Review: Crazy Talk Software

Crazy Talk’s easy-to-use interface allows users to import photos, sounds and recorded images in several different file formats. You can even import images from PowerPoint! Once the program has captured the picture, it will add realistic movement and expression to humans, objects, animals, and animation. The program uses a revolutionary technology known as Facetrix, which enables you to define different areas of the face. Once this is complete, the software goes to work, using a range of emotion to project lifelike expressions and movements onto your character’s face.

Using the Expressix speech animation feature, you can either import sound files from your computer or create your own narration by using your computer’s microphone. There is an audio timeline that will enable you to lip-synch your audio precisely to the animated movements of your character’s mouth.

The special effects that are available for use in Crazy Talk 4.1 are almost too numerous to mention. Emotive templates allow you to choose a theme that will match the tone of your film. If you choose a sad or angry Emotive, your character will be animated with dozens of small facial inflections and gestures that are true to someone who feels those real emotions. This can make your figure quite lifelike, and help you to achieve an amazing, realistic look to your stop motion animation. Not only this, but you can precisely adjust the level of anger or sadness that your character expresses. Perhaps they are hiding their emotions? Maybe they are angry to the point of violence. There are 100 different levels of varying strength that you can review and select from.

If these special effects aren’t enough, you can add in multiple audio tracks and mix them for multi-dimensional sound. There is even an added chroma key feature, designed to allow you to use the program during green screen sections of your film.

Want to add features to the design of your puppet that you have not yet considered? This program allows you to create digital eyes and teeth for your puppet, adding wonderful new options for you to experiment with.

Your scenes, once run through the Crazy Talk program, can be exported as raw .bmp content which can then be imported back into your 3-d animation software This is especially useful if you are working with separate background effects. You can also export your finished files in .wav, .avi or tgi formats. If you like, you can also send them to others via cell phone or email.

Crazy Talk 4.1 has fully realized the possibilities of digital animation technology. Not only can you save an amazing amount of time with your animation, but you will be able to achieve an endless variety of realistic expressions that might not be possible without computer simulation software.