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From AccuRIG to Custom Bone and Facial Blendshape Design – a Comprehensive Character Creator Workflow

November 17, 2023November 17, 2023 bridgettepanLeave a comment

About the Artist

I am Marcel Brynard, an artist with a background in architecture. I have worked some years at a bronze sculpture studio in Cape Town and have worked as draftsman & set-designer, 3D modeling sets for popular series such as Netflix’s One Piece. In my personal art, I am inspired by my visits to various archeological sites.

My love for sculptural forms intertwines with a fascination for the chimeric and arcane, resulting in art that exudes story-telling and mysticism.

Embracing digital tools, I intend to explore new possibilities, intersecting architecture and sculpture. Fueled by a love for these things, I am working on an animation project titled “Transcendental Rebirth,” narrating the transformative journey of two shamans on a pilgrimage. One of the main characters for this project is featured in my following workflow.

Workflow Introduction

The art of character animation has witnessed a remarkable transformation in recent years, thanks to the integration of advanced software tools and the creative synergy of various platforms. This article explores a comprehensive workflow for crafting a stylized and emotive humanoid character, focusing on the creation of detailed facial expressions.

By harnessing the combined power of Character Creator 4 (CC4), ZBrush, Adobe Substance Painter, and Blender, artists can unlock new possibilities in character animation, resulting in characters that truly come to life.

For me, the animating of a rigged character has in the past seemed a daunting and tedious task, especially when it comes to realistic, mathematical movement. Having been introduced and acquainted with CC4 however has made the process far speedier and far less laborious. Now it is super simple and quick to rig my character, most of the weights have been automatically painted by CC, and I have access to a large range of complex human movements which I can sync to my stylized character in a relatively easy process.

I. Character Sculpting and Modeling in ZBrush

Creating a compelling humanoid character begins with ZBrush, a digital sculpting software known for its powerful and intuitive tools. In this initial stage, I breathe life into my character by sculpting and detailing the character’s form, from head to toe.

I start the process by sculpting the character’s base mesh, establishing the character’s anatomy and overall proportions. With multiple subdivision levels I can add details, and ZBrush excels at capturing them. I can add subtle features like wrinkles, blemishes, and scars, making the character’s face more realistic and believable.

A very useful feature from CC4 is the GoZ compatibility with Zbrush. I can export all low-res versions of my subtools directly to CC4 with the click of a button, then in CC4 I can very quickly & easily rig my character and access various poses & animations in the CC4 library. Then, again with the GoZ button in CC4, I can send a posed version of my character back to Zbrush where I can maintain all the high-res details on the newly posed model.

I could for example send to Zbrush from CC4 a version of my T-pose character as holding a staff or a weapon, or with, for example, a frightened facial expression. This is a very powerful workflow for 2D concept art, 3D renders and figurine design for 3D printing.

II. Texturing in Substance Painter

Once the character’s form and details are sculpted in ZBrush, it’s time to move to Adobe’s Substance Painter, a tool that specializes in creating stunning and detailed textures for characters and objects. I can easily export my high-res version of the sculpture as FBX as well as the low-res version, and in Substance Painter I can bake those high-res details of the high-poly mesh onto the low-res mesh, optimizing the performance of the software while maintaining the sculpted details. The FBX export plugin for Zbrush makes the transition seamless.

I use Substance Painter’s extensive texture libraries and tools to apply realistic textures to the character. For the skin, clothing, and any other materials I use a combo of smart-materials and various generators and masks. For this specific character I want it to have the look of a ceramic sculpture that has come to life.

III. Character Rigging and Animation in Character Creator 4

With the character’s textures applied, it’s time to prepare it for animation. CC4 is an invaluable tool for rigging and animating. In CC4, I establish the character’s rig, using AccuRig mode to define bones and joints that will control movement. I place the facial bones roughly into position, as I will further manipulate and prepare them in Blender.

IV. Further Bone Manipulation in Blender

Blender, an open-source and versatile 3D software, is where I further manipulate the rig generated with CC4. I export from CC4 an FBX with its rig, and import it into Blender. Here I can add additional bones for example the Ear bones. Once I’ve created the extra bones and placed the facial bones in their positions, I check the Weight Painting for the various vertex groups and make appropriate changes and additions in Weight Paint Mode. I then reimport the FBX into CC4 where I can review and assign the new bones as spring bones (in the case of the ears) and I download an HIK expressions profile from CC4 which I then load onto the character. I export a new FBX this time “with facial expressions” and when I import it into blender it comes in with Shape Key information.

