cstanton
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Posts posted by cstanton
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This--gasp--isn't a platform issue at all. And, my point is not that this project can't be done in HD, but there are some issues that may need to be addressed, if they haven't been already. The point is that the project managers and the people volunteering as editors should know, if they don't already, that not every NLE and not all systems hardware [maybe that was the source of the problem] is capable of editing HD.
There is software on both platforms that is capable of editing HD. But, software that is capable of editing HD needs the proper hardware. The latest versions of Liquid, Premier Pro, and Final Cut Pro are capable of editing HD and may work fine for editing SD on almost any recent machine, but none of them will edit HD unless that particular machine meets the minimum hardware requirements for 1080i HD--and those requirements are very high. The requirements for 720p HD are less stringent.
Everyone involved should also be aware that editing HD on a desktop machine usually means HDV, which, as I mentioned earlier, is compressed in the camera and is a long way from high quality HD (25 Mb/s vs. 250-440 Mb/s.) All of these data are going to have to be transferred somehow and the files coming out of A:M are probably going to have to be compressed in some standard fashion before they are sent to the editor. That compression would probably be MPEG which is what HDV uses in camera, so it would be good if the NLEs used could edit MPEG files without conversion. But, even at 25 Mb/s, the files will be very, very big ((25/8)*60=187.5 million bytes per minute.)
Curtis
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At the risk of embarrassment if these issues have already been covered, I have a couple of questions about the editing positions.
I noticed this statement by Paul Forwood in his Ozscapes thread:
"I had an email from Bob to say that Martin wants these rendered at 1920 x 1080 so I have set one rendering at that resolution."
1) Is the project going to be edited in an HD 16:9 format?
If so, not all NLE software is currently able to import this format onto the timeline without clipping the frames to 640x480 or 720x486.
I'm using Avid Liquid which is capable of editing 1920x1080 (also native MPEG.) I don't meet the recommended minimum requirements for HD, but I've fooled around with HD a little and the performance hit on my system is huge. You can see my system specs in my profile.
The minimum system requirements recommended by Avid for using Liquid to edit HDV 1080i (should probably cover 1080/24p) are:
dual 3.0 Ghz processors, HT enabled
1.5 GB main memory
separate A/V disks
256 MB GPU (or more), PCIe, Pixelshader 2.0 support
2) How is this data going to be transferred to and from the editor?
(From the Pinnacle web site)
[attachmentid=12827]
Again, I apologize if this has been covered elsewhere and I missed it,
Curtis
Edit: I should emphasize that I'm talking about editing HDV which is smooshed down to 25 Mb/s (long GOP MPEG) in the camera to fit on to MiniDV tape. As you can see from the chart, HDV is way down the HD list.
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Even if I have the units of measure set to feet, the grid matches the ruler exactly if I set the grid spacing to 1" in 12.0q. You could try setting the units of measure to inches and set the grid spacing to 1".
A grid spacing of 0.16' is definitely not going to match every inch on the ruler.
(Was this a late night session? I know it's time to go to bed when I to hit "Cancel" instead of "OK" after changing application or system variables and then can't figure out why nothing's changed.)
Curtis
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Is it too late to submit a sample script reading for the TWO project? If it's not too late, how does one go about making a submission?
Thanks,
Curtis
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Here's the ear model. It's not 100% realistic, but it holds up okay.
Jim
Thanks, looks great. I think this will help
Curtis
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I can send an ear model if you would like.
Jim
I've looked at the ears on the CD characters and Frank Silas' ear tutorial, but I'm still struggling with ears. Could you post the ear model?
Thanks,
Curtis
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I should probably wait to see him animated, since the more experienced guys haven't mentioned it, but, what the heck. In some of the poses it looks to me like he has two mouths--an organic mouth overlaid by the tin jaw hinging at the ear. Sometimes, as in the round "Oh" type poses, it doesn't look (to me) like the tin jaw is part of his mouth.
Is animation convention broad enough that these are non-issues?
Looks great and just asking,
Curtis
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I uninstalled QT7, re-booted and re-installed from the downloaded installer--I get audio, but still no pterosaur. Any other suggestions?
Thanks,
Curtis
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I've been refused access to the TWO project site all yesterday afternoon and this morning. I keep getting a "The connection was refused when attempting to contact wiki.hash.com" message. Is it just me or is the site down? Did I miss the memo?
Curtis
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Rodney,
I was looking for A:M information about modeling an ear, which led me to Frank Silas' ear tutorial, which led me to a search for A:M Loft, which led me to your "useful links" thread. I'd somehow missed this thread previously--useful indeed, thanks.
Still looking for A:M Loft though. All links seem to be broken. Is this application still available? Is it still useful, or have the features been included in more recent versions of A:M?
Thanks again,
Curtis
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I have no expertise in these matters, but my first impression is that his right foot is over-balancing the "T" and its left leg is too close to the "T." Trivial issues, but have you tried moving both legs out a little--stage left?
