The 5+ Best Software for VFX Every Filmmaker Should Know
Visual effects have seen a rise in popularity over the past decades, and they’ve given film directors more room for creativity to showcase their ideas in amazing ways!
Those of you who are about 30+ or older (like me!) will remember that visual effects were previously mainly reserved for blockbuster movies or other high-budget hits.
But nowadays, even the effects in those movies seem outdated! And as the need for ultra-realistic visual effects increased, VFX tools have become more powerful.
When my production company was editing our feature film, Spin The Wheel, we needed to find the best software for the visual effects that we wanted to add (on a budget – we are indie filmmakers!). We looked into all of the options on this list.
But out of all the software options available today, what is the best software for VFX? That’s what we’ll discuss in this post, so let’s dig in!
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What is the Best Software for VFX?
I went through some of the most popular VFX software and came up with this list. Keep reading for more details about each product, including the top features and pricing plans!
1. Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects gives you tons of options for adding VFX and graphics to your film or video.
While it can be challenging to master, it's one of the most powerful tools in the VFX software industry!
Overview
Adobe is one of the most popular software companies, and its After Effects program is a beast of a VFX editor that puts little to no restrictions on what you can do.
After Effects was released way back in 1993 and was acquired by Adobe shortly after in 1994. Since that time, it’s been nearly three decades of consistent updates and upgrades to improve its functionality and increase the upper cap on what you can achieve.
Top Features
- Layer-based animation with advanced compositing capabilities.
- Access to hundreds of plugins and scripts for a customized effect.
- 3D camera tracking and 3D motion graphics.
- Animation presets, templates, masks, and effects.
- Advanced rotoscoping tools to isolate moving objects from your footage.
Pricing
Adobe After Effects is available as a standalone program from the Adobe website at $34.49 when billed monthly. Alternatively, you can choose the annual plan to cut costs to $22.99 (when billed monthly), or $263.88 (when billed annually).
You can try out After Effects for free for seven days, thanks to the handy trial that Adobe offers.
My Experience Using Adobe After Effects
I’ve been part of many projects that have used After Effects, for everything from muzzle flashes to explosions to laser beams and UFOs.
For those just starting out with it, YouTube tutorials are a great way to get familiar with the program and where all the tools are, since it can be quite overwhelming at first.
For this example I added a video of a cat jumping and used the motion tracking tool to track the cat’s eye. It was pretty easy and straightforward to find.
It did a great job tracking until the cat jumped out of frame.
I’m no professional VFX artist, but I’ve seen some pretty cool things accomplished with Adobe After Effects!
Adobe After Effects Pros
Adobe After Effects Cons
2. Wondershare Filmora
Filmora Wondershare is a great AI video editing program if you are on a tight budget, or if you like the idea of a one-time payment (rather than a subscription cost each month). It's got tons of features (like background removal, tons of video templates and an AI text-to-video converter), and you can make great videos with it!
It even includes interesting new features such as an AI music generator and an AI YouTube thumbnail generator! Wondershare also has a free trial offer, so you can download the software and try it out before you commit to buying it.
Overview
Although Wondershare Filmora may not be as much of a powerhouse as other VFX software, it’s a reliable editor with an intuitive interface that allows you to create stunning visual effects for a cheap price.
Currently, Filmora is an excellent video editing software with VFX capabilities suitable for beginner to mid-level VFX artists. But as Wondershare keeps updating the app, we expect more advanced features to keep rolling out.
Filmora also contains some AI-backed video editing tools, such as auto normalization, highlighting, and the AI Portrait, that can remove backgrounds in video, even without a green screen.
Top Benefits
- Adjustable speed controls for slow motion and time-lapse effects.
- Creative animations, titles, transitions, and overlays.
- Support for 4K video editing.
- Rich library of royalty-free video clips, music, and sound effects.
Pricing
Wondershare Filmora is available for $39.99 per year. You could also choose the perpetual plan, which is $79.99 flat for lifetime use (but, sadly you won’t get any updates to the software with that plan).
