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Thanks Gerry. Still looking into the video player thing, as well. Looked at your suggestion on the MP3 player thing, still trying to figure it all out.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night It's been awhile. I've been busy with work and holidays and such. But, I should be able to get some things done today having the day off. I just wanted to keep people up to date. Episode 8 is still ongoing and I'm also working on a new project as well. Here is a sneak peak picture for episode 8: I'll be updating things today as I progress. Hope everyone has a very wonderful day today and enjoy the time with family and friends.

***UPDATE**** With great jubilation, Episode 8 is now online for all to enjoy. http://www.animace.biz/videoplyr.html *************** I just got back from my holiday travels and let's just say I won't be traveling soon. hehe A 5 hour flat tire adventure on a busy, busy traffic filled highway all but ensured I don't want to relive that experience anytime soon. Episode 8 is being created as I type. I'm still working on the book and hope to have that out sometime at the end of January 2009. Not sure if it will be a paper book or a downloadable PDF. Still trying to decide the best cost analysis for that project. Hope everyone is doing well, and has a wonderful holiday time. ****Updated Post: Here are some new pictures on the production of Episode 8. It's taking a bit longer than usual, due to work schedules. I'm hoping to have Episode 8 out by next Sunday, Feb. 1 2009. Enjoy http://www.animace.biz

Thanks mouseman. I love using a camera, but, with any type of video production it can take several people to make a film. With Animation Master and just me, I can do pretty much everything I can think up. It's one of the best pieces of software around. I've tried other programs, but, I find that other software just gets in the way of trying to work. A:M just does it for me.

Thanks for the comments HomeSlice and ypoissant. HomeSlice, I looked at the 2 programs you suggested. I'm not sure at this time about FLV. It seems I would need Flash MX 2004 and Flash 7 or above. I only have Flash MX at the moment and I'll have to look into whether I would be able to use, code, create web stuff for FLV with an older version. I know, update hehe ypoissant, thanks for your comments. I come from a videographer background, so composing and "cinema" type shots what I'm prone to seeing in my mind's eye. The pacing is a bit slower and will pick up as the story goes along. As for the voices, I blame myself. hehe

Thanks, Mouseman. Yes, the animation on this one was a bit more fluid. But, I've a long way to go before it's really tremendous stuff.

Thanks for the effort, Gerry. I'm publishing as SWF files. I learned how to build the videoplayer using swf files first. I've searched the net and all over, but, I'm not sure that I will be able to use swf files and have a volume slider. I'll look into FLVs. But, that's another thing I'll have to spend time on learning. Argh, it never ends. hehehe

Thanks Gerry. I'm always a bit concerned when others view the episodes and wonder how their experience is. I'm hoping it's good, but there are varying experiences with monitors and such. I'll see if I can't crank up the gamma a bit. The episode takes place in the dark building however.

Good evening, everyone. I've managed to finish Episode 7 and upload it tonight. Be cautious of the sound level, it may be a bit loud. Be sure to turn down your speakers a bit and adjust the volume accordingly. If someone is a Flash guru, or knows of someone, I am trying to create a volume slider for the video player. But, I'm a novice and trying to find out how to do it. Hope everyone enjoys it.

I have to agree, Gerry. Every so often I will go back and watch the other episodes in the series and personally, I think they are more enjoyable.

hello everyone, just wanted to let everyone know that I am currently working on the next episode. I've also started a new job, so I'm not sure of my schedule and how much time I will be dedicating each week. But, I am still working on the series. The book is on hold for a little while. I checked online printing services, but I feel that the pricing is a bit steep at the moment. If anyone knows of cheaper book printing services, please let me know. If nothing else, I might offer the book as a downloadable PDF or something similiar. A peek shot of the next episode:

Thanks kwhitaker. I really enjoy creating the series. Hopefully I can provide enough entertainment in each episode for people to enjoy them and keep coming back.

Thanks Rodney. Going forward it will be a bit faster paced as the essential part of the story has already been told. The book will add alot of information to the story as well.

Thanks HomeSlice. I usually forget to add all the pertinent information in my posts hehe

Hello, all. Well, after much hair pulling, screaming, a bit of crying and general tantrums, Episode 6 is online for your viewing pleasure. I had to work with Vegas a bit to find out why it was doing what it was doing; as well as, deal with the fps issue. Hope everyone enjoys. Now, off to finish the book.

I've been using AM for how many years now and I have never known that was there. OMG. It was set to 30. Yes, now SMPTE on the Timeline shows up correctly. As I'm sure everything else will fall into place. Thanks Rodney. Now I will give up AM and animating forever.

