Simon Ubsdell
6
COW Coins
Forum Replies Created
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I can’t really make out enough of your shot to be able to recommend a course of action here.
That keying tutorial was more a “proof of concept” than a method than a universal solution so it could well be that’s it’s not suitable for your shot.
The Channel Mixer method in particular is an over-simplification, albeit one that will often give good results.
But if you want a better keyer than the Apple Keyer for both FCP X and Motion then there’s only one that I can recommend and that’s Hawaiki Keyer.
The unique auto-tracking feature for the mask is pretty much exactly what you are asking for so it might well be worth checking that out.
There is a free trial version so you can try it out and see if it works for you.
Simon Ubsdell
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This version uses an Overshoot behavior to control the Retiming Value, which is something that I would never have thought of trying – so thanks, Andy for the hint.
It’s not a 3D drum effect, but rather a looping 2D replicator which is simpler to set up and, if you wanted a lot of slots, would avoid a performance slowdown.
Simon Ubsdell
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You might find that the Trails tool automates what you are wanting to do … Could save a lot of time.
Simon Ubsdell
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I think my expression might not be quite right but I’m not sure what you are intending with the Merge. What Blend Mode are you planning on using? Or are you reducing the size to build up a composite that way?
Simon Ubsdell
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Here’s a test of how that would work. I couldn’t figure out anything useful with Overshoot, or at least nothing that looked like actual slot machine behaviour. but Ramp with 100% Curvature sort of does the trick for the slowdown. You don’t really have as much control as if you keyframed it though.
And to me the “realism” of actually making a 3D “drum” looks aesthetically messier than if you faked it in 2D. But that’s a personal thing. It all comes down to taste in the end … and what you personally find most efficient and quickest.
13276_slotmachinereplicatorcircle.zip.zip
Simon Ubsdell
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[Andrew Kimery] “Getting back to talking about notes, one thing that I always keep in mind is that the notes might be addressing the symptom not the problem.”
This is such a good point.
In an ideal world clients and producers and directors would tell you that they have a general feeling about a problem and leave you, the editor, to find a way of solving it.
Instead they “diagnose” the problem and prescribe very specific solutions to it – and that’s where it all tends to go wrong.
“Something’s not quite right about this section and I can’t put my finger on it” is actually a much more helpful note than “Lose that line, change that shot, chuck out the music, cut it all faster”.
Editing is not like fixing an engine – it’s not about rigid steps, it’s about finding what works. And that takes experimentation that really only the editor can take full control of. Editors tend to know how to “experiment” with a view to getting the best results. It’s an acquired skill. Random experimentation is a pretty good way of killing the soul of a project … Experienced film-makers understand the need to let the editor experiment in a controlled fashion.
Simon Ubsdell
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But all that said, keyframing this process is very, very easy. It’s just something that you need to take a few minutes to learn to do properly.
Of course, there could be enhancements to the behaviors that would make it easier, but I don’t see that kind of development coming any time soon from Apple. Motion is really not their focus and hasn’t been for a very long time now.
So you either make do with the limitations that exist or you use another application … where it might not actually be any easier.
Simon Ubsdell
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Yes, there are several ways of executing this concept – none of them quite ideal in terms of ease of set up and adjustment, I think.
I did a Replicator version here (see my post above):
13274_slotmachinereplicator.motn.zip
Not 3D (I just used a 2D line replicator) but it could just as well be and would of course look nicer.
I’m not sure how you could get it to work with behaviors only (as against some keyframing) but I haven’t given it that much thought. What was your theory on how that would work?
Simon Ubsdell
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[Tangier Clarke] “I still have a little problem with this. Generating keyframes does not acknowledge the first time that was set. So if I set the animation to repeat using 3 repetitions with the generate keyframes option, then I want to adjust that number of repetitions, that doesn’t work. That last keyframe is now the keyframe after the 3 repetitions already set and the option to generate keyframes starts at 1 again – meaning it will generate more repetitions from the last keyframe. It’s additive rather than cumulative from where the first animation was made.”
Simply delete the generated keyframes and run the process again with more cycles as required – it only takes a couple of seconds!
Simon Ubsdell
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Use a TimeStretcher instead of a Time Speed and use the following expression in the Source Time field for the first instance:
iif(time>1, time-1, time)For each new instance increment the number as follows:
iif(time>2, time-2, time)The conditional makes sure that there is never an empty frame which is the problem you are having with your method.
Simon Ubsdell