Need a little animation help

Anyone feel like helping me out with a little animation?

I have a company logo that I'm working on animating and was wondering if anyone would want to take a stab at it.

I've attached the beginnings of the animation by putting the text and an effect into place. As well as the TTF font and the final Static logo for reference.

Anyway, here is what I'm looking to do.

Black screen, a small spotlight moves around the screen as if looking for something (exposing sections of the text) Then the the spotlight hits above the I in Nightshade and a bright yellow flash happens and dissolves to be a sparkling yellow light that reveals the rest of the logo.

Whoever does the best work will get screen credit in our films for logo animation effects by:

Thanks,
David Niezabitowski
Nightshade Films Inc.

Out of town for the week but I'll give it a go when I get back.

I have some ideas already on how to do it

Hey Bret, nice to hear from you again. It's been a while.

Thanks for considering this.

You know, there were two other ideas that popped into my head yesterday.

One is to have a little character, a colonial soldier walk across from the right with a lantern, making parts of the text visible as he walks by, then he places the lantern on top of the I and a bright flash illuminates the entire text. He rubs his eyes then walks off to the left.

OR, a comet comes in from the front, flys off screen, returns impacting where the I is, bright flash, illuminate rest of text.

I'm trying some things out now but I'm still not as fast as you plus I haven't used 3dfa in a while so I'm a little rusty.

Till later,
Dave

Do you absolutely, positively have to have this done in 3dfa? I could add a few bits done in other programs, that would would far surpass the abilities of 3dfa..........

I've done a bit on 3dfa though, that'll I'll post tonight or tomorrow(more likely tomorrow real busy today)for the benefit of anyone who wants to use it(just remember give credit where it's due).........

-J

No, it doesn't. As a matter of fact, the finished product will have to be converted to - I believe - AVI, WMV or something in the video world.

Video would be even better because then we could just add it to intro of our films. A Flash version would be cool to use as like an introduction to our website.

No, it doesn't. As a matter of fact, the finished product will have to be converted to - I believe - AVI, WMV or something in the video world.

Video would be even better because then we could just add it to intro of our films. A Flash version would be cool to use as like an introduction to our website.

Credit would be given to the person that prepares the best design in all of our films as well as referrals to their website/work.

I think I know what Jason is thinking of..... Sounds like I'll be too late when I get back. :)

Quote:

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Originally posted by blanius
I think I know what Jason is thinking of..... Sounds like I'll be too late when I get back. :)

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Bret,

I'm pretty busy myself, so if you want to combine efforts that would be great........

Let me know, and I'll send you what I have so far(basically a generic search light in 3dfa<--- looks good though).

-J

I'd be happy to work with you. I assumed you where looking at doing it with WAX that would be best for AVI and could also be exported to flash.

Quote:

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Originally posted by dniezby
No, it doesn't. As a matter of fact, the finished product will have to be converted to - I believe - AVI, WMV or something in the video world.

Video would be even better because then we could just add it to intro of our films. A Flash version would be cool to use as like an introduction to our website.

Credit would be given to the person that prepares the best design in all of our films as well as referrals to their website/work.

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Before I go any further.........

What resolution will be needed?????

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Bret,

......that among others, I have a nice trick for doing a candlelight effect in anim8or, and I was especially thinking of using GIMPs lens flare capabilities, but WAX would definitely be the place they all come together(gotta love those freeware programs that REALLY work)......

-J

Sorry for my lack of reply. I was away from a connection for a few days.

Bret and Jason (I kinda figured you two would jump on board) thanks for taking on this challenge.

As far as the resolution....I'm not sure to be honest...Bret, you're in film as well right? What res do you think we'll need. The finished animation will be at the head of our films (you know, like Dreamworks, Castle Rock, Universal) so whatever you think will be necessary.

-Dave N
www.nsfilms.com

BTW, what is WAX and where could I find out more about it. I use almost nothing but Open Source versions or freeware stuff now.
www.openoffice.org
www.pdf995.com
www.gimp.org

You're right...Gotta love 'em

Yeah I'm in film/video minimum res I'd do is 720x480 which is DV but double that would be good too.

Wax is a great compositing program check it out at http://debugmode.com and it's available as a plugin for the editing program I use Editstudio Pro at http://puremotion.com

Thanks, that WAX site has some cool programs. I've been looking for one like WINK. To create a tutorial.

It really is true, you learn something new everyday.

You also learn that the world is getting smaller because of the Internet but BOY, you really don't realize how uncharted it is.

One could call someone a Netsplorer or a Netologist :)

I link Wink and have used a number of times for tutorials.

As for the internet I like to think of it as Net-Boarding . Because that's more like what I feel like, just a little out of control and moving really really fast downhill.

Here's my first go at it with WAX
http://bretlanius.com/video/nightshade1.wmv

Still trying things out. Good excuse to learn how to actually use WAX

This might just work, next I tweek the light and shade the text then add my meteor... Hmm fun

Nice start. I can't wait to see it finished.
Will the finished text be White? Also, the T is the wrong case.

I'm not being critical; just making a note.

Just playing so far learning what WAX can do, I've had it for some time and even convinced Satish to make it a plugin for my editing software

Seems like some pretty cool software too. Hopefully I'll be able to play around with it soon as well.

