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[ianross]

Make “Lego style” movies using free software. Use Leocad (free software) to create building block models similar to Lego, then import your models into anim8or and animate your creations.
Check my finished movie.

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You can download Leocad from  www.leocad.org  do the basic tutorial or you can import your building blocks into anim8or (remember to ungroup them). I got a good result using the 3ds export, but you can use .obj.

[johnar]

 Yay lego.
 Leocad looks like it has a huge variety of bits, and a great free software for those in the mind to build with lego.
 Where do you find your music? (or did you make that), and was wondering what software you use for the space and planet scenes?
 I do have an old copy of universe, somewhere, and that was really cool for making 'still' space pics. Don't see it online with a quick search, but maybe still around if i look a little harder. Was a great free and easy to use program. You could buy a premium version, which had extra functionalitys, but the free version had no limits with saving the scenes that you made. (no watermarks or stuff).

 EDIT: Just found this: http://en.spaceengine.org/
 Looks awesome. (how times have advanced). 850mb so i'll need to wait for next internet data topup, but am lookin forward to downloading it. I see it comes with background music(s).
 Is 'SpaceEngine' something you've looked into Ian?

 
 

[ianross]

Thank you Johnar, the music was sampled with a program called Magix music maker silver edition (it came free with a computer magazine).
Space engine is amazing, thanks for the link, but how do you export pictures from the program?

[johnar]

Found this in the manual, at the very bottom. Shortcut keys.

F11   save single screenshot without interface
Ctrl F11   save single screenshot with interface
F9   start/stop write screenshot every frame ("video capture")

[ianross]

Space engine is fantastic for creating space scenes,(easier than Bryce). Thank you Johnar. Please review the results below-

   

   

   

   

[johnar]

Space engine is fantastic for creating space scenes,(easier than Bryce).

 Nice. I dloaded Space Engine myself, but my PC isn't up to the task of running it. (even opening it).
 Get a little message saying 'ínferior OpenGl', Lol. ( OpenGl 2.2) Says it wants OpenGL 4 minimum.
 Oh well. One day.........

 Wish someone would make a software that makes decent underwatrer scenes. Have googled around but, so far, am only finding tutorials for photoshop, bryce and some other bits cant remember off hand.
 Thats all very good, but would be great to have something similar to SpaceEngine, (but lighter), for rendering out some underwater scenes.
 Oh well, we use what we can.....

[ianross]

I used Magix music maker in the above video, they just released a free music software package- read on --
Let MAGIX help you treat yourself this holiday season with the free Music Maker Jam app, available for Android, Windows 8, iPad and soon for the iPhone!
 
Music Maker Jam combines music making with extreme fun. The free app lets you create an unlimited number of compositions using the more than 1200 included sound loops. No musical experience is required! Genres, such as dubstep, hip hop and trap, can be freely combined following the free installation.
 
And as a special extra, an exclusive Xmas Jam package is now available for free in the app. Never before has it been so easy to create, record and share custom Christmas sounds with friends and family.
I hope this helps Happy Christmas-
http://www.magix.com/gb/apps/music-maker-jam/

[ianross]

Animated comedy The Lego Movie was the top film in the UK and Ireland in 2014.
The Lego Movie made £34.4m, while the final Hobbit instalment took £33.5m.
I never realised that it was box office hit.

[thecolclough]

I never realised that it was box office hit.

c'mon, it's a movie about Lego - it can't be that much of a surprise that people loved it! 

anyway, i'm going to have to have a go at this Leocad/Anim8or thing and see how it works...

[ianross]

Hey thecolclough, I look forward to seeing your lego creations, let me know if you need any help.

[thecolclough]

my first Leocad test project is in the works... picture coming soon!

[thecolclough]

Okay, here it is - modelled in LeoCAD, transferred via 3DS format, rendered in Anim8or Scanline.  after import, the model had several dozen redundant materials built in for some reason, and the thing was scaled about 20 times smaller than I thought it should have been (fixed easily enough with the Scale tool), but otherwise export/import worked OK.

As to what it actually is: it's a one-man fighter aircraft called a Norvod J-33, from a sci-fi universe co-created by me and a couple of friends.  The design actually began life inside a computer, as I first created it about 4 years ago using the official Lego Digital Designer software; then a few months later I ordered the parts to make a few physical copies of the model, which have subsequently appeared as props and set dressing in a stopmotion mini-series (which you can see here)... and now I've digitised it again with LeoCAD and Anim8or, and brought it all full circle.  Small world, eh? 

[ianross]

Wonderful work Matthew, I also enjoyed your lego stop motion animation. Would you consider making some more lego style animation using leocad and anim8or?

[thecolclough]

thanks ian!  yes, i was thinking about maybe doing a LC/An8 remake of the first episode of the series, or something along those lines.

[ianross]

Hey Matthew, your You-tube channel is amazing, I think your cut out animation is very good, I like this one
 

I also enjoyed your stop motion work, my favourite being “Arthur & the Punk” which was made in 2006,

What are you plans with anim8or, have you thought about green screening some of you stop motion work with anim8or animation?