THE FREE SOFTWARE LIST

Featured here is a list of free programs and software for every part of the filmmaking and animating process; from writing, to voice recording, animation, editing, and VFX. We got em aallllll. And who doesn't love free?

If anyone has any suggestions for programs to add to this list, feel free to suggest below!

Please note that many of these are untested, and there is no guarantee they will work. As with all downloaded software, use at your own risk.

Pre-Production:

Writing

• Celtx Online - Cross Platform - Start to finish pre‑production software.

• Celtx (Old Version) - Windows - Start to finish pre‑production software.

• KIT Scenarist - Cross Platform - Screenwriting software.

• Trelby - Cross Platform - Multiplatform screenwriting software.

• Microsoft Office Online - Cross Platform - Online document editor.

• LibreOffice - Cross Platform - Open source software suite.

• Notepad++ - Windows - Basic text editor.

• Fountain - Cross Platform - Method of formatting text documents to make them read better as a screenplay. Can be used in any text document: Notepad, Word, Google Docs, etc.

Misc

• Storyboarder - Windows/Mac - Digital storyboarding software with built in illustration tools.

Production:

Webcam Capture

• Boats Animator - Cross platform - Open source webcam capture software written by Bricks in Motion user BoatsAreRockable. Bricks in Motion Recommendation

• AnimaShooter Junior - Windows - Simple stop-motion frame capture software.

• Stop Motion Studio - Windows Store, iOS, Mac, Android - Cross platform and mobile friendly stop-motion software (it's free, even though the website is deceiving).

• Heron Animation - Cross Platform - Multiplatform and made by forum member Aiwha.

• Tahoma 2D - Windows/Mac - Free 2D & Stop Motion Animation software.

• Stopmojo - Cross Platform - Multiplatform stop-motion capture software.

• MonkeyJam - Windows - Stop-motion frame capture Software.

• Heliumfrog - Windows - Stop-motion frame capture Software.

• FrameByFrame - Mac - Simple frame capture software for Mac.

• FrameWorks - Linux - Frame capture software for Linux.

• qStopMotion - Windows/Linux - Webcam capture and timelapse capture.

• OpenToonz - Windows/Mac - Open source 2D animation suite used by Studio Ghibli. Also has camera capture options (See tutorial here on how to capture with OpenToonz)

• Logitech Webcam Control (Old version) - Windows - Older version of Logitech Webcam Control which is useful for controlling Logitech webcams.

DSLR Capture

• DigicamControl - Windows - DSLR capture software for Windows.

• Tahoma 2D - Windows/Mac - Free 2D & Stop Motion Animation software. Supports Canon DSLR on both Windows and Mac.

• Icarus Camera Control - Mac - DSLR capture software for Mac.

• FrameByFrame - Mac - Simple frame capture software for Mac.

• FrameWorks - Linux - DSLR capture software for Linux.

• Entagle - Linux - DSLR tethering and capture for Linux.

Audio Capture

• Audacity - Cross Platform - Multiplatform audio editing/mixing/recording software.

• Wavepad - Cross Platform - Multiplatform audio editing/mixing/recording software.

• GarageBand - Mac - Music recording/creation studio software.

• Ardour - Mac/Linux - Audio editing/mixing/recording software for mac and linux.

Post-Production:

Video Editing:

• Hitfilm 4 Express - Windows (64bit only), Mac - Video effects, compositing, and editing.

• Da Vinci Resolve - Windows/Mac - Color corrector and video editor.

• Blender - Cross Platform - 3D modeling, animation, compositing and video editing.

• Avid Media Composer | First - Windows/Mac - Free video editing suite for Mac and Windows.

• Lightworks - Cross Platform - Multiplatform video editing software.

• Avidemux - Cross Platform - Basic video editing software.

• Virtualdub - Windows - Basic video editing software.

• Windows Movie Maker - Windows - Very basic video editing software.

• Framed - Mac - Image sequencer.

• iMovie - Mac - Basic video editing software. Pre-installed on most macs

• Filmora - Windows/Mac - Free video editor.

• DJV Imaging - Cross platform - Open source image sequence previewing software.

• Ignite Express 2017 - Windows/Mac - Free video effects for editors such as Sony Vegas, Hitfilm Express, or Premiere Pro.

Image Editing

• Gimp - Cross Platform - Advanced image editor.

• InkScape - Cross Platform - Vector graphics editor

• Paint.NET - Windows - Advanced image editor.

• Krita - Cross Platform - Digital Painting Software

Sound Editing

• Audacity - Cross Platform - Multiplatform audio editing/mixing/recording software.

• Wavepad - Cross Platform - Multiplatform audio editing/mixing/recording software.

• MuseScore - Cross Platform - Music scoring.

• Linux Multimedia Studio - Cross Platform - Music scoring.

• GarageBand - Mac - Music recording/creation studio software.

• Ardour - Mac/Linux - Audio editing/mixing/recording software for mac and linux.

Compositing

• Blender - Cross Platform - 3D modeling, animation, and compositing.

• Da Vinci Resolve Lite - Windows - Color corrector and video editor.

• Fusion Lite - Windows - Node-based compositing.

• Hitfilm 3 Express - Windows (64bit only), Mac - Video effects, compositing, and editing.

• Jahshaka - Cross Platform - Video compositing.

• Natron - Cross Platform - Node-based compositing.

• Cinegobs Keyer - Windows - Simple chroma keying.

• GlueFace - Windows - Minifigure facial animation.

• Wax - Windows - Simple video compositing and effects.

• NUKE Non-commercial - Windows, Mac - Non-commercial compositing software

• Unreal Engine- Windows/Mac - Real time 3D compositing

3D Modeling/Animation

• Blender - Cross Platform - 3D modeling, animation, and compositing.

• K-3D - Cross Platform - 3D modeling and animation.

• Stud.io - Windows/Mac - A brick building software integrated with Bricklink and able to export to Blender.

• LeoCAD - Cross Platform - 3D LEGO brick builder.

• Sketchup - Windows/Mac - 3D modeling.

• BrickSmith - Mac - 3D LEGO brick builder.

2D Animation

• Tahoma 2D - Windows/Mac - Free 2D & Stop Motion Animation software. Designed to be a more simplified/streamlined alternative to OpenToonz

• Blender - Cross Platform - 3D modeling, very capable 2D animation program as well via the Grease Pencil function.

• OpenToonz - Windows/Mac - Open source 2D animation suite used by Studio Ghibli. Also has camera capture options.

Anyone wishing to add to the list please reply with the following format:

Software Name:
Link:
Description:

(Updated June, 2022)

Last edited by Sonjira (February 6, 2023 (03:39pm))

Youtube @TheRealSonjira I consider it a personal defeat if my pee is not perfectly clear every time.]