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977 topics in this forum
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The one thing that my current workflow lacks is a high end video editor that doesn't break the bank. Several companies may help to resolve that. Avid is on the move lately with some major purchasing of other companies and an announcement that later in 2015 a free version of Media Composer will be released. While I don't imagine the free release will meet all the esoteric requirements needed the entry point is priced to make the determination of how well the program can fit into a production pipeline and fit current needs. It is also worth noting that a company recently purchased by Avid (Orad)is known for their realtime 3D technology. Sign up to receiv…
Last reply by robcat2075, -
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This is for folks that use TechSmith's Camtasia screen recording software. With the recent update to Camtasia 8.4 the recording file format has changed to allow full compatibility between PC and Mac. Good news. The bad news is that this change makes files recorded in the latest release incompatible with earlier releases. You can't open them, etc. This is something to consider if you use more than one release version of Camtasia or work with other who do. Note that a general workaround is to save/produce the content as a video file and share that but all of the specialized recording data (mouse movement etc.) will be lost (flattened?) as you do. Also noted,…
Last reply by Rodney, -
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But will it run A:M? Hmmm.... xhttp://www.geek.com/news/intels-150-windows-pc-on-a-stick-is-now-on-sale-1619738/ Even if it does run A:M it (and similar tech) might be worth a look.
Last reply by Fuchur, -
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This one almost doesn't rate a 'tech watch' label but there are aspects to it that certainly lend itself to further exploration. xhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWzurBQ81CM
Last reply by robcat2075, -
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This is fairly self explanatory. Folks have long desired to be able to make sense of audio waveforms...
Last reply by Rodney, -
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This relates to some previous musing on devices that are 'constantly on'; something that is fairly common now that wasn't all that long ago. The term 'pre-record' can be a little hard to research online because of the use of the terms such as 'prerecorded' which imply video recorded for later viewing. This aspect of pre-record has to do with cameras/sensors that record continuously so they can time travel into the past from the moment where the user of the device first hits the record button to retrieve data. Generally, 30 seconds of video footage can then be recovered prior to the moment the recording was triggered. A downside of this in first generation models is…
Last reply by Rodney, -
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Why did I think of Nancy when I saw this... http://www.disneyresearch.com/project/printed-teddy-bears/ Of course, automated sewing has been around for a very long time...
Last reply by NancyGormezano, -
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Can 3D printed objects (plastic or otherwise) without batteries and electronics be connected to the internet? Apparently so although that may depend on what you define as electronics. The approach uses ambient wifi to absorb or reflect signals and communicate in a binary (on/off) manner. With this method buttons, knobs and sliders can 'talk' to each other and other devices via wireless connection. So basically, anything that can move or rotate can relay it's current state. Obviously power is present somewhere in loop of the greater system (via smartphone, router etc.) but no power is required in the sensor itself thus suggesting almost any object can become a s…
Last reply by Rodney, -
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Computational Thermoforming is an old technology (paints applied via immersion in water) modernized an applied to 3D printing with impressive results: xhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFkVxurKeAs More closely aligned to the older methodology, hyrodgraphy is highly useful as well. Both approaches are familar to those who texture models in Animation:Master and other programs. The trick being to do the texturing as precisely as possible with minimal passes to achieve the desired results. That (wet method) can be seen in a more modern form here: xhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlUhPrAqiY0 There are quite a few youtube videos that demonstrate the h…
Last reply by EmilyBrown, -
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This topic was previously titled: Thor - a new (open) video codec championed by Cisco For those with an interest in such things... https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-fuldseth-netvc-thor-00 The primary impetus for bringing it into existence appears to be to ensure the codec is free from patents. The linked document goes into detail of how the codec processes data.
Last reply by Rodney, -
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What is larger than a nanosecond but shorter than a second? If Facebook (and presumably others) have their way it is a 'flick'. A flick is defined as: 1 flick = 1/705600000 second Somewhat usefully (mathematically) a flick can "in integer quantities exactly represent a single frame duration for 24hz, 25hz, 30hz, 48hz, 50hz, 60hz, 90hz, 100hz, 120hz, and also 1/1000 divisions of each." This helps with conversions of frequencies and image/audio sync. One potentially useful bit of information I saw outlined in the write up on flicks is this on the NTSC standard of 29.97 frames per second... something I have always thought was painful to consider: …
Last reply by Rodney, -
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Very interesting. xhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d59O6cfaM0 Kudos to the demo team at Microsoft research who thought of excellent ways to show off the potential while adding new 'features' all the way to the end of the video. I can think of several downsides to such technology but it's hard to deny the potential.
