Simon Edmondson

Mark Thank you very much for your reply and help. Just had a look. Yes,some of them are jpg's. Curious that it works in V17 but not V18? I bought V19 last week, but still awaiting the install number. Did it ever get fixed in V18 as I was hoping to move over to use that on a more regular basis? regards simon

Robert Thanks for reply. Yes. I bought V18 a couple of years ago and used V17 while it was progressing up to iteration P. They are both on a Mac Mini running OSX 10.85. All the map files and model files are on the same machine although I did embed all the files in the project, after saving them independently. That machine is tied up rendering at the mo but will get a screengrab tomorrow. Regards simon Ps I bought V19 last week ( still awaiting install number ) but, its on a different machine.

Do you mean you're just trying to import it into the images folder and can't do that? Robert Thank you for your reply. Yes, that was exactly the problem. Thinking about it today, I wondered if it was because it was previously saved and used as an embedded project file? Its going through on V17 today so will try that tomorrow. regards simon

Thank you Robert. Its a bit frustrating to have to wait for it when its all paid for but, hey ho. On with other things. regards simon

I bought the current version last week and was going to migrate over to using V18, rather than my more usual V17. However its giving some trouble I have a project, set up in V17with all the files embedded ready to use and the map pathways clearly set out. When I try to import that into V18 it imports the models and the animationm some of the maps but, NOT all of them. The paths are retained in the file details but the image is left behind. When i try to reconfirm the file by following through the path and identifying the file, it doesn't accept the input. If I try to import the map to then reapply the map it does not import the map as requested. Can abyone kindly suggest a solution ? regards simon OSX 10.85, V17, 4gb of Ram importin g ti V18p

I bought a full version of V19 on 28th November and couldn't find the place to download it (?), only the subscription version. Got one via the forum but now can't install it, I sent an email asking for the number, unfortunately haven't heard back from support yet. Tried today using the serial number from an earlier purchase. No luck. Can it only be done with a brand new number ? simon

Love the Leaf. Do you know the work of the british artist Andy Goldsworthy ? regards simon https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Andy+Goldsworthy+images&client=firefox-b&dcr=0&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwie1vP8pbLXAhUGAxoKHV3UCZIQsAQILA&biw=1319&bih=959

Robert. Thank you very much indeed for your help. Very much appreciated. regards simon

Robert Thank you for your reply and your help, very much appreciated. Here is the render settings used Scene Three.pre That setting has been used for all the scenes rendered in the past few weeks. At least, I think so, it hasn't been consciously changed. The only difference has been the selection of Toon render when needed, all other settings stay the same. The two projects are set to follow your suggestion of a few weeks back, I was trying to get a toon render to sit in the midst of a standard render without running into alignment problems or requiring editing in photoshop afterwards. The first scene/project, blacks out the figure but leaves the rest as normal. That is then rendered with a standard setting. The second scene/project, blacks out everything but the figure. That is then rendered with a Toon setting. Both renders are then composited in After Effects using the "Add" option regards simon

Robert Thank you very much indeed for your reply and offer of help. Very much appreciated. There were two, with everything embedded.. regards simon First one with the figure all in Black normal scene NHF S3B 001.prj Second with the scene in Black and the figure in Toon setting NHF S3T 001.prj

Robert Thank You for your reply. The white part is only showing up as white in the browser. On the original file its actually a hole in the render. At first I thought it was some geometry that had been distorted. but, when opened in photoshop, the hole became apparent. The annoying thing about it is that it is very inconsistent. Sometimes it happens and others not at all, even on the same frame, using all the same settings. It is only when viewing it as a sequence later that the problem shows up. Should add that, I don't monitor every frame as it goes through, only review afterwards when assembling the animation. I was using an alpha channel previously as part of the compositing process.Its a carry on from that. Yes. It was rendered with AO, set to the sample rate of 100% Regards SImon

Presently re rendering the files to get the right quality. Its taking some time. Having trouble with some frames not rendering correctly. Working with V17 under OSX10.85 I'm trying to follow through Roberts earlier suggestion on how to get the toon render to fit seamlessly into a normal render. Unfortunately some glitches seem to crop up, seemingly at random. As you can see, 'holes' are suddenly appearing in the render, were the alpha channel shows through rather than the surface of the model. I've rendered it several times and the results are not consistent. Sometimes it happens on one frame, 055 above, and on other occassions it doesn't, but does on a different frame.The fault is not the same on every frame but varies in size and shape. sometimes multiple 'holes' sometime only one single gap. The renders are done to .png format, could that be a reason. Can anyone kindly point me to a solution as its getting very frustrating ? thank you simon

This is the first test of the idea for this scene.Hoping it will be the last scene but, it will take a lot of tinkering adjustments to get it to work properly, not least the shapes, positioning and timing. I've only tried one multi screen before and that was a much simpler idea and scene. Any critical feedback or suggestions, very welcome indeed. simon Nosey Comp.mov

I changed the composition and rendered it out. It took a long time, 2 hours 50 at 50% AO sampling, but no 'noise' in the render. Curious. I've set another going at 75% sampling. Hoping that will be noise free too. I will try to follow up Mat's suggestion while the render is going through. Thank you to everyone for their help. regards simon

