrack movie editing.
- Along with Windows, the movie editor is also available for Linux and macOS.
- You can drag numerous editing windows and create as many layout variations as you want to.
- With Lightworks, you can import and also render footage in the background.
3. Adobe Premiere Elements
The next best movie maker for Windows is Adobe Premier Elements. This software is great for beginners and experts to edit their movies at a professional level. The amazing thing about Adobe Premiere Elements that most software lacks is the ease of usability. This movie editing software is very easy to understand and simple to use.
Although Premiere Elements is a simplified version of Premier Pro, the software has some classic high-end features that make it worth using. Adobe Premiere Elements is relatively cheap, and you can learn it very easily. The software is very capable and strong when it comes to movie editing.
Adobe Premiere Elements contains a variety of soundtracks and audio effects. The software has a wide range of movie editing effects that include various transitions, opacity, and chroma-key. You can also motion tracking along with smart toning. Some more fascinating features of Adobe Premiere Elements are shared below.
- The craziest feature that Adobe Premiere Elements offers is that it lets you select one subject from the movie, and then it will focus on the subject throughout the movie.
- With Adobe Premiere Elements, you can also view animated GIFs within the interface.
- A classical feature offered by this software is Face Detection.
- Adobe Premiere Elements is available for both Mac and Windows.
5. Adobe After Effects
The next movie editing software that should be discussed is Adobe After Effects. The platform is well known for its simple and easy-to-understand interface. Adobe After Effects is known to be used by professionals to add class and uniqueness to your classical videos.
The movie making software is non-linear with a multimedia transcoder. With Adobe After Effects, you can improve graphics quality throughout your video, thereby making it attractive and interesting. A few of its features are mentioned below.
- Adobe After Effects supports the quick conversion of movies.
- The biggest feature of Adobe After Effects is its integration with other Adobe products.
- With this movie editing software, you can create animations, visual effects, etc.
- Adobe After Effects allows you to create and combine 2D layers into 3D space.
6. Studio
The last editor in the list of best Win movie makers 2024 is Studio. The movie editor is one of its types. No one but Studio has a 30-day money-back policy. The editing software is available for Windows.
The best thing about is that it offers more than 1500 effects, various text and title templates, etc., at a very reasonable price. By using Studio, you can do HD editing of your movie. Some other attractive features of this editor are mentioned below.
- With Studio, you can do smart object tracking.
- The editor also supports 8K import and keyframe groups.
- If we talk about Studio’s interface, it has a very simple, user-friendly, and understandable interface.
- Studio offers you color correction as well as time remapping, and a lot more.
Final Words
As promised in the beginning, the article is a complete pack of information about the best movie maker for Windows. If you have been wandering around and looking for suitable movie editors, then this article is all you need. We have discussed the 6 finest and leading movie maker software for Windows in detail.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
For macOS 10.12 or later
When we talk about movie editing, the first classic editor that comes to mind is Wondershare Filmora. No movie editor can compete for its editing level. The software has a whole new and different editing world to offer its users.
With Filmora, you can do stunning editing to your ordinary movie. Wondershare Filmora is a Mac as well as a Windows movie editor. It offers a lot of editing features. Using Filmora, you can trim your movie, split the screen, rotate the content.
The most brilliant thing with Filmora is to create freeze frames and do motion tracking. You can also join various movie clips together using Wondershare Filmora. Filmora has its own media library, which can be accessed and used.
The stock media library of Filmora has a wide range of editing effects, transitions, and whatnot. You can create a high-quality movie by adding text and titles from Filmora. Using Wondershare Filmora, you can create an amazing movie that will stun everyone.
2. Lightworks
After Filmora comes Lightworks. The movie editing software for Windows is free to download and great to work with. Lightworks is the best option for someone who wants to make stunning movies without spending a penny on it.
Lightworks promises to deliver the final product while maintaining its quality. It never compromises on the footage quality as it matters the most. You can also upgrade the version of Lightworks, and with its upgraded version, you can export the project in different formats. You can also create 3D movies.
Lightworks is a non-linear movie editor. The movie editor offers a variety of features that expensive editors mostly offer. A few of its features are.
- Lightworks supports multitrack movie editing.
- Along with Windows, the movie editor is also available for Linux and macOS.
- You can drag numerous editing windows and create as many layout variations as you want to.
- With Lightworks, you can import and also render footage in the background.
3. Adobe Premiere Elements
The next best movie maker for Windows is Adobe Premier Elements. This software is great for beginners and experts to edit their movies at a professional level. The amazing thing about Adobe Premiere Elements that most software lacks is the ease of usability. This movie editing software is very easy to understand and simple to use.
Although Premiere Elements is a simplified version of Premier Pro, the software has some classic high-end features that make it worth using. Adobe Premiere Elements is relatively cheap, and you can learn it very easily. The software is very capable and strong when it comes to movie editing.
Adobe Premiere Elements contains a variety of soundtracks and audio effects. The software has a wide range of movie editing effects that include various transitions, opacity, and chroma-key. You can also motion tracking along with smart toning. Some more fascinating features of Adobe Premiere Elements are shared below.
- The craziest feature that Adobe Premiere Elements offers is that it lets you select one subject from the movie, and then it will focus on the subject throughout the movie.
- With Adobe Premiere Elements, you can also view animated GIFs within the interface.
- A classical feature offered by this software is Face Detection.
- Adobe Premiere Elements is available for both Mac and Windows.
5. Adobe After Effects
The next movie editing software that should be discussed is Adobe After Effects. The platform is well known for its simple and easy-to-understand interface. Adobe After Effects is known to be used by professionals to add class and uniqueness to your classical videos.
The movie making software is non-linear with a multimedia transcoder. With Adobe After Effects, you can improve graphics quality throughout your video, thereby making it attractive and interesting. A few of its features are mentioned below.
- Adobe After Effects supports the quick conversion of movies.
- The biggest feature of Adobe After Effects is its integration with other Adobe products.
- With this movie editing software, you can create animations, visual effects, etc.
- Adobe After Effects allows you to create and combine 2D layers into 3D space.
6. Studio
The last editor in the list of best Win movie makers 2024 is Studio. The movie editor is one of its types. No one but Studio has a 30-day money-back policy. The editing software is available for Windows.
The best thing about is that it offers more than 1500 effects, various text and title templates, etc., at a very reasonable price. By using Studio, you can do HD editing of your movie. Some other attractive features of this editor are mentioned below.
- With Studio, you can do smart object tracking.
- The editor also supports 8K import and keyframe groups.
- If we talk about Studio’s interface, it has a very simple, user-friendly, and understandable interface.
- Studio offers you color correction as well as time remapping, and a lot more.
Final Words
As promised in the beginning, the article is a complete pack of information about the best movie maker for Windows. If you have been wandering around and looking for suitable movie editors, then this article is all you need. We have discussed the 6 finest and leading movie maker software for Windows in detail.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
FCP Hall of Fame: 10 Iconic Films Edited with Final Cut Pro
Top 10 Famous Movies Made By Final Cut Pro
Benjamin Arango
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Developed as video editing software that has been developed by Apple, Final Cut Pro began life as software designed to made simple video editing accessible for video hobbyists and independent filmmakers. However, in recent years the capabilities of Final Cut Pro have evolved significantly and we are now seeing major Hollywood movies also being edited with this software.
Do you want to turn your own video into a Hollywood film-like video? Check this guide on How to make big-budget cinematic look video with Final Cut Pro.
You may also like: 8 Best Movie Trailer Template for After Effects
Top 10 Movies Made by Final Cut Pro
Let’s take a look at ten major movies that have been edited using Final Cut Pro.
1. The Social Network (2010)
Based on the rise of the phenomenon that we now know as Facebook, The Social Network starred Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. The movie performed well at the box office and was also positively received by movie critics.
The film won an Academy Award for Best Editing, collected by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall. They used Final Cut Pro to edit the film, and one of the things they really like about the software is the ability to do multiple timelines. Final Cut Pro was also used in this movie to enable face replacement in a number of scenes. Two of the key characters in the movie are twins, and so the scenes were filmed with actors (who weren’t twins) and then the editing software was used to create the illusion that they were twins. Digital matte paintings was another feature of this movie that relied on the functionality of Final Cut Pro.
