Video creators now have a new way to create their films using an easy tool provided to the community for the low, low price of free. This week, Valve announced that the first public beta version of Source Filmmaker is now available to download via Steam after previously announcing their plans in June.
The free beta is the same tool that Valve used to create all of its Source Engine-based films, including all of the acclaimed "Meet The ..." Team Fortress 2 short subjects. It"s been made to provide filmmakers with a "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" setting. Valve states:
The SFM condenses the production pipeline of an animation studio down onto a single gaming PC. To help the community get started, the SFM includes all assets from Team Fortress 2 along with assets from two of the “Meet the Team” short films.
While the Source Filmmaker is technically not officially supported by Valve, the game developer has offered a number of ways to help film creators get started with the tool. That includes links to its Wiki documentation, along with some video tutorials. There"s also a FAQ page, a community forum and a way for anyone to submit bug reports.
Source: Source Filmmaker website | Image via Valve