Open Toonz Free Open Source 2D Animation Software

OpenToonz Software

2D animation can be done in a variety of different software packages.  One interesting option is the "OpenToonz" Software, free software for the production of 2D animation.

Based on the software "Toonz", developed by Digital Video S.p.A. in Italy,  OpenToonz has been customized by Studio Ghibli, and used for the creation of its films for many years.  Dwango has launched the OpenToonz project in cooperation with Digital Video and Studio Ghibli. 

Blue Zoo's "AI Manifesto"

Blue Zoo's AI Manifesto

Blue Zoo, one of the UK's leading animation companies, has published their "AI Manifesto".

The AI Manifesto sets out how artists and animators at the studio can navigate the world of artificial intelligence "ethically...leveraging technology for the betterment of society and creativity".  

Adobe Next at Tate Modern - AI and Creativity

Technology Evangelist Emily Bisset at Adobe Next Live

At today's "Adobe Next Live" event at London's Tate Modern, software giant Adobe have been presenting their insights into changing technology and how educators and creatives can take advantage of the big changes currently facing the creative industries.  

"Technology Evangelist" Emily Bissett gave the keynote speech exploring how creatives can learn from and embrace the change.  She was followed by Laura Jordan-Bambach, founder and CCO of the creative agency "Uncharted".

Tech, Hardware & Software at Escape Studios

Escape Studios VPN

What Hardware & Software do we use at Escape Studios? To get started, take a look at our official "What Hardware Do You Need" page, which you can find here.  We also have a handy page on tips for buying a laptop for home use.  

There is also a page on hardware in our classrooms, which you can find here.  You can also find out how to use the Escape Studios VPN (Virtual Private Network), which allows enrolled students to connect to our computers from home. 

Don't forget that a lot of theSoftware we use at Escape Studios can be downloaded at home for free.  For example, Autodesk Maya offers free licenses to enrolled students.  The open source software Blender is also free to download, and extremely versatile. 

Our 2D animation students can use Toonboom Harmony and TV Paint at Escape Studios, and also have access to discounted rates for home use. 

Adam Bennett Introduces the New AI Tool "Sora"

In this short video (just seven minutes long) Escape Studios' Motion Graphics tutor Adam Bennett explores what new video making tools like Sora might mean for the Motion Graphics, Animation and VFX industries.  If you want a quick primer on the latest inroads AI is making in the creative industries, watch this video. 

Will AI take Over the Creative Industries?

Artificial intelligence offers new ways to speed up the animation pipeline and boost the productivity of animators.  But will it put animators and VFX Artists out of work?  This is a question we get asked a great deal at Escape studios, as prospective students weigh their options and try to imagine what the creative industries will look like in the near future.  To find out why we think AI will bring artists more benefits than challenges, watch the short video above. 

Using Cadmium AI to Colour 2D Animation

Cadmium App

Artificial intelligence offers new ways to speed up the animation pipeline and boost the productivity of animators. One new breakthrough comes from the Cadmium App, a new tool which automates the process of colouring 2D animation.

Cadmium is a creative tool for hand drawn animation. Using machine intelligence, animators can now colour their entire animation sequence from just a few keyframes.

Creative Technology Degrees - Designed with Industry

Our newly launched BSc/MSci in Technical Art for Games & VFX is currently recruiting for September 2023.  To see what these degrees are all about, and what sort of skills are involved, watch the introductory video above.  These new courses bridge the gap between technology and art in the VFX and Games industries, teaching students to embrace the technical architecture that underpins games and VFX work, as well as the artistic side. If you are good at coding and also have an artistic eye - this course could be right for you.

AI is Coming, How Will it Change Animation & VFX?

AI is coming, and it's time for everyone in the creative industries, including our students at Escape Studios, to get ready for the changes to come.  

AI represents the biggest technical advance in the animation & VFX industry since 3D animation began to replace traditional hand-animated feature films in the early 2000s.  Artificial Intelligence is here; the question is - how do we make the best use of it?

Laptop Specifications for 2022

What kind of laptop?

"What kind of laptop should I buy?" is a question that is often asked at Escape Studios. 

Computer specifications change regularly and much depends on exactly what you want to use your laptop for.  But let's say you want to buy a laptop capable of running Autodesk Maya, for computer animation and to render out your shots.

What sort of laptop should you buy, and how much do you need to spend? Our animation tutor Amedeo Beretta offers some advice to our students.

"It Doesn't Work": How to Fix Tech Problems

Why Doesn't It Work?