Last reply by robcat2075, -
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This tech watch focuses on one specific foray into bringing image formats up to date with modern hardware and software but there is much more to come. I hesitate to say there is a war of sorts on the horizon but some negotiations are ongoing to determine which approaches get adopted and what settles in for the long term. Microsoft has initiated their roll out of the HEIT format. There currently aren't any editors for the format and the focus is on playback. This would appear to be a byproduct of Microsoft's purchase of Nokia several years ago. For more information see: http://nokiatech.github.io/heif/ Of interest, this format is one of many approache…
Last reply by Rodney, -
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I saw a mention of this JPEG standard and thought it of interest because it proposes to address some issues with the current standard. Specifically, the XT flavor seeks to address issues of higher bit compression, HDRI imaging and... the alpha channel. JPEG with Alpha... that's been needed for a very long time now... and using alpha channel with both lossy and lossless processing would be a welcome addition to the format. For more info: https://jpeg.org/jpegxt/ For some open source software that reads and writes the format: https://jpeg.org/jpegxt/software.html On the downside: The JPEG standard itself has some limitations of usage due to patents.
Last reply by Rodney, -
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Microsoft always has a bevy of critics eager to pounce on any effort they put forth but this one is aligned in a way that purveyors of 3D modeling and animation should take note. Not that they will be able to ignore it... Microsoft recently announced several products that point to their behind the scenes efforts to move the computing experience forward. One of these is their move to improve the desktop experience via the Surface Studio computer. Another is their forays into the world of mixed reality with new VR headsets. But the one that I find most applicable and compelling at the moment is on one hand slightly trivial but on the other should prove to be a long …
Last reply by Fuchur, -
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This reminds me of a few far fetched story ideas I wanted to use in a project many years ago. In those projects I intentionally targeted things that were 'impossible' because the technology added an element of mystery, fantasy, science and fiction and suggested a sense of the futuristic as a point of departure within an otherwise present day context. The trick being to tie the impossible tech into reality just enough to keep it from being entirely unbelievable with the gist of the resolution of the plot being something of a Rube Goldberg approach to problem solving; "How did the hero solve the mystery?" Why, Everyone knows he's a master of forms of science and technolog…
Last reply by Simon Edmondson, -
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It's always interesting to see how tech folds back upon itself. The latest buzz word in cg hair is something of a convergence between hair and cloth. Super Space Clothoids Whitepaper SIGGRAPH 2013 There is tech/math going on here which I don't claim to follow but when I suggest folks consider using geometry for hair this is the general idea and when one considers the possibilities much of what is outlined can already be created with A:M.
Last reply by Rodney, -
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TED Talks presents a talk with PIXAR's Danielle Feinberg on Lighting in PIXAR films. Well worth the watch (especially for those that had their dreams of being artists crushed as young children): LINK Note that is you see a download link that allows subtitles don't opt for the subtitles as the download appears to fail. Download without subtitles instead or simply stream the playback.
Last reply by Rodney, -
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Here's a playlist of talks on "story telling". I haven't watched them all, but I have no doubt that there are some tidbits (for me, and probably others) to be found at: http://www.ted.com/playlists/62/how_to_tell_a_story.html
Last reply by Rodney, -
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Hi there, every once in a while (mostly in my holidays) I return to A:M and try to make it really work for me. Still dreaming of an animators career, doh. However, one point where I still have huge problems with are Normal and Displacement maps. While mighty and powerfull I was never able to make them really work for me. When I render in A:M I only get unpredictable results, which by far not what I expect. Therefore it woud be nice, if you could tell me what to look for when using this kind of maps. Info about where you do the maps, how you export, what type of Normal adn Displacement maps you us would be also cool! Thanks in advance!
Last reply by Fuchur, -
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Hi, Where can I find documentation on how to use the terrain wizard? Thanks, Rusty
Last reply by Rodney, -
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Hello Hashers- I'm guessing many of you have seen the new text to AI art engines out there like Midjourney, Dall E and Disco Diffusion (to name a few). They are rather awesome and also bit scary with the excellent images these engines create just using a few word prompts. They leave the carbon based artist (at least me) a bit perplexed...Computer generated images are not copyrightable and yet they will soon overwhelm all aspects of our life. Seems like a steep road for the carbon based artist to compete... I just discovered a new Text to Animation (!) engine and wondered what the communities thoughts are regarding this new way to move models around:
Last reply by fae_alba, -
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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, -
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Skip ahead to 12:35 This is the first time I've ever seen him on film. 9JpfUK53lug
Last reply by largento, -
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Rather than add to the other topic that focuses on Phonemes I'll start a new topic where I hope others will feel free to explore A:M's Dopesheet. The Dopesheet has gained a bad name over the years and that is unfortunate because it can be used to do a lot of laborious work quickly. It can be used to block out stories, set up scenes and pose characters rapidly and without much effort. Folks see A:M's Dopesheet as only being good for Lipsync but perhaps it can do more than that...
