How to use Mimic Pro for Carrara effectively, looks at this lip sync software and some of the theory behind mouth movements. more info at http://www.facebook.com/scififunk
Non linear animation within Carrara allows you to organize your animation clips or poses into blocks for convenient re-use and alterations within your 3d scene.
One the animation is in an NLA block it can be sped up or slowed down by just dragging the start/end points. It can be looped, reversed, and duplicated – so that ghost copies exist. i.e. Edit one and all change.
NLA “clips” as they are called can also be copied and pasted (as unique clips), for further distinct editing.
The pose clips (a still position) can also be used to animate with as the NLA sequencer will tween between the two poses, thus forming an animation. Couple this with a sound knowledge of the tweeners in Carrara and you have a pretty flexible animation system.
Using NLA Animation for facial expressions in Carrara. Tutorial explains how to work with Non-linear animation clips for facial expressions. more at http://www.facebook.com/scififunk
Non linear animation within Carrara allows you to organize your animation clips or poses into blocks for convenient re-use and alterations within your 3d scene.
One the animation is in an NLA block it can be sped up or slowed down by just dragging the start/end points. It can be looped, reversed, and duplicated – so that ghost copies exist. i.e. Edit one and all change.
NLA “clips” as they are called can also be copied and pasted (as unique clips), for further distinct editing.
In this video I look at using ADSR theory (or envelope theory) from synthesizer programming and apply it to the world of 3d animation. The principle works! It allows you to start up, hold and close a facial expression WITHOUT the risk of leaving that expression “on” when not required later in the animation.
I also talk about ADSR envelopes and help the viewer visualize how an envelope can help you in your animation.
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Thanks Holly. Next I talk about NLA enough for the next part of this series to make sense for someone new to NLA who wants to use it in conjunction with mimic.
The ADSR “synthesizer theory” of animation is a good analogy! Thanks!
Steve, very cool tutorial. I like the ADSR analogy too. While not directly related to NLA tracks, one technique that I add to my “rig” is hooking up face wrinkles to the eye brows and mouth. I do this with Fenrics ERC plugin. I’ll control left forehead wrinkle parameter with the parameter of the left eyebrow. I’ll also use the left eyebrow to control the left eye lid so that it opens ever so slightly when the eyebrow raises. Then I do the same for the right eyebrow. You can also add crows feet wrinkles when the mouth goes into a smile. The great thing about rigging these additional parameters is that it’s all automatic once they are rigged. You’r NLA’s don’t change at all but the additional face movements just happen.