John Bigboote

When all else fails...convert it to a .tga sequence (using AE or QTpro) and the audio to a .wav

Try setting your camera to custom render at 720X361... this will get you your letterbox images, but you will need to center it up in an app like AfterEffects or something to place that image in the middle of a 720X486(or480 for DV) which will put the 'black bars' at the top and bottom.

Could be a RAM issue...how much RAM do you have? What processor?

Sony Vegas is incredibly easy to use...$119 http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/products/vegasfamily.asp

That's not exactly the workflow...but it sounds cool! Maybe once A:M's linear editor is finished it could work that way... For now, you would need to make single chors...render them out and then edit them together using an editorial or compositing application...OR A:M's V15 editor when available (is it now?) You'll get the hang of it. When I dabbled into learning Maya, I couldn't figure out that workflow at all. They just have 1 window where you model and animate and build your scene. A:M's is easier to grasp with separate models that can contain poses. Actions that are reusable and transferrable from character to character- and choreographies where the stage is set and lit and rendered... I find it a very 'sane' workflow. You also should look at your 3D package as a 'footage generator'...not unlike a video camera. Would you want to shoot and edit a TV commercial or show all in the camera? Purists would say 'you could' but realists would say 'use an editor'.

Kelley: I can't wait to see what all this is going to turn out to be...looks promising! Will: I just laughed my butt off at Thom walking up that hill...funniest 'toon I've seen in a while! Thanks for all that info. I couldn't help but to think when HA:MR comes out how that little movie could be part of a game...with the user controlling Thom along various paths thru a scenic terrain...(and for all the 'true' gamers) carrying a HUGE gun...

THIS is something I have been struggling with as well. Can't get it to work. The longer the hair the worse C-D gets. There are a couple of things to experiment with: 1- Maybe a denser geometry will catch the collision detection better? 2- Maybe make the face geometry UNattached to the geometry with the hair emitters? 3- Maybe give the hair more (or less?) control points...max is 25. 4- There HAS to something to the 'Bounce and Friction' levels...one high the other low...both high...both low... ???? 5- Maybe make invisible 'shields' that contain the hair? The only thing definate thing I would say would be to set the angle limit low so the hair can't get too close to the face... Unfortunately, I haven't had too much success with the above. I think my expectations are too high, because when I think of collision-detection I think of hair that simply WILL NOT pass thru geometry, kinda like in real life. I've made some tests where I make a simple ball with long hair and run various objects by it or run it over various objects and the C-D seems to work fine. But once I put long hair on a rigged animated character all bets are off. And I've probably done HUNDREDS of tests. I haven't pestered the hash programmmers with this because I'm sure they know it's a limited feature, and other than that Hash-Hair is FANTASTIC! Also, I'm sure that to get it working right is a monstrous programming challenge requiring many-many-many hours/weeks/months. I've also tinkered with the possibility of using thin strips of SimCloth as hair, because SimCloth's Collision-Detection seems to be a little more successful... Good luck and PLEASE share the knowledge you gleam...especially if you find success!

I'll usually employ auto-assign and let it 'do it's thing'... and then I'll go thru and fix it's oooopsies. It's great for a one-clik and you are 40-60% of the way done tool.

EXAGGERATE! Sweeeet! Does your system track the eyes aiming? I don't think it's too big a deal if it doesn't. It would be SOMETHING if you actually brought this to market for us all. The 'animator' in me says "It's too much of a cheat!" but the filmmaker in me says "Long form conversation-driven animation is possible!" The results are quite compelling!

Big fun! Happy Halloweeeen!

Wow. REALLY cool! I'd love to learn more about the 'how it works'... you're really on to something there. Say- would it be able to overexaggerate?+

Is that a darktree 'Plush' material on the metal? It's getting there...

I did'nt see you were in V10...yes, you need to upgrade to current, because in V11 the hair was rewritten (As seen in my avatar...it's much better) and there are PLENTY of other advantages to be found in Vs 12,13,14 and 15. $100 is well worth it.

Have you used 'grooming mode' yet? It is found in the model window, next to modeling mode, distortion mode, bones mode...in that mode you will be able to brush, lengthen and full/thin the hair.

