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This is an open forum for discussing Animation:Master and discussions should relate to A:M in some capacity.
Ask questions. Share experiences. Outline goals and aspirations.
Discuss what you hope to accomplish with A:M and projects you are working on.
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961 topics in this forum
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- 6 replies
- 754 views
Software expired but new activation code gives this error even after un and re instal Bad return data from webserver (no status)(-134) No such file or directory (errno: 2)
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 3 followers
- 20 replies
- 1.8k views
I had been working on this story since before Halloween. In the beginning I felt it should be an easy one to pull off. The original concept contained no human actors, so the animation should be easy, simple sets so that should be easy, short story so no time would be required. Well, that's not really how it worked out. The first script felt too light to properly convey the story I envisioned. Characters were needed, humans. A deeper plot was needed to create a back story. No worries, I had some models built a while ago, not rigged very well, but it should do. So I soldiered on. I thought that I could jump right into the choreography, skip story boards, skip the animatic. …
Last reply by fae_alba, -
- 1 follower
- 10 replies
- 1.2k views
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqWig2WARb0 XqWig2WARb0 This is the ad [vimeo]78254514[/vimeo] http://vimeo.com/78254514 This is the making of Both are worth a look ?
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 0 replies
- 520 views
Good Taste Makes 'Bad Taste' is a documentary on Peter Jackson's earliest work before his rise to fame with 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Hobbit'. It's easy to image that big time film directors appear fully formed but the truth is much more educational. Several videos chronicling Peter Jackson's early effort to learn filmmaking and special effects are available online and should encourage everyone that they can be creative filmmakers and animators too. Of particular interest to many here will be Peter's innovation and work in stopmotion and innovation when trying to produce quality results on little to no budget. QcxMUZjaT4s cK-q6IJ-qo0 …
Last reply by Rodney, -
Much like Scultpris but this sculpting application is WebGL and Javascript based. If you need to make some quick topology for use with the Snap to Surface tool in A:M this might do the trick for you as it exports to OBJ etc. Very interesting. http://stephaneginier.com/sculptgl/ Source code is hosted on github: https://github.com/stephomi/sculptgl Added: A quick paint job on Thom...
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 2 replies
- 764 views
Hello appreciated people of this forum!! I was researching about Anzovin's Training Videos here in the forum, and I read they are free to share here in the community... so I was wondering if they were uploaded somewhere... and if not, I was wondering in they could be uploaded in Low Quality for someone here, at least, to have the information they are teaching there, no matter if they wouldn't look so good... I have been compressing some videos with a software called BENCOS, and it compresses a lot the videos without take off too much quality... I've been compressing with a relation 1Mb / 1Minute video + size of audio track at 32 kbps, that's to say, a video of 6…
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 2 replies
- 866 views
Here's something cool and useful. This guy has drawn skeletons into cartoon characters. Interesting to see where he has placed the joints and something that could be handy when you are thinking about rigging your character.
Last reply by thefreshestever, -
- 3 replies
- 866 views
I updated to AM v18 today. Before this I was using v14 so there is no doubt many changes for me. I have opened an existing project into the new version and found I can't get the hair on the model to render. When the hair is turned on I see it on the model, but it disappears when I render. I've gone through all the setting in the options and done some searching in the forum, but haven't found a solution. Does anyone have an idea what setting I have wrong? Or is it possibly a glitch? It seems unlikely to me to be a glitch so I'm hoping someone can find a setting I have wrong. I've attached the project in hopes someone can find the problem. Thank you for your help. …
Last reply by jnord71, -
- 7 replies
- 956 views
- and Yes - I worked on this from about 1977-1984ish? Not sure what year the video was taken. (after 1981 I would guess) In particular I worked on the real time software (project lead) that generated the simulated out-the-window imagery for the forward, aft, overhead windows of the shuttle as well as the simulated imagery as seen from the CCTV cameras located on the remote manipulator system (used to place payload objects from the cargo bay into space via remote manipulatur "arms"). In particular I worked on the fixed base and motion based simulators that were used for training the astronauts (landing, navigation and cargo bay missions). Yes. The imagery is pret…
Last reply by ypoissant, -
- 22 replies
- 2.3k views
So I'm trying like the dickens to get this Christmas short of mine done, started rendering and decided that a) the lighting sucks, and I'm not happy with the render settings. For the lighting I'm using the basic default lights from a new chor with the addition of a sun. The sun is set to have a soft yellow color, set at a 100%. I'll confess that lighting and rendering are two areas that I haven't had the chance to experiment with yet, and I'm down to the wire on this project if I'm going to get this done, so I'm looking for suggestions. I've attached the camera presets as well as a base project. Thanks for any suggestions: SampleProject.prj Preset.pre
Last reply by fae_alba, -
- 1 follower
- 15 replies
- 1.2k views
I see its yoda64's birthday today! Happy birthday Steffen. Have a good one!
