Create Your Own Animated Shorts With Valve

[kitsuta]

Create Your Own Animated Shorts With Valve

Valve announces its filmmaking software with Team Fortress 2's "Meet the Pyro."

It's the last day of the Team Fortress 2 "Pyromania" update, and with it comes the ninth and final "Meet the Team" video. Fans and players finally get to see what goes on in the Pyro's twisted, hilariously delusional mind. But it's the very end of the video that reveals Valve's big announcement: the release of its in-house movie-making software, Source Filmmaker.

Valve has used Source Filmmaker to create animated promotional and in-game videos, as seen in the "Meet the Team" series, Portal 2, and Left 4 Dead 2, among other games. Essentially, if a game uses the Source engine, Source Filmmaker can make a movie out of it. After having developed and tested the software for seven years, creating over 50 animated shorts, the team at Valve are now letting you take a crack at it.

As Valve designer Bay Raitt explains in the video below, the goal of Source Filmmaker is to simplify the normally complex process of creating cinematics. Would-be movie producers can shoot a scene played in a Source engine game, such as Team Fortress 2, then use the software to change camera angles, add in new characters and items, and adjust the lighting and effects to their heart's content. Complex facial expressions and lip-synching are also part of the package.

The software is currently in closed beta, which you can apply to be a part of at the Source Filmmaker website [http://sourcefilmmaker.com/]. If you are unable to get a beta key, Valve promises to release the software to all users "soon." Of course, you'll have to install Steam on your PC to use the software.


Source: Valve [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-06-27-valve-to-release-source-filmmaker]

Permalink

 

[guise709]

Silly guy. No one says lights, camera, action on set.

Still an interesting tool. Not very clear on creating your own original props and character though.

 

[DustyDrB]

I'm looking forward to what people make with this. Sorry, but 99% of GMod videos are awkward and creepy.

 

[Zaik]

I'm looking forward to what people make with this. Sorry, but 99% of GMod videos are awkward and creepy.

Oh come on, you can't tell me you won't miss that wild insane flailing that they do when they move round.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I'm looking forward to what people make with this. Sorry, but 99% of GMod videos are awkward and creepy.

Most people will probably try to make porn with it.

 

[dessertmonkeyjk]

Wait, if the Source Filmmaker is being released then what is this thing?

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I'm looking forward to what people make with this. Sorry, but 99% of GMod videos are awkward and creepy.

But awkward and creepy is hilarious!

 

[Beryl77]

I'm looking forward to what people make with this. Sorry, but 99% of GMod videos are awkward and creepy.

Creepy and awkward? I don't know what you're talking about...

Spoiler

OT: Hopefully this will get the quality of Source made videos up a bit.

 

[kajinking]

A game world that's also a movie studio...anyone besides me have flashbacks to the movies by Lionhead? Execpt...you know...this will probably work? Well he's hoping this eventually gets used for many great projects with me hoping Clear Skies 4 being one of them.

 

[Dr Jones]

A game world that's also a movie studio...anyone besides me have flashbacks to the movies by Lionhead? Execpt...you know...this will probably work? Well he's hoping this eventually gets used for many great projects with me hoping Clear Skies 4 being one of them.

The Movies was a blast!

 

[Mr.Mattress]

I applied for this, and I hope I get it. Even if I don't, I hope its still free, because I want to make a Real TF2 Animated Series. Most of the TF2 stuff I watch is nonsensicle, short, and/or a one time thing, not a continuous series. I want to make a continuous series.

 

[Vigormortis]

Apparently this Source Filmmaker tool is an extension, or rather a consumer-level version of, a tool-set Valve's already licensed to at least one animation studio for making films.

The studio that made "9" is using some of these tools to make a new animated film. They've commented on the efficiency of the tool-set by saying it's helped them cut their production costs and times significantly.

 

[Slaanesh]

Wait, if the Source Filmmaker is being released then what is this thing?

SFM has been leaked for a while now. Getting this leaked, buggy, outdated version of SFM involves pirating, I'll leave it at that.

Valve is releasing a newer, "legit" version that is hopefully more stable.

 

[redisforever]

You have no idea how much I want this. Seriously, tomorrow, I shall be registering, and hopefully enjoying the software.

 

[Woodsey]

Wait, if the Source Filmmaker is being released then what is this thing?

I'd say that's probably the tutorial for getting started with an early version of the Source Filmmaker which was accidentally released with TF2 in September of 2007.

 

[shadowstriker86]

meh. thats all i gotta say about "meet the pyro". I think Lewis Black said it best: "The moment will never be as good as the anticipation"

 

[snyper101]

I don't know about you, but I love Valve <3

 

[Deadyawn]

By "soon" they probably mean "when we get around to it" which, knowing valve, could be a very long time.
Still, its an interesting move even if it doesn't affect me in any way.

 

[Jumplion]

This program looks really awesome and I would love to get my hands on it as soon as I can.

Just you wait, I am going to release a mock trailer of a movie about the Scout growing up in the city trying to make it out as a slugger in baseball, all while trying to deal with the complex relationship with his new father...the Spy!

Oh the drama!