Animation Path

[tommymamn]

After many hours of work this is what I (a beginner animator) have come up with on how to create a camera animation path in LW. If anyone else has discovered a better way or if there is an easier way please share your ideas:

1. Use Bezier curves to create path - the more points used the smoother and slower the animation - make sure to smooth out any bumps on the curves in modeler.

2. Merge curves together (select all curves then Shift-z)

3. Export path: File-Export-Path to Motion

4. In Layout select camera to be used for animation then File-Load-Load Motion File. Make sure you have positioned the camera exactly where the first point in your curve is located otherwise your path will bend incorrectly to where your camera is in layout.

5. Create a null and label it Camera_target

6. Go into motion properties for the camera (m) and set the Target Item to the null Camera_target (The camera will point to wherever the null is moved during the animation)

7. Set render options

8. Render (F10)

As far as I can tell there is no way to slow down or speed up the camera movement along the path with exception of the spacing of the points on the bezier curve in modeler. I've read that the graph editor can do this, but I have had no such luck. I do architectural graphics and am working very hard to create professional animations for my business.

Here is a link to a test animation (1.6 mb) I am working on: http://www.hawsgraphics.com/test.htm

I want to continue the animation indoors, but I know working out a nice slow, smooth path will be a pain in the keester. Any tips all you great animators have will be greatly appreciated.

I also ordered the Vue 5 Infinite bundle with the upgrade. I haven't really messed with it yet, but I'm hoping it will make animating easier.

Cheers,

Tom

[SCS5]

Make the path in Layout..Read the Manual!!

[tommymamn]

Make the path in Layout..Read the Manual!!

Wow...amazing...Thanks for the most helpful tip....never thought of that one....

[tommymamn]

SCS5,

You know - you were right....

I created the path entirely in layout with keyframes and it worked beautifully. I had read somewhere once about using a path you created in modeler and then exported it to layout with pathtomotion. Well, that idea was crap. I posted the animation to my website here:

http://www.hawsgraphics.com/portfolio.htm

you have to scroll halfway down the page to see it. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!! :thumbsup:

Tom

[JamesLeaman]

I have just read another tutorial which is quite sweat too,
You can create a spline path in modeller maybe in a seperate layer, then when you load the object in on the layer of the spline curve you go to the object properties panel then under the first tab (sorry haven't got lightwave with me at mo so can't remeber what its called) I think object modifier, then choose showcurve then on the camera motion settings you choose Constraincurve in the modifiers tab this then allows you to follow the curve with less bumps and also alter the time, i SHALL send the link to the tutorial if you still want it!!

[SCS5]

James, I'm working on a project where I could use this tutorial. Path to motion's to limiting for what I'm doing.

Thanks in advance

[Surrealist.]

Nice video BTW. Fun isn't it?

Actually in your innocence you have stumbled on a somewhat advanced technique. Suppose you want the camera to follow a very complex tunnel? You simply do what you were first trying. How bout a roller coaster hugging the rails as it animates through the scene. You guest it. You take a curve created from the geometry of the track and export it as a motion to layout.

As for basic animation, a helpful tip is to set your key positions first.

Start with your beginning and ending keyframe. Where the camera starts, where it ends. Then you set the middle keyframe and go from there till you have the path.

Say you want the camera to go up over a mountain. You set the starting position, then the ending position at the other side of the mountain. Untouched the animation would go straight through the mountain.

So what you do is go to the middle frame and pull the camera up above the top. Instant smooth soar over the mountain. Need to adjust the front and backside positons to follow the mountain contours more exactly, set your frame to the point half way inbetween the first two and adjust the camera position. With auto key create set to "modified channels only" selected this is a very fast, easy and smooth way to animate that gives you uncluttered clean motion paths.

Apply this technigue to all other motions as well. It is called animating "pose to pose". This of course comes from traditional animation and is an idea that is often expanded on.

Dope Track

Then if you set your cursor above the timeline it becomes a white arrow. Now click and you open the dope track. (another traditional animation term) Here you can LMB drag to select and or move the keys through time to make further adjustments in the speed of your motions. This is like having the graph editor open and ctrl clicking on the keyframe and draging left or right.

If you RMB click in the dope track you bring up a list of actions you can perform such as copy and paste or delete.

And yes. You can learn alot including all of the above from the maunal. :)

[tommymamn]

Richard,

Thanks - Yes, I have enjoyed doing animations, but it has been a lot of work and a lot of learning. Every time I need to do something new I pour over the manuals and forums - deadlines force you to learn quickly! I just finished another animation and I am in the middle of yet another. Thanks for your advice on the dope track - this will be very helpful in smoothing out the speed of the camera. I have had pretty complicated camera paths lately (for me that is) and keeping a constant smooth motion of the camera has been my latest challenge. I know it has to do with the spacing of the frames (little dots on the animation path), but the only way I see to control this is by moving my key frames around so that all the dots are evenly spaced out. I still have much to learn...

I will post segments from my latest animation on my website soon.

Cheers,

Tom