[Bruce Breidbart]

Stephen I’m a big fan, even own your Motion dvd, but I’m a visual guy could you send me some screen shots or something. I initially started with a rectangle and added points( same idea as the bezier tool i think ? ). The bottom was easy, one extra point that I lifted up. My problem is with the top section. Should I be changing from linear to smooth on the points ? There looks like there might be an indent filter,
but maybe it’s just a copy of the original rectangle reduced in size and outlined filled or both.

thanks again

BB

[Bruce Breidbart]

Nicely Done

BB

[Bruce Breidbart]

Thanks.
As it turned out you gave me the key to success at least 3 posts a go.
” For the actual rotation, I moved the anchor point of the plate back in Z space just a little”.

Adding a camera & 3D is a little new to me. I moved past the most important part of pulling
this off because I didn’t fully understand it, not sure I do now, but it’s what makes it work and
I’ve got it working, boy do I have lots to learn.

Thanks for taking the time.

Now if I can only figure out how to take my name off the Top row of the Motion blog.
When I tried to send my video along with my post I must of hit the wrong key.

BB

[Bruce Breidbart]

Gareth, I’m using Motion 5. But I was able to see your timeline when you posted it, interesting.

I guess my question is, X rotation will only rotate the license plate,
how do you follow the movement off the screen if it doesn’t need the
X and Y positions adjusted. Obviously I’m missing something.

BB

[Bruce Breidbart]

Hi Simon,
I’ve posted my version of the license plate in the above response. It’s a little jerky as it follows the movement. The only thing I was hoping for to put this project attempt to bed, was a smoother track
so to speak of the exiting/entering license plates. One thought I had was to analyze the movement, that didn’t work so well. So I key framed every X rotation & X and Y position. It was impossible for me to see exactly how much to rotate each keyframe, hence my problem. Gareth posted his timeline, but sadly it didn’t help me in that respect.
I guess purchasing Mocha Pro might solve this problem quickly, but I’m not sure that’s what Gareth did.
Your thoughts would be gratefully appreciated.

thanks in advance

BB

[Bruce Breidbart]

That really helped, thanks.
My first mistake was I decided to start this project from a capture screen instead of your video. What was I thinking.I’ve inserted my latest attempt below. When I looked at your time line I only saw your animated mask and 3 key frames for X rotation on the flamethrower. When I made my attempt not only was I key framing X rotation I also needed to keyframe position X and Y for each new plate along with a mask. Yours seems so fluid in motion, while mine jerks as it follows the plate below. I tried to reduce the opacity of the plate while doing my adjustments in X rotation, but I was still was just eyeballing it, and not so great at that. At least I solved the mystery of the ( clip ) that held the 2 plates together, ( it was on the original video). If I could solve the mystery about the fluid motion I’d be very happy. Any tips ?

latest

thank again
BB

[Bruce Breidbart]

Still working on it, thanks to Gareth & Simon.
I tried to include my video this time.

Re: Replacing the writing on a rotating licence plate – am I on the right lines?

I needed to focus at this stage more on the movement and key framing of the mask then the final look, I left off the feathered solid & the light just to name a few. If I hadn’t seem Gareth’s final version I would think I was closer to completion than I really am.
There is an element ( I’ll call a clip ) that separates the front plate and the back plate. It’s so subtle yet is driving me crazy to create. Is it a separate layer ? how was it created and tracked?
When you created your version I see 2 separate plate with this (clip) holding them together, brilliant.
With mine I don’t see my second plate until it rotates past a certain point. Maybe your using different lights on each plate ?
I feel that I’m getting much closer, and with some more help I might even get there.
Thanks again for all the help.
BB

[Bruce Breidbart]

” Does that make sense”
So simple I wish I thought of it, go to Geometry.
Even the feathered mask makes sense NOW.

But even after I followed you co-ordinace for the camera it just doesn’t work for me. It looks fine
as a still but when I go back to the group and rotate, it’s very clear there is something I’m missing.
Very frustrating.

Thanks for all you help

BB

[Bruce Breidbart]

Simon I’m getting closer thanks to you.
Hopefully I was able to insert my screen cast.

Still some questions if I may.
1) I’ve created my rectangle and added a outline so I could create rounded edges. Did you just edit the points of the rectangle/ smooth and round the edges that way ?
2) You mentioned that you added a feathered dark solid to give the top a bit of shading. I ended up using the rectangle tool and feathered it out. When I first tried the color solid I didn’t see controls to feather it out unless I did a little mask, but then when I added the layer mask it didn’t work correctly. Yours looks great, mine not so great.
If that was my only problems I would be happy as clams. Obviously my camera alignment/camera view is nowhere close. This pains me, so much time spent, it seems so close, but yet so far.
Thanks

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[Bruce Breidbart]

Thanks for the quick response Gareth & Simon. I’ll try tonight to work on it again. It seems so easy when others do it.
I would normally create the artwork myself in Photoshop, but Simon you created my name on the license
plate with just a texture, maybe an emboss or extrude and a light, i think ?
Made my day.

thanks again

BB