Npr fly around videos

baz

Thanks.
Baz, your video seems a bit smoother than mine. I am using 30 fps. What was yours at?

I wouldn't agree necessarily smoother, but maybe the scene transitions are a bit better.

Mine was actually 24fps. Model info settings were: Scene Transitions= 5 sec. Scene Delay = 1 sec.
Total of 3500 images into Premiere Elements.

This was a quick and dirty to meet a deadline, and I haven't pursued it since, so I am interested in following your progress.

Cheers, Baz

PS: Great music

pmolson

Thanks Baz You may be using a lot more initial sketchup scenes. My settings are very similar to yours, but I only end up with about 1800 - 2000 images. I start out usually with about 12 - 20 scenes.

Daniel

They look great, pmolson. The only thing that stuck out to me was in the second video there appeared to be some 2d realistic trees mixed in with the NPR trees. And then all the trees suddenly disappear partway through the video.

pmolson

Hi Daniel, Thanks for the comment.
good eye on the 2d trees. I was experimenting with those trees on that model because the client chose to use a little color on that model instead of our usual grey style.

I need to find some npr 2d trees.

These models get very heavy and become almost unworkable if I use all the 3d trees I would want. Even when I isolate groups of 3d trees & bushes not in a particular view and turn them off, the regen time in each scene can be time consuming. The combination of the wiggly line style I use with shadows and 3d trees & bushes becomes a bit of an animal.

I just upgraded my computer and it handles it better, but I still have to be selective about 3d tree & bush use.

The reason for the trees disappearing is simply time & money. It was time to be done so we went with a couple glamour shots and then went makeupless...so to speak.

p

Daniel

I feel your pain - I've been there before, trying to fill a model with enough entourage without overtaxing the system.
Have you looked on 3D Warehouse? Some guy in our office recently did a model with 2D trees he pulled from that site. And have you tried at any styles that include an NPR tree backdrop?

pmolson

Daniel
I have tried the back drop idea, but it always feels...wrong I guess. It can work great for still shots though. The style i use was created specifically for this client and they are happy, so I would be wise to not fix what is not broke.

I have looked around a bit for npr tres, but I need to try harder. Maybe this very minute!

p

baz

@pmolson said:

I have looked around a bit for npr tres, but I need to try harder. Maybe this very minute!p

Have a look at 'TomsDesk" http://www.tomsdesk.moonfruit.com

I used them extensively in my example

pbacot

I was just using Tom's shrubs today! Unfortunately he never came up with the "new" shrub bundle he shows a teaser for. I think he dropped making new products a long time ago. Those rees are heavy on the program if you use too many, but well-made, including layers so you can position without all the leaves turned on. They are good looking in SU output.

baz

@pbacot said:

I was just using Tom's shrubs today! Unfortunately he never came up with the "new" shrub bundle he shows a teaser for. I think he dropped making new products a long time ago. Those rees are heavy on the program if you use too many, but well-made, including layers so you can position without all the leaves turned on. They are good looking in SU output.

Yeah, haven't seen him round the forum for a while either...

AdamB

@pmolson said:

Thanks Baz You may be using a lot more initial sketchup scenes. My settings are very similar to yours, but I only end up with about 1800 - 2000 images. I start out usually with about 12 - 20 scenes.

Looking at your videos, they look to me to be 10fps - they're certainly not 30fps.
Check your settings not just on exporting from SU but your video codec is set to 30fps also.

Adam

pmolson

Thanks for the Toms desk info.

adam, I will look at the codec...here it is

mp4-h264 1920X1080p 30

frame rate 29.97

I mess with the duration of the images in my video editor to get the movies to be the desired length of time. I wonder if that is where I am stumbling..?

AdamB

Yep, I'm sure the final h.264 is 30Hz - but if you essentially have each frame repeated 3 times, you've got 10Hz.
So check carefully each encoding stage in your workflow, to make sure its always 29.97/30Hz.

pmolson

Ok Adam & others, bear with me for a minute as I am somewhat challenged when it comes to this stuff.

If I want a video that plays at 30 fps and I want that video to be 2 minutes long...

120 seconds x 30 frames per second = 3600 images with a duration of .033 each (1 second divided by 30)

so, if that is correct, when I set up sketchup to generate an image set I need it to generate 3600 images along my chosen scene path

Lets say I have 20 scenes and the animation settings are set to 30fps
My scene transition settings are set at 2 seconds (just because that is what it was set at)

I know from past experience that this set up generates 1142 images.

I think the math says that 20/1142=.0175 so if I take that .0175x3600 = 63 scenes to generate 3600 images.

I am way above my pay grade here...am I on the right track? 63 scenes will be a huge time consuming process...

does changing the scene transition time change the image output per scene?

Must let the cpu between my ears rest now. please help if you can.

thanks
p

jo-ke

@pmolson said:

I have looked around a bit for npr tres, but I need to try harder. Maybe this very minute!

Do you know these trees (only 2D face me):

http://sketchucation.com/shop/models/landscape/341-2d-watercolor-trees

pmolson

Thanks Jo-ke, I have them now.

AdamB

@pmolson said:

120 seconds x 30 frames per second = 3600 images with a duration of .033 each (1 second divided by 30)

Correct

@pmolson said:

Lets say I have 20 scenes and the animation settings are set to 30fps
My scene transition settings are set at 2 seconds (just because that is what it was set at)

I know from past experience that this set up generates 1142 images.

20 x 2 = 40 seconds animation @ 30 fps = 1200 images

@pmolson said:

f I want a video that plays at 30 fps and I want that video to be 2 minutes long...

120 seconds x 30 frames per second = 3600 images with a duration of .033 each (1 second divided by 30)

OK, better to say 120 seconds / 20 scenes = 6 seconds per scene transition.

So set the transition time to 6.0 seconds and for 20 scenes it will be 120 seconds long. Job done.

@pmolson said:

does changing the scene transition time change the image output per scene?

Yes because video is output at 30 frames per second. More seconds, means more frames.

pmolson

Thank you thank you thank you I will try those settings as soon as this weekend. I will rerun the process on one that I have already made so that I can do a comparison

baz

@pmolson said:

I will rerun the process on one that I have already made so that I can do a comparison

pmolson

on a somewhat related topic,

I have a new computer that does not make it through the process of generating an image set using the animation tool in su.

It is a dell alienware 17x, 32gb ram,partial solid state drive, partial sata drive, windows 7 pro,
su 2014 & 2015 I am forced to create all my image sets on my old computer which is semi retired.

Any thoughts?

pmolson

So, I have utilized all the good advice received in this thread and I think I actually now have the ability to make these movies true 30fps. It took a little fussing with my video editing software, but I am pleased with the smoothness of the video.

Thanks to all of you for your help.

30fps npr movie