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
This was the US adaptation of the earlier Swedish film of the same name - based on the novel by Stieg Larsson. Starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, the story is a crime thriller trying to uncover the secrets surrounding the disappearance of a young girl from a wealthy family.
One of the challenges with this movie was that there were a lot of invisible effects throughout the film. Final Cut Pro was used to achieve the shot stabilization and the visual enhancements - everything from matte painting to creating seasonal elements such as snow.
3. John Carter (2011)
A science fiction adventure, this film performed so badly at the box office that it caused major financial problems for its studio Disney.
The editing of the John Carter movie was a particular challenge as a lot of the action was shot twice during the troubled production. The editor Eric Zumbrunnen used Final Cut Pro to piece the various elements together. With a huge range of CGI and creature effects to deal with, the editing process on this movie was extremely complex. Final Cut Pro was used to create a lot of the background detail need to bring the green screen scenes to life.
4. 500 Days of Summer (2009)
This was a cute, quirky romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.
Editing on the movie was by Alan Edward Bell in DVCPro HD format on Final Cut Pro. Because the storyline of the movie unfolds in a non-linear timeline, the workflow feature of Final Cut Pro made it easier to manage the sequencing of the different scenes. There were also 250 invisible effects which were created using Final Cut Pro’s editing features.
5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Continuing the X-Men franchise, this installment traces Wolverine’s childhood and the relationship with his brother. It didn’t really appeal to X-Men fans or movie critics.
Editing on the movie was by Nicolas De Toth and Megan Gill. There were a number of continuity glitches identified during the production of this movie but De Toth and Gill used Final Pro Cut to keep a consistent flow to the narrative. What is interesting about the editing on this movie is that all the cutting of the scenes required was done on Final Cut Pro 5, taking advantage of the software’s HD abilities and also the multi-clip features.
6. Burn After Reading (2008)
A black comedy from the talented brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, they wrote, produced, edited, and directed the movie.
The Coen brothers used Final Cut Pro on this movie because it was simple and easy to use - they were blocking together the rough cuts as the scenes were being shot, and Final Cut Pro gave them the flexibility that they needed to edit quickly. On this movie most of the action was shot using Sony cameras but there were several scenes on which a RED camera was added when an additional camera was needed. Even though there is a significantly different workflow between the two types of camera, the RED material was able to be integrated smoothly with the Sony footage.
7. No Country for Old Men (2007)
A neo-Western thriller from Coen brothers. They directed, wrote, and edited this production.
The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing for editor Roderick Jaynes (a pseudonym for Joel and Ethan Coen).
Directing and editing a movie brings the two processes a lot closer together for the Coen brothers. An easy to use product such as Final Cut Pro ensures that they can construct the movie’s narrative using the timeline features of the product. This movie marked a chance in approach for the Coen brothers, who took advantage of the better resolution DVCPRO HD for their cutting process compared to earlier films that were cut at DV resolution.
8. 300 (2007)
Based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, this is the fictionalized retelling of the Battle Termopylae - part of the Persian Wars. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie was filmed with a super-imposition chroma key technique to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book. Editing on the movie was by William Hoy.
To capture the graphic novel look and feel of the film’s images, editor Hoy used a number of the key Final Cut Pro features such as the adjustment layer and blending modes to create depth and mood. With the look and feel of this movie so dependent on the effects created, editor Hoy spent a lot of time debating what was being added visually to each shot and how this would impact the length and continuity of each scene.
9. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
With big name stars (Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law), this was an unusual film that used digital artists to build multi-layered 2D and 3D backgrounds for live action footage, with hand-drawn storyboards recreated as computer-generated 3D animatics. Critically it was well received but didn’t set the box office alight.
Editing on the movie was by Sabrina Plisco.
Final Cut Pro was particularly critical to create a scene between two characters that was shot in a physical set (unlike the digital soundstage that was used for the rest of the movie). Final Cut Pro allowed the filmmakers to line up the animatics with the live onstage footage. One of the challenges with this movie is that the editors had to manually assign time-codes to each take - the clips were then rendered out and sorted so that they could be used on a Final Cut Pro SD workstation. This approach was also used to create the master off-line cut. Batch lists of the cuts were then imported into Final Cut Pro.
10. Cold Mountain (2003)
This is an epic Civil War drama based on the novel by Charles Frazier. Starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger this was critically acclaimed and performed reasonably well at the box office.
The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing let by editor Walter Murch.
This was really seen as the breakthrough movie for the use of Final Cut Pro in Hollywood Movies. An entire book has been produced analysing how editor Murch used Final Cut Pro to edit the movie and analysis its impact on future cinema productions. Editor Murch believes that the use of Final Cut Pro on this movie indirected affected the ultimate creative outcome. In particular, the use of the DVD authoring capabilities on Final Cut Pro meant that the editing team was able to look at the material more often, sharing it with more people, and changing the way that they looked at certain scenes.
While Hollywood movies require editing tools of the highest order, the range of effects that you can achieve using Final Cut Pro is impressive - as well as the standard ripple, roll, slip, slide, scrub, razor blade and time remapping edit functions, Final Cut Pro also comes with a range of video transitions and a range of video and audio filters that will take your film project to the next level.
It is clear that Final Cut Pro is definitely now a star in the editing of Hollywood movies, it is time to make it a star in editing your movies as well.
Benjamin Arango
Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Benjamin Arango
Benjamin Arango
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Developed as video editing software that has been developed by Apple, Final Cut Pro began life as software designed to made simple video editing accessible for video hobbyists and independent filmmakers. However, in recent years the capabilities of Final Cut Pro have evolved significantly and we are now seeing major Hollywood movies also being edited with this software.
Do you want to turn your own video into a Hollywood film-like video? Check this guide on How to make big-budget cinematic look video with Final Cut Pro.
You may also like: 8 Best Movie Trailer Template for After Effects
Top 10 Movies Made by Final Cut Pro
Let’s take a look at ten major movies that have been edited using Final Cut Pro.
1. The Social Network (2010)
Based on the rise of the phenomenon that we now know as Facebook, The Social Network starred Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. The movie performed well at the box office and was also positively received by movie critics.
The film won an Academy Award for Best Editing, collected by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall. They used Final Cut Pro to edit the film, and one of the things they really like about the software is the ability to do multiple timelines. Final Cut Pro was also used in this movie to enable face replacement in a number of scenes. Two of the key characters in the movie are twins, and so the scenes were filmed with actors (who weren’t twins) and then the editing software was used to create the illusion that they were twins. Digital matte paintings was another feature of this movie that relied on the functionality of Final Cut Pro.
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
This was the US adaptation of the earlier Swedish film of the same name - based on the novel by Stieg Larsson. Starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, the story is a crime thriller trying to uncover the secrets surrounding the disappearance of a young girl from a wealthy family.
One of the challenges with this movie was that there were a lot of invisible effects throughout the film. Final Cut Pro was used to achieve the shot stabilization and the visual enhancements - everything from matte painting to creating seasonal elements such as snow.
3. John Carter (2011)
A science fiction adventure, this film performed so badly at the box office that it caused major financial problems for its studio Disney.
The editing of the John Carter movie was a particular challenge as a lot of the action was shot twice during the troubled production. The editor Eric Zumbrunnen used Final Cut Pro to piece the various elements together. With a huge range of CGI and creature effects to deal with, the editing process on this movie was extremely complex. Final Cut Pro was used to create a lot of the background detail need to bring the green screen scenes to life.
4. 500 Days of Summer (2009)
This was a cute, quirky romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.
Editing on the movie was by Alan Edward Bell in DVCPro HD format on Final Cut Pro. Because the storyline of the movie unfolds in a non-linear timeline, the workflow feature of Final Cut Pro made it easier to manage the sequencing of the different scenes. There were also 250 invisible effects which were created using Final Cut Pro’s editing features.