V. Shape Keys in Blender

Using my Expressions Frame Map as reference (generated from CC4), I can start working on the expressions along the Timeline in Blender’s Dope Sheet. I read for example “Brow Raise Inner Right” for frame number 16 and appropriately sculpt that expression, making sure to change the value of the Shape Key from 0 to 1 before sculpting the change. I can sculpt as well as use bone animations and weight painting to achieve my various expressions. For some expressions only sculpting is needed, for others, for example “Jaw Open” bone animation works well. I create Shape Keys to define a variety of facial expressions – from smiles to frowns, and everything in between, checking through the list of expressions as found in CC4’s Expression Map, checking inside of CC4 what the different expressions should look like on a human, for reference when needed.

Once I’ve sculpted, animated and weight-painted the various Shape Keys, I export a single FBX from Blender and import it into CC4 again, this time it contains all the Expressions information. I can check the results using the “Edit facial Expressions” function in CC4. If there are any mistakes or flaws I can revert back to Blender and improve the Shape Keys.

VI. Animations in CC4

When I am happy with the expressions results, I can choose from an extensive library of animations within CC4, I can preview these animations in the animation previewer and see that all my facial expressions work along with the various body motions. I can easily export any animation of my choice in FBX format, with the model as well as the animation included.

VII. Render in Blender

In Blender I can then import the FBX with full animation included and set up my camera and lights as desired. I render it out in Cycles and export my frames to Adobe Premiere where I can compile the final video.

Conclusion

The integration of Character Creator 4, ZBrush, Substance Painter, and Blender into a comprehensive workflow has transformed character animation. I can now create my stylized humanoid characters that convey a rich range of emotions through facial expressions with a relatively easy workflow. Especially since I can download a whole range of animations from CC4 this saves me a lot of time and frustration.

The result is a character that comes to life with vibrant facial expressions, adding depth and authenticity to storytelling, gaming, and other forms of visual media. The possibilities are endless, and the evolution of character animation continues to astound and captivate audiences and artists worldwide.

More Info about Character Creator 4: https://www.reallusion.com/character-creator/

Featured Story

Renowned Director Debuts Mech vs. Giant Slugfest with iClone & Character Creator

November 16, 2023November 22, 2023 reallusionblogLeave a comment

The following is an interview with Cesar Turturro, an accomplished film director who received the prestigious 2022 Epic MegaGrant in recognition of his exceptional work on “Invasion 2040.”

Q: Hi Cesar, please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hi, let me start from the beginning. Back in 2004, I embarked on my filmmaking journey with my inaugural war feature film, delving into the 1982 Malvinas War. For this project, I crafted VFX close-ups, seamlessly blending real images with 3D animation. Subsequently, I directed my maiden documentary on the same subject for The History Channel, featuring over 60 minutes of compelling air combat animations.

Continuing my creative exploration, I ventured into the realm of fan films, garnering some worldwide attention with a production centered around Robotech. Notably, the film garnered substantial attention in Japan, accumulating over 200,000 views within a single day.

Cesar Turturro and Fernando Acuña as Co-Directors at Premiere of 1982, estuvimos ahi in 2005

At the panel of Robotech Academy 2014 at Comic Con in San Diego

Q: How did you come up with the idea of creating the science fiction film “Nick 2040”?

Building on my previous experiences, I took a significant leap into creating my own science fiction realm named “Invasion 2040”. This transformative endeavor has spanned over seven years. Along the way, I secured an Epic MegaGrant, and our project caught the attention of Reallusion, leading to our participation in their Pitch & Produce program.

Taking yet another stride forward, I elevated the production to a cinematic level with “Nick 2040”, shooting in 6K using RED cameras. The post-production was meticulously rendered in 4K, thereby completing the trilogy of short films. This final installment serves as a proof of concept for an ambitious feature film, currently in the pre-production stage.

Shooting “Nick 2040”

Achieving this is contingent upon having a significant portion of the VFX groundwork completed before filming. Presently, I am actively engaged in this preparatory phase — every scene, character, animation, and VFX test crafted for the short film is seamlessly integrated into the overarching feature film. This dual role enables me to serve as both co-director and VFX director.

Shooting “Nick 2040”

Q: Please describe your workflow with Reallusion software.

