Fly through 79 Photos

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caverx2014 Author

Level 1

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Fly through 79 Photos

I am trying to use a fly through in the archived link above but I cant seem to get the photos to space out like I want them in Z space...

Everything looks really good if I use 22 photos but some are still to close to each other and If I add more and change the ranks to 44 ...

which is how many I have in the video it piles them up....I want about 2 secs between each photo and want to be able to arrange

them so they are all visible? But it seems to randomly throw them all over and doesnt allow Z space changes to individual photos...

I have a movie with each photo at 1 frame....any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Posted on Jun 24, 2014 5:14 AM

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Answer 1

caverx2014 Author

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Jun 24, 2014 5:51 AM in response to caverx2014

I was just thinking and I did numerically number the images in the video clip so maybe Motion 5 is seeing them as a video and not individual images?

If I randomly name the image and remake the video at 1 frame/sec would this allow them to be seen as individual images in Motion 5 allowing me to

change the X,Y, and Z settings on each image individually?

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Answer 2

fox_m

Level 6

12,238 points

Jun 24, 2014 2:13 PM in response to caverx2014

Since the images are already in an image sequence, import them as an image sequence into the project then replicate the sequence. Change the Shape to Line and set the number of points to the number of pictures in the sequence. Check the 3D option. In Cell Controls, turn off Play Frames and set the Source Frame Offset to 1.

You can arrange all the pictures in the canvas by manipulating the onscreen controls for the replicator. When you switch to the 3D option, the Start Point and End Point will both have a Z position option available (turn down the disclosure triangle). Set one or the other end to a large distance (500,000? or so for ~80 pix).

Add the Camera and a Dolly behavior. Set the distance value to about what you set for one of the end point Z values. If you've lined up the Start Point and End Point X&Y at 0 -- the camera will fly straight through all the images.

You will want to increase the length of the projects to at least 30 seconds or so... 79 images in 10 seconds will just flash by.

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Answer 3

caverx2014 Author

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Jun 24, 2014 3:03 PM in response to fox_m

Thanks Fox when I import them as an image sequence it is creating a group for each image....the are in order as I named them .000.png .001.png

Do I select ALL groups and then L ...I tried that the other night and I crushed and hung my server creating individual replicators for each group?

And strange its dropping images out during the import I only get 14 imported out of 44?

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Answer 4

caverx2014 Author

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Jun 24, 2014 3:36 PM in response to caverx2014

Another strange thing if I don't check image sequence when importing it brings in all 45 images into their own individual groups...

If I check it ...some images get dropped but the last group is labeled 45 theres just gaps of missing groups and images?

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Answer 5

caverx2014 Author

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Jun 24, 2014 4:23 PM in response to caverx2014

Ok so automator damaged the city images somehow I have replaced them and brought them in as a sequence....all images are listed in in their own group.

Still confused about replicating the sequence but I will try some things.

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Answer 6

fox_m

Level 6

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Jun 24, 2014 5:22 PM in response to caverx2014

At the bottom of the File Browser Inspector are 3 icons at the right side:

When the left icon is selected, files that are image sequences are "collapsed" into a single file to select.

If you have series of images named something like FlyThrough 001.png, FlyThrough 002.png, Motion will convert all these images to a single file with a name that looks like FlyThrough[#######].png:1:79

Select the single imported (sequence) file and type "L" (lowercase will do) to replicate it (or click the replicator icon under the right corner of the canvas.)

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Answer 7

caverx2014 Author

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Jun 24, 2014 5:50 PM in response to fox_m

Thanks again Fox thats doesn't appear to work? I have that turned on and I have tried checking the sequence box in the import browser...not sure if I hit a bug?

Or a messed up cache or something? I have tried all 4 options...that turned on with sequence checked in browser window...sequence un ticked....that

turned off and both sequence ticked and un ticked...same results every time....individual groups with each image...?

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Answer 8

caverx2014 Author

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Jun 24, 2014 7:33 PM in response to caverx2014

Ok so I created a Quicktime sequence and imported it....I still think theres a bug with still images but now after I tick 3d and change to line I get a grey

tick mark line on the screen,but when I change the offset to 1 I lose the first image for frame 1?

Is the grey ticked line what you refer to as the canves on screen control...sorry Fox I have done a few projects now but this one has me stumped some...

maybe the import bugs or something has thrown me off a little but dang! haha

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Answer 9

fox_m

Level 6

12,238 points

Jun 24, 2014 7:35 PM in response to caverx2014

The images probably are not named properly for a valid sequence.

Download this utility:

http://sight-creations.com/fxexchange/MakeImageSequence.zip

Unzip it and make a copy of your images folder (this app will change the names of all the files inside - so make a copy!)

Drag the copied folder onto the Make Image Sequence app. All images will be renamed (in the order you chose in the popup) and valid for use in Motion.

Try the project again.

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Answer 10

caverx2014 Author

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Jun 24, 2014 8:46 PM in response to fox_m

Link is password protect now or unavailable?

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Answer 11

fox_m

Level 6

12,238 points

Jun 24, 2014 9:11 PM in response to caverx2014

Sorry -- I copied the link from my ftp app and when it pasted in this editor, the original link is masked inside the link tag.

Hopefully this one will work

http://sight-creations.com/fxexchange/MakeImageSequence.zip

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Answer 12

caverx2014 Author

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Jun 25, 2014 4:33 AM in response to fox_m

Thanks again Fox I will retry the whole process again this afternoon.

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Answer 13

caverx2014 Author

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Jun 25, 2014 1:46 PM in response to caverx2014

hmm ok make image sequence opens a window and I select numerical and drop the folder but the folder doesn't drop on the window?

If I click continue it just closes the app? Is this suppose to hook into automator some how?

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Answer 14

fox_m

Level 6

12,238 points

Jun 25, 2014 1:49 PM in response to caverx2014

Yes. All it does is change the names of the files inside the folder (that's why you need to duplicate the folder before dropping it on the applet.) Once you've made your "order" choice (and you should accept the default in most cases) the applet changes the names inside the folder and quits. The images in the folder are ready for use as an image sequence.

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Answer 15

caverx2014 Author

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Jun 25, 2014 1:58 PM in response to caverx2014

I opened motion and noticed a little gear chugging away at the top and its says image sequence when I mouse over it...still can't drop a folder on anything though?

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