Better Lip-sync

Category: CT_Hints & Tips_Lip-sync

Version: CrazyTalk 4.5

Date: 2007.9.29

Q: I've recently been using crazy talk to try and so some lip-syncing with my faces but they look no where as near as good as the examples of the ones in the project files of iClone - am I missing a trick ? Any views at all would be greatly appreciated !

I use a method where I delete all default phonetic tabs and then replace them by actually sounding out the .wav file itself in front of a mirror. This allows me to see the proper mouth shape transitions that I then match using a combination of the phonetics and the emotive expressions. By simply placing a phonetic tab on the lip timeline alone will only grant you so much variety in animation, but adding the proper emotive for that specific word or phrase can make all the difference. You may also create your own custom emotives and then save them to you library, building more and more combinations as you go that you can then refer back to and use in future projects. You can add emotives or phonetics by double clicking on the corresponding track on the timeline. Then choosing the sound or style, and amount of expression. Same rule applies to the head, eyes, shoulders, and special effects. Using a healthy mix of custom keyframed animation for all tracks, from scratch, will give you the highest quality facial animation in the real-time production industry. Don't forget that sometimes using a different sound than what your character is actually saying will give you a more perfect match to the proper mouth shape. This can be varied a great deal with the addition of individual emotives placed directly over every 5 to 10 phonetic tabs, or closer depending on the amount of work you wish to get out of the fitting rig. Play around with this method and I'm sure it will provide you with a more photo real lip sync.

______________________________________________________

Visconti
Forum Moderator

Reallusion, Inc.
https://forum.reallusion.com

Using CrazyTalk to Export Images of the Different Lip-sync Positions

Category: CT_Hints & Tips_Lip-sync

Version: CrazyTalk 4.5

Date: 2007.01.08

Q: Can CrazyTalk be used to export medium to high quality images of the different mouth positions used in lip synch software? Or, is there another program Reallusion makes that is better for this. I want to create images to be used in another lip synch program that include the standard mouth positions.

Answer: YES -and- No : It will save the original character frame for export as a RL JPEG, but the remaining frames can be exported in a sequence of BMP or TGA by choosing it in "Media Format". The RL JPEG can also be used inside iClone if needed.

Extended Answer:
Save an AVI and use a video frame extractor; then edit that frame in your photo editor of choice. OSS Media Pro can easily do this.

If you only want the default frame, then you just need to save the character inside CT and then select it in the thumbnails panel. Save it as an exported RL JPEG and then edit it in your photo editor. This option only becomes available from the thumbnail panel.

Based on your personal software collection, there are many screen capture programs that can be used to save a selected frame or page. I have multiple editors and capturing software that will do what you asked. You'll have to be creative.

Keeping your Pixels/in at -1- and resizing the image to the width and Height that's suitable for your application will give you the highest resolution.

Is a Reallusion image the only export option within the program itself?

Also, you sound well versed in the program. Are you or do you know any custom software programmers that could use CrazyTalk to create a monk-e-mail type website?

...the remaining frames can be exported in a sequence of BMP or TGA by choosing it in "Media Format".

I've never heard of monk-e-mail, so couldn't help you on that. However there are guidelines with CT and inside this forum for interactive use of the characters on websites; try doing a search here. Takes a bit of standard HTML coding, but I have seen a few websites that are done quite well.

______________________________________________________

Visconti
Forum Moderator

Reallusion, Inc.
https://forum.reallusion.com