Good! I highly advise their usage for ease and effectivness, and I think you will like them a LOT!

CPWeights is a nifty newer feature that can eliminate some or all of the need for smartskinning, making a much more versatile character. SS always acted a little wanky for me.

That is a powerful feature...does'nt the new 'composite' feature sort of do this using .exr buffers? This is how Division X (a company I work with) is able to get their photorealism... http://www.gracewild.com/divisionx/index.html

I 'LOVE' obscene limericks! I've been known to write several meeself... THE BASICS TO SPINNING A WHEEL: Make a wheel, a lathe operation works well for this. Go into bones mode, make a bone that will be the axis point for the wheel with the roll handle acting as the spinning mechanism. Now, make an action or bring this wheel into the chor. Enter skeletal mode (f8) and click on the roll handle. In it's properties windows you will see the rotate property. Right click on rotate and select 'change rotation to euler'...you can now advance to the end of your chor and rotate the roll handle as many times as you wish to see it spin. THE BASICS TO RIGGING A 4 wheel VEHICLE: Do the same wheel creation as above but copy and paste and offset to make 4 wheels as in a car. Make a bone for each front tire as above and only one bone for the two rear wheels. This will allow the front wheels 'steering' capabilities. Bring the model in to the chor and animate the one wheel to turn as shown above. Once wheel 1 is animated satisfactorly, right-click on the rear axle bone and select 'new constraint'. Select 'Roll like' as the constraint type and select the bone that you animated as the target. Now, do the same for the opposite front axle bone but set the constraints 'scale' percentage to -100%. All four wheels should now spin the same. THE BASICS TO GETTING KICKED OFF THIS FORUM: Threaten to kill someone. Best!

Might want to try the old save-and-reopen trick...

Beautiferous! I think the floor is the weak point. And that logo is overexposed. Shadows could be darker...Nice work!

otherworldly! In a 'good' kind of way....

There's more to it. I use A:M primarily as a 'footage generator' and then use After Effects to composite and edit. Sometimes I work with an editor who would use an Avid or DS... My TV production toolkit includes: Animation:Master, Adobe After Effects, Photoshop, Premiere, Flash, Sony Sound Forge, Sony Vegas, Sony Acid...

Here's a small selection of TV spots I have made using A:M. I'd like to see other folk's as well...if possible. http://youtube.com/watch?v=tNtW9yMyTvY http://youtube.com/watch?v=GQ59K_vGRVU http://youtube.com/watch?v=PUOJ5ZRr4HM http://youtube.com/watch?v=pP4xpeqaifI That last one...'First Motor Club' is one I did freelance this summer. I had posted on the 'Jobs' forum to see if anyone had a lion model I could buy...someone told me of the 'cougar' on the Xtras DVD and suggested I modify it...so that's what that is! Also of note in that one...the 'weeds' at the start are animated using the wonderful 'dynamic constraint'. The entire job is sort of 'toon' rendered to match the art director's design.

Hi---YES! A:M is a very adept program for making TV commercials...coupled with a handful of other apps. (You will find you might need an editing program, a compositing program, and an image manipulation program...Some people contend that A:M can do all of this.) You are asking some pretty general questions. Studio's do not 'air' commercials...they make them, usually in conjunction with an 'agency'-who writes, produces, directs, and sells the commercial...and their client- who the commercial is for, and who foots the bill and reaps the reward. The agency will also buy the 'media'...which is airtime on cable or broadcast television. Individuals can approach their local cable stations and buy a package of airtime quite easily. Simply call your local cable or satellite service provider and inquire. I would recommend taking some advertising classes at your local community college, or approaching your local cable station for training. You seem to 'want to know'...and that is an important first step, so PERSUE THE KNOWLEDGE!

Stian- Thanks for sharing those...congrats on winning...awesome models, render and subject matter! The ONLY critique I can see...and my eye went right to it...and it's nothing you did...is the perspective on the background building has some un-natural convergences. It would be great if you could elaborate a little further on the render techniques you employed. Great work!