Cascadeur

Animating a 3D model sounds like a lot of work, but specialized software luckily exists to make the process more efficient. Good animation takes time, and bad animation is immediately noticeable.

The tools on offer in Cascadeur serve to empower your work by providing you with a comprehensive interface replete with options and adjustments, so you can take it one step further.

The layout here is a functional one, encompassing all the features one may look for when animating. Whether you're just starting out, or have been in the business for some time, you'll likely find what you need here.

Though we initially had a bit of trouble figuring out how to efficiently use this app, we managed to understand it after watching one of the provided tutorials. There are lots of small icons that a beginner may not first grasp the functions of, so it is recommended that you glance over at the in-app guides.

Following that, animating our first model felt effortless: by dragging the control points, adding keyframes, then linking them together, we managed to create something that we were quite proud of. This was also owed to the AutoPosing tool, which we deem to be the highlight of this app.

Thanks to this function, manipulating the joints of our models and playing around with their control points feels very natural. While enabled, shifting a model's parts will get the others in its proximity to react, serving to mimic reality. For instance, as we were moving our character's arms, their elbows and shoulders were also being animated simultaneously. It all felt very natural.

For those wanting to delve even deeper, this software keeps on giving. Rigging tools are available for even more intricate work, and the Options menu gets very in-depth.

If animation piques one's interest, trying out Cascadeur would be recommended. It provides so many tools for all sorts of users, and it feels genuinely fun to use.