Expert: Joseph Silver - 12/23/2008

Question
I have a 14-year-old who is interested in making short 3D animation videos.  I am looking for the most basic 3D animation software possible, something that is simple and easy to use.  iClone 3 and Poser 7 both claim to be easy to use.  Can you tell me if one is easier to use than the other?  Which would you recommend?  Is there another 3D software that is easier to use than either iClone 3 or Poser 7?  Thank you for your help.  Christmas is here and I am stuck!

Answer
hi nancy - i think it's really great that you are shopping around for a basic 3d package for your kid!

sorry to say, but i am probably not the best person to ask when it comes to choosing between iClone and Poser. on the professional level, my artists generally use Maya or Cinema 4D. having said that, i can say that i have heard of poser before, and seen it in action, whereas i really know nothing about iclone. from what i have seen of poser, it is a very easy program to use - well, relatively easy compared to some of the other packages - and is a good program to quickly pose 3d models of people. i have seen professionals use it for television commercials, though i doubt it has the robustness of programs like maya or softimage.

i think poser and probably even iclone are both good choices to introduce your kid to the world of 3d. 14-year-olds are pretty sophisticated nowadays, and i bet if he/she is interested in 3d, both programs will be a great gateway into that world. in the stocking, you might also want to also include some 3d movies, to give your kid a future profession to aspire to! good luck!

www.designomotion.com