complexity

[JohnBozi]

Hey guys, it's been a while, but I am still spending most my free time getting better at anime studio pro 8.

Yea, that's right I refuse to upgrade, because hey I bought 8 less than a year ago, and still haven't mastered it. Sure 9 would be great as I like that bones stuff, but in the end I am coming to the conclusion I don't have patience to be constantly learning and not making.

What's the point of the post?

Well I tried making animations which were complex but they eventually sucked all the life and interest out of the project for myself. Do you guys ever feel bored with a project theme? I know if it takes more than a few hours I start coming up with new ideas and tired of the one I am working on.

This is my latest video, which is the first example of the direction I am going. Even this was too complex. I want to get this even more simple.

Recently I have started falling in love with drawing with the pencil and then removing points. I know its simple but I love lines.

Thing I am hating about anime studio is the sound mix. I have too many badly mixed audio cartoons now. Its really hard to control.. The main problem is when there is more than one layer of sound and there ends up being to much peak and it crackles out the speakers. Any ideas?

[drumlug13]

If you have multiple audio tracks, my preference is to mix sound in another software, then import that into AS. Once you start stacking audio tracks the overall volume can peak and distort.
For example, if you have 2 tracks, music on 1 and a car horn on 2. Individually they may be ok but mixed together the overall volume could peak, and that's when you get that harsh static distortion.

[JohnBozi]

It would seem obvious to mix audio in other software but it isn't practical at all.

for example the timing and position of keyframes depends on the audio and if I were to import 1 audio layer I would not be able to differentiate the moments there are footsteps or mouth open or music beat etc.

It is so much harder when you have to listen to it than when you can see the volume for the footsteps for example. I just put all the key frames at the peak and lowest point.

The next option I am thinking is to still design and do everything the same, but mixing the audio afterward. But this will be so hard to sync outside of the programme.

This must be why in movies they have so many guys working on a project huh?

[drumlug13]

This must be why in movies they have so many guys working on a project huh?

Absolutely. I totally understand what you're talking about, it's nice to have the individual tracks so you can look at the waves and peaks, but the trade-off is the clipping and distortion. Another drawback is the audio layers will pan with camera movement if you haven't checked the "immune" option in the layer's settings. But then what do you do if you want something hard-panned to either side? ***EDIT*** You can move the audio layer's origin to the side you want it panned to and even animate it from side to side if needed ***EDIT***

I mix all the audio in Sony Acid, then import that into AS. Sometimes I will import a temporary track of something like foot steps just for the reason you described.

The next option I am thinking is to still design and do everything the same, but mixing the audio afterward. But this will be so hard to sync outside of the programme.

Exactly. I guess that's why going all the way back to the golden age of cartoons they've done sound before artwork. I've actually got both AS and SONY ACID running side by side so I can move/adjust things easily. ACID has a video preview channel. I have that synced to the "F5 Quick Render". I hit F5 and that automatically loads the updated file into ACID.

Also .... When I change something in ACID, I just re-render it to the same file name I have loaded as an audio layer in AS. Then that will automatically live update in the AS file I'm working on.

This way I can either change the sound to fit the animation or vice versa, which ever method I need at the time. I know it sounds like a goofy system but I technically have unlimited audio channels that I can adjust as needed, plugged into AS. Now the only drawback with version 9 is no F5 preview, I'll have to actually press a few buttons to update the video preview in ACID.

I'm sure there's better ways but I'm just throwing my 2 cents in for ya

[JohnBozi]

cheers mate, appreciate the feedback and suggestions. Am interested in your stuff, do you have some youtube links?

ps I won't be getting into sony acid - no more programs!

I have bought 2 programs in my life - sony vegas and anime studio pro 8 - thats enough for me.

I was mad about video and had millions of ideas and well vegas was awesome, but to be honest I rarely use it anymore so $$$$$$$ gone.