Phase 1 – Create realistic characters with Headshot and Dynamic Wrinkles

I begin by initiating a facial scan of the robot using Reality Scan. Simultaneously, utilize Headshot to generate a face based on a photo. In parallel, I employ ZBrush to amalgamate both models, creating a mesh that closely resembles the target appearance and utilizing the mesh and the texture generated in iClone via the Headshot plug-in in Character Creator. Once finalized, I transfer all components to Unreal Engine to generate the robot’s face within a Metahuman framework. Additionally, I conducted a scan of the clothing to enhance the overall realism in the final rendering.

Highly detailed head of the giant using ZBrush and AccuRIG

I meticulously crafted the antagonist, a towering giant, by intricately detailing the facial features. Drawing inspiration from the expressions of Metahumans, I ventured beyond conventional methods. Employing Blender, I seamlessly merged an AccuRIG body with a Metahuman face, yielding a remarkably satisfying outcome.

Our breakthrough involved generating facial animations through Dynamic Wrinkles. This allowed us to achieve lifelike expressions on both the protagonist’s face and the characters featured in the invasion scenes.

Certain scenes necessitated the recreation of the real actress’s face, which was impractical using conventional shooting methods. Leveraging the Headshot plug-in, I scanned the actress’s face and refined the mesh using ZBrush in conjunction with CC4. Subsequently, I animated it in iClone 8 and seamlessly transferred all data to Unreal Engine via Live Link, producing an astounding result.

Harnessing the advanced capabilities of CC4’s custom character Dynamic Wrinkles and employing facial mocap, I effortlessly executed intricate facial expressions within mere minutes.

Phase 2 – Animate the fighting scene with iClone and ActorCore

The integration of iClone played a pivotal role in refining the animation of the transformation in “Invasion 2040”. This was particularly crucial as the character seamlessly rises, and places hands on the ground, while simultaneously undergoing a dynamic metamorphosis into a robotic form.

The invasion scene in “Nick 2040” was meticulously crafted in Unreal Engine, featuring a blend of characters sourced from different platforms — some from Metahumans and others from iClone. Leveraging the practical and easily processable Actorcore scans, obtained through iClone’s Live Link, proved ideal for seamlessly incorporating various animations from the “Run For Your Life” pack, perfectly complementing the intensity of the invasion shots. To achieve a cohesive scene, I cloned the iClone animations onto the skeletons of the Metahuman characters in Unreal.

The climactic final combat between the robot and the Jumper was a two-part process. Initially, I choreographed the movements of both characters through Mocap, personally executing the choreography and refining the contacts for impactful hits within iClone. These animations were then transmitted via Live Link to Unreal for rendering. Simultaneously, the fight scene featured additional sequences sourced from fight sequences available on Reallusion’s Marketplace, enhancing the overall dynamic and intensity of the confrontation.

Reallusion and iClone 8 have been instrumental in empowering me to create intricate animated scenes, featuring epic battles between giants and robots. These scenes, serving as the essence of my films, are brought to life through the robust features integrated into my workflow pipeline. The capabilities offered by these tools, particularly in the realm of CG and animation, play a pivotal role in realizing the vision and complexity inherent in my cinematic creations.

Phase 3 – Immediately preview the results with Unreal Live Link

The Live Link enhancement stands out as truly remarkable. The process of sending animations to Unreal is both seamless and stable. Correcting any movement is a straightforward task — I make adjustments in iClone, ensuring I adhere to the specified start and end times on the timeline. Subsequently, through the Unreal Sequencer, I effortlessly replaced the animation, completing the process with just a few clicks. In a matter of moments, the updated animation is prepared and ready for rendering.

The timecode sync render has also revolutionized my workflow. Now, I can seamlessly transfer objects to iClone, animate characters, and use those objects as references. The remarkable part is the speed at which I can send the animation to Unreal, taking mere seconds. This streamlined process has made animation exceptionally simple and fast, marking a significant improvement in my efficiency and creative capabilities.

Q: Why choose Reallusion?

We are currently finalizing the storyboard, shooting, budget, and VFX plan for “Nick 2040” — an essential undertaking that forms the backbone of our feature film. In a compact animation studio, where tasks are inherently complex, our team of few artists has found immense capabilities through this process.