Mat pardon late reply.Thank you very much for the info. I shall give it a whirl in a couple of days. I'm taking a short break from the project to work on something else. By way of respite. I've been working on it so long and so intensively that I'm not sure I can 'see it' properly anymore., so a break is needed. regards simon

Robert Thank you for your reply. Do you have a link I can look up to read more about it please ? I'm trying to stay away from the computer over what would have been a holiday but, allow myself to read ... ! regards simon

Mat Thank you for your reply and help. Much appreciated. Pardon the tardy response, I've been a bit ill the past few days. Its only using standard AO, not the transparent kind. The cautionary note that it was "very slow" put me off trying that as it was taking nearly 5 hours per frame as it was, even longer in in V15 which is what I set it up in before switching to V17. I've not heard of fake AO, do you have a link where I can read up about it please ? I am trying to keep the post work to a minimum if possible. This final scene, might require it but, I was hoping to keep it all within AM as a standard render, if only for the sake of simplicity. Robert earlier suggested using the technique of comping over black figures, which was then used for the celebratory toast scene, which may be needed for others, but its getting a bit overwhelming as it is. Regards simon

Robert. Thank you for your help and reply. Must admit, would prefer to do it as a single shot rather than composite it, even with very long render times, but, these are this afternoon's comps. Still working on the composition. regards simon

Having some trouble with renders using Ambient Occlusion. This was rendered with 5 passes and Ambient sampling set to 100%. Its a reflection in a glass surface but, I've had similar troubles in non reflective surfaces too, although this is the most extreme example so far. This is it without ambient settings The ambient render is VGA because its taking a very long time to render at 1080. Can anyone kindly suggest a cause and possible cure for the problem ? Thank you simon

Robert Thank you or your reply. It is a reflection scene. She is inside a house looking out at the car arriving on the opposite side of the street. I think the confusion arrises from the side window in the room she is standing in? You can see through that into next doors garden and the reflections to the front. I shall try a different composition regards simon

Unfortunately illness got in the way of the holiday so its back to rendering. Following some feedback on Facebook, I decided to try a split screen section. With the car arriving on the bottom half and the neighbour with the binoculars on the top half. When his part finishes, it moves to a female neighbour watching, while having a cup of tea ( very english !), as Bill gets out of the car. What I was after is the tea drinker standing in the shadows watching, with the scene below of the car exit reflected in the window she is looking through. ( hope that makes sense ?) Haven't finalised the composition yet but, this was an attempt at the look. As you can see, a lot of 'noise' crept into the render and I wonder if anyone can suggest a way to avoid that ? It was done with AO lighting, no spotlights or key light, because I wanted that twilight look. I had the same trouble when rendering the car arriving for the lower half, with the same sort of noise appearing on the garage door but, that seemed to go when I upped the sample level to 100% The render time for 1080 was 8hours 30 mins for the frame, rendered with 5 passes. Don't mind the time so much, but the noise makes it unusable. Tried a version using a key light and no AO, this was the VGA result. Render time was about two minutes or less ! ) Nearer what was wanted but, would prefer a subtler blend of reflections. Can anyone kindly suggest a cause, and a cure, for the noise problem ? Thanks in advance. simon

Robert Thank you for your reply and help. Very much appreciated. The spokes are just "render as lines" without any other material setting. Think so, they were done about 12 months or so ago. The lack of contrast in the figure seemed to be a consequence of the global AO settings, as it was done without direct lighting. I quite like that look as its close to how it looks in twilight after the sun has gone down, before it gets dark. I had trouble with a lot of "noise" creeping in to the renders in the form of dark grains appearing on the sky maps and the garage door when doing the binocular lenses They were done with only single pass renders, multiple pass renders seemed to ease that. I think the reflected light in the binocular lens looks brighter because of the contrast with the darkness of the figure behind ? Its all part of the same scene, rendered with the same lighting conditions. Only the camera view changes. I will check it thoroughly when I do the final render. I think the change in the mapping above the garage door occurred because it was rendered with Multiple copies rather than Network render and I accidentally tweeked a setting somewhere. Likewise with the lighting in the room. I liked the version with the lighter room but thought this worked better because of the darkness, making it slightly more intrusive spying by the neighbour ? I'm off on holiday next week and the intention is to set it all up on Network render and redo the whole project to get more even results. The render times are very long because of the AO and the reflection settings so, to redo the whole thing is going to take several weeks if not months. Intend to use that time to re record the dialogue and do the sound FX. One thing I do like about computers is that they can be working flat out while you're doing something else. Its started to feel like digital enslavement the past few weeks as I've tried to get the animation and narrative sequence set. The first holiday in five years will be very welcome. regards simon

Had a few problems with consistency of renders, mapping, lighting and colour seemed to vary without warning but, this is the final sequence before re rendering the whole project and trying to get the sound done properly. Any critical observations very welcome. simon Nosey.mov

Robert, Gerald Thank you for your helpful suggestions, I shall try them out today. While pondering over it last night, I stumbled across this, which isn't what I was after but,I do like the look of and, it does add a darker tone to the nosey neighbour thread. regards simon Bill A spot2.mov

This was rendered using ambient occlusion, set at 75% I really like the look of the lighting but, the reflections in the window ,and parts of the sky layer, have got black specs, like dust on a negative, is there a way to avoid that and still keep the look of the ambient lighting ? thank you simon