If you need Filmora for your team, you can buy it for up to 5 users for $701.40 per year. And if you need to accommodate an even larger group, you can contact the sales team for a custom quote.
Personally, I’d go for the annual fee, as it’s very affordable and you’ll always have access to the latest version of the program.
My Experience Using Filmora
Even though Filmora doesn’t have as many VFX capabilities as some software programs, it definitely has a lot to get you started.
I was really impressed by their AI tools that cut out the background from my video of a cat, and then tracked that mask almost perfectly throughout the video.
I also tried the motion tracking feature which stayed on the cat’s eye the whole time it was visible on screen.
If you want to start from a pre-made template for your VFX, Filmora has plenty of those to choose from!
Filmora Wondershare Pros
Filmora Wondershare Cons
3. AutoDesk Maya
Autodesk Maya is a 3D computer animation and modeling software that uses AI animation technology to bring characters to life.
You can use Autodesk Maya's intuitive modeling tools for ultra-realistic renders that go into animated films, TV shows, video games, and VFX. This is an amazing program for professional 3D animators!
Overview
Another powerful and extensive VFX software is AutoDesk Maya. And while you can use it to create magic out of raw footage, animation is where AutoDesk Maya shines the most. This doesn’t come as a surprise to people who’ve been in the industry for a while, as AutoDesk carries a commendable name, thanks to Maya and other popular tools like 3ds Max.
Some of the works on AutoDesk Maya’s portfolio include “Ice Age,” “Spider-Man,” and “Attack of the Clones.”
Top Benefits
- High-quality 3D modeling capabilities.
- Comprehensive AI animation tools.
- Powerful shader library and node editor.
- Photorealistic rendering capabilities.
- Support for powerful plug-ins and extensions.
- Integration with AutoDesk MotionBuilder.
Pricing
AutoDesk Maya is definitely on the pricey side, as its available for purchase at $245 per month. But you can save 34% if you choose annual billing for $1,945 or a 3-year billing cycle at $5,830.
AutoDesk also offers an interesting system that allows you to use Maya more flexibly by buying tokens, with each day of use costing 6 tokens. Tokens last for one year, and you can buy them at these prices:
- Minimum: $300 for 100 tokens; 16 days of use per year
- Popular: $1,500 for 500 tokens; 83 of use per year
- Custom quote if you need more
I’d absolutely recommend going with their token system, particularly if you are just adding video effects to one or two movies or videos.
My Experience Using AutoDesk Maya
Holy moly!! I was definitely overwhelmed after opening Maya and seeing the interface – sooo many buttons!
They did have an interactive starter video for beginners, which I did appreciate.
After playing around with some of the tools, it looks like Maya is definitely for advanced VFX artists and animators. But I guess that makes sense if you’re willing to pay for the high price.
If you’re a professional making money from your advanced skills, Maya will definitely help you succeed!
AutoDesk Maya Pros
AutoDesk Maya Cons
4. Houdini
Overview
SideFX founded Houdini in 1996, and it immediately stood out to us as one of the not-so-many VFX powerhouses that support Linux operating systems, which might be all you need for your team.
Many big hitters relied on Houdini and weren’t disappointed. Even Walt Disney Animation Studios has used it for some of its films, such as the 2016 comedy animation “Zootopia.”
Top Benefits
- Powerful node-based procedural workflow. (I love node-based!)
- Support for a wide range of 3D formats and rendering capabilities.
- Compatible with major compositing applications.
- Set-based workflows and timeline tools for animation purposes.
- Support for Python scripting and Houdini Engine plugins.
Pricing
Houdini has a brilliant pricing model to accommodate everybody’s needs, depending on their situation. The plans are broken down into:
- Apprentice: Free version for students, amateurs, and learners to create non-commercial projects
- Indie: $269 per year or $399 per two years. Available for creators with annual revenue under $100,000
- Artists: $1,995 for the perpetual plan, limited to five licenses per studio
- Studios: $355 per month, $1,995 per year, and $2,995 flat-rate
- Education: $75 per year for accredited schools and students
My Experience Using Houdini
Houdini is another software that looks very overwhelming if you don’t know how to use it.