Last reply by serg2, -
- 7 replies
- 1.2k views
Article from the NYTimes about the problem of presenting "The Wind Rises" outside of Japan. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/06/movies/h...l?smid=pl-share
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 2 replies
- 573 views
I just put in a new graphics card in my Mac Pro. I'm going from a ATI 2600 with 256MB to an ATI 5870 with 1024MB. I wondered if there'd be any difference in render times. I don't think it had any effect, but just to share the results. This was a VGA size render with 16 passes and 60% Ambient Occlusion. No reflections, no hair. Mac v17G = 8:43 Mac v18beta2 = 8:45 Win v17G (running under Parallels) = 7:23 That's a pretty big advantage to running the Windows version. I'm not sure if it would make any difference to change the allotment of resources to Parallels. Right now, I'm letting it use 4GB of RAM and 4 CPU cores. I also gave it 512MB …
Last reply by largento, -
- 2 followers
- 29 replies
- 2.3k views
Ya know, when it rains it pours. I've been working like a mad man trying to get this off the cuff Christmas short done before the 4th of July 2014. Had the set built, had props built, and was ready to put the pieces together. Tweeked my truck model, and was really quite stoked that I pulled that one out of the hat, saved the model, saved the chor, saved the project. I then decided to look at some other human models I had kicking around to see if I had one rigged well enough to do what I needed...found one (yeah for dusty archives!). Reopend my opening scene project, and noticed my truck was missing from the chor, and not even in the objects list of the project. Went …
Last reply by fae_alba, -
- 0 replies
- 390 views
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Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 3 replies
- 698 views
If you watched Saturday Morning cartoons as i did you certainly saw Filmation's work, including Fat Albert, Archie and Star Trek. Filmation was one of about three significant producers of animation for Saturday morning TV in the US in the 60's, 70's and 80's but the only one that was able keep the production in-house and not outsource it. Lou Scheimer somehow made that work. http://www.newsfromme.com/2013/10/20/lou-scheimer-r-p/
Last reply by largento, -
- 1 follower
- 14 replies
- 1.1k views
So I had to renew my license at the worst possible time (budget, time, job change (hopefully), Rear Window project, and a Christmas project). Bought a new copy, downloaded the latest 64 bit copy (17g) fired her up and tried to get back to work. But, after opening a chor that I created last weekend and tried to switch to shaded mode, A:M crashed, repeatedly. If I open the chor in 16b I have no problems. So I take a look at the OpenGL settings and notice a definite difference between the settings of my two versions. My problem is that A:M won't let me change the settings in 17g....so what to do guys (and gals)? settings in 16b settings in 17g
Last reply by Shelton, -
- 0 replies
- 387 views
I know we have a number of self-employed freelance artists here and people with "day jobs" that have inadequate or over-expensive health insurance. The ACA should be a dramatic improvement in that situation. Forget the hysteria you've seen on cable TV, here is a low-drama explanation of what to expect and what to do. The Uninsured Musician’s Guide to The Affordable Care Act If you want coverage to start on Jan 1 you need to get enrolled by Dec 15. The actual Healthcare.gov website that handles enrollment on the internet seems to be a work-in-progress still. I'd say wait a couple weeks on it. People do report that enrolling by phone or paper form is…
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 3 replies
- 753 views
For those following the (general) software trend toward subscriptions etc. this may sound familiar... Autodesk has announced they will terminate 'upgrades' in 2015. What options are left for users of their products? Apparently, an annual purchase and/or subscription. Here's a write-up at AWN: (Link) The header: Much of this move is surely designed to catch more of the revenue stream generated as software is inevitably pushed downward (outward?) toward the periphery where lower end users will not pay thousands of dollars for software but pay more if spread out over a longer term. They have calculated that a greater saturation in the market w…
