@d12dozr said:

I've been playing with the new tools(they're nifty, thanks!) - what would make them more useful is if 2D export would clip away the area of the image covered by the aspect ratio masking bars. This way if I need to match an existing image, I don't need to re-size my SU window, or crop the image in an external program.

Is this possible?

Right now the only way to do it on a mac (without resizing the window) is to unlink the chain locking the size of the export and then inputting the size you want with the pre-calculated width and height to your desired aspect ratio.

And thanks for the info BBrown!!

FYI - I've done some camera tests to compare how SU's ACT frames up with a real world camera (RED One), and I met with the plugin's programmer. I've found that it's off by a little bit by default and you can get it a tad more accurate (accurate enough for shot planning in the real world) if you adjust the camera to how real world cameras calculate their focal length.

I'll post some results as soon as I'm back on my regular computer (and not on my iPad). But in short - the camera is off by the focal length of the lens you're using. So if you are using an 85mm lens, you should move the camera closer to your subject (at the axis of your camera) by 85mm. That will make your framing accurate to real world cameras.
Also, keep in mind if you are using older files with the new ACT, you should redo all your cameras. Old SU files with the old Film and Stage cameras don't work well with the new plugin. Even the Beta version of Film and Tools. So if you're on a project with using the old F&S, and don't want to go through the pain of recreating your cameras, as well as don't need the accuracy, I wouldn't upgrade to the new ACT just yet.

I've been eagerly waiting this update and I'm pretty darn happy with the results. It's enough baseline work to get someone who would really want to create some cool camera plugins to make SU a precise addition to a cinematographers workflow - which is what I do.

If you have any questions just PM me.

On another user board I found some pictures that I could use to model the new camera from Red Digital Cinema. Here is a WIP since the camera hasn't come out yet. There are also attachments that are coming out for the camera and I'll model those as I get them.

Justin

http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Epic-Model2x1x.jpg

Hey Guys,
I'll be joining you as well. I arrive at the Denver airport at 6pm and catching a shuttle over to the Golden Bluff Best Western to check in and head over to the Pub as soon as I can.

Can't wait!
Justin

On Sunday I have a complicated shot for a teaser trailer that I’ve been planning for weeks now. I took measurements and built the Jimmy Jib Triangle that we’re going to use as well as the basic measurements of the location.

The shot will have a dolly run of about 36 feet, moving the jib from the foot of the stairway, out through the door and on the front entrance landing.

The SketchUp Jimmy Jib model has fully articulated parts so you can rotate the jib arm head separately from the base, as well as a functional remote head (using my old school rigging methods).

I guess I gotta build the RED One cam in SketchUp now…

http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=694

Wow, Jason! That's really cool. It reminds me of the level design in Assassin's Creed. This looks like it could be in the sequel which takes place in Italy.

Awesome! I'm glad all that brain bending I did was useful to someone!

I love the asymmetrical robot!

Nice stuff! Thanks for posting the images showing each step in building the fuselage. Very informative. I probably would have extruded the fuselage lengthwise rather than from the profile. Can you share your thinking on that?

I don't know what the deal is. It's pretty fast on my MBP, and I of the mind that I am happily staying in the Leopard world - even updating my desktop from XP to a Leopard(Mac) machine. Perhaps I haven't had any problems because my MBP is really young (though I did upgrade to Leopard a week after I bought it last December).

I have pretty complex models (~300k faces), and they run much faster on my MBP than my aging PC.

I would love to see this as well.

Hi Buzzer,
I've seen some of Cully's work, but I don't read any of the books he as worked on. His style sits pretty squarely in the "old/new school" of animation artist I like i.e. David Johnson (aka DevilPig). Bart Sears is the same story, seen his work over the years with JL and Dark Knight.

Geoff Darrow on the other hand has been firmly in my "must list" I own most all of his books, own some of his originals, and had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with him (probably more like stalking), Frank Miller and Mike Allred at Comic Con. All the detail I put into my models might be his "influence", however subconscious.

For this project I'd point to; Ron Cobb, Ashley Wood, Bill Barnes, Keith Weesner, Alex Toth, Francois Schuiten, and my good friend John Bell as influences. I certainly have more artist that I love, but those are the ones I point to with regards to Fuel & Fire.

Yikes, that's pretty strange. I haven't had many crashes like that, I've had some though. Macs are not perfect by any means, but no technology is.

There are a lot of great replies to your question already here, but I thought I'd add some additional anecdotal information to consider.

