Simon Edmondson

Robert Thank you very much indeed. I shall try that straight away. regards simon

I think I have asked about this before but, couldn't find it on a forum search (?) Is it possible to use a spot light to project an image sequence, if so could someone kindly point me to an explanation of how to do it ? A fellow student on the course is seeking to test a projection idea and I was hoping to do it in AM. simon

Robert. Thank you. No subliminal message included.Honest ! But if you suddenly feel the need to transfer all your funds... Don't blame me ... regards simon

Going to test the process on the kit at college later in the week. In the meantime here are two little tests. The first is a QT file set at 50fps and rendered out at that from the start. 50fps.mov The second is the same chor but rendered out as jpg's but with frame burn added ( it causes a crash if you try to frame burn a QT file ). Then the frames "Save Animation As" in the PWS. 50jpg.mov Simon

The joke (?) is that NTSC stands for Never The Same Colour...

Robert, Gerald, Rodney Thank you for your help. I'm just kicking the idea around at the moment really. 50 fps give you a lot more to play with but a bit worried about he overall file size too. Big enough now but with twice the frames ! The overall thing was intended to use a lot of interplay with positive/negative shapes and, if I do using the 'interupt insertions the idea was to drop it into one of the negative shapes as a small part of the overall to try and keep it as subliminal as possible. No intention of taking it anywhere near external media, just to 'wind up' a particular tutor. Inherent politeness will probably get the better of me in the end. This hasn't got any subliminal bits ( honest ) but was a test towards one of the sections. The shapes are cut from packaging foam. I was thinking of using a similar technique using AM and cookie cutter decals. regards simon walk.mov

Rodney, Mark Pardon me I didn't see your replies at first. Thank you for your help. I shall try what you suggest. Its the playback I think that will give the trouble. I'm thinking of the days when, by ill repute, Cinema owners would put single frames in a sequence just before an interval, to encourage the audience to go spend money on expensive refreshments. They might be visible at 25fps but ( I hope ) less so at 50fps. Its to try and upset the tutors on the course... regards simon

Robert Thank you for your help. I will try that. The intention is to insert some subliminal frames to bring about the effect they want but using a different method. I had to read the most incoherent, pretentious codswallop this week. so thought I'd get 'revenge' while answering their question. regards simon

For the next unit on the course I'm doing I would like to use frame rate of 50fps ( Pal x2 ). I think this is possible in AM but, are there complications playing it back afterwards on other peoples equipment ? I don't play games mysef but do know (?) that quite a few play at 50fps or higher, is that dependent on the graphics card fitted, the compression codec, both or something else altogether ? simon

Been busy with other things, this is a pencil test for that but, still plugging away at Ska Lake. Work.mov I've revised the lighting and added some motion blur (25 %). This is a VGA version of a 1080 file. Any critical fedback would be very gratefully reieved. The lighting intensity changes as the lights follows each figure. Is this too distracting or is it acceptable in the context of a "live" show Likewise, the figures occassionally have a partial shadow as the lights follow them. Is this acceptable or would it be better without ? The idea is that the young man is a performer in a show ( of his own making ) so I was trying to make it look like a live show with a follow spot for each figure. simonSka25.mov Ps apologies for lack of frame burn. I forgot to add it and it took 50 hours to render this version )

I'm not a game player but the college I'm studying at does have a game design course at BA level which seems to produce good quality results. It is ( obviously ) in the UK, although such an option might be less expensive than the US equivalent ? UK fees are about £9,000 per year ( about $15,000 ) for UK students , overseas students may be more. The courses are usually of three years duration. There are several courses around the country andI think there are several in Europe too that might be worth a look? I found this on the BBC web site today. Perhaps of interest? simon http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-33906050

Rodney. Thank you. I'm trying to correct the levels of illumination and placement. Hope to set a final render going next week or sooner. Have been checking progress overnight after each set of corrections and it seems to be working ( famous last words ). regards simon

Gerald. Thank you. I am using Toon but, where do I find the multi light option ? regards simon edit. Found it. Thank you

Working in V17g, trying to get the lighting done, have encountered an odd problem. One light seems to cancel out the other falling on a suface. There are two active lights in the scenes both cast shadows and appear on the floor plane, Both show up on the skirting boardsbut, only one shows up on the wall. If I turn off one light, the other shows up on the wall, and vice versa, but both together, the light fall on the wall is missing ? The light on the bear is active The light on the Boy is active Both lights are active Can anyone kindly suggest what the problem might be and how to correct it ? simon

Gerald Thank you. I didn't know you could do that. regards simon

Robert Thank you. That sounds a bit complex for me. I'll post the result tomorrow after a good kip. regards simon ps Just posted an update on the ideas test. This one using a volumetric light.

Robert. Thank you. I'm trying one with a kinematic lag ( while I sleep ) but, as you suggest, I think the manual way is the one to use. Is a pain in the posterior though ! regards simon

Robert Thank you for your reply. Yes he's getting out of the light or its getting off him. Sorry, I didn't know how else to phrase it ? regards simon

I'm trying to resolve the lighting on my dancing figures. Initially I constrained the lights to the nody null so they would follow the figure around, That made the lights look too kinetic. Then constrained them to aim at a null and asnimated that to follow the figures ( hand keyed on the null ) but that appears to lead to unwanted overlaps or underlaps Can anyone suggest a suitable method ? What I am after is a stage show type effect with each character being lit be a follow spot. At present there are seven sets of two lights , one for each figure, and I am keying them on and off at suitable points. Any help gratefully received simon

I tried the model Nancy kindly modified but, a different set of problems arose, one of them rather curious. If a quick render was done on a side view, thtis was the result. Despite having hair turned n in the render options on the camera and the render properties box If using a camera view, the hair shows up, but not as it should. The model was imported directly with not mods by me. Except to turn off some of the controllers in the rig ( Chest, Head, Pelvis ) but that didn't affect the render of the hair, it was like this before. regards simon

Nancy. Terrific. Thank you very much. My knowledge of the rendering options is very limited so you you may regret the kind offer ! I may finish this project with the old Bert and save yours for the next one. Spoilt for options now. regards simon

Nancy That is outstanding. Thank you. I'm slightly overwhelmed by them. This project was supposed to be a test for the characters, ready for the next one. I'm a bit lost in possibilities now. regards simon Yes please, I would love a copy of the Hair bear. Thank you.

Nancy Pardon me, I missed your new posts. Unfortunately I am just about to go to bed so won't be able to do them justice until tomorrow. Thank you for your kind efforts. regards simon

Nancy. Thank you once again for your help. I've redone the ears and will render a QT in a bit. Haven't readjusted the pose sliders yet so the blinks and eye movements won't be as they should but hope I got the ears more correct. I did notice some spline problems on the skull but will leave them until later. regards simon

Nancy Thank you. I'm just about to have a go at the ears. Fingers crossed... regards simon