Video Rotoscope - only shows first frame

[PaulX]

Any tips on importing a video rotoscope into the action window? Only the first frame appears and I can't seem to find any explanations on how to set the properties - length, crop, range - in the technical manual.

[Caroline]

1. Make sure that you import it as an "Animation or Image Sequence"

2. Decal it, not rotoscope. So if you have the action window open, right click THE MODEL under OBJECTS, not under action, and do New > Decal. Then position and apply.

 

That just worked for me with a QT mov.

 

Edit: I don't know how to set the length, etc - maybe you could edit the video before applying it?

[Rodney]

There are two primary workarounds I use when video doesn't work in A:M.

 

Open from another place

The first way is to open the video from the Project Workspace (PWS) rather than the properties dialogue.

Once the video is in A:M then it will be available to pick from via the object's drop down menu.

Select it from there and you should be set.

 

If this doesn't work (and you still get only one frame) then you might have to crack open the Image properties and set the frame under time to 1 at the beginning and 1000 at the end (this assuming your video has 1000 frames).

 

Either way... One way to tell whether you got the whole sequence into A:M is to open the video from its shortcut under Images in the PWS. If it displays more than one frame... you should have the whole thing.

 

Divide and Conquer

The second way would be to convert the video to a TGA sequence and import that sequence into A:M.

Some video with sound may refuse to open in A:M so striping the images out removes that possibility.

Care should be taken not to accidentally retime the video in the process. (Changing 24 feet per second to 30 for instance)

 

You can then similarly strip the audio out and import that as well.

 

Having said all of that it appears that you need to set the Frame properties in the Timing of your image.

[Caroline]

That's cool - you don't have to watch the whole thing - image properties, thanks, Rodney.

 

Also, rotoscope does work for me too. Don't know what I was thinking.

 

What's your video format?

 

One other thing, if you're importing a sequence of tga or jpg images, import them as an "Animation or Image Sequence", but just choose the first one, don't try and select all of them. By clicking the first numbered image, it will automatically load the sequence.

[PaulX]

That's cool - you don't have to watch the whole thing - image properties, thanks, Rodney.

 

Also, rotoscope does work for me too. Don't know what I was thinking.

 

What's your video format?

 

One other thing, if you're importing a sequence of tga or jpg images, import them as an "Animation or Image Sequence", but just choose the first one, don't try and select all of them. By clicking the first numbered image, it will automatically load the sequence.

 

Thanks Caroline and Rodney, the video is .mov - I'll try your suggestions and see what happens.

[PaulX]

OK - looks as though that worked. Again thanks for the tips.

[NightOwlCA]

how do you import as an animation sequence?

[PaulX]

Hello NightOwlCA - do you want to import a sequence - for example live action video - to use as an animation rotoscope? That being the video appears in the action window and so can be used as a guide when animating a character?

[NightOwlCA]

Yes I want to be able to put an animated character into my home videos. (with a final production similar to Roger Rabbit, showing real video combined with animation)

 

Hello NightOwlCA - do you want to import a sequence - for example live action video - to use as an animation rotoscope? That being the video appears in the action window and so can be used as a guide when animating a character?

[PaulX]

OK - we are talking about two different things here. You can import your home video as a camera rotoscope and it will appear as the background - but the camera angle of the live footage may be different from that of the virtual camera in the A:M choreography. The other way to put live action and animated footage together, as in Roger Rabbit, is called 'compositing'. To do this you make your animated footage in AM with the background set to a colour that can then be 'keyed out' in video ediiting software. You could use Premier Pro with the "Wax' compositing plug-in for example. The advantage is you can get a near exact match between camera angles, lighting, etc