5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Continuing the X-Men franchise, this installment traces Wolverine’s childhood and the relationship with his brother. It didn’t really appeal to X-Men fans or movie critics.
Editing on the movie was by Nicolas De Toth and Megan Gill. There were a number of continuity glitches identified during the production of this movie but De Toth and Gill used Final Pro Cut to keep a consistent flow to the narrative. What is interesting about the editing on this movie is that all the cutting of the scenes required was done on Final Cut Pro 5, taking advantage of the software’s HD abilities and also the multi-clip features.
6. Burn After Reading (2008)
A black comedy from the talented brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, they wrote, produced, edited, and directed the movie.
The Coen brothers used Final Cut Pro on this movie because it was simple and easy to use - they were blocking together the rough cuts as the scenes were being shot, and Final Cut Pro gave them the flexibility that they needed to edit quickly. On this movie most of the action was shot using Sony cameras but there were several scenes on which a RED camera was added when an additional camera was needed. Even though there is a significantly different workflow between the two types of camera, the RED material was able to be integrated smoothly with the Sony footage.
7. No Country for Old Men (2007)
A neo-Western thriller from Coen brothers. They directed, wrote, and edited this production.
The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing for editor Roderick Jaynes (a pseudonym for Joel and Ethan Coen).
Directing and editing a movie brings the two processes a lot closer together for the Coen brothers. An easy to use product such as Final Cut Pro ensures that they can construct the movie’s narrative using the timeline features of the product. This movie marked a chance in approach for the Coen brothers, who took advantage of the better resolution DVCPRO HD for their cutting process compared to earlier films that were cut at DV resolution.
8. 300 (2007)
Based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, this is the fictionalized retelling of the Battle Termopylae - part of the Persian Wars. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie was filmed with a super-imposition chroma key technique to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book. Editing on the movie was by William Hoy.
To capture the graphic novel look and feel of the film’s images, editor Hoy used a number of the key Final Cut Pro features such as the adjustment layer and blending modes to create depth and mood. With the look and feel of this movie so dependent on the effects created, editor Hoy spent a lot of time debating what was being added visually to each shot and how this would impact the length and continuity of each scene.
9. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
With big name stars (Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law), this was an unusual film that used digital artists to build multi-layered 2D and 3D backgrounds for live action footage, with hand-drawn storyboards recreated as computer-generated 3D animatics. Critically it was well received but didn’t set the box office alight.
Editing on the movie was by Sabrina Plisco.
Final Cut Pro was particularly critical to create a scene between two characters that was shot in a physical set (unlike the digital soundstage that was used for the rest of the movie). Final Cut Pro allowed the filmmakers to line up the animatics with the live onstage footage. One of the challenges with this movie is that the editors had to manually assign time-codes to each take - the clips were then rendered out and sorted so that they could be used on a Final Cut Pro SD workstation. This approach was also used to create the master off-line cut. Batch lists of the cuts were then imported into Final Cut Pro.
10. Cold Mountain (2003)
This is an epic Civil War drama based on the novel by Charles Frazier. Starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger this was critically acclaimed and performed reasonably well at the box office.
The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing let by editor Walter Murch.
This was really seen as the breakthrough movie for the use of Final Cut Pro in Hollywood Movies. An entire book has been produced analysing how editor Murch used Final Cut Pro to edit the movie and analysis its impact on future cinema productions. Editor Murch believes that the use of Final Cut Pro on this movie indirected affected the ultimate creative outcome. In particular, the use of the DVD authoring capabilities on Final Cut Pro meant that the editing team was able to look at the material more often, sharing it with more people, and changing the way that they looked at certain scenes.
While Hollywood movies require editing tools of the highest order, the range of effects that you can achieve using Final Cut Pro is impressive - as well as the standard ripple, roll, slip, slide, scrub, razor blade and time remapping edit functions, Final Cut Pro also comes with a range of video transitions and a range of video and audio filters that will take your film project to the next level.
It is clear that Final Cut Pro is definitely now a star in the editing of Hollywood movies, it is time to make it a star in editing your movies as well.
Benjamin Arango
Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Benjamin Arango
Benjamin Arango
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Developed as video editing software that has been developed by Apple, Final Cut Pro began life as software designed to made simple video editing accessible for video hobbyists and independent filmmakers. However, in recent years the capabilities of Final Cut Pro have evolved significantly and we are now seeing major Hollywood movies also being edited with this software.
Do you want to turn your own video into a Hollywood film-like video? Check this guide on How to make big-budget cinematic look video with Final Cut Pro.
You may also like: 8 Best Movie Trailer Template for After Effects
Top 10 Movies Made by Final Cut Pro
Let’s take a look at ten major movies that have been edited using Final Cut Pro.
1. The Social Network (2010)
Based on the rise of the phenomenon that we now know as Facebook, The Social Network starred Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. The movie performed well at the box office and was also positively received by movie critics.
The film won an Academy Award for Best Editing, collected by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall. They used Final Cut Pro to edit the film, and one of the things they really like about the software is the ability to do multiple timelines. Final Cut Pro was also used in this movie to enable face replacement in a number of scenes. Two of the key characters in the movie are twins, and so the scenes were filmed with actors (who weren’t twins) and then the editing software was used to create the illusion that they were twins. Digital matte paintings was another feature of this movie that relied on the functionality of Final Cut Pro.
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
This was the US adaptation of the earlier Swedish film of the same name - based on the novel by Stieg Larsson. Starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, the story is a crime thriller trying to uncover the secrets surrounding the disappearance of a young girl from a wealthy family.
One of the challenges with this movie was that there were a lot of invisible effects throughout the film. Final Cut Pro was used to achieve the shot stabilization and the visual enhancements - everything from matte painting to creating seasonal elements such as snow.
3. John Carter (2011)
A science fiction adventure, this film performed so badly at the box office that it caused major financial problems for its studio Disney.
The editing of the John Carter movie was a particular challenge as a lot of the action was shot twice during the troubled production. The editor Eric Zumbrunnen used Final Cut Pro to piece the various elements together. With a huge range of CGI and creature effects to deal with, the editing process on this movie was extremely complex. Final Cut Pro was used to create a lot of the background detail need to bring the green screen scenes to life.
4. 500 Days of Summer (2009)
This was a cute, quirky romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.
Editing on the movie was by Alan Edward Bell in DVCPro HD format on Final Cut Pro. Because the storyline of the movie unfolds in a non-linear timeline, the workflow feature of Final Cut Pro made it easier to manage the sequencing of the different scenes. There were also 250 invisible effects which were created using Final Cut Pro’s editing features.
5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Continuing the X-Men franchise, this installment traces Wolverine’s childhood and the relationship with his brother. It didn’t really appeal to X-Men fans or movie critics.
Editing on the movie was by Nicolas De Toth and Megan Gill. There were a number of continuity glitches identified during the production of this movie but De Toth and Gill used Final Pro Cut to keep a consistent flow to the narrative. What is interesting about the editing on this movie is that all the cutting of the scenes required was done on Final Cut Pro 5, taking advantage of the software’s HD abilities and also the multi-clip features.
6. Burn After Reading (2008)
A black comedy from the talented brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, they wrote, produced, edited, and directed the movie.
The Coen brothers used Final Cut Pro on this movie because it was simple and easy to use - they were blocking together the rough cuts as the scenes were being shot, and Final Cut Pro gave them the flexibility that they needed to edit quickly. On this movie most of the action was shot using Sony cameras but there were several scenes on which a RED camera was added when an additional camera was needed. Even though there is a significantly different workflow between the two types of camera, the RED material was able to be integrated smoothly with the Sony footage.
7. No Country for Old Men (2007)
A neo-Western thriller from Coen brothers. They directed, wrote, and edited this production.
The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing for editor Roderick Jaynes (a pseudonym for Joel and Ethan Coen).
