#3DS Rotoscope from Disk?
10 messages in this thread
I just picked up 3DSr3. I have been doing Broadcast animation for six
years using PC's, Truevision products and, yes, competitors to 3DS.
Needless to say, I am not use to asking dumb questions about computer
animation, but 3DSr3 got me this time. I thought rotoscoping was a
built in feature of 3DSr3 and was pretty much straight forward. Am I
missing something here?
I need to put a live action effect on a 3DS object. At present I have
a FLC that is 2 sec.'s long that is loopable for a 4 1/2 sec. that is
needed for the animation. I prefer to leave is as a FLC, but I can
convert it to TGA's if necessary. My question is that I only found
one reference to rotoscoping in the manuals and that was in the
Advance User Guide. Since I already have the frames, I will, as they
say be "rotoscoping" from "disk". The "rotoscoping" mention in the
guide was for grabbing video from tape.
I was able to map the object as a texture and an opacity map from the
FLC, but will the texture animate or will it just be the first frame
of the FLC. I need the opacity map becuase the final animation has to
have the alpha information generated by the black in the original
FLC. The alpha is required to be split off as a traveling mat for the
animation that will be reused over and over in a video post situation
(tape machines, video swithers and keyers to be precise).
Any help would be appreciated.
Hey Greg, thanks for everything. Thank Ray for me too. Maybe you could
give me your two cents worth <bg>.
Seeing how 3DS arrived Friday, I would like to see how fast I can turn
this around into a software that pays for itself. Actually I have a
deadline on a project. I need to know if 3DS can handle this straight
forward effect, pronto.
Thanks,
Bryce Whiteside
CF/X Image, Inc.
I got a bit confused during your message, but I think all you need to do is
apply your flc as an animated map to the surface you want the animation on.
Peter
>>flic as material…
Bryce,
The 3DS community generally refers to rotoscoping as the act and
process of grabbing video frames and mapping them onto an object.
Using an existing flic or other series of bitmap files as a material
is usually refered to as an "animated texture map" or in general, an
"animated map".
If you assign a flic as a texture (or other) map, 3DS will advance and
apply the next frame of the flic as each frame is rendered in the
keyframer. Although I know nothing about traveling mats and video
switchers/keyers, I use flics and TGAs as animated maps quite a bit,
and in fact am doing this tonight and probably all day tomorrow. If
you have any questions about getting cranking with 3DS that might be
more easily answered by phone, feel free to call. (615-482-4698)
Put your number in my address book.
Bryce
Bryce, I am not sure I followed your message entirely so I am not clear.
One thing to remember about using flics as an animated texture map, you have to
create a material and save it before you apply it to an object. Another thing
is that the length of your flic has a tight relationship with the number of
frames you are rendering.
Could you explain in more detail how you are trying to use the flic?
Michael B.
Seems to be a tight family around here. I got several answers already.
I am mapping a flame FLC to an object that will flame up a little
when a branding iron burns onto live action video. It will be post
composited in a video post production facility. The only thing that
will be precomposited is the brand, the branding iron and the flame.
The branding iron has to be a reuseable animation with a traveling
mat (alpha) for the video keyer.
Hope I have made my question a little clearer. I guess I was a little
tired and concerned when I posted my question. Greg Pyros even gave
me the correct page number in the the reference manual. That was what
I really needed and for which should have asked.
Bryce:
You're welcome!
JKJ answered most of your question in his usual eloquent manner, but I never
pass up an opportunity to chat, especially when asked! <g>
The flic can just be mapped to the object and it will update every frame as you
want. The only problem is that you cannot control a flic. The first frame of
the animation is always the first frame of the flic., the second is the second,
etc.
For more control, you can save the flic out as a series of GIF files, and use
an IFL (Image File List). This allows you to have the control of when the
frames start updating, and how long each of them stays as the map.
See page 3-47 of the reference manual for exact details.
Have fun!
Greg
Some say potato and some say potautoe. Some say tomato and some
tomautoe. And yes, there it was, big as life, in the index "Animating
Bitmaps…….3-45". Guess I should have read the reference manual
cover to cover Friday night <bg>. Thanks again
Bryce,
<< rotoscoping..>>
there's a file, "rotosc" in the what's new section of the libs. I
haven't read it yet. Just found it. FWIW
Got it; will get it.
Thanks Jonas
Bryce Whitesdie
CF\X Image, Inc.