Last reply by detbear, -
- 3 replies
- 585 views
If you are an Adobe customer you may need to pay attention to this problem Adobe reports massive security breach
Last reply by jakerupert, -
- 32 replies
- 2.2k views
I'm looking at running Windows via Parallels on my Mac, so that I can take advantage of some of the A:M plug-ins that don't work on the Mac (ie DarkTree textures, Setup Machine2, etc.) In order to do this, I have to purchase Windows and in trying to sift through the stuff, I find myself scratching my head. Windows 7 OEM 64-Bit seems to be an attractive option, yet it says in the eula that I can only purchase this if I'm building a PC that I'm going to sell to someone else and provide support for. Yet, Windows 8 OEM 64-bit says I can use it personally. Windows 7 is a bit cheaper, but Windows 8 apparently offers a free option to update to Windows 8.1 pro…
Last reply by pixelplucker, -
- 1 follower
- 17 replies
- 1.7k views
I have no experience of using full exposure sheets, but begin to feel that I should be using them. I have been trying to follow an article on AWN about setting up a spreadsheet in Exell to make an exposure sheet template. Only slightly more experience of spread sheets, mean that its proving awkward. A few questions if I may, Can anyone kindly point me to a resource on how to use x sheets and how to set up and use them in exell ? I will be using it with AM but the immediate use is for a Stop frame project as a means of getting familiar with the process. regards simon
Last reply by Simon Edmondson, -
- 6 replies
- 727 views
Hello- I have been using Windows XP for years and because Microsoft is abandoning support for Windows XP I am about to upgrade to Windows 7. My AM web subscription is due in 4 days and I won't get the new Windows 7 in place for another 10 days to two weeks. If I renew AM and am sent a subscription code to be used to activate the new yearly license, will I need a new code when I upgrade the OS a few days later? I have been using AM everyday so I don't want to have a lag in service. Will the new bought subscription number work with both the old and the new Operating Systems? Or will Jason or Heath need to send me a follow up code? Any …
Last reply by Tom, -
- 1 follower
- 3 replies
- 688 views
Hello everyone. I had some thoughts today about artists and their potential works. Specifically I was thinking about the kickstarter world and all the projects that have had the dreaded "Funding Unsuccessful." By no means does this mean the project is unsuccessful!!!! But it has to be a real downer to put one's heartfelt work out there and have it seemingly rejected by the world. Kickstarter, although a clever way to get a project done, should by no means be viewed as a "Project Killer." O.K. ......So maybe the thing might need more work......Maybe people need to learn more about it or see it a little closer to finished quality. Maybe people …
Last reply by Gerry, -
- 2 followers
- 4 replies
- 795 views
An orchestra performed a medley of music from Tom and Jerry cartoons at Royal Albert Hall... kYrUWfLlYI0
Last reply by GAngus, -
Howdy animators, I'm wondering if any one knows where I can buy the 3 training DVDs made by Jeff lew??? I had them but I seem to have missed placed them. Any help at all would be great Thank you mike
Last reply by Dpendleton77, -
- 1 follower
- 7 replies
- 1.3k views
Do the commonly available, ~$500 printers have the resolution to make threaded mechanical parts like nuts and bolts? Suppose I had something like a trumpet and the threaded cap on a valve was missing, could a printer successfully reproduce detail that small? Here's an example of such a part off my tuba...
Last reply by pixelplucker, -
- 1 reply
- 471 views
Hello Everybody... Is there anybody here who could tell me where to find Newton plugin for v12, please? or someone who could upload it from his own files? Thank you
Last reply by Fuchur, -
- 2 replies
- 541 views
Just announcing that I'll be doing the company Christmas animation (my eighth, yikes, this is the longest I've ever been at one job!) and as yet I have zero ideas, but I'm just starting, surely something will come up!