I have owned around 7 portables over the years and the single best I've ever owned has been my current Mac Book Pro. It's simply the highest quality portable that I've ever had. The second portable maker that I've loved has been Toshiba (having personally owned 2 and purchased 5 for staff). I did like the power of the old portable Dell I had 10 years ago, but it was heavy (I needed the demo speed) and really unfun to lug around. I have a Vostro class desktop at work and I don't like it much. 2 things aren't working on it (usb/line-in ports), the drive bay doors are downright stupid, it's badly designed, and cheaply made. Sure they're inexpensive, but if you're going to travel with it, I'd make sure that those Dells will survive the trip. Generally, I love Dells having purchased around 30 of them over the years (higher end models) and have had very little problems with them. I'm just not so sure about the Vostro line of Dells. If you haven't already I'd see what current customers are saying about them.

If you're moderately technically inclined you can set up the MacBookPro to dual boot, and or run windows virtually. I've been testing VMWare Fusion and it's really nice. SketchUp is pretty darn fast in a virtual window - and I can barely tell the difference between running SU virtually or running the Mac version while in Leopard. Plus, if need be, you can just boot the machine as a windows machine (I use XP).

In general, the reason I'm doing the switch is because I'm using more and more of Final Cut and Motion. I guess you have to ask yourself what software you currently own, and what direction you want to go and see where the financials come out at the end. With dual booting/or virtual windows you can still use windows based applications. But if you're not going to use the advantages that a mac might offer, you might be better sticking with windows. Juju brings up a good point that learning the Mac OS will require some ramp up time - it did for me - though I was up and going pretty quickly. I also like the benefit of knowing both of the OS' as I do more video/film presentation work and it has broadened my skill set considerably.

I'm on 10.5.4 with very little problems. I do seem to get crashes when I close and load files that are on my PC partition. I can load files off of the PC partition and it seems intermittent. I am "taxing" the machine because I often have Motion3 open at the same time - though it runs pretty damn fast and I hardly notice and speed difference. Files do load really fast. It's working well enough for me to consider my next desktop upgrade should be a Mac Pro.

Edson, I'm not sure, but I think each file remembers it's position and the menu positions if you save. I haven't figured out all the details, but I have experienced it on windows based machines.

My Canon EOS 5D and the new Nikon D700 have pretty much full frame sensors (CMOS). Sure it isn't film, but I sure do love my camera. I also have plenty of other film cameras and 2 Polaroid land cameras that I love to use every once in a while. It's a sad evolution, though I've been in the digital realm for quite a while. It's an ugly bleeding edge that I've spent plenty of money and time on in an effort to make "filmic" images.

Funny thing now with the release of the Red One camera my pricey old 35mm Ziess superspeeds are now worth more than what I spent on them 6 years ago.

Jason don't trip yourself up. I consider you one of the great brains in this forum, and am always eager to read what you have to say.

It's probably more frames with more detail (x30% and 100% respectively). In comics you tend not to show every movement (unless you dramatically want it) and in film you tend to show every important nuance. But in comics most writers do not write for that detail. A good example of that, is during a conversation sequence a comic tends not to have the characters performing complex actions as they talk (of course there are exceptions to this rule) but in a live action film you want your actors to be doing something in the scene to support, add subtext, or just add interest to a talking scene, especially if it's a long conversation.

It's all very subjective and subtle, but minding those things add a lot to any work. Story subtext work quite differently in comics and is difficult to pull off because the transitions and actions and expressions have be shown in frame. In film transitions are a major part of how things are expressed. This can range from scene transitions, to emotional ones. In film you just have so much more to work with. This project is somewhere in the middle of all that since it's still going to be still images for the most part yet, it has to have a sense of movement, emotion and actual timing.

Thanks for feedback. I'm still interested in hearing more. There's just plenty of smart people on this board and I hope I can tap into that brain power.

Jason,
Yeah, I hear you on that one. I do think it's worth it. I personally like the added shaping the rendering provides. Regardless of what I decide to do, I want to add more tonal range to the images. I'm having a difficult time getting that range from the standard render in SU. This begs some sort of control over lighting, contrast and layers. This isn't going to be an easy thing to do. Most of these test renders are being done with regards to the concept of doing this as a graphic film. As a comic, I can live with my old render style.

As for the 3D printing stuff. If anyone can supply direct resources to actual an actual business and talk about how their experience that would be helpful. Thanks!

I personally love it. There's a lot to question about it but I think it's a unique point of view and challenges the way we think of designing cars. Sometimes new design concepts take time to become a part of the artistic norm. They can be striking and offensive yet, we learn to love them. This is a concept car that's meant to push the way we think. I'm a fan of Bangle's flame surfacing and I love BMW's in general, having owned 3 so far. I believe that this concept car help Bangle develop the flame surface design 8 years ago (yes, it's that old and has been kept a secret for that long).