[Jon Okerstrom]

Here’s one idea:

Why not use a series of one-frame poses separated by transitions. For each pose, use different settings on the randomizer slider. The length of the transitions will determine how fast the text moves from one randomized pose to another. You can make this as subtle or as dramatic as you want.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Tony,

Can you be more precise or descriptive in what you’re trying to accomplish? Floating would seem to suggest very subtle up and down motion, but it’s hard to know from your post.

Thanks.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Mike,

It depends on how you made your video wall in the first place. If you make all of the screens as one compound object in Illustrator then use that in Invigorator, you can make a precomp with all 16 videos playing in it and apply that as a layermap to all 16 monitors at a time. You can still control each movie individually from within the precomp.

Does this help?

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Tony,

I don’t think there’s any set limit. It probably has to do with limitations on available RAM and system resources. You might try putting more elements in fewer instances of Invigorator.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Scott,

A couple of thoughts – first, you’re right that motion blur does slow down rendering. Shadows can too. If you hadn’t suggested reelsmart motion blur, I would have.

Second, have you tried OpenGL? Depending on your hardware and your project, it may be a lot faster than conventional rendering.

I just did a really quick test render of some animated text on my old G4 Powerbook. I get about 3 seconds per frame (no motion blur, no shadows). What kind of render time-per-frame do you get?

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Jeff,

Without seeing the ad, I can’t say for sure. I can tell you I have not heard about it.

I can say ProAnimator does work as a stand-alone app and that you can render quicktime movies with alpha channels, which can easily be imported into Final Cut Pro or any NLE.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Bill,

Yes. You can render the frame in photoshop format with an alpha channel.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

John,

The biggest difference is how each app allows you to control the motion of the objects in your scene. Invigorator is keyframe based and has limits on the number of object containers called sets, which can be an issue if you’re trying to move lots of objects on an individual basis.

ProAnimator is much more powerful in how it allows you to create complex movement of large numbers of objects. Because it does not use keyframes, gives immediate feedback on the changes you make, and most of the hard stuff is hidden “under the hood,” lots of people find that ProAnimator encourages experimentation in a way Invigorator does not. One other huge difference – ProAnimator can be used as a stand-alone. Invigorator cannot.

On the other hand, Invigorator does give you very direct and precise control of the object containers called sets. For certain kinds of animation, this can be an advantage.

Both tools share modeling and texturing features.

If you wish, ask a more specific question and we’ll try to help.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Alan,

I may be able to figure it out if you send me your AE project file. jokerstrom1 (at) mac.com

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Alan,

Doing this from memory, the quick steps are:

1. decide which layer or precomp you wish to make a layermap. you can hide the layer in the timeline.

2. In the effects control panel, look for the layermap twirlie. choose the AE layer you want and remember the layermap number to which you’ve assigned it.

Now, back to the material editor. Create a new material or modify an existing material.

Look next to the top thumbnail in the editor. You’ll see a little check box and a pop-up box. In the pop-up box, choose the layermap number you selected earlier.

Now apply that material to the object of your choice.

Does this help?

Jon