Directing and editing a movie brings the two processes a lot closer together for the Coen brothers. An easy to use product such as Final Cut Pro ensures that they can construct the movie’s narrative using the timeline features of the product. This movie marked a chance in approach for the Coen brothers, who took advantage of the better resolution DVCPRO HD for their cutting process compared to earlier films that were cut at DV resolution.
8. 300 (2007)
Based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, this is the fictionalized retelling of the Battle Termopylae - part of the Persian Wars. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie was filmed with a super-imposition chroma key technique to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book. Editing on the movie was by William Hoy.
To capture the graphic novel look and feel of the film’s images, editor Hoy used a number of the key Final Cut Pro features such as the adjustment layer and blending modes to create depth and mood. With the look and feel of this movie so dependent on the effects created, editor Hoy spent a lot of time debating what was being added visually to each shot and how this would impact the length and continuity of each scene.
9. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
With big name stars (Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law), this was an unusual film that used digital artists to build multi-layered 2D and 3D backgrounds for live action footage, with hand-drawn storyboards recreated as computer-generated 3D animatics. Critically it was well received but didn’t set the box office alight.
Editing on the movie was by Sabrina Plisco.
Final Cut Pro was particularly critical to create a scene between two characters that was shot in a physical set (unlike the digital soundstage that was used for the rest of the movie). Final Cut Pro allowed the filmmakers to line up the animatics with the live onstage footage. One of the challenges with this movie is that the editors had to manually assign time-codes to each take - the clips were then rendered out and sorted so that they could be used on a Final Cut Pro SD workstation. This approach was also used to create the master off-line cut. Batch lists of the cuts were then imported into Final Cut Pro.
10. Cold Mountain (2003)
This is an epic Civil War drama based on the novel by Charles Frazier. Starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger this was critically acclaimed and performed reasonably well at the box office.
The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing let by editor Walter Murch.
This was really seen as the breakthrough movie for the use of Final Cut Pro in Hollywood Movies. An entire book has been produced analysing how editor Murch used Final Cut Pro to edit the movie and analysis its impact on future cinema productions. Editor Murch believes that the use of Final Cut Pro on this movie indirected affected the ultimate creative outcome. In particular, the use of the DVD authoring capabilities on Final Cut Pro meant that the editing team was able to look at the material more often, sharing it with more people, and changing the way that they looked at certain scenes.
While Hollywood movies require editing tools of the highest order, the range of effects that you can achieve using Final Cut Pro is impressive - as well as the standard ripple, roll, slip, slide, scrub, razor blade and time remapping edit functions, Final Cut Pro also comes with a range of video transitions and a range of video and audio filters that will take your film project to the next level.
It is clear that Final Cut Pro is definitely now a star in the editing of Hollywood movies, it is time to make it a star in editing your movies as well.
Benjamin Arango
Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Benjamin Arango
Benjamin Arango
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Developed as video editing software that has been developed by Apple, Final Cut Pro began life as software designed to made simple video editing accessible for video hobbyists and independent filmmakers. However, in recent years the capabilities of Final Cut Pro have evolved significantly and we are now seeing major Hollywood movies also being edited with this software.
Do you want to turn your own video into a Hollywood film-like video? Check this guide on How to make big-budget cinematic look video with Final Cut Pro.
You may also like: 8 Best Movie Trailer Template for After Effects
Top 10 Movies Made by Final Cut Pro
Let’s take a look at ten major movies that have been edited using Final Cut Pro.
1. The Social Network (2010)
Based on the rise of the phenomenon that we now know as Facebook, The Social Network starred Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. The movie performed well at the box office and was also positively received by movie critics.
The film won an Academy Award for Best Editing, collected by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall. They used Final Cut Pro to edit the film, and one of the things they really like about the software is the ability to do multiple timelines. Final Cut Pro was also used in this movie to enable face replacement in a number of scenes. Two of the key characters in the movie are twins, and so the scenes were filmed with actors (who weren’t twins) and then the editing software was used to create the illusion that they were twins. Digital matte paintings was another feature of this movie that relied on the functionality of Final Cut Pro.
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
This was the US adaptation of the earlier Swedish film of the same name - based on the novel by Stieg Larsson. Starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, the story is a crime thriller trying to uncover the secrets surrounding the disappearance of a young girl from a wealthy family.
One of the challenges with this movie was that there were a lot of invisible effects throughout the film. Final Cut Pro was used to achieve the shot stabilization and the visual enhancements - everything from matte painting to creating seasonal elements such as snow.
3. John Carter (2011)
A science fiction adventure, this film performed so badly at the box office that it caused major financial problems for its studio Disney.
The editing of the John Carter movie was a particular challenge as a lot of the action was shot twice during the troubled production. The editor Eric Zumbrunnen used Final Cut Pro to piece the various elements together. With a huge range of CGI and creature effects to deal with, the editing process on this movie was extremely complex. Final Cut Pro was used to create a lot of the background detail need to bring the green screen scenes to life.
4. 500 Days of Summer (2009)
This was a cute, quirky romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.
Editing on the movie was by Alan Edward Bell in DVCPro HD format on Final Cut Pro. Because the storyline of the movie unfolds in a non-linear timeline, the workflow feature of Final Cut Pro made it easier to manage the sequencing of the different scenes. There were also 250 invisible effects which were created using Final Cut Pro’s editing features.
5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Continuing the X-Men franchise, this installment traces Wolverine’s childhood and the relationship with his brother. It didn’t really appeal to X-Men fans or movie critics.
Editing on the movie was by Nicolas De Toth and Megan Gill. There were a number of continuity glitches identified during the production of this movie but De Toth and Gill used Final Pro Cut to keep a consistent flow to the narrative. What is interesting about the editing on this movie is that all the cutting of the scenes required was done on Final Cut Pro 5, taking advantage of the software’s HD abilities and also the multi-clip features.
6. Burn After Reading (2008)
A black comedy from the talented brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, they wrote, produced, edited, and directed the movie.
The Coen brothers used Final Cut Pro on this movie because it was simple and easy to use - they were blocking together the rough cuts as the scenes were being shot, and Final Cut Pro gave them the flexibility that they needed to edit quickly. On this movie most of the action was shot using Sony cameras but there were several scenes on which a RED camera was added when an additional camera was needed. Even though there is a significantly different workflow between the two types of camera, the RED material was able to be integrated smoothly with the Sony footage.
7. No Country for Old Men (2007)
A neo-Western thriller from Coen brothers. They directed, wrote, and edited this production.
The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing for editor Roderick Jaynes (a pseudonym for Joel and Ethan Coen).
Directing and editing a movie brings the two processes a lot closer together for the Coen brothers. An easy to use product such as Final Cut Pro ensures that they can construct the movie’s narrative using the timeline features of the product. This movie marked a chance in approach for the Coen brothers, who took advantage of the better resolution DVCPRO HD for their cutting process compared to earlier films that were cut at DV resolution.
8. 300 (2007)
Based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, this is the fictionalized retelling of the Battle Termopylae - part of the Persian Wars. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie was filmed with a super-imposition chroma key technique to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book. Editing on the movie was by William Hoy.
To capture the graphic novel look and feel of the film’s images, editor Hoy used a number of the key Final Cut Pro features such as the adjustment layer and blending modes to create depth and mood. With the look and feel of this movie so dependent on the effects created, editor Hoy spent a lot of time debating what was being added visually to each shot and how this would impact the length and continuity of each scene.
9. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
With big name stars (Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law), this was an unusual film that used digital artists to build multi-layered 2D and 3D backgrounds for live action footage, with hand-drawn storyboards recreated as computer-generated 3D animatics. Critically it was well received but didn’t set the box office alight.
Editing on the movie was by Sabrina Plisco.
Final Cut Pro was particularly critical to create a scene between two characters that was shot in a physical set (unlike the digital soundstage that was used for the rest of the movie). Final Cut Pro allowed the filmmakers to line up the animatics with the live onstage footage. One of the challenges with this movie is that the editors had to manually assign time-codes to each take - the clips were then rendered out and sorted so that they could be used on a Final Cut Pro SD workstation. This approach was also used to create the master off-line cut. Batch lists of the cuts were then imported into Final Cut Pro.