Now I am trying to make sure I get something out of anime studio so I don't say the same about the $$$$. I can not justify 9 yet. If I found a way to make it on youtube I would buy the latest, but that for now is big dreams. I am still in the learn how to use this program phase and definately in the search for a niche on youtube.

[drumlug13]

Yeah I have a few things posted on this channel. You'll see that I'm still a novice at all this stuff too.

http://www.youtube.com/user/drumlug13

Vegas is a good program too. Acid is just the audio version of it. It's great to have it there if/when you get into splicing a bunch of different scenes together later.

[JohnBozi]

Yea I've seen your pink floyd video before... cool.

I saw them live without rodger waters about 20 years ago.

I've been doing a bit of research recently, because I am seeking to get views enough to make money off youtube. And I don't see that many animations that make money...

All videos for that matter.

The main one that inspires me is TomSka have you heard of him? asdfmovie5 17 million views means he's probably living off this. That's my dream.

[drumlug13]

Haven't heard of TomSka, I'll definitely have to check him out. Yeah you just never know what's going to go viral on Youtube. animation would be tough to get that kind of following when people are mostly interested in filming and watching each other getting hit in the nuts.

[Kevner]

Hi there JohnBozi,

Have you tried to adjust the audio level for each audio's layer? You can adjust the volume level on a specific time frame when there's 2 or more sound playing at the same time.

I've got a different kind of problem. My 1st animation includes maybe 5+ audio layers (i don't quite remember). At first all the audio layers for sound effects seems to be in a suitable volume level. But the problem occurs when I imported another audio layer for music background.

When I tried to play the whole animation (in AS), at a certain frame the music seems to be louder on the left side of my speaker but came back to normal near the end of the animation. I tried to play the music file on an audio player and it played just perfectly. I can't seem to find what was causing the problem. At the end, I decided to combine the music file with my animation in Windows Movie Maker.

Maybe there's a limit for an audio layer to be imported in AS? Not sure about this.

[drumlug13]

When I tried to play the whole animation (in AS), at a certain frame the music seems to be louder on the left side of my speaker but came back to normal near the end of the animation.

Do you have the camera moving during that part of that animation? If so you need to go to the layer's settings and check the "immune to camera movements" box. That will keep the audio layer 'centered' in in the audio's stereo field. As the camera pans left and right you have to keep in mind where the Audio Layer's origin is. You can move sound from the left or right by moving the audio layer from side to side.

The layer's movements in relation to the camera only affect the panning left to right. Volume needs to be adjusted in the audio tab.

You can also uncheck the "Spatial Positioning" box in the Layer Settings of the Audio Tab to keep the layer's sound centered.

[Kevner]

Thanks so much drumlug13!

Yeah, I have camera movements on my animation. You have just saved my day!

[JohnBozi]

beat me to it,

yeah anime studio is kind of like you have to always work out why something is flying around somewhere or what not. Thats tweening for you.

I like being able to move the audio layer around its great.

I still need to learn about freezing points or something. I am constantly having this problem where when working on later frames all the early stuff just goes crazy. MUST LEARN TO FREEZE EVERYTHING!

Right now I started looking into new things for me: interpolate. Shame you cant put switch layers inside switch layers though. Whats the point in making a great face turning left right when it can't talk?

[jahnocli]

Shame you cant put switch layers inside switch layers though.

Yes, you can. Remember, switch layers can contain bones. So you can form a chain of nested switch layers. Easy...

[JohnBozi]

Shame you cant put switch layers inside switch layers though.

Yes, you can. Remember, switch layers can contain bones. So you can form a chain of nested switch layers. Easy...

Will they all interpolate? (assuming know extra points are added anywhere)

I mean I know you have for example a 3/4, side on, front on full man and inside a switch layer mouth.

I will go test this now

[JohnBozi]

Ah its doing my head in..

I tried and dont know what the hell is going on.

Basically I thought I could have a head turn left right and speak - I have no idea how to do this with switches in side switches

what would be the structure of layers for this?

switch head
- head left,
middle,
right -
mouth switch ai i e o u -
eye switch open closed etc