Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/790371
56 CINEMONTAGE / Q1 2017 56 CINEMONTAGE / Q1 2017 off and on. You can also tag and filter the list of object layers, and there's a search box where you can search for and display only the items you wish to see. In addition, you can add comments to individual layers to help organize your work. Moho 12 now permits you to work on the animation of more than one layer in the timeline. This means that you can now see the keyframes for two (or more) characters at the same time without having to constantly jump back and forth between them. That's very useful. There are also important new enhancements to the timeline, such as the ability to mute individual channels and split X, Y and Z channels for more precise motion control. New also in version 12 is the ability to import and export actions and share those actions with characters that have similar rigs. For example, let's say you've spent a few hours animating a dancing polar bear and want to apply that motion to another character. If you export that motion as an action, you can import it and apply it to another character without having to redo all that work over again. Now that's a time saver. There is a lot more to like in Moho 12, such as better Vector Import/Export with improved SVG support. Now all points, lines and colors will transfer so they can be used in other programs like Adobe Illustrator. Another thing you'll notice when opening the program is the newly designed user interface. Icons are bolder and the library and layers panels have been updated and enhanced. In addition, the color scheme of the UI has been darkened and seems to be more in line with other professional animation software. The new version also includes several improvements to bones, such as automatic naming as well as the ability to ignore IK (inverse kinematics). There is also a new library in which you can easily save libraries of assets and actions. Moho 12 also allows for the setup of custom folders and assets, useful for multi-episode or team projects. Finally, there is a new exporter, which allows you to queue up renders and save them to multiple formats and locations, a feature that professionals will appreciate. Another interesting note is that Moho 12 is one of the first products to work with Microsoft's intriguing new product, the Surface Studio — which is aimed squarely at creative professionals — and the Surface Dial that comes with it. The Surface Dial adds some helpful new abilities to Moho, such as the ability to scrub through the timeline while animating and more. CONCLUSION Whether you are making an animated feature, a television series, a commercial or web videos, there is no question that Smith Micro's Moho 12 can provide you with a toolset that will allow you to make very sophisticated and compelling animations. Moho has what it takes to become one of the great animation programs of our industry and has already been embraced by serious productions such as the Oscar- nominated feature film Song of the Sea (2014) and others. It's on the top shelf of my favorite animation applications (see Figures 5 and 6). There are two versions of Moho available: Moho Pro 12 ($399.99), aimed at professionals, and Moho Debut 12 ($69.99), geared toward beginners and hobbyists. For a comparison of the two versions, as well as ordering information, visit Smith Micro's website at http://my.smithmicro.com/anime-studio- 2D-animation-software.html. f TECH TIPS Clockwise from top, left: Figure 4: The new Select Switch window makes replacement animation a lot simpler. Figure 5: From Song of the Sea, an Oscar- nominated animated feature film in which Moho played a large role in production. Courtesy of Cartoon Saloon. Figure 6: One sheet for Song of the Sea. Courtesy of Cartoon Saloon.