Question for the noobie (about animating cut outs and other)

CHAMELEON_D_H · Post by **CHAMELEON_D_H** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:49 am

He uses Adobe Ilustrator (AI) and avitul. I've never used any of them, so it's hard to tell.....

badmartialarts · Post by **badmartialarts** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 1:37 pm

He used a program called aviutl to take the .avi clip he had of the scene he wanted and export it as a series of .bmp files, one for each changed frame (this is faster than trying to do every frame, sometime a frame has no movement in it so it'd be a waste to do the non-moving frames). He then uses Adobe Illustrator to draw a mask around each thing he wants to edit, deleting the whole scene and leaving just a single colored shape that is the same as the shape of the object. He writes down the color he used for that shape. He then uses that series of BMP files as image masks for each frame, setting that single color transparent so you can only see the object. Then he overlays that object onto the video. That's actualy a prety elegant way to do things, you could use the same mask with multiple shapes on it in different colors and then only set the particular shape you want's color transparent. I know what he means, but dang if I can really explain it...

milkmandan · Post by **milkmandan** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 3:27 pm

OHhh~! So it appears that Adobe Premiere cannot export a series of bmps. I must get this "aviult" program eh?
Thanks a lot badmartialarts and Piano!

you could use the same mask with multiple shapes on it in different colors and then only set the particular shape you want's color transparent. I know what he means, but dang if I can really explain it...

I know what you mean, it IS a smart way...

milkmandan · Post by **milkmandan** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 3:32 pm

Do i HAVE To use adobe illustrator though? could i use perhapse Photoshop or even Macromedia Fireworks to edit my bmp files?

badmartialarts · Post by **badmartialarts** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 3:34 pm

Actually, Premiere CAN export a series of images. Or at least, Pro 1.5 can, I don't have any other version installed although I can safely assume Pro 2 can as well. When you go to Export/Movie..., there is a Settings button. In the Settings window that pops up, it says File Type: with a drop down box. Pick Windows BMP. Then set the Range to either Entire Sequence or Work Area Bar. The only problem with this is that you'll get all the duplicate frames (I think...Optimize Stills is auto checked so mebbe you don't), which the aviutl program that Pianos mentioned gets rid of so you don't have to waste time redoing work.

badmartialarts · Post by **badmartialarts** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 3:36 pm

Double post...

If you have Photoshop, it can import Filmstrips. Use that options instead of Windows BMP to save yourself some time.

milkmandan · Post by **milkmandan** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:52 am

i think i'll just learn to use aviutl. after all it does eliminate double frames so that SHOULD help as it is~

Ainaelle · Post by **Ainaelle** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:48 am

badmartialarts wrote:If you have Photoshop, it can import Filmstrips. Use that options instead of Windows BMP to save yourself some time.

Using filmstrips defies the idea of processing only the frames that change. Which is a smart thing to do, because if the animation isn't full framerate (there aren't too many anime that are), you're likely to mask two or more identical frames slightly different, and it's gonna show.

Filmstrips are cool, but for other purposes. Also, unless you have 1GB+ RAM, you better save yourself and your HD some frustration.

gomez799 · Post by **gomez799** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:01 pm

for the aviutl program it seems its in japanese, so its very difficult to use. Does anyone know where to get the english version if there is one?

gomez799 · Post by **gomez799** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:14 pm

Edit: I found how to change to english

BtW, thanks for posting about aviult. Seems like its a very good program to use