Last reply by Rodney, -
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For those that haven't seen Disney's new 'Jungle Book', the end credits are quite a treat. I see that the credits are online at The Art of the Title blog. It features an old motif, that of a book opening and pages turning but with some very detailed CG animation. At the beginning the actual book from the original Disney feature can be seen just prior to the credit roll. The practical effect of the book moving around was reportedly accomplished by poking at the book from underneath the table. http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/the-jungle-book-2016/ Well worth checking out as is the entire movie.
Last reply by Rodney, -
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- 7 replies
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A site I like to keep an eye on is 'floobynooby' which collects a lot of animation related content similarly to sites such as onanimation.com Quite often the links that appear on one site will appear on the other. Every now and then however the content differs and I'm reminded again why I visit both onanimation.com and floobynooby.com regularly. In this case the posting of the first part of a three part analysis of the cinematics of PIXAR's 'Incredibles': http://floobynooby.blogspot.com/2013/12/th...les-part-1.html For anyone interested in filmmaking and animation, the article is well worth taking the time to purview. Folks pay good money for this kin…
Last reply by Rodney, -
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At Live Answer Time today we watched the very first animation treatment of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" Produced and directed by Max Fleischer as "A Jam Handy Picture" in 1948. Of the four credited animators ... Howard Kakudo ... animator Robinson McKee ... animator Fletcher Smith ... animator William Sturm ... animator ... only Sturm has a substantial IMDb trail, having been a former Fleischer Studio animator. The original Rudolph story was written by Robert May for an ad camp…
Last reply by robcat2075, -
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Here's a brief but good article from the Animated Spirit Blog: http://www.animatedspirit.com/the-five-phases-of-work/ Overview: Phase One: Beginnings Phase Two: Preparation and Planning Phase Three: Doing the work Phase Four: Struggle Phase Five: Completion This process is not unlike any good story-telling worth being told. I can easily see overlap between the phases that suggests similarity between the three (and often four) act structures of theater/film production. And (because things in collections of 5s seem to be important) don't forget to read James Chiang's five part review of the book 'Five Cs of Cinematography'. It's very well worth th…
Last reply by Rodney, -
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The Foundry has joined in the current trend of free software in anticipation of future purchases. And note this isn't just the standard Nuke release but the full Nuke X and Nuke Studio package also. Those paying attention know I'm a fan of Black Magick's Fusion and while Fusion is more accessible (IMO) due to its simplicity, Nuke will be easier to understand for most folks especially when trying to integrate audio and carry out basic NLE operations. I'd say the learning curve for Nuke is a bit steeper than for Fusion but there are also more resources available for Nuke as it's become one of the defacto compositors of late along with The Foundry's other tools. Fo…
Last reply by steve392, -
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- 10 replies
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Wow, go see this, if nothing else, for the scenery. Actually it is very touching. My wife was crying. Lots of fun.
Last reply by Steveotron, -
Waiting for a new PC to arrive for new AM rig and I got to tinkering trying to get AM to run on the Mac I have now, first tried Parallels which worked craptacular, then tried through wine, after reading on how to set it up and going through the process a few times, finally figured out how it all works. So, AM actually works fast and smooth without emulation penalty through WINE, BUT the graphics driver support is not working, I think WINE is using a translation thing and passes graphics instructions though the host platform which translates it to the GPU, when I looked into the Open GL settings it look like it is using the stock minimum drivers /extensions and obviously…
Last reply by a.quaihoi, -
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I'm mainly posting this as a test for posting vimeo videos but... the educational/animated videos that are being distributed these days are pretty impressive. [vimeo]41038445[/vimeo]
Last reply by Gerry, -
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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, -
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OK.... I confess....I'm a huge fan of Sky Captain & the world of Tomorrow. So when I saw this John Carter Pitch done by the same director(Kerry Conran).... I have to wonder how awesome it would have been if they would've done the movie. Check out the pitch.....
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 1 follower
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First of all, I've been out of it a while. Pretty much ever since school started, I've not done anything animation related or been around on the forum even, so hello again! So, I have a question, which I'm sure is a question many have had who've attempted to produce anything at all, which essentially is this: how does one successfully produce their own animated short? First I suppose I should define successful. By successful, I mean, have completed in its entirety (so basically script straight through to release) a short film (maybe no more than 5 minutes in length). Furthermore, how long did it take to produce it? What are certain goals a person should set f…
Last reply by Vertexspline, -
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Although I don't think the movie is very good, I love the look of Rankin/Bass' feature "Mad Monster Party." The characters were based on EC Comics/Mad Magazine artist Jack Davis' designs and the sets are great. I came across this image today. And this character design and puppet for Dracula is just plain awesome.
