Re: Matte Nodes and other things

[Andi Loor <andiloor(at)algonet.se>]

Hi Chris,
One very easy way of chaining mattes is to adding them in the layers. In 
the composite container drag the track icon (the very left part of the 
track carrying the mask) to the right picture icon in the layers. You 
now have to move the layers left to be able to fully view the added 
mattes. This can be achieved by moving the bar next to the key on the 
bottom below all layers left Rightclicking on the matte picture icons 
and between them gives you many options for the compositing.
.
Edit shape doesn't have the little green button.
Right swiping should be left swiping. Use the left button and the mouse 
to drag a selection in the timeline.

To see certain things in the animation editor: go to view and select 
"filters" then "edit filters" to add filters.

There are no container instances in DS. Whenever you cut (razor) or copy 
a container you actually get a full set of new instructions. This is 
also a thing that is prone to load the computer down if you do it a lot. 
The way I would create an instance is by using a reference container. 
Start by creating a composite container, then use the "convert to 
reference clip" command by rightclicking on the composite container. A 
reference container/sequence will be saved in the explorer - this is the 
original. On the timeline you will have a clip that is an image of the 
container in the explorer. The clip on the timeline can be copied as 
many times as you want allways referencing towards the one ref 
container. To make changes to the container, select the "expand 
reference clip" command under the editing button just below the toolbar 
very right on the left screen (if you have the same layout as me) make 
your changes in the ref container and use the "collapse ref clip" 
command under the same button to get back to your timeline. Now all 
instances of your ref container will become updated.

Andi



Chris Smith wrote:

> > You can click the little green shape next to each property and it 
> > will make a keyframe for that specific property.    Now making this 
> > happen while having autokey on is one of my wishes.  Maybe Tone will 
> > have a solution for me…
>
> That's the thing, I can't find the specific little keyframe shape for 
> an Edit Shape change.  Seems like every other parameter in DS has one 
> but not edit shape.
>
> > I render by right-swiping the timeline for the area I want rendered.  
> > It changes the color of the timeline – that part will render when I 
> > hit p.
> Right Swiping meaning holding down right mouse button and dragging a 
> selection?
>
> > Right click on the master animation button and you’ll see copy key 
> > and paste key.  I wish it would work with ctrl-c and ctrl-v.   I was 
> > animating an object moving X + 10 and then back to X, every 20 
> > frames.  What a PITA.  It would be so nice to lasso the keyframes, 
> > ctrl-c, then ctrl v where I want them.  Maybe there’s a way but I 
> > don’t know it.  I expect an expression would work, too, but haven’t 
> > given it a go for this.
> But this will do groups of keys and paste them to their respective 
> curves?  Sorry I'm at home and not on DS till tomorrow.
>
> >  

Okay few more questions (yes I know I'm annoying):

6. When I go to the animation editor, how can I have it ONLY show me the 
parameters that have keys on them?  Like in C4D you can set it so that 
no matter what you are doing when you switch to the F Curves, there are 
only the few things you animated showing.  Or like in AE if you select a 
layer and hit the 'U' key it will only reveal parameters with keys on them.

7. Instancing Containers.  I made a container that has a complicated 
effects tree with animation.  But this container I need to repeat 
several more times.  So I have them nested in another container and copy 
and pasted the container clip for the 'event' to happen repeatedly 
across the timeline.  However I noticed when I tweaked the parameters 
from the original container it doesn't alter the duplicates - only the 
original.  So it seems clear they are full copies and not instances.  
How can I make instances that still allow me to tweak the 'master' and 
have it show in each instance?  I can obviously render out, but it will 
kind of defeat the purpose of the tweakability.

TIA.

> >  
> >
> >  
> >
> >  
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > *From:* owner-ds(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-ds(at)Softimage.COM]*On 
> > Behalf Of *Chris Smith
> > *Sent:* Wednesday, October 12, 2005 8:07 PM
> > *To:* ds(at)Softimage.COM <mailto:ds(at)Softimage.COM>
> > *Subject:* Matte Nodes and other things
> >
> >  
> >
> > Yes, more questions.  If I'm getting into RTFM territory let me 
> > know.  However I've RTFM'd twice now and still have real world 
> > questions.  You all have been very generous with your time and 
> > experience.
> >
> >  
> >
> > If any one wants to take a stab at any of these I would sure 
> > appreciate it:
> >
> >  
> >
> > *Questions:*
> >
> >  
> >
> > Most notably I was trying to run a matte node through another matte 
> > node.  First matte being a drip shape and the second being the 
> > garbage matte that constrains it to a certain area of the image.  
> > When the drip would be outside of the constrain matte, I would see 
> > the edges of the drip (in the alpha as well).  Like a pre-mult halo 
> > in reverse.  The drip would be black but the edges would be faint white.
> >
> >  
> >
> > So I ended up taking the output of the drip node stream and the 
> > output of the garbage matte and doing a matte composite node, then 
> > taking the output of that and putting it into a key combiner while 
> > patching the original drip shot through the RGB of the key combiner.  
> > Finally it worked,
> >
> >  
> >
> > 1.  is this standard workflow for mattes?
> >
> >  
> >
> > 2. Can I not just chain matte nodes or is that bad?
> >
> >  
> >
> > 3.  When keyframing the edit shape in the matte node to create and 
> > deform a water drip shape, where can I turn on keying for just 
> > editing the shape?  I hit the master keyframe button for the whole 
> > matte node, but I hate doing that because then I have unwanted keys 
> > all over the place.
> >
> >  
> >
> > 4. In AE you can set a work area and just process that for render for 
> > a quick RAM preview.  For example my clip is 3 seconds long but I 
> > only need to see one second to do this shot.  Is there a way to 
> > quickly process only part of the container or do I have to trim the 
> > in and out points of the clips to make them temporarily smaller?
> >
> >  
> >
> > 5. Animation editor.  At the bottom is the (meta something or other) 
> > that shows just the keys.  I keep wanting to call it the 'dope sheet' 
> > which is what Maya calls it.  Can I copy and paste from there?  
> > Meaning many keys on the same frame are represented by one red bar.  
> > I would love to be able to copy all the keyframes that occupy the 
> > same space quickly.  What is the best way to copy groups of keys?  
> > For example I have a handful of things reshaping and moving my drip.  
> > I'd love to grab all the keys that make the whole animation and 
> > duplicate it easily rather than one curve at a time.
> >
> >  
> >
> >  
> >
> > *Chris Smith*
> >
> > *Partner/Film Director*
> >
> > *Sugar Film Production*
> >
> > *3699 McKinney #222*
> >
> > *Dallas 75204*
> >
> > *214.655.2662*
> >
> > *http://www.sugarfilmproduction.com*
> >
> >  

--
Andi Loor
www.andiloor.se


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