Thanks for everything so far.

I really appreciate it.

Had a chance to work a little more on this here's where I am now. I'm finding the preview to not be 100% accurate with the particles so a lot of tweeking, and can't seem to get colors in the meteor just yet.

http://bretlanius.com/video/nightshade1.wmv

Looks like it's a bigger project than I thought it would be.

Not really, it's more that I don't know the software and it's a good learning exersize. I also haven't had much time to spend on it. What you see is only a couple of hours work so far.

Is it getting close to what you wanted?

It's hard to say because what you have is a work in progress.

I will draw up some boards on what I was thinking of and post them for you in a day or so. I'm sure that will help a lot.

Ok worked on it directly in wax and now have this
http://bretlanius.com/video/nightshade2.wmv
or as Flash
http://bretlanius.com/video/nightshade.swf

Just dropping in to let you guys know that I haven't forgotten about this, and I'm not ignoring it either. I am however having serious monitor problems(a vertical line appears ALOT more like an 's' than anything else, and the 's' moves too<---CONSTANTLY<----like a wave), and it will be tomorrow at the earliest that I can get a loaner.................

Sad thing is I just sold 3 old monitors less than a month ago in my yearly garage sale.

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Bret,

I need to know from you what resolution you are using, and if possible an exact(or close estimate) pixel position for the top of the "i" in Nightshade.

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I'm out now(getting kinda of seasick trying to stare at this), will hopefully be able to do more later in the week.

-J

The samples have been at 320x240 and the final at 720x480. What do you have in mind?

I could send a bitmap

It's getting there.

I've attached some REALLY QUICK boards of the action that I had in mind going with the meteor effect.

BTW, pretty cool meteor effect so far.

I'm not big on the 3D text though...Something just doesn't...I don't know...feel right?

Here we go. The explosion part seems to be a bit tricky.

This is where we stand
http://bretlanius.com/video/nightshade/nightshade3.wmv

VERY Nice! Much Better.
When foley is added it will really create an impact. (No pun intended)

Would it be possible for the final flame to be just a flicker that causes a ring flare around it like in the static logos?

Here is another task...Perception.

The meteor enters and it's much bigger. Then slightly smaller as it passes on it's second pass (have it go off screen again) then small when it lands on the letters; makes the big impact leaving the small flikering and flaring flame and illuminating the entire name.

Also, if you notice in the static logos, there is a blurring effect to the text, this might be a good way to introduce the shockwave from the impact...so to speak. To create that all I did was duplicate the text twice, Rotate one down and one up, then applied a motion blur to the layers. The 3D text doesn't have the same effect to me.

we'll see. Not sure I can easily add the text effect but I'll give it some thought.

Ok look again
http://bretlanius.com/video/nightshade/nightshade3.wmv

Added music and effects. The music requires BMI license. I'll probably remove all the sounds and let you add them but was fun seeing it with sounds

Bret,
send me what you think I'll need( lucky13thday@aol.com ), I've got a fantastic explosin creation tool for anim8or, as well as a great candle like light(already created/simply needs to be changed to fit), and I'm back up and running for the time being(fingers crossed).

If nothing else a simple still frame of the text would go a long, long way..............

I also have tons of royalty free sounds, and/or can create anything needed. I'll be looking at what you have so far when I get back in this evening...........


Sorry I haven't been around, but you should have seen my monitor.

-J

..........out of the explosion into candlelight:

www.darksideskates.com/area51/flareup_candle.wmv

.............more later.

-J

Hey Jason sorry to hear about the monitor. I've pretty much finished this up
http://bretlanius.com/video/nightsha...3withmusic.wmv

Dave is having his own music made for it.

I like the explosion you showed.

Can't beat the particles effect from WAX for a fire though. To really apprciate the details that are hard to see in the small wmv you have to see it full res Looks cool.

Learned alot about WAX both as a stand alone and as a plugin for Editstudio Pro

Bret,
That's pretty darn cool, the only thing I can even think of adding to it, would be 2 spot lights directly above the flame(to give it that firelight shadow look)...........

I'm surprised at Wax, it does a great job. Anim8or has several 3rd party programs for particle effects as well, terranim8or being the best by far(it will even morph between 2 models in Anim8or). I've been using Wax as a basic editing tool myself, the animation I generally do in Anim8or, mainly because I have become very familiar with it's capabilities

-J

Bret you've done a great job and I think this will be the winner. If you and Jason can agree on little tweeks I'll give you both credits for it.

You guys decide and let me know.

Quote:

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Originally posted by dniezby
Bret you've done a great job and I think this will be the winner. If you and Jason can agree on little tweeks I'll give you both credits for it.

You guys decide and let me know.

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........no need to credit me, I've done nothing that would warrant it. In fact, at this point I'm just starting on anything worth while towards it(a little late I suppose), and honestly have A LOT of other things to catch up on.

Keep me in mind in the future though:D ........

-J

Not a problem. Well in that case, I'd like to congratulate Bret Lanius on his design and invite you to take a look at it and place your vote.

Let us know what you think.

Though there is a voting option regarding the music, that music is temp. We have someone working on some new stuff for it.

http://www.nsfilms.com