Stability: The entire process is marked by absolute stability, with zero instances of crashes.
Speed: Animations exceeding 1000 frames are transferred to Unreal in less than a minute. Remarkably, the processor and GPU often remain unburdened during this swift process.
Organization: I streamline my workflow by saving diverse animations in iClone’s Content Browser. This allows for quick retrieval and utilization in various scenes of the film, as virtually all necessary sequences are conveniently stored there.
Practicality: Incorporating animations from various sources, including Noitom mocaps, Mixamo animations, and Unreal character animations, is a breeze. A simple drag-and-drop action from the Explorer to iClone seamlessly integrates these animations into the project.

As we near completion, the trailer provides a glimpse of our work, and we eagerly anticipate the release of the final short.

Learn More

Follow Nick 2040 created by Cesar Turturro
Animate 3D characters and cinematic scenes with iClone
Create realistic characters with Character Creator

Learning

The Future of 2D Animation with Motion Pilot

November 15, 2023December 8, 2023 sylviapaoLeave a comment

Remember when creating even a tiny-animated scene was like climbing Mount Everest?

Artists would be glued to their desks for days or even months. And, oh boy, mastering the art of sketching and painting those cool backgrounds and characters? That was a long journey.

Quick Animations? Yes, Please!

Now, picture this: a sky full of playful creatures, our hero flying high, some chill floating fish, and more. Add a stunning backdrop to that. Sounds like a lot, right?

Just take a look:

An epic scene like this could eat up days or even months. But what if I told you, you could whip it up in an hour, maybe even less? Yep, you read that right!

Enter Cartoon Animator.

The brilliant minds at Reallusion had a lightbulb moment. They thought, “How can we make animation easier and faster?” And guess what? They tackled the headache of dealing with tricky timelines and keyframes. And from that, the superstar feature was born: Motion Pilot and Motion Path Animation.

MOTION PILOT: The Most Valuable Player

With Motion Pilot, you’re in the driver’s seat. It lets you animate on-the-go. Just hit “RECORD”, wiggle your mouse, and boom!

Your animation is alive and kicking. So that epic scene we talked about? Instead of hours, you can nail it in a few seconds. Whether you’re bringing to life a bunch of fireflies, fish, or jellyfish, it’s as easy as pie.

Plus, Cartoon Animator throws in some extra goodies to this tool. One being the Motion Pilot control set called “Flock” – this nifty feature allows you to move one element and the rest follow suit.

That’s how all these Jellyfish were animated together. It’s like magic! And get this: setting things up might take longer than the actual animation. That’s how cool and easy Cartoon Animator is.

Apply AI Tech to 2D Animation

Isn’t it remarkable how technology is transforming the way we do almost everything? Animation is hopping on that tech express train, too.

Back in the day, jaw-dropping animations were limited to the hands of artists who spent years honing their skills. But guess what? With the dawn of new-age AI technology, those intricate processes are evolving rapidly.

A Stroll Down Memory Lane

Have you ever watched those vintage videos showcasing bulky, room-filling computers?

You know, the ones that looked more like a maze of machinery than helpful gadgets? Hard to believe, but those were the granddaddies of the sleek laptops and tablets we effortlessly use today.

Steve Jobs and his Apple team stirred the tech world with their iconic 1984 commercial. A dystopian setting, a large oppressive screen, and then BAM! A determined woman shatters the screen. It was Apple’s manifesto, shouting out loud: “Computers are for everyone!”

It’s almost poetic to think that today, little toddlers, with their innocence, can navigate devices and watch their favorite cartoon on platforms like YouTube. That same revolution is happening with animation, and Cartoon Animator is the ticket.

New Era for Graphic Animation

Art, in its essence, is a form of expression. Traditionally, to be an “artist” was a badge earned after years of training or, in some cases, a natural flair inherited from the muses. The art world was somewhat of an exclusive club, with entry reserved for the gifted and trained. But just like those old computers morphed into today’s user-friendly devices, the art landscape is experiencing a seismic shift. Thank AI for that!

Ground-breaking tools like Midjourney and Dall-E 3 are acting like magic wands, democratizing art creation. You might not have gone to a fancy art school or even doodled beyond stick figures, but these AI-powered platforms don’t discriminate. They’re designed to make everyone feel like an artist. Just think of a vision, plug in your ideas, and voila! You have a piece of art ready!

Reallusion’s Animation Revolution

But this tale isn’t just about static art; it’s also about bringing art to life – yes, we’re talking about animation. The animation world used to be a labyrinth of complex processes, understood only by those who dedicated years to its study. Enter companies like Reallusion. They looked at the intricate maze of animation and thought, “Why can’t this be simpler?”