Last reply by Gerry, -
Pencil test
by Gerry- 1 follower
- 7 replies
- 987 views
I copied these frames from a sketched run cycle I found with a Google search, but I changed the proportions of the cat to be fat with stubby legs, then made this quickie movie to see the end result. CatRun_h264.mov
Last reply by GAngus, -
- 2 replies
- 610 views
It is time to renew my subscription. I previously used the 32-bit version of AM. I just bought a new Windows 7 Dell 64-bit machine. Does anyone have any thoughts on the pros and cons of 64-bit AM vs. continuing to use 32-bit AM on a 64-bit machine?
Last reply by Fuchur, -
- 2 replies
- 591 views
For all you guys out there using Macs, thought you might be interested in this: https://deals.cultofmac.com/sales/the-name-...-mac-bundle-3-0 I don't really recognize the other apps, but this would be a great way to get Camtasia for cheap.
Last reply by Roger, -
My youngest is a budding graphic artist, and had created a logo for herself a while ago. Today she asked if I could build it in A:M, and after a few hours, this is what she got. Sort of taking to it myself, might actually spend a few days and rig him and see how he animates.
Last reply by fae_alba, -
- 0 replies
- 960 views
Disclaimer: I have not yet purchased any of Scott Petersen's products so therefore cannot personally vouch for their thoroughness or quality. Scott T. Petersen has been an animator, director and teacher for quite awhile. Here's his basic bio: For those that tend toward a traditional hand drawn approach to animation you may find his current DVDs of interest. At this time he has three available: 1. Animation and Drawing: The Essential Basics 2. Lesson 2: The Power of Anticipation (Umm... no direct link... so see the preview below) 3. Dynamic Posing for Gesture Drawing h7HcAsuYl9o Here's a related video on anticipation that…
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 26 replies
- 2.6k views
So, couldn't this made usable for hashusers also now? Cycles Render Engine Released With Permissive License http://code.blender.org/index.php/20...ssive-license/
Last reply by Vertexspline, -
- 1 follower
- 10 replies
- 2.3k views
My friend, Cedrix Hohnstadt, is starting a kickstarter campaign for a pose book he is creating.Check it out here. I think this a great way to push us into developing our posing skills.
Last reply by nimblepix, -
- 5 replies
- 2.1k views
I thought some might find this interesting http://www.karmatoons.com/drawing/drawing.htm scroll to bottem
Last reply by steve392, -
- 0 replies
- 576 views
http://www.photoshoproadmap.com/Photoshop-...nd-backgrounds/
Last reply by johnl3d, -
- 3 replies
- 801 views
Here's a very interesting short told in an ultra-stylistic way: No real dialogue but lots of animated progression. Interestingly, or should I say, "exactly as planned by its creators", I had no clue where the plot was heading but in the end I found myself saying, "but of course, that's exactly how the resolution of this story should play." [vimeo]70975460#[/vimeo] Direct Link Note: While this short was animated in another product in my estimation it could have just as easily been created in A:M. Added: The style of this and a few other shorts making the rounds these days has me thinking of Sebastian's recent foray into similar lighting and styliz…
Last reply by Simon Edmondson, -
- 2 replies
- 579 views
We animator types are an eclectic bunch of characters with diverse interests, so I was wondering. Is anyone watching Summer Slam tonight?
Last reply by Wildsided, -
- 3 replies
- 659 views
I really must recommend the illusion of life. Great book from two great animators. Just got my copy in today and I'm really impressed by the amount of information it provides.