I think I know what is happening. The audio files were recorded and/or sampled at 30 fps. When outputting from AM in QT Mov codec (even though I specify 24 fps), it is outputting to the 30 fps in the audio file. I opened up just the audio file in QT player and Audacity and each read file as 4.73 sec. When importing just the audio file into a 30 fps timeline, it reads in as 4.73 sec. When I import the QT Mov (the 30 fps one) with the audio file that is rendered at supposed 24 fps, the audio files line up exactly at 4.73 sec in the timeline. I also compared the QT Mov file and the individual PNG files against each other. The 202 PNG files at 24 fps reads at 8.12 sec. The QT Mov file at 30 fps reads as 6.73 sec with 162 frames. If you take 202 and divide by 30, you will get 6.73 sec. In AM, the audio file is in an Action for the character. That Action is 4.73 sec long as it correlates to the audio file. Also, in AM, the Timeline (when Units are Cels), the animated character goes from frame 1 to 202. When Units are set to SMPTE, it's length is 6.21 or roughly equivalent to 6.73 seconds; which would correspond to 30 fps not 24 fps that I have setup in Units. Ok, I'm writing this as I test out different things. So, the following is my observations as I test. So, now I'm totally bewildered. If I'm animating at 24 fps, and my animated character is moving for 6.73 seconds, I should only have 162 frames (6.73 times 24). So, how am I getting 202 frames out of the 6.73 seconds? Well, 6.73 seconds times 30 fps equals 202. ???? However, in the QT Mov file with audio at 30 fps, it's length is 162 frames. That's the 24 fps frame count. So, now I'm thinking that alot of my "floating animation look" has been due to thinking I'm animating at 24 fps (ie, my characters arm moves in 1/2 second or 12 frames) but in reality, when rendering out individual frames, it's actually creating more frames based on a 30 fps timeline. ?? I did a short test with one character. I started each arm out at frame 1 in a horizontal position. The right arm I animated at 24 fps. So, at frame 1 arm is outstretched, at 12 frames arm is down by side, and at 24 frames arm is again outstretched. This should be a one second action. I rendered out frames 1 to 24, for a total of 24 frames. With the left arm, I switched the Timeline to SMPTE and animated by seconds; ie, 0 seconds outstretched, 1/2 second down by side, 1 second outstretched. However, when rendering out 1 second, I have 30 individual PNG files. Eventhough, in the Units panel, I have 24 fps. I'm thinking, I have to re-render each shot again, and use the QT Mov file with audio for the audio and correct action per frame. Because, eventhough the QT Mov file with audio reads as 30 fps, it's total frame count correlates to the frame time for the given action. With the example above, my 6.73 second action should only be 162 frames at 24 fps. I'm now thoroughly confused and need a nap.

Interesting find from AM. In AM, I have the Units set to 24 fps in the Options window and set to Cels for frames. I have animated my character from frame 1 to 202. I was rendering out as individual PNG files at 24 fps. Vegas can import as a sequence at 24 fps and reads as 202 frames. This is what I would expect. Then, I changed to render out as QT mov (to include the audio file in AM) set to 24 fps in the codec Setup. I still have AM Units set to 24 fps. When I view the rendered movie file, QT player says it's now 30 fps, and reads as 162.4 frames and Vegas imports it as 30 fps and reads as 162.4 frames. ??? Not sure what is affecting this change. But, alas, Episode 6 will be delayed a bit longer.

I'm trying different things with AM, like rendering out as movie files with the audio file. KenH, thanks for that tip. I'll give that a try, as well.

Sometimes upgrading to newer, faster, (supposedly) better hardware and software doesn't allow for a better workflow or pipeline. I had to make a decision about upgrading to a newer computer. I was weighing the odds about moving over to a new Mac computer; but, the cost of changing over my software was a bit prohibitive. So, I decided to stick with Windows. However, Ulead Movie Studio Pro doesn't play well with Vista. It hasn't been updated in over 2 years. So, I decided to move over to Sony Vegas. In doing so, I've had to learn how to move around in Vegas and be able to work with it as I had with Ulead. However, it's taking a bit longer to get accustomed to Vegas. In Ulead, I could mix different frame rates with the video and audio files; ie, video files were 24 fps and audio was recorded at 30 fps; but, I could mix them and Ulead would format accordingly on the 24 fps output and the audio (dialog) would sync up to the video files. Vegas seems to be a bit different. So, I'm kind of stuck at the moment. My audio (dialog) files are not syncing up with the video files. I've tried time stretching the audio files; but, a weird stuttering effect is generated. Episode 6 is pretty much complete except for the audio issue. Anyone else using Sony Vegas?

The entire script won't be done. This is a episodial series. Almost like a weekly television series. The book will cover the episodes that I will have completed thus far. I'm debating a graphic novel, as well. However, that will come after I get Episode 6 online and the book out. It would be a bit much for me at this time to complete all 3 at the same time. But, it is something that I am thinking about making.

Hello again everyone. I apologize for the lapse of postings. I took several days off for a short vacation, I had worked on a live action short film for an upcoming film festival and I've gotten a new, faster computer and had to set it up with software and files. All in all, things are now back to a somewhat normal operating situation. I have about 2 minutes of Episode 6 under wraps and diligently working on the remaining bits. With Episode 6, it will be the last episode for this "season". I call it a season for lack of a better word. Don't worry, there will be a season two once Episode 6 is out. Also, with the release of Episode 6, I should have the book out as well. That's right, you read correctly, there will be a book. I plan it to be about 100-120 page paperback book. I have about 40 pages written so far. Until then, let me know what your thoughts are. And here's a little picture of a new character in Episode 6:

Thanks for the comments Homeslice and Gerry. On the next "season's" episodes, I hope to be able to take a bit more time to enhance some of the weaker aspects of my animating. As for now, I was on a break from animating to work on a short, live-action zombie movie. All the shots were green screen; so I had to build all the sets in A:M. It was fun to do and a nice break from animating. I'll have it up on my website soon..

Thanks, Martin. Sometimes I get caught up in the production and getting it online and forget about doing admin type things. I'll check the audio levels again tonight. Hope everyone enjoys this episode.

Episode 5 is completed and now online. Homeslice, I thought about putting them on YouTube; but, the compression is not so good in my opinion. Plus, I use a different aspect ratio and I'm not sure it would carry over. I'm looking at getting onto their Partner Program. Hopefully, they answer my email.