Their answer to that was Cartoon Animator — that is as fun as it sounds. Reallusion, with its user-focused approach, wanted to ensure animation wasn’t just left to the experts.

Think about it: The joy of watching a character you imagined spring to life on screen, moving and interacting just as you envisioned. And the best part? You don’t need a degree or years of experience. The platform is incredibly intuitive. It’s like those magic coloring books where you just add water, and the colors appear – but for animation!

Embracing the Dawn of New-Age Animation

With the strides we’re seeing in tech, tools like Cartoon Animator are becoming more potent. They’ve rolled out features like Motion Pilot, which has made the animation process even simpler. Using this tool is as easy as playing a video game!

If my pitch has tickled your curiosity, here’s some fantastic news: You can dive into the animation world headfirst with a FREE TRIAL of Cartoon Animator.

In Conclusion

As we stand on the threshold of a vibrant future in animation, it’s clear as day that the walls and barriers that once existed are tumbling down. With every advance in AI and user-friendly software, we’re stepping closer to a world where everyone – yes, everyone – has the toolkit to weave their stories, paint their dreams, and animate their ideas.

Animation is not just about watching and admiring anymore; it’s about creating, experimenting, and reveling in the joy of bringing art to life. So, why just be a spectator? Jump in, splash around in this vast ocean of possibilities, and watch as your creative waves ripple far and wide!

About Mark Diaz – Animator, Online Teacher, TED Speaker, Director

With a background of 10+ years in the film industry at Autumn Leave Films, and with over 30 short films produced to this date, Mark belongs to a group of animators who love to share everything they know about animation, from pre-production, animation, to post-production.

He established 2D Animation 101, aiming to equip future animators with all the necessary techniques and tips to help them do better projects. He is obsessed with rapid learning techniques and student results. A course is only good when the student succeeds.

Know more:

2D Animation Software for Cartoon Maker | Cartoon Animator

FREE for 30 days plus over 1,700 ready-made assets:

2D Animation Software Download | Cartoon Animator

Learning

WarLord’s Workshop – Film School 101: Shooting Dialog

November 15, 2023November 15, 2023 WarLordLeave a comment

Dialog is a common element in visual storytelling and while its basics are easy enough, its execution can be a bit tricky for beginners and even experienced animators if you don’t do a little research on the subject. Just as you need video editing skills, you’ll also need to properly set up cameras for dialog.

While we can shoot standard dialog with one camera, it can be a bit boring unless the conversation is well-written, well-animated, and riveting.

In live action they have physical cameras and in animation we have our software-based equivalents with a good amount of control in terms of internal attributes. Using the iClone camera system is very simple as most of us learn right away. Using cameras effectively takes a little more time and maybe we can cut down some of that learning curve for you.

Using cameras in general can fill volumes of books and more videos than there are viewers to watch them. With this in mind, we will stick to the basics of shooting dialog. You’ll learn the basic rule of shooting dialog and I’ll point you to resources of when to bend and break that rule.

Yes… I know some of you have a real dislike of rules and you didn’t get into this to be told that rules exist. The great thing is that you can ignore them and move along on your animation journey if you so desire. As an Indie we all like to chart our own path but keep in mind… we need an audience to play to.

Whether it’s for financial or artistic/creative reasons we need to make sure we don’t lose our connection to the viewers by losing audience focus with bad camera angles. There is already enough to keep up with in the animation game, so many opportunities to drop the ball, that we need to shore up what we can control when we have the opportunity.

THE 180 DEGREE RULE FOR DIALOG

The rule states that the camera should stay on one side of an imaginary line between two characters so that each character always appears to be facing the same direction, regardless of where the camera is positioned.
Masterclass.com

In other words, don’t change the direction of view in a two-person dialog for each or any character. The characters always need to face the same direction on the screen without regard to camera positioning. Otherwise, it can get confusing to the viewer if a character or even both, for that matter, are suddenly facing the opposite direction at different times during the course of the dialog.

There is a lot more to it than this, so I recommend you search out and study the rules of dialog if you aren’t already familiar with them. Keep in mind that as the creator or producer you ALWAYS know what is going on, but the audience hasn’t read the script.

