visual effects

Image via Adobe Stock

Software: Getting started with visual effects design

If you have been to the movies, rented a DVD or watched a series on a streaming service at home, you have been in contact with some form of visual effects design.

visual effects

Image via Adobe Stock

With advancements in technology, these effects become more and more amazing. These advancements don’t only make it more visually appealing to watch a movie or series, it also makes it more possible for you to create these effects yourself at home. It’s also cheaper than you might think.

The industry of VFX is ever-growing and reaching new milestones. New technologies are being developed all the time. Movies such as The Lion King have made advancements that bring an uncanny realism to our theatres and home screens. These technologies allow us to create cinema-like effects on our home or office computers. However, the question of software arises. Where do you begin? How much does it cost? Truth be told, you can get professional industry-level software for free and legally.

You may already be familiar with many tools being used in the industry of VFX. Names like Adobe Premiere and After Effects may come to your mind. However, they also come at a price. For someone who simply wants to get started, programs such as Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk’s 3D Max and Maya can hit your pocket pretty hard.

Adobe Premiere Pro on its own can cost you about $20.99 per month. If you throw in audio editing with Audition and special effects with After Effects, you might as well look at getting the whole Creative Cloud at $52.99 per month. For a student or someone who is just trying to get started, that can be a lot.

The free alternative that’s industry standard

There is a heavyweight contender in the VFX industry that comes at no cost. Blackmagic Design’s Davinci Resolve is an all in one solution that can cater to all your needs. Davinci Resolve’s Fusion has been used on large budget projects such as the following movies: The Winter Soldier, Kingsman, and The Hunger Games trilogy. If you are a gamer you may recognise these titles: Halo 5, Destiny: Rise of Iron, and Dawn of War 3.

See the full list of credits here.

What can the visual effects software do?

In short, imagine taking Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects and Audition and merging them into one powerful editing tool. That is what Davinci Resolve does. It takes three powerful tools — Davinci Resolve, Fairlight and Fusion — and gracefully packs them in under one roof.

Fairlight allows you to do cinematic quality sound editing, mixing, recording and more. It would be the equivalent to Adobe Audition.

Fusion is the gem in the package. It is a powerful visual effects compositing and motion graphics tool. It allows you to do visual effects compositing in a brilliant 3D workspace. Advanced keying for the use of green screen and blue screen projects. It also has a powerful 3D particle system to bring any projects to life and create beautiful effects to bring any project to life. The list goes on and on.

Davinci Resolve itself sports a brilliant range of video editing tools. With a great range of effects presets, colour grading and correction tools, it also allows you to collaborate with multiple users and work on your projects with a partner.

With Davinci Resolve you can kick-start your VFX and video editing career with a bang, using a high grade, high-quality professional piece of software that will not let you down. So don’t delay — dive into a new creative world with endless possibilities. Launch your creative career today at no cost.

To download Davinci Resolve and see a full list of its powerful tools visit www.blackmagicdesign.com/sa/products/davinciresolve/.