10. Cold Mountain (2003)
This is an epic Civil War drama based on the novel by Charles Frazier. Starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger this was critically acclaimed and performed reasonably well at the box office.
The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing let by editor Walter Murch.
This was really seen as the breakthrough movie for the use of Final Cut Pro in Hollywood Movies. An entire book has been produced analysing how editor Murch used Final Cut Pro to edit the movie and analysis its impact on future cinema productions. Editor Murch believes that the use of Final Cut Pro on this movie indirected affected the ultimate creative outcome. In particular, the use of the DVD authoring capabilities on Final Cut Pro meant that the editing team was able to look at the material more often, sharing it with more people, and changing the way that they looked at certain scenes.
While Hollywood movies require editing tools of the highest order, the range of effects that you can achieve using Final Cut Pro is impressive - as well as the standard ripple, roll, slip, slide, scrub, razor blade and time remapping edit functions, Final Cut Pro also comes with a range of video transitions and a range of video and audio filters that will take your film project to the next level.
It is clear that Final Cut Pro is definitely now a star in the editing of Hollywood movies, it is time to make it a star in editing your movies as well.
Benjamin Arango
Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Benjamin Arango
The Ultimate Guide to Creating Viral Reaction Videos with Filmora
How to Make a Reaction Video Easier Than Ever With Filmora
Liza Brown
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
With several video-sharing platforms and billions of videos on those platforms, it is very difficult and competitive to make your mark and have an identity. There are hundreds of categories of videos that you can find on the platforms like Youtube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, and more. Among all those categories, reaction videos are one of the most popular categories. It allows a person to review another person’s opinion, view, or idea about any particular issue or instance. Most of the video-sharing platforms enable their users to make all kinds of reaction videos without any restriction. Having such a huge competition makes it hard to stand out and attract viewers.
Have you ever seen videos where the reactor has a transparent background instead of the rectangle box in the corner? They look nice and engaging, right? The process of making such videos will require so many materials such as a green screen, stand, and other materials to support it. It is difficult for everyone to afford all these and secondly, it is very difficult to carry from one place to another.
With Filmora X, you can create such transparent background reaction videos without such expensive material. Filmora has launched a new feature name AI Portrait that uses artificial intelligence to create amazing and cool effects. It uses the latest technology to separate the background and humans in the footage to help you remove the background with a single click. So, let’s get started with the process of making stunning reaction videos with Filmora’s AI Portrait.
You might be interested in:
Step 01: Open Filmora X. If it is not already installed on your PC, you can download it from here and install it on your PC.
Step 02: Import the video that you want to react to and your reaction video. If you have not already recorded your reaction, then record it first using any camera or smartphone.
Step 03: Place both of these videos into the timeline. Make sure to place your reaction above.
Step 04: Select your reaction video on the timeline and go to the “Effects”. Here you will find a new folder named “AI Portrait”, open it. Here you will find multiple AI portrait effects.
Step 05: Our goal is to remove the background of the reaction. To do that, we will use Human Segmentation. Drag and drop Human Segmentation into the reaction video. If you haven’t purchased this effect already, it will ask you to buy it to export the video. But you want to try it first, click on “Try It.”
Step 06: Once the effect is successfully applied to the video, its background will be removed automatically.
Step 07: Adjust the video by making it smaller and place it in the bottom left corner of the screen. Your reaction video is ready to be uploaded on video-sharing platforms.
Step 08: To make your video look cool and stunning, you can also add multiple other effects to your reaction. AI portrait allows you to add a border around the character to make it look more visible and separate it from another video. Go to the AI portrait and drag Human Border Effect and drop it into your reaction. It will create an outline around the character and make it look more visible.
Step 09: In some instances, you might need to change the position or size of your reaction. You can easily do that by applying the Keyframes to it. If you feel like changing the part of your reaction at some point in the video, go to that point in the timeline and click on the keyframe button above the timeline.
Step 10: Once you click on the keyframe, it will add a keyframe to the video. Now move forward into the timeline to a point and adjust your character’s position by dragging it. Let’s move it to the bottom right corner. It will add another keyframe to the video in the timeline. Now the character will change its position from the left corner to the right corner once it reaches that specific point in time.
Conclusion
AI Portrait allows you to create wonderful effects using artificial intelligence. This is one of the best uses of AI to make stunning reaction videos. It will not only save you a lot of time but will also help you save a lot of money by helping you remove the background of your video without expensive materials such as a green screen and other materials related to it.
Liza Brown
Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Liza Brown
Liza Brown
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
With several video-sharing platforms and billions of videos on those platforms, it is very difficult and competitive to make your mark and have an identity. There are hundreds of categories of videos that you can find on the platforms like Youtube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, and more. Among all those categories, reaction videos are one of the most popular categories. It allows a person to review another person’s opinion, view, or idea about any particular issue or instance. Most of the video-sharing platforms enable their users to make all kinds of reaction videos without any restriction. Having such a huge competition makes it hard to stand out and attract viewers.
Have you ever seen videos where the reactor has a transparent background instead of the rectangle box in the corner? They look nice and engaging, right? The process of making such videos will require so many materials such as a green screen, stand, and other materials to support it. It is difficult for everyone to afford all these and secondly, it is very difficult to carry from one place to another.
With Filmora X, you can create such transparent background reaction videos without such expensive material. Filmora has launched a new feature name AI Portrait that uses artificial intelligence to create amazing and cool effects. It uses the latest technology to separate the background and humans in the footage to help you remove the background with a single click. So, let’s get started with the process of making stunning reaction videos with Filmora’s AI Portrait.
You might be interested in:
Step 01: Open Filmora X. If it is not already installed on your PC, you can download it from here and install it on your PC.
Step 02: Import the video that you want to react to and your reaction video. If you have not already recorded your reaction, then record it first using any camera or smartphone.
Step 03: Place both of these videos into the timeline. Make sure to place your reaction above.
Step 04: Select your reaction video on the timeline and go to the “Effects”. Here you will find a new folder named “AI Portrait”, open it. Here you will find multiple AI portrait effects.
Step 05: Our goal is to remove the background of the reaction. To do that, we will use Human Segmentation. Drag and drop Human Segmentation into the reaction video. If you haven’t purchased this effect already, it will ask you to buy it to export the video. But you want to try it first, click on “Try It.”
Step 06: Once the effect is successfully applied to the video, its background will be removed automatically.
Step 07: Adjust the video by making it smaller and place it in the bottom left corner of the screen. Your reaction video is ready to be uploaded on video-sharing platforms.
Step 08: To make your video look cool and stunning, you can also add multiple other effects to your reaction. AI portrait allows you to add a border around the character to make it look more visible and separate it from another video. Go to the AI portrait and drag Human Border Effect and drop it into your reaction. It will create an outline around the character and make it look more visible.
Step 09: In some instances, you might need to change the position or size of your reaction. You can easily do that by applying the Keyframes to it. If you feel like changing the part of your reaction at some point in the video, go to that point in the timeline and click on the keyframe button above the timeline.
Step 10: Once you click on the keyframe, it will add a keyframe to the video. Now move forward into the timeline to a point and adjust your character’s position by dragging it. Let’s move it to the bottom right corner. It will add another keyframe to the video in the timeline. Now the character will change its position from the left corner to the right corner once it reaches that specific point in time.
Conclusion
AI Portrait allows you to create wonderful effects using artificial intelligence. This is one of the best uses of AI to make stunning reaction videos. It will not only save you a lot of time but will also help you save a lot of money by helping you remove the background of your video without expensive materials such as a green screen and other materials related to it.
Liza Brown
Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Liza Brown
Liza Brown
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
With several video-sharing platforms and billions of videos on those platforms, it is very difficult and competitive to make your mark and have an identity. There are hundreds of categories of videos that you can find on the platforms like Youtube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, and more. Among all those categories, reaction videos are one of the most popular categories. It allows a person to review another person’s opinion, view, or idea about any particular issue or instance. Most of the video-sharing platforms enable their users to make all kinds of reaction videos without any restriction. Having such a huge competition makes it hard to stand out and attract viewers.