"It doesn't work"  is a problem frequently encountered by our students at Escape Studios.

Remember that every technical problem, no matter how infuriating, has a solution. One of the key skills our students learn at Escape is how to solve problems - and find solutions, so that production work can continue. Digital artists face an endless stream of technical hiccups.

Shotgrid at Escape Studios

Shotgrid (formerly known as Shotgun) is the main project management software we use at Escape Studios.  

Shotgrid connects teams from different departments and helps to manage the many versions of different shots on a project.  At Escape Studios we supply our students with templates for Film, TV and also Games projects.  

Learning to use Shotgrid is an essential step for any of our students hoping to learn the art of project management in the animation, games and VFX industries. 

Laptop Specifications for 3D Animation

What kind of laptop?

"What kind of laptop should I buy?" is a question that is often asked at Escape Studios, especially since the Global Pandemic has made home working essential. 

Computer specifications change regularly and much depends on exactly what you want to use your laptop for.  But let's say you want to buy a laptop capable of running Autodesk Maya, for computer animation and to render out your shots.

What sort of laptop should you buy, and how much do you need to spend? Our animation tutor Amedeo Beretta offers some advice to our students.

Escape Studios Houdini Certified School

Escape Studios is proud to announce that we are now an approved Houdini Certified School.  

Houdini is a 3D animation software application developed by Toronto-based developer SideFX,  and is widely used in the VFX industry for procedural animation such as smoke, fire, water and other effects. 

Becoming a Houdini Certified School means opening a new chapter in our relationship with SideFX, an ever-closer partnership in which our students will benefit from being taught by expert tutors and exclusive access to Houdini technology, webinars and presentations. 

This latest partnership comes after our recent official certification by Epic Games as an Unreal Engine Authorised Training Centre (ATC).

MoCap Comes to Escape Studios

Last week Motion Capture came to Escape Studios, as cinematographer and film-maker Clement Gharini tested out his new XSens MoCap suit on our student projects. We're delighted to be working with Clem  - the XSens system is one of the best on the market, and offers a user-friendly solution to the challenges of motion capture hardware.  MoCap expert and Escape Studios tutor Amedeo Beretta was on hand to process the data - a "soup to nuts" pipeline in which the MoCap performance was successfully captured and then re-targeted onto the students' animation rigs.

Remote Working Webinar: Lee Danskin 30 April

Lee Danskin from Escape Tech

Now that we're all working from home, doing our best to manage the challenges of distance learning, Escape Studios is hosting a "Remote Working Webinar" with Lee Danskin, Chief Technology Officer at Escape Technology.

The free Zoom webinar takes place on Thursday 30 April at 12.30pm

What are the best ways and technologies to set yourself up for success? How do you stay focused and productive when working from home? And how do you keep your work life separate from your home life?

OBS Studio - Free Screen Recording Software

Following on from yesterday's blog post about Quick Time, and its utility for tutors practicing distance learning, Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) offers another useful option for our tutors at Escape Studios. For those of who are switching to online delivery of our courses, OBS is easy to install and completely free to use, for Windows and Mac devices.

What Kind of Laptop Should Our Students Buy?

"What kind of laptop should I buy?" is a question that we are often asked at Escape Studios, by students who want the flexibility to be able to work from home.

It's a tricky question to answer, because computer specifications change all the time and - of course - it all depends on exactly what you want to use your laptop for.

But, let's say you want to buy a decent laptop capable of running Autodesk Maya, for computer animation and to render out your shots.

What sort of laptop should you buy, and how much do you need to spend? Our animation tutor Amedeo Beretta offers some advice to our students.

What is the Fifteen Minute Rule?

Fifteen Minute Rule

What is The Fifteen Minute Rule? It's something I encountered for the first time while working at Sony Pictures Animation, on Open Season. It's a simple rule, and a good way to keep production moving ahead.

The rule is this: if you get stuck on a problem, spend 15 minutes trying to figure out the solution. Google it, Read The Manual, check out online forums - whatever works.

But, if you still can't figure it out after 15 minutes, ask for help. Someone next to you might be able to solve the problem quickly and simply, and you don't want to spend a lot of time trying to fix a problem that most likely has a simple solution.

Meet Qube - Escape Studios Render Farm

Qube, our new render farm at Escape Studios is now up and running.

For large render jobs, which might take many hours or even days to complete, students can now access the farm.

To see the details of how to use the Qube render farm, follow this link. To see more on Qube (2024 update), visit this page.