Luckily, Houdini’s launcher provides a whole page of tutorials that takes you step-by-step on how to create some pretty awesome VFX – following along with someone else is the best way to learn!
I’ve worked with a few VFX artists over the years, and many of them used Houdini for their visual effects, so I’d say it’s a pretty common software, if not one of the more mainstream industry standards.
Houdini gets a lot of recognition and I can see why! Seems like the possibilities are endless.
Houdini Pros
Houdini Cons
5. Cinema 4D
Overview
Despite the name, Cinema 4D is one of the most renowned programs for VFX and 3D modeling, and its contributions to film over the years are undeniable.
Cinema 4D is a big player in a field where many avid learners drop out due to sheer difficulty, but it actually does something about it through its impressive interface that makes animation relatively straightforward.
As for creating 3D graphics, there’s very little that you can’t do with Cinema 4D, as each feature is so well-crafted to ensure the best result.
Top Benefits
- Powerful camera tracking
- Advanced texturing tools
- Extensive 3rd party plugin library
- Comprehensive animation toolset
Pricing
You can buy Cinema 4D for $109 per month, or $839 per year.
You can also buy the Maxon One bundle, which gets you all their products (including Cinema 4D) for $169 per month or $1,265 per year (which evens out to about $100 per month). This big bundle also includes Red Giant, which has some pretty cool VFX too!
My Experience Using Cinema 4D
Cinema 4D is another pro interface! Lots and lots of buttons and tools to use at your disposal.
It’s was a little too complex for my novice VFX skills, but luckily they provided plenty of tutorials upon installing the application.
From what I can tell, Cinema 4D is truly built for the VFX professionals out there.
Cinema 4D Pros
Cinema 4D Cons
6. Blender
Overview
We’ll finish off our list with one of the best VFX software for learning the ropes with zero risk: the free and open-source Blender!
Blender has built a positive reputation for itself over the years as an all-encompassing VFX tool that’s accessible to anyone.
And although you might not find yourself working in studios with Blender, it’s still worth a shot if you’re looking for a way to fuel your passion for VFX.
Top Benefits
- Powerful 3D modeling.
- Animation capabilities.
- Node-based shaders.
- Comprehensive rigging system.
- Has a variety of sculpting tools.
Pricing
Blender is a completely FREE VFX software. All the features are available in the free app, and you don’t need a license to sell the work you do on Blender.
My Experience Using Blender
After playing around on Blender, I felt like the interface was pretty straight forward and would be easy enough to learn.
You can learn Blender by checking out a ton of free tutorials on their official YouTube channel.
For a free software, it looks like they really have it all – motion tracking, 3D animation, etc.
It seems like the perfect place to dive deeper into your VFX skills to see if it’s something you could see yourself doing as a career!
Blender Pros
Blender Cons
What is Visual Effects Software?
The short answer is that visual effects software is like the Photoshop of video.
In more specific terms, visual effects (VFX) refers to the fancy visuals you see in movies that weren’t actually present in the filming studio because they’re impractical or outright impossible to capture, whether it’s due to cost, danger to the actors, fantasy elements like magic, or otherwise.
Visual effects can be as obvious as explosions, gunshot wounds, or even aliens, or they can be subtle, such as animals (like the lion in Wolf of Wall Street) or even water.
And if you thought it was all about films, you’d be wrong. VFX is also used in computer games to create a more immersive experience for the player.
Final Thoughts
That’s everything for our round-up of the best video effects software! In my opinion, Adobe After Effects gets highest billing thanks to its wide scope of features that cover virtually everything you might ever want to do as a VFX artist.
For less advanced visual effects artists, you should check out Wondershare Filmora.
And if you want completely free and open-source software, I can’t recommend Blender enough!
Interested in filmmaking? Check out these other great articles!
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