Have you ever seen videos where the reactor has a transparent background instead of the rectangle box in the corner? They look nice and engaging, right? The process of making such videos will require so many materials such as a green screen, stand, and other materials to support it. It is difficult for everyone to afford all these and secondly, it is very difficult to carry from one place to another.
With Filmora X, you can create such transparent background reaction videos without such expensive material. Filmora has launched a new feature name AI Portrait that uses artificial intelligence to create amazing and cool effects. It uses the latest technology to separate the background and humans in the footage to help you remove the background with a single click. So, let’s get started with the process of making stunning reaction videos with Filmora’s AI Portrait.
You might be interested in:
Step 01: Open Filmora X. If it is not already installed on your PC, you can download it from here and install it on your PC.
Step 02: Import the video that you want to react to and your reaction video. If you have not already recorded your reaction, then record it first using any camera or smartphone.
Step 03: Place both of these videos into the timeline. Make sure to place your reaction above.
Step 04: Select your reaction video on the timeline and go to the “Effects”. Here you will find a new folder named “AI Portrait”, open it. Here you will find multiple AI portrait effects.
Step 05: Our goal is to remove the background of the reaction. To do that, we will use Human Segmentation. Drag and drop Human Segmentation into the reaction video. If you haven’t purchased this effect already, it will ask you to buy it to export the video. But you want to try it first, click on “Try It.”
Step 06: Once the effect is successfully applied to the video, its background will be removed automatically.
Step 07: Adjust the video by making it smaller and place it in the bottom left corner of the screen. Your reaction video is ready to be uploaded on video-sharing platforms.
Step 08: To make your video look cool and stunning, you can also add multiple other effects to your reaction. AI portrait allows you to add a border around the character to make it look more visible and separate it from another video. Go to the AI portrait and drag Human Border Effect and drop it into your reaction. It will create an outline around the character and make it look more visible.
Step 09: In some instances, you might need to change the position or size of your reaction. You can easily do that by applying the Keyframes to it. If you feel like changing the part of your reaction at some point in the video, go to that point in the timeline and click on the keyframe button above the timeline.
Step 10: Once you click on the keyframe, it will add a keyframe to the video. Now move forward into the timeline to a point and adjust your character’s position by dragging it. Let’s move it to the bottom right corner. It will add another keyframe to the video in the timeline. Now the character will change its position from the left corner to the right corner once it reaches that specific point in time.
Conclusion
AI Portrait allows you to create wonderful effects using artificial intelligence. This is one of the best uses of AI to make stunning reaction videos. It will not only save you a lot of time but will also help you save a lot of money by helping you remove the background of your video without expensive materials such as a green screen and other materials related to it.
Liza Brown
Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Liza Brown
Liza Brown
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
With several video-sharing platforms and billions of videos on those platforms, it is very difficult and competitive to make your mark and have an identity. There are hundreds of categories of videos that you can find on the platforms like Youtube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, and more. Among all those categories, reaction videos are one of the most popular categories. It allows a person to review another person’s opinion, view, or idea about any particular issue or instance. Most of the video-sharing platforms enable their users to make all kinds of reaction videos without any restriction. Having such a huge competition makes it hard to stand out and attract viewers.
Have you ever seen videos where the reactor has a transparent background instead of the rectangle box in the corner? They look nice and engaging, right? The process of making such videos will require so many materials such as a green screen, stand, and other materials to support it. It is difficult for everyone to afford all these and secondly, it is very difficult to carry from one place to another.
With Filmora X, you can create such transparent background reaction videos without such expensive material. Filmora has launched a new feature name AI Portrait that uses artificial intelligence to create amazing and cool effects. It uses the latest technology to separate the background and humans in the footage to help you remove the background with a single click. So, let’s get started with the process of making stunning reaction videos with Filmora’s AI Portrait.
You might be interested in:
Step 01: Open Filmora X. If it is not already installed on your PC, you can download it from here and install it on your PC.
Step 02: Import the video that you want to react to and your reaction video. If you have not already recorded your reaction, then record it first using any camera or smartphone.
Step 03: Place both of these videos into the timeline. Make sure to place your reaction above.
Step 04: Select your reaction video on the timeline and go to the “Effects”. Here you will find a new folder named “AI Portrait”, open it. Here you will find multiple AI portrait effects.
Step 05: Our goal is to remove the background of the reaction. To do that, we will use Human Segmentation. Drag and drop Human Segmentation into the reaction video. If you haven’t purchased this effect already, it will ask you to buy it to export the video. But you want to try it first, click on “Try It.”
Step 06: Once the effect is successfully applied to the video, its background will be removed automatically.
Step 07: Adjust the video by making it smaller and place it in the bottom left corner of the screen. Your reaction video is ready to be uploaded on video-sharing platforms.
Step 08: To make your video look cool and stunning, you can also add multiple other effects to your reaction. AI portrait allows you to add a border around the character to make it look more visible and separate it from another video. Go to the AI portrait and drag Human Border Effect and drop it into your reaction. It will create an outline around the character and make it look more visible.
Step 09: In some instances, you might need to change the position or size of your reaction. You can easily do that by applying the Keyframes to it. If you feel like changing the part of your reaction at some point in the video, go to that point in the timeline and click on the keyframe button above the timeline.
Step 10: Once you click on the keyframe, it will add a keyframe to the video. Now move forward into the timeline to a point and adjust your character’s position by dragging it. Let’s move it to the bottom right corner. It will add another keyframe to the video in the timeline. Now the character will change its position from the left corner to the right corner once it reaches that specific point in time.
Conclusion
AI Portrait allows you to create wonderful effects using artificial intelligence. This is one of the best uses of AI to make stunning reaction videos. It will not only save you a lot of time but will also help you save a lot of money by helping you remove the background of your video without expensive materials such as a green screen and other materials related to it.
Liza Brown
Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Liza Brown
Top 10 2D Animation Tools : Free and Paid Options
10 Best 2D Animation Software in 2024 [Free/Paid]
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.
Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.
If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.
- Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
- Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
- Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
- Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
Recommend free download animation maker Filmora
If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.
It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.
Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download
| No. | Product Name | Supported OS | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Synfig | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 2 | Opentoonz | Windows and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 3 | Maefloresta | iPhone and Android | Free | Beginners |
| 4 | Pencil 2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 5 | Toon Boom Harmony | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $109 per month | Professionals |
| 6 | CelAction2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $1300 for one single license | Professionals |
| 7 | Moho (Anime Studio) Pro | Windows and OSX | $399.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 8 | Stop Motion Studio | Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS | $59.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 9 | FlipBook | Windows and OSX | $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 | Professionals |
| 10 | Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator | Windows and OSX | $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro | Professionals |
Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.
Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.
Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.
The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.
Features:
- Supports multiple layers of content
- The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
- Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video
02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.
Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.
Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.
And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.
Features:
- GTS scanning tool
- Ability to change picture styles
- Add distortion and light effects
- Compatible with black and white and colored scans
03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone
Price: Free
Compatibility: iPhone and Android
Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.
Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.
The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.
There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.
Features:
- The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
- Easy animation software with tutorials
- Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease
04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.
Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.
Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.
You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.
Features:
- Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
- Raster and vector workflow switching
- Cross-platform compatibility to free download
Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional
Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.
Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.
Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.
This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.
You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.
Features:
- Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
- Advanced color palettes and paint options
- 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
- Cut-out animation tools
- Traditional paperless animation.
06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation
Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.
Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.
Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.
While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.
You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.
It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.
Features:
- Easy and fast to use for professional users
- Features ergonomic controls
- Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
- Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
- The multiplane camera features let you have more controls
07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software
Price: $399.99 for the full package.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.
Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.
Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.
While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.
There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.
Features:
- Enhanced freehand drawing tools
- Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
- Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
- Realistic motion blur
- Animation for multiple layers at the same time
08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.
Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS
Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.
Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.
Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?
Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.
You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.
And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.
Features:
- Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
- Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
- Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
- DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings
09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.
Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.
FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.
If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.
Features:
- Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
- You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
- Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
- You can use a scanner to import images
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.
Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.
CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.
Features:
- Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
- Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
- For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>
Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
Step 1 Put forward an idea
A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.
It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.
Step 2 Make a storyboard
After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.
Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.
Step 3 Produce materials
At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.
Step 4 Animation
After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.
Step 5 Animation editing
In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.
Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.
Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel
Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.
Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
01 What is the best 2D animation software?
It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.
02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?
For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.
03 Is there any free animation software?
For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.
Conclusion
Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.
If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.
Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.
If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.
- Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
- Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
- Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
- Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
Recommend free download animation maker Filmora
If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.
It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.
Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download
| No. | Product Name | Supported OS | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Synfig | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 2 | Opentoonz | Windows and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 3 | Maefloresta | iPhone and Android | Free | Beginners |
| 4 | Pencil 2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 5 | Toon Boom Harmony | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $109 per month | Professionals |
| 6 | CelAction2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $1300 for one single license | Professionals |
| 7 | Moho (Anime Studio) Pro | Windows and OSX | $399.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 8 | Stop Motion Studio | Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS | $59.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 9 | FlipBook | Windows and OSX | $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 | Professionals |
| 10 | Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator | Windows and OSX | $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro | Professionals |
Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.
Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.
Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.
The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.
Features:
- Supports multiple layers of content
- The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
- Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video
02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.
Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.
Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.
And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.
Features:
- GTS scanning tool
- Ability to change picture styles
- Add distortion and light effects
- Compatible with black and white and colored scans
03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone
Price: Free
Compatibility: iPhone and Android
Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.
Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.
The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.
There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.
Features:
- The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
- Easy animation software with tutorials
- Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease
04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.
Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.
Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.
You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.
Features:
- Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
- Raster and vector workflow switching
- Cross-platform compatibility to free download
Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional
Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.
Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.
Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.
This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.
You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.
Features:
- Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
- Advanced color palettes and paint options
- 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
- Cut-out animation tools
- Traditional paperless animation.
06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation
Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.
Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.
Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.
While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.
You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.
It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.
Features:
- Easy and fast to use for professional users
- Features ergonomic controls
- Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
- Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
- The multiplane camera features let you have more controls
07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software
Price: $399.99 for the full package.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.
Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.
Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.
While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.
There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.
Features:
- Enhanced freehand drawing tools
- Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
- Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
- Realistic motion blur
- Animation for multiple layers at the same time
08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.
Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS
Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.
Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.
Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?
Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.
You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.
And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.
Features:
- Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
- Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
- Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
- DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings
09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.
Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.
FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.
If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.
Features:
- Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
- You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
- Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
- You can use a scanner to import images
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.
Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.
CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.
Features:
- Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
- Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
- For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>
Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
Step 1 Put forward an idea
A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.
It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.
Step 2 Make a storyboard
After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.
Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.
Step 3 Produce materials
At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.
Step 4 Animation
After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.
Step 5 Animation editing
In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.
Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.
Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel
Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.
Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
01 What is the best 2D animation software?
It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.
02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?
For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.
03 Is there any free animation software?
For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.
Conclusion
Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.
If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.
Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.
If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.
- Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
- Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
- Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
- Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
Recommend free download animation maker Filmora
If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.
It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.
Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download
| No. | Product Name | Supported OS | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Synfig | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 2 | Opentoonz | Windows and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 3 | Maefloresta | iPhone and Android | Free | Beginners |
| 4 | Pencil 2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 5 | Toon Boom Harmony | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $109 per month | Professionals |
| 6 | CelAction2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $1300 for one single license | Professionals |
| 7 | Moho (Anime Studio) Pro | Windows and OSX | $399.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 8 | Stop Motion Studio | Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS | $59.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 9 | FlipBook | Windows and OSX | $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 | Professionals |
| 10 | Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator | Windows and OSX | $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro | Professionals |
Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.
Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.
Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.
The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.
Features:
- Supports multiple layers of content
- The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
- Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video
02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.
Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.
Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.
And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.
Features:
- GTS scanning tool
- Ability to change picture styles
- Add distortion and light effects
- Compatible with black and white and colored scans
03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone
Price: Free
Compatibility: iPhone and Android
Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.
Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.
The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.
There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.
Features:
- The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
- Easy animation software with tutorials
- Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease
04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.
Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.
Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.
You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.
Features:
- Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
- Raster and vector workflow switching
- Cross-platform compatibility to free download
Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional
Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.
Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.
Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.
This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.
You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.
Features:
- Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
- Advanced color palettes and paint options
- 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
- Cut-out animation tools
- Traditional paperless animation.
06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation
Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.
Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.
Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.
While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.
You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.
It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.
Features:
- Easy and fast to use for professional users
- Features ergonomic controls
- Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
- Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
- The multiplane camera features let you have more controls
07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software
Price: $399.99 for the full package.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.
Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.
Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.
While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.
There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.
Features:
- Enhanced freehand drawing tools
- Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
- Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
- Realistic motion blur
- Animation for multiple layers at the same time
08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.
Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS
Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.
Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.
Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?
Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.
You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.
And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.
Features:
- Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
- Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
- Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
- DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings
09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.
Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.
FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.
If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.
Features:
- Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
- You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
- Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
- You can use a scanner to import images
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.
Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.
CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.
Features:
- Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
- Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
- For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>
Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
Step 1 Put forward an idea
A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.
It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.
Step 2 Make a storyboard
After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.
Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.
Step 3 Produce materials
At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.
Step 4 Animation
After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.
Step 5 Animation editing
In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.
Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.
Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel
Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.
Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
01 What is the best 2D animation software?
It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.
02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?
For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.
03 Is there any free animation software?
For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.
Conclusion
Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.
If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.
Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.
If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.
- Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
- Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
- Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
- Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
Recommend free download animation maker Filmora
If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.
It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.
Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download
| No. | Product Name | Supported OS | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Synfig | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 2 | Opentoonz | Windows and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 3 | Maefloresta | iPhone and Android | Free | Beginners |
| 4 | Pencil 2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 5 | Toon Boom Harmony | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $109 per month | Professionals |
| 6 | CelAction2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $1300 for one single license | Professionals |
| 7 | Moho (Anime Studio) Pro | Windows and OSX | $399.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 8 | Stop Motion Studio | Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS | $59.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 9 | FlipBook | Windows and OSX | $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 | Professionals |
| 10 | Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator | Windows and OSX | $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro | Professionals |
Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.
Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.
Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.
The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.
Features:
- Supports multiple layers of content
- The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
- Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video
02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.
Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.
Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.
And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.
Features:
- GTS scanning tool
- Ability to change picture styles
- Add distortion and light effects
- Compatible with black and white and colored scans
03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone
Price: Free
Compatibility: iPhone and Android
Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.
Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.
The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.
There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.
Features:
- The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
- Easy animation software with tutorials
- Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease
04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.
Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.
Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.
You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.
Features:
- Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
- Raster and vector workflow switching
- Cross-platform compatibility to free download
Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional
Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.
Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.
Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.
This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.
You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.
Features:
- Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
- Advanced color palettes and paint options
- 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
- Cut-out animation tools
- Traditional paperless animation.
06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation
Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.
Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.
Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.
While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.
You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.
It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.
Features:
- Easy and fast to use for professional users
- Features ergonomic controls
- Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
- Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
- The multiplane camera features let you have more controls
07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software
Price: $399.99 for the full package.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.
Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.
Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.
While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.
There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.
Features:
- Enhanced freehand drawing tools
- Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
- Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
- Realistic motion blur
- Animation for multiple layers at the same time
08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.
Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS
Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.
Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.
Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?
Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.
You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.
And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.
Features:
- Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
- Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
- Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
- DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings
09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.
Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.
FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.
If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.
Features:
- Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
- You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
- Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
- You can use a scanner to import images
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.
Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.
CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.
Features:
- Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
- Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
- For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>
Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
Step 1 Put forward an idea
A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.
It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.
Step 2 Make a storyboard
After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.
Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.
Step 3 Produce materials
At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.
Step 4 Animation
After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.
Step 5 Animation editing
In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.
Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.
Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel
Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.
Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
01 What is the best 2D animation software?
It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.
02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?
For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.
03 Is there any free animation software?
For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.
Conclusion
Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.