Last reply by John Bigboote, -
- 1 follower
- 20 replies
- 1.5k views
Hi, Clearly A:M was not designed for anything like this but I was trying to think of some way to place multiple spheres and simulate each one attracting every other one--like planets and gravity, the gravity (attraction) having a fall off. Hell I can't even think of a way to have one object pull on another object! Any thoughts? Cheers, Rusty
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 1 reply
- 665 views
For those interested in such things, the following are folks that have appeared on my radar as being valued members of the forum which I surely have neglected. This isn't to suggest there aren't many others but as for these, if you see them in your various wanderings please feel free to befriend, support, encourage... I dunno... think of sumthin'. Animus (Michel) Canada Joined: September 03 Bobby (Bobby) Thailand Joined: September 04 ddavis (Don) New Jersey, USA Joined: October 03 dyrwoolf (Sins) Trial User from ? Joined: January 13 entity (Rich) Philidelphia, USA Joined: Nov 03 Been down on his luck. No computer. No A:M. A…
Last reply by Vertexspline, -
- 6 replies
- 837 views
For those who have an iPad Disney is joining the growing number of organizations that are opening their vaults for a peek inside production. I posted briefly about Richard Williams's app that puts his video and text from "The Animation Survival Kit" elsewhere... The primary reason I post on this is that it seems to be a trend to repurpose older material for new audiences using new digital (interactive) technology. At it's core this seems to be a smart move on behalf of Disney because frankly, if they don't do it someone else will. Of particular interest to animators is that the various references from the "Principles of Animation" chapter in Frank and Ollie'…
Last reply by largento, -
- 2 replies
- 907 views
Hello all- I just saw a news article that says a UPS store here in San Diego (Kearny Mesa) is now having a 3D printer on the premises. People will be able to walk in with a file and print out their work as a 3D prototype. The 3D printers seem high end, meaning they are a cut above what the lowest pro-sumer models presently are. Don't know what the cost will be but the fact that you can walk in with a flash drive and walk out with your creation is pretty cool. If you don't live near San Diego, you might check the UPS store website and see if they are planning a 3D printer for a store near you. Best, Tom
Last reply by pixelplucker, -
- 1 follower
- 7 replies
- 969 views
One of the decisions I need to make with my planning of Pappa Bear's career is whether or not to do these as toon renders or straight up 3d. One of the considerations is the setting. These shorts will be based in the Walt Disney World parks, initially Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. So I need to figure in creating the buildings as either models or simple projection maps. Also, while I really dig the old timey toon look, I'm not entirely sold that it is appropriate for this. I put together a quick test to see how Pappa Bear looks in both 3d and toon renders. I used a back drop painting that I had acquired at an auction that was used in an unknown Hanna-Barbara 1960…
Last reply by kwhitaker, -
- 8 replies
- 853 views
I've been trying to get a dynamic bone chain to bring life to a shirt worn by Pappa Bear rather than using sim cloth. I added two dynamic bone chains to the shirt opening, then enabled collision detection. The issue comes about when stressing the range of motion as shown with the attached movie clip. I've fiddled with just about all of the settings with no real change in the behavior. I'd really like to get this to a point where I can animate the character without having to worry about the behavior of the shirt, but at this point I don't know if that is realistic. shirt_testc.mov One thing I'm wondering is if I need another bone chain to run along the bottom he…
Last reply by fae_alba, -
- 1 follower
- 5 replies
- 714 views
So things have changed in my neck of the woods and parking costs are really starting to bite into my income, even with the reduced amount that I actually have to be at the office. I've been thinking about taking the train but that adds at least an 1 to 1.5 hours to my commute. It would be nice to be able to do something animation or art related with that time instead of reading, sleeping, or playing around with my phone. Is there any viability to running AM on a windows virtual machine on a high-end Android tablet? Something with a Tegra 3 or 4 maybe? I would just use my laptop, but without a tray table or something to put it on (not available on the…
Last reply by zandoriastudios, -
- 1 reply
- 659 views
Greetings, I just wiped my hard drive and have re-installed AM. When I apply a photo to a model, it appears in full resolution and slows modeling down enormously. I've never had this happen before: a decal showing in high-res in default mode. I've fiddled with the real-time render settings but that doesn't change anything. If someone knows a way to get the default resolution of decals down (pre-render or quick render), I'd very much appreciate the info. Thanks, Doug Since I wrote the above several hours ago, I loaded v16, and things happen at the speed they should. It seems to be a problem with v17, at least the way it loaded on my computer.
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 60 replies
- 5.1k views
So normally I would ask my daughter to do this for me, but her mind is on other things, only weeks away from making me a grandpa, so I'm coming to the forums. I am trying to dust off, improve, and capitalize on my meager modeling and rigging skills for a little project I have in mind. Below is a picture of Disney's Humphrey the Bear. It is exceedingly hard to find images of Humphrey that can be used to create a model from, this being the best I've found so far. Serg2 had created a head for me last year, but I wanted to do the body. My problem is that I, for some reason, have a real problem in imagining the body in 3D space from the flat picture. I hope I will have b…
Last reply by steve392,
