Best use of a Choreography File- A scene or a shot?

[danf]

I'm working on a short that takes place in mostly one place. For that giant bulk where the scene is set, and most things won't be moving, would you make it all one choreography file, or would you arrange choreography on a shot-by-shot basis?

 

My first sequence I began by going shot-by-shot, but by the end there were segments of action that were continuous, so it made more sense to render the various perspectives out of the same choreography file.

 

I can imagine a variety of perks to keeping one file (not pulling out all your props for each new shot), but I also feel like there are advantages to having a clean slate for each shot (not confined to realistic object arrangement and perspective, no issues with overlapping actions, a nice clean PWS with just as many dots as you're thinking about at the time.)

 

So those are my few thoughts on the issue. What dictates how you work?

[Bendytoons]

I'm working on a short that takes place in mostly one place. For that giant bulk where the scene is set, and most things won't be moving, would you make it all one choreography file, or would you arrange choreography on a shot-by-shot basis?

 

My first sequence I began by going shot-by-shot, but by the end there were segments of action that were continuous, so it made more sense to render the various perspectives out of the same choreography file.

 

I can imagine a variety of perks to keeping one file (not pulling out all your props for each new shot), but I also feel like there are advantages to having a clean slate for each shot (not confined to realistic object arrangement and perspective, no issues with overlapping actions, a nice clean PWS with just as many dots as you're thinking about at the time.)

 

So those are my few thoughts on the issue. What dictates how you work?

I usually choose to create the action continuously, and then make copies of the choreography for each of the camera angles.

[bighop]

I save the copy and save the choreography as a different name. That way if the file goes bad, I still have the Choreography files.

[robcat2075]

I can imagine a variety of perks to keeping one file (not pulling out all your props for each new shot),

 

After you get your props in the chor for the first time, save it before you do any animating.

 

Then you can reload that initial chor when you want to do something new in that set up.

[danf]

Booya! Those are the kind of common-sense answers I was looking for!

[Gerry]

Depending on the action and the nature of the scene, another option is that you can place as many cameras in a chor as you like. Once they're in there, you can cycle through them by just tapping the "1" key on the keypad. That's a good approach if, say, you want a closeup of a character's walking feet in the middle of a scene.

[danf]

So when you all say "duplicate the choreography file," what you're referring to is "save as.." it, and then reload it when you want to work with it again? Or is there another way to duplicate the chor. file within the same .prj?

[robcat2075]

So when you all say "duplicate the choreography file," what you're referring to is "save as.." it, and then reload it when you want to work with it again?

yup

 

Or is there another way to duplicate the chor. file within the same .prj?

nope

[danf]

I'm very carefully holding my composure together right now. Tell me if this is possible:

 

I built my scene, I "save as..."d the file.

 

I made a choreography involving four of my most complex shots. I saved it as.

 

I opened one of my other Duplicates, it looked familiar, but I just deleted all the keyframes since I had built the scene after I'd started choreographing anyway...

 

I built another 2 shots today,

 

Then I go back to reload some of the other shots I was hoping to render over-night,

 

and it seems the last time I hit "save," it somehow saved over ALL the "save as" files. They are ALL what I just did now. I can't find any of the work I've done over the last two weeks. I only had undo set to like 20 levels...

 

Is there a proper order when saving to make sure you're saving on the right file? Sometimes when I open it it has already chosen which file I will be working on, and when I "Save as", am I now working on the newly saved file or the old one, making the Save as an independent instance?

 

I thought I knew how all these basic things worked, but suddenly I feel like I don't know anything.

 

I'm looking for either a solution, or condolences, as I start making this vid again. at least I have some scratch renders...

[danf]

Is it possible both .prj files were saving over the same .cho file which had been save..as'd independently?

[danf]

Don't worry, I'm doing alright. I think I can catch most of the way up in a single day.

[paradymx]

One thing you want to keep in mind is the diffrence of saves. Saving the chor its self saves it as a separate item. Saving the prj will save that verison of the chor with the prj. My technque when needing a backup is:

 

save the prj,

 

then save the chor,

 

then reopen the prj without saving.

 

Now it I want i can bring the saved chor into that prj when ever without updating the original chor linked to the prj.

[robcat2075]

I always save chors, not PRJs. If you load a chor it loads all the things you need anyway.

 

And I always save my chors with version numbers so I can go back to some previous state if I decide I've been going down a bad path for a while.

 

Same with MDLs. I frequently save out to a new version number so i have a trail I can go back on.

 

It's easy to swap different versions of an MDL in the Chor.

[Gerry]

In the past I've found it necessary to rename the chor (or model) outside AM, or make a copy of the saved chor/mdl. Otherwise any changes you make in the prj will also be made to the chor even if you've saved it out.

 

Danf, these things can get frustrating, believe me I know! Just have patience when they happen, and you'll never make the same mistake again once you've been through it.

[danf]

Thanks guys, these are certainly lessons worth learning, although they might be better mentioned in some tutorial

[Gerry]

Danf, another good general pointer to keep in mind, especially when you're doing a lot of "save as"s with chors or models, is to periodically click "Embed all" under the Project menu.

 

This is also important if you bring in a model from the libraries, because if you don't embed it in the prj, any changes you make will be to the library copy as well. I think. I could be wrong. But I've gotten into the habit of clicking "Embed all" a couple of times a day. It's sort of like rubbing a lucky horseshoe.