Reallusion CrazyTalk 6 Standard 2010

Here’s a prediction we can safely make; avatar is going to be one of the buzz words of 2009 especially with the upcoming release of the Hollywood 3D blockbuster of the same name. If you want to get ahead of the crowd and create your own avatar – a virtual representation of yourself – then CrazyTalk 6 is a great place to start.
Reallusion, maker of CrazyTalk, has a long track record of producing animation software that’s relatively easy and definitely fun to use. With CrazyTalk 6, the basic features remain; you can import any image that has a face, fiddle around with the facial features and background, and add a script and watch as CrazyTalk morphs your creation into something hideous or hilarious, or both.
The CrazyTalk interface is laid out in a similar way to most movie-editing software, with separate panels for viewing, adding and editing your media.


To get going you can either import an image saved on your computer, or if you have a webcam you can use screen capture to animate a snap of yourself. The animation process is mostly limited to tinkering with the eyes, the mouth and rotating the head, but you’ll be surprised how lively your characters can become.
To get your characters talking you can create a script either by recording via your computer’s microphone or typing it in. When you’ve finished your animation you can publish it directly to YouTube or save it in a range of file formats.
Newcomers to CrazyTalk should go through the online tutorials first. It may take a little time to figure out, but you’ll be rewarded as this is a fun program for long rainy days, of which we’re forecast for plenty.