Last reply by Dalemation, -
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It's been awhile since we've seen a post about 3D Printers on Kickstarter... Here's one that recently launched that is already exceeding $2 million of their initial $50K goal with 24 days still to go. At a glance I'd say there is some interest in the technology... It's certainly small. Added: It seems the majority of folks are opting in to one of the various $299 options. AND NOTE... MOST OF THESE OPTIONS ARE GONE. What they appear to be doing is adding new $299 options but with subsequently later release dates. As of this moment it looks like that tier would expect a February 2015 shipping date. The Micro: The First Truly Consumer 3D Printer …
Last reply by robcat2075, -
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Source: Heavily adapted and reordered from SIGGRAPH educational notes: The five key elements of a good story: audience, content, motivation, semiotics and timing. Audience: The goal of a story is to share knowledge (and experience) with the audience. If we are sensitive to an audience we can even use stories to move people from one understanding to another understanding (more often than not without their conscious awareness). Telling a story with no one in the audience is not storytelling. Consider the old adage, "If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it..." If the event doesn't resonate with an audience it will be of little significance. …
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 1 follower
- 1 reply
- 590 views
Robcat suggested that I post these on the Forum. This conglomoration of musicians and I have been peforming at a local Wine tasting lounge every Wednesday for two years. This is a test animation. The Sax player has quit coming so I made a new "photo". Our motto is "Don't get your knickers in a twist, have a glass of wine!" More animation to come.
Last reply by robcat2075, -
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Let me preface this by saying that I have not used A:M for quite a while. I do keep tabs on it though because it does hold a special place in my heart, I've still got a few buds around here, and I'm still seeing kick-arse art made with the program. Let's begin... ----------------------------- CPU+GPU rendering was a way to increase render speed for the Cycles render engine inside Blender. Now that EEVEE is coming on the scene and is basically a game render engine, Cycles will probably be used only for specific tasks that EEVEE can't handle (yet), such as caustics, etc. I don't know what went down when trying to get A:M to render on a GPU, or why there wasn't m…
Last reply by nemyax, -
- 2 followers
- 11 replies
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Here is a Theremin simulator that runs in your browser. http://femurdesign.com/theremin/
Last reply by robcat2075, -
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My traditional yearly xmas card made in AM. I am not working so much lately in AM.Last two years a spended more time in traditional drawing.I have used AM to make 3d references for my pencil and paperwork. Each year when I work with it I injoy it very much. It brings up pleasant memorys to some of the members I have met on this forum since 1999 and who helped me a lot. Thank you for your kindness and help. Have a great xmas and a wonderful 2017! Marc.
Last reply by John Bigboote, -
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Hello everybody , My xmascard for this year is ready. Entirely made in you guess what... a merry xmas. Marc
Last reply by itsjustme, -
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I'm on the tutorial exercise "Show some backbone" and I'm working on the smartskin. I did some work on the arm, but when I tried it out, a bunch of the splines disappeared! I'm not really sure what's wrong. Can you help? By the way, here's the project. Thanks for any help you can give! Exercise_13.prj
Last reply by purplegirl, -
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So I'm getting a very late start on my contest entry, and I got to thinking: I have a laptop sitting on my desk that is probably faster (many times) than an SGI Onyx with Infinite Reality graphics (although I guess I'd be surprised if it wasn't, given 20 years of progress in technology). And even though I don't use AM as much as I should always...whenever I come back to it, I'm able to pick things back up without too much trouble, so that really speaks a lot for its design. And it probably costs about as much as a single Softimage support call would have cost back in the day. Funny how things change.
Last reply by Roger, -
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- 2k views
Hi folks, I bet there is a completely obvious solution to this but I can't seem to figure it out. I wanted to swing the camera around a model character and in a process of manipulating the camera at several second intervals, I start getting a 'brick wall' in the camera flow. What did I do to start getting this issue that ultimately causes the camera to jerk and interrupts it's smooth flow? thanks ! -Adam
Last reply by robcat2075, -
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- 152 views
was having an issue getting these 2 to dance but Robcat made itr happen Project1.letsdance.prj
Last reply by johnl3d, -
Tiny Nomad
by Rodney- 0 replies
- 718 views
My kind of short film... [vimeo]93537717[/vimeo] Direct Link to Vimeo video This is Toniko Pantoja’s fourth year project at Cal Arts. See more via Toniko's blog. His first year film is impressive as well: Link
Last reply by Rodney, -
tiny utility for ImageMagick users (Convert PNG sequence to Gif animation w/ transparency)
by Rodney- 0 replies
- 666 views
For PC users... If you use ImageMagick (or have it installed on your system) I created a little utility program to convert a directory full of PNG images into a GIF animation. It's pretty no frills but has the following features: - Converts a directory of PNG images into a GIF animation - Preserves transparency (most gif converters do not) - Works if setup properly from the Tools/Customize menu in A:M (so converting renders from A:M to gif is a quick process). - Allows user to enter a name for the converted gif animation (pressing the enter key results in only the date/time stamp being retained as filename) -- If entered, the name will be added in front of …
Last reply by Rodney,