Curtis
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Nice animation and camera moves, but both landings look a little "floaty"--or something. Maybe the jumper should accelerate more noticeably during the descent?
Curtis
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Very minor point: I know loons can't weight much, even so, since the leaf cushion is larger than its base, maybe the base should be tied to the platform in an obvious way.
Curtis
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Commotion is no longer being developed, but it is (was) a great motion graphics program. Has excellent chroma key tools (primatte keyer), motion tracking and image stabilization, B-spline rotoscope tools, and lots of FX stuff. You can still occasionally find V4.1 on eBay for around $30.00.
And Matt Silverman's "Commotion Complete" is still available from Toolfarm for $99.00. Great motion graphics tutorials. His table of contents will give you an idea of what's in Commotion.
CONTENTS:
CHAPTER 01: Interface & Playback
CHAPTER 02: Window Menu & File Menu
CHAPTER 03: Intro to Paint
CHAPTER 04: Cloning
CHAPTER 05: Edit Menu
CHAPTER 06: Intro to Compositing
CHAPTER 07: Intro to Motion Tracking
CHAPTER 08: Paint Tracking
CHAPTER 09: 2D Animation
CHAPTER 10: Stabilization
CHAPTER 11: Intro to Rotosplines
CHAPTER 12: Tracking Rotosplines
CHAPTER 13: Advanced Rotosplining
CHAPTER 14: Keying
CHAPTER 15: Advanced Matte Creation
CHAPTER 16: Integration with After Effects
CHAPTER 17: Corner Pin
CHAPTER 18: 3D Pan & Tilt Tracking
CHAPTER 19: Proxies
CHAPTER 20: Write-On Effect
CHAPTER 21: New Features in 4.0
CHAPTER 22: Advanced Compositing in 4.0
CHAPTER 23: Advanced Cloning in 4.0
CHAPTER 24: Filter Effects Overview
If you're looking for really cheap, it's still good stuff,
Curtis
edit: Don't know if the Mac version will run on the newer OSs, but the PC version runs on XP Pro, should be good for awhile.
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Actually there are several female AM users including Smudge who would be the third most active poster.
More nice doodahs. The top one doesn't look like the image beside it though! It doesn't have the "clock"
Smudge! Of course, of Ebin & May animation. There are other women? Wahoo! Now we can get together and model men wearing next to nothing with large umm... tools.
You've made my day Ken! For you my next doodah will look like a clock.
And NancyGormezano, of course, and SBK, I believe. They're both regular contributors to the forum.
Curtis
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Yeah, spokeshaves and drawknives are still readily available. Guess I should have said "traditional" instead of "antique."
Curtis
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An antique woodworking tool that wheelwrights used to shape the wooden spokes of wagon wheels, etc.
Curtis
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This is going to be an intriguing set. I would also vote for the automation idea, if I could. The rotating switches on the overhead tracks will be a wonderful detail if automated.
This is probably a personal quirk, but the fact that the horizontal "I" beams are smaller than the columns makes me uncomfortable. I can see that the beams are suspended from above, but, to me, the beams still don't seem substantial enough. I guess that, subconsciously, I would expect a structure such as this, in this type of setting to be self supporting, with the beams as large or larger than the columns.
For what it's worth,
Curtis
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And, of course, he'd have more patches than anyone else--a quilted loon-- a suggested story and chuckle behind each patch.
Curtis
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This bounding thing might be a slightly hazardous group activity. I don't know, this is probably mean, but idea of one of these guys getting poked in the rear in mid-bound by someone else's upturned spear makes me chuckle. He'd sputter off in a new direction, trying to cover the hole with his hands. Of course, you'd have to show him patched and fully inflated later. That should fall within the acceptable range of cartoon mayhem.
Hey, this is fun,
Curtis
This guy who gets poked could be the recognizable odd duck of the group. He's always doing things like lagging behind the group, getting his foot caught in a bush or a hole, his leg stretches, his foot pops free and he bounces/tumbles ahead of the group.
OK, enough for one gag,
Curtis
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Boy, I wish I were. I'm in the process of modeling my first character. Rigging is next. The only animations I've done are the A:M exercises.
Sorry,
Curtis
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In case someone hasn't already suggested this: The loon squatting motion combined with a bounding lunge on the stretching leg you showed could be a way for the loons to move quickly, if they ever need to. They could bound quickly into the air, quickly lose speed and then drift more slowly to the ground, maybe even drift backwards or off course a little. Kind of like holding a balloon, stretching the knotted end and then letting the knotted end snap forward to propel the balloon. They might even occasionally use the butt end of their spears during this process as a vaulting assist or to help make course corrections. That could contrast to their more rolling, stiff legged walking gait.
Might be kind of funny to see a group of these guys in a hurry, bounding and bouncing off one another, with the odd stiff limbed, uncontrolled, mid-air rotation here and there.
Just a thought,
Curtis
TWO Character group shot
in TWO: General Discussion
Posted
Looks great; and the cow's expression is perfect for someone who has a hand sticking in her side.
Curtis