In filmmaking, the 180-degree rule is a cinematography principle that establishes spatial relationships between on-screen characters. The rule states that the camera should stay on one side of an imaginary line between two characters so that each character always appears to be facing the same direction, regardless of where the camera is positioned. When you keep your camera on one side of this imaginary line, you preserve the left/right relationship of your characters and help the audience maintain a sense of visual consistency. This means that no matter what type of shot you use, the viewer still knows where everyone in the scene is located.
Masterclass.com

We all know that rules are made to be broken but I would tread lightly in doing so with a vital conversation. What may seem like a cool shot to you may be confusing to the audience. Interest could wane if the viewer cannot keep up with the onscreen conversation because they are too busy questioning the jarring change of direction from an inconsistent camera angle.

This rule seems very straightforward and don’t overthink it but it can be a hard concept to grasp or to convey when you first start to implement it. It’s also very easy to misunderstand what the safe area of the rule is and how it affects camera usage. Diagrams representing this rule tend to be simplified because it is a simple concept.

THE OVER-THE-SHOULDER SHOT

If, like the image below, you see a camera on each side that doesn’t mean this is the way an “over the shoulder” shot must be made. It’s just the extreme edges of the safe camera area. Cameras can go anywhere in the green area and maintain the continuity of the conversation. This is a very simplified example.

In the image above you can see the female and male dialog actors and the blue line that bisects them marking the Safe Camera Area on one side and the No Camera Area on the other side. This image is an extreme example of an “over-the-shoulder” shot.

While you can see some of the available camera positions don’t interpret this as being the only camera positions you should use. Focus more on being on the proper side of the bisecting line when setting up the individual camera shots. Once you get a pairing you like then it’s advisable to stick with it. Don’t get fancy for the sake of fancy. Let the cameras tell the story with consistency so the viewer doesn’t miss any important plot points.

Below is an excerpt of my initial research (including ChatGPT and Bing Chat) and it checks out as a solid list of reasons why you should pay attention to this rule.

– The 180-degree rule is a fundamental guideline in filmmaking that helps maintain spatial continuity and visual coherence in a scene. Here’s a summary of why it’s important:

– Maintains spatial consistency: The 180-degree rule ensures that the spatial relationships between characters and objects in a scene remain consistent. This is crucial for the audience’s understanding of the scene’s geography and the characters’ positions within it.

– Preserves screen direction: By adhering to the 180-degree rule, filmmakers maintain the same screen direction for characters and objects throughout a scene. This consistency helps viewers follow the action and maintain a sense of visual orientation.

– Enhances continuity: Maintaining the 180-degree rule contributes to visual continuity, making it easier for viewers to connect individual shots and understand the flow of the narrative. This consistency is vital in avoiding confusion and distractions.

– Creates a natural look: When you break the 180-degree rule, it can result in jarring or disorienting shifts in perspective. Sticking to the rule helps maintain a more natural and fluid visual experience for the audience.

– Facilitates editing: Following the 180-degree rule simplifies the editing process by providing a range of shots that cut together smoothly. This allows for seamless transitions between different camera angles and perspectives.

JUMPING THE LINE

This refers to throwing all this out the window and crossing the bisecting line of the scene. It’s not always bad either.

In indie filmmaking, there will always be those who jump the line, break the rule, and come out on top. I’m not an expert here by any means so I will give you some more references to check out so you can make up your own mind.

CONCLUSION

While we all have our own ideas as to how a shot should be framed or presented, we do need to keep in mind what the industry has trained the audience to expect. It might be wise to not step outside of the norm unless there is a compelling reason to do so from a storyline viewpoint.

After all, the story is the most important part of all this, and we don’t need to be distracting the audience without good reason to do so. Rules are there for consistency and are not intended to stifle creativity but to aid in getting that creative story across to the audience.

VIDEO RESOURCES

Sight Unsound – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTaPI3nsH88 Crossing the Line. How and Why it’s Done.

StudioBinder – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW0bKUfvH2c The 180 Degree Rule in Film (and How to Break the Line)

Camber Film School https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-QbgIpK3zM Breaking the 180 Degree Rule for BETTER Storytelling – Crossing the 180° Line Examples in Movies

Jesse Trible – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmCpFbZ20Fg – The 180° Rule (And How to Break It)

Garrett Sammons – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H1EtLBhB9k&t=226s – DON’T CROSS THELINE!!! | 180 Degree Rule Explained

WEB RESOURCES

Masterclass – https://www.masterclass.com/articles/understanding-the-180-degree-rule-in-cinematography

Indie Film Hustle – https://indiefilmhustle.com/180-degree-rule/ – What The Heck Is The 180 Degree Rule? – Definition And Examples

Adobe – https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/video/discover/what-is-the-180-degree-rule.html – Channel the 180-degree rule for compelling cinematography.

