Stop Motion with SLR Camera – Project Setup?

[David Bogie]

We do this every now and then. Using the camera’s native raw image format is not a good idea. You gain nothing unless you thoroughly understand the workflow down to the very end of the delivery package. Your raw images will over-resolve the end product by a huge factor. As noted. 2k is way overkill for any possible release as video.

Assuming you shot it well and your exposure was carefully matched, run a batch through PS or Aperture (or whatever) and convert your images to a workable size that does not exceed your release medium unless, of course, you’re planning on doing motion work on the still images. We do this in most of our stop action projects because it’s often easier to move the frame around than it is to move the camera during shooting. But we know we plan to do that going in.
We convert our stills to jpeg for conventional DV format but your needs will be different. We convert the sequences to movies early in the process so we’re dealing with clips, not bunches of stills.

Did you shoot on-2 or at full temporal rez? QTPro and Motion will both import properly numbered image sequences as movies. QT will allow you export the movie, Motion will render it for you, too.

I shoot with a Nikon D2 directly to jpeg or I shoot NEF.
1. Aperture to batch the jpeg and rename the stills.
2. Motion to assemble the stills into movies and export the movies
3. After Effects for the creation of 75% of overlay effects (and stuff I know how to do in AE easier and faster than I can do them in Motion)
4. Motion for about 10% of the effects including 3d emitters, replicators, unique text items and use of the extensive library elements
5. FCP for the marrying of all the elements and transitions.

bogiesan

This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: “For crying out loud, read the freakin’ manual.”

[Empathetic1636]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I knew the Cow would offer up great advice.

We will be delivering a 1920 X 1280 (23.98) Sequence to the post house for color correction. The DP did a great job, it was shot on a sound stage so hopefully the end result will be a good and consistent one.

So we converted the batch of images to a smaller size, but kept them larger than the end project because there will need to be some repo’s.

Thanks Again:
you guys Rock