If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Also read:
- Beyond the Standard Exploring Unconventional Aspect Ratios for YouTube Success for 2024
- In 2024, TiVo or Comcast The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best DVR for Your Needs
- Updated Create Stunning Video Invites with These iOS and Android Apps for 2024
- New In 2024, The Complete Guide to Downloading and Using Windows Movie Maker
- Learn How to Trim Video with Kapwing Editor Online
- 2024 Approved Insights From Top OGG Conversion Tools
- Updated In 2024, 6 Best Movie Intro Maker to Custom Your Intro Videos
- New S Best Movie Making Software for Windows PCs for 2024
- Updated Best Free Subtitle Makers Online for 2024
- 10 Windows Movie Maker Free Alternatives for 2024
- New Windows Video Editing Apps The Best iMovie Substitutes
- Updated Elevate Your WhatsApp Game Best Video and Photo Editors for 2024
- Updated 2024 Approved Trim and Edit Videos for Free on Windows 10 Top Options
- New Create DVD Copies of Your Videos A Step-by-Step Guide for Windows and Mac
- In 2024, Free Video Spinner Top 10 Tools to Rotate and Flip Videos
- New 2024 Approved Top Simple Video Editors for Newbies
- New 2024 Approved Blurring Faces with Best Video Editing Software
- 2024 Approved Resize Images Online 8 Efficient Aspect Ratio Changers
- Updated From Sound to Sight Key Considerations for MP3 to MP4 Conversion
- Updated Aspect Ratio Made Easy A Calculator and Tutorial
- New In 2024, Calculate with Ease The Best Aspect Ratio Tools Online
- 2024 Approved Lego Animation All-Stars The Top Creators
- Updated Easy Ways to Do VHS Effect with Final Cut Pro for 2024
- In 2024, FCP X Essentials How to Achieve Professional Chroma Keying Results
- Updated Best Free Video Editing Software for Beginners for 2024
- In 2024, Virtual Identity Studio Top Free Online Face Creation Tools
- New Best Chroma Key Software for Mac Reviews and Comparisons for 2024
- Updated IPhone Video Editing Showdown Top 5 Apps Compared
- New In 2024, Selecting the Best YouTube to MP4 Converter A Speedy Guide
- New In 2024, Unlock Twitter Video Aspect Ratios in Seconds
- Video Tempo Changers Best Free and Paid Options for Windows, Mac, and Online for 2024
- 2024 Approved The Ultimate List of WhatsApp Status Video Makers Free + Paid
- New Uncomplicate Your Edit Simple Video Editing Solutions
- New In 2024, Designing Engaging Lower Thirds for Final Cut Pro X Projects
- New How to Download and Use KineMaster on Your Mac for 2024
- New AVS Video Editor Review Update Whats New , In 2024
- New Get VLLO on Mac Explore Top Alternatives for 2024
- Updated In 2024, Ranking the Best Video Editing Apps with Music for Android and iOS Devices
- Best iPhone Video Orientation Changers 5 Free Options for 2024
- In 2024, There Are so Many Music Recording Software in the Market Today, Free and Paid, Which Makes It Tough to Choose. Therefore, We Gather 10 Best Free Music Recording Software for You
- In 2024, Make Your Followers Go Wow How to Create Engaging Stop Motion Videos on Instagram
- New From Clashing to Cohesive Color Matching Techniques in PowerDirector for 2024
- Updated 2024 Approved Best of the Best Windows Video Editing Tools
- New 2024 Approved Generate Mind-Bending Glitches with These Free Online Tools
- New 2024 Approved Cloud Stop Motion Creation Tips, Tricks, and Top Software Picks
- How to Unlock Vivo X Flip Phone Password Without Factory Reset?
- In 2024, 15 Best Strongest Pokémon To Use in Pokémon GO PvP Leagues For Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 4G | Dr.fone
- 11 Best Location Changers for ZTE Nubia Z60 Ultra | Dr.fone
- How to Fix Xiaomi Redmi K70 Find My Friends No Location Found? | Dr.fone
- In 2024, How to Change GPS Location on Apple iPhone 8 Plus Easily & Safely | Dr.fone
- In 2024, How to Fix Pokemon Go Route Not Working On Apple iPhone 12 mini? | Dr.fone
- In 2024, Getting the Pokemon Go GPS Signal Not Found 11 Error in OnePlus 11R | Dr.fone
- Complete Guide to Hard Reset Your Vivo X100 Pro | Dr.fone
- How To Change Vivo T2 Pro 5G Lock Screen Clock in Seconds
- Simple and Effective Ways to Change Your Country on YouTube App Of your Asus ROG Phone 7 | Dr.fone
- In 2024, How to Show Wi-Fi Password on Vivo Y100 5G
- In 2024, How to Change Netflix Location to Get More Country Version On Nokia C12 Plus | Dr.fone
- In 2024, Which Pokémon can Evolve with a Moon Stone For Motorola Moto G14? | Dr.fone
- New In 2024, How to Make Photo 3D Cartoon Online
- How to Factory Reset iPad or iPhone X without iCloud Password or Apple ID?
- In 2024, Full Tutorial to Bypass Your Vivo V29e Face Lock?
- In 2024, How To Unlock Samsung Galaxy S24 Phone Without Password?
- Is GSM Flasher ADB Legit? Full Review To Bypass Your Oppo Reno 11F 5GFRP Lock
- In 2024, How to Transfer Apps from Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G to Another | Dr.fone
- In 2024, The Ultimate Guide to Get the Rare Candy on Pokemon Go Fire Red On Oppo A56s 5G | Dr.fone
- Updated 12 Captivating Websites with Triggered Animate on Scroll Examples for 2024
- Identify malfunctioning hardware drivers with Windows Device Manager on Windows 11 & 10 & 7
- New Best Animated Video Creators Top Picks for Online Success
- Tips And Tricks To Tell if Your iPhone 14 Pro Max Is Unlocked
- How To Update or Downgrade Apple iPhone 15 Pro Without iTunes? | Dr.fone
- 3 Best Tools to Hard Reset Infinix Hot 40i | Dr.fone
- How to Change your Apple iPhone 14 Pro Location on Twitter | Dr.fone
- In 2024, Chromebooks Best Android Video Editors for Seamless Editing
- In 2024, How To Remove Phone Number From Your Apple ID from Your iPhone 13 mini?
- In 2024, 9 Best Free Android Monitoring Apps to Monitor Phone Remotely For your Realme Narzo 60x 5G | Dr.fone
- The Most Useful Tips for Pokemon Go Ultra League On Poco M6 Pro 4G | Dr.fone
- 11 Proven Solutions to Fix Google Play Store Not Working Issue on Tecno Pova 6 Pro 5G | Dr.fone
- In 2024, Learn How To Lock Stolen Your Apple iPhone SE Properly | Dr.fone
- In 2024, 4 solution to get rid of pokemon fail to detect location On Tecno Spark 10 4G | Dr.fone
- Detailed Review of doctorSIM Unlock Service For Apple iPhone 12 | Dr.fone
- In 2024, Top 10 Password Cracking Tools For Poco F5 5G
- In 2024, Free Divx Video Cutting Solutions Expert Recommendations
- How to Fix Life360 Shows Wrong Location On Vivo S17 Pro? | Dr.fone
- Best Fixes For Samsung Galaxy F15 5G Hard Reset | Dr.fone
- Can You Unlock Apple iPhone 6 After Forgetting the Passcode?
- How To Change Your SIM PIN Code on Your Tecno Spark 20 Pro+ Phone
- How To Update or Downgrade iPhone 11 Pro Without iTunes? | Dr.fone
- 10 Best Fake GPS Location Spoofers for Poco M6 5G | Dr.fone
- How to Poco X6 Get Deleted photos Back with Ease and Safety?
- 6 Methods to Share Apple iPhone SE Screen with PC | Dr.fone
- Title: Updated Windows Movie Makers Top 6 Picks for 2024
- Author: Amelia
- Created at : 2024-04-29 19:59:36
- Updated at : 2024-04-30 19:59:36
- Link: https://ai-driven-video-production.techidaily.com/updated-windows-movie-makers-top-6-picks-for-2024/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