Animating Dialog – Peter Haynes – Reallusion Magazine

MD McCallum – WarLord

Digital Artist MD “Mike” McCallum, aka WarLord, is a longtime iClone user. Having authored free tutorials for iClone in its early years and selected to write the iClone Beginners Guide from Packt Publishing in 2011, he was fortunate enough to meet and exchange tricks and tips with users from all over the world and loves to share this information with other users. He has authored hundreds of articles on iClone and digital art in general while reviewing some of the most popular software and hardware in the world. He has been published in many of the leading 3D online and print magazines while staying true to his biggest passion, 3D animation. For more information click here.

WarLord’s Workshop

Learning

WarLord’s Workshop Beginners Guide: The Timeline Simplified

November 10, 2023November 10, 2023 WarLordLeave a comment

A timeline is perhaps the most important basic concept that an animator must grasp. The timeline allows animations to happen. Allows action to take place. In most cases a timeline is demonstrated with the simple act of moving a primitive like a box across the screen. While that adequately shows what a timeline does in its most basic form… it’s not much fun.

With that in mind, we are going to replace the primitive with an aircraft. Something that will make this exercise a little more interesting to animate.

BACKGROUND

I remember the first time I had to deal with a timeline. The concept eluded me at first because until then everything I did was static, digital art. Mainly for illustration and web graphics. I had gone from Corel Paint to Photoshop, Windows was a beast that required backups if you worked with it and the growing demand from the web meant moving onto audio and video with apps like The Real Player and this new kid on the block, Flash.

If you were involved with web graphics or site development in the early days of the internet, Flash was a real boon to your workflow. This was particularly so in the mid-1990s when 33.6kb was a common speed before any type of consumer broadband was even on the horizon. Security issues weren’t on the minds of many web developers either. We were just trying to get meaningful, interactive websites deployed which took a lot of time and expense.

I knew Flash was vector graphics and was capable of animation and that was the extent of it all. The only “timelines” I was familiar with back then were in video editing but for some reason, the connection wasn’t made to what a timeline really meant.

If you are reading this and you have no idea what the timeline is then you are not alone, as a lot of us have been there, but it is a concept you must eventually grasp.

The timeline is quite possibility the most single important concept/tool that must be understood to be an animator. You don’t have to use curves even though they greatly improve animation. You don’t have to blend motions or use reach targets, but you do have to understand the timeline.

KEYFRAME

What is a keyframe? From StudioBinder:

A keyframe, also written as “key frame,” is something that defines the starting and/or ending point of any smooth transition. That something can be a drawing in animation or a particular frame of a shot when dealing with film or video. Any shot, animated or live action, is broken down into individual frames. You can think of keyframes as the most important frames of a shot that set the parameters for the other frames and indicate the changes that will occur throughout as transitions.

You won’t really have to be concerned with a keyframe or what they are during this exercise, but it is a term you need to be aware of and become familiar with during your animation journey.

The timeline is quite possibly the single most important concept/tool that must be understood to be an animator.

MOVE THE AIRCRAFT

For this scenario, I used the free S-14 Jet over at Sketchfab (“S-14 Fighter Jet (High Poly)” (https://skfb.ly/owLXP) by Kamran Mughal is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) as it comes configured for flight with the landing gear retracted and had a nice cockpit too.

I loaded a Pilot character into the cockpit in a sitting position and placed the hands near the joystick and throttle on each side. Any iClone humanoid character will work, just remember to link the character to the aircraft.

THE STEPS

Step 1: Load the aircraft. Set the aircraft shadow to “Receive Only” in the Scene Manager.

Step 2: Load, link, and position the pilot within the aircraft. Set the Pilot Shadow to “Receive Only”.

Step 3: Load a sky from CONTENT->SET->SKY in the Content Manager. I used “Cloudy” sky.

Step 4: Set the Z axis on the sky to something like –10000 to lower the sky and fill the viewport with clouds. This may vary depending on the sky you chose.

Note: MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON FRAME ZERO (0)

Step 5: Select the PREVIEW camera and pull back until you see the aircraft and a lot of sky.

Step 6: Use the Zoom tool to zoom out and the Pan tool to move the Aircraft to the left of the