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RE: Camera/Light

Visconti — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 01:57:38 GMT

Camera Animation in Large Scene

Category: iClone_Hint's & Tips_Camera/Light
Version: iClone 2.5
Date: 2007.11.01

Q: I am just completing my first "proper" bit of animation with a storyline etc, and I thought it would be helpful to have a positioning x/y/z for the camera as with the characters, props etc.The fix to character is really useful, and the animated edit key is great for small scenes, but I found it really awkward trying to set start and end points in a large scene where the camera needs to stop and start. I am afraid I don't have a steady enough hand on the mouse!I hope that makes sense; I've only had 3 hours sleep because of your addictive programme and my desire to "just finish this scene!" Any thoughts would be appreciated.

First, you can place some dummy objects as camera sets in your large scene.

[img]http://forum.reallusion.com/image/2007.11.01_001.jpg[/img]

Second, click the object and press "Home" that will take you to another camera angle far away.

[img]http://forum.reallusion.com/image/2007.11.01_002.jpg[/img]

Third, use camera view to target freely as you want.

[img]http://forum.reallusion.com/image/2007.11.01_005.jpg[/img]

Moreover, you will get "Walk/Fly Camera" in iClone 3.
You can also see through from character's eyes or get the camra on the character's back.

[img]http://forum.reallusion.com/image/2007.11.01_004.jpg[/img]

[img]http://forum.reallusion.com/image/2007.11.01_003.jpg[/img]

RE: Camera/Light

Visconti — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 03:41:17 GMT

Silhouette

Category: iClone_Hints & Tips_Camera/Light

Version: iClone 2.0

Date: 2007.05.06

I would like to make my character a silhouette with motion. How can I do this?

Just popped in while the next 5000 frames are being rendered. Is this a location shoot or are you working on an indoor set? Is it daytime or night? Do you want monochrome or can you work in colour rear: light on backdrop/location. What background is the character working/acting against? Is the background allowed to colour transition? All that aside are you not having luck with dropping the lights backwards.

The easiest thing to do is pull the actor towards the camera by about 700 points.
I could be wrong but the lights seem to pivot at the central point so even when you drop them back they still light the character undersides. By pulling the character forwards 1000 you’re pulling it forwards of the lighting pool flooding the BG with light is a lot easier afterwards. This is how I did the Moon Dance of Thi-Mai!

Also, takea look at the following when working with silouhettes.

Ambient lighting level is normally off.
Check the positions of the lights in the sample scene. Thats where the secret lies.
They shine AT you rather than at the CHARACTER in a manner of speaking.
This way they never hit the faces of the character that face the camera.
You just siddown and "do it!". The answer is always there somewhere.
A tutorial book might be an idea but the trouble is with that you will always come across a situ that demands lateral solution so it would never cater for more than the beginner.
By the sounds of it youre already playing in a field Ive not seen anywhere yet.
Ill post a 10 sec clip of the silhouette I created fora dance for the Film Im working on later this evening.
A micro sneak preciew but only of a single take. Its still using the power of silhouette which in the right hands adds good impact.
Credit to you for thinking of it so early in your education with iclone. :o)
Here's a quick demo of the above lighting control with BG glow attracting similar effects on foreground chars wierdly. Probably not intentional but I like it as it seems to soften the outlines.

RE: Camera/Light

Visconti — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 03:15:58 GMT

360 Degree Turn

Category: iClone_Hints & Tips_Camera/Light

Version: iClone 1.52

Date: 2007.05.25

Q: Can anyone point me in the direction of the tutorial document on how to apply a 360 rotation?

I have done something similar to this - using the avatar positioning at certain points on the Time Frame. Depends how fast you need the turn to be, but I set Frame A Direction to 0, Frame B to 90, Frame C to 180, Frame D to 270 and Frame E back to 0. The gaps in-between these points dictate the speed of the turn. One of the things about I-Clone that has impressed me the most is its ability to "fill in".

If it is a prop you need to rotate, then just choose the orientation you want from the modify panel as you add keys on the timeline. The prop will then rotate in any direction you want.

If it is a character you need to rotate and you can't get the orientation you want from the modify panel, then you can create a simple motion to achieve it in the Motion Editor.

If you've merged some objects together they will all hold a common axis as long as they were merged at their point of origin; where they appeared in the environment.
If they were moved left, right or otherwise, and THEN merged, they will rotate but their common axis will be their point of origin, where they were initially created and thereafter rotate in a wide circle around that. (At least this is what is being experienced here!!!)

I just wasn't sure if it was a single object or a moved merged one you were having trouble with.
Just make sure that in the timeline editor the number of frames is equal between each stage for constant motion speed. Also, if you've made trials and changed the rotation stages, make sure you do look at the Timeline Editor because there will be unwanted flags along the objects timeline.

I don't know if you tried setting the 0,90,180,270 points on the timeline at 1 frame apart, but when I do this and then copy and paste into a long series of rotations the effect is very fast indeed and would surely work for a spinning CD as well.

You can also set the marks further apart at the start of the timeline and gradually bring them closer together to give the effect of a spinning object getting faster and faster which looks very nice.

Camera/Light

Visconti — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 01:54:21 GMT

Camera templates change

Category: iClone_Hints & Tips_Camera/Light

Version: iClone 1.52

Date: 2007.01.03

Can somebody tell me how can I edit back to back 2 camera movements (templates)...don't know how to do that?

Two of the same, yes; just open the camera time line and copy/paste what is already on the time line by way of adding a single default or single custom camera motion. You can also append motions to existing default camera settings provided, or design your own on the time line and save it as a custom camera motion.

No, if you are talking about adding two independent/separate camera motions to the time line at the same time; such as is provided in the default camera motions provide or two separate custom motions you may have designed on the time line and saved.

All the default camera movements in iClone template contain only one camera.
The tip to make a "cut" transition is to set camera keys of different position adjacently.
If you check the "Switch Cam01", you'll find them between frame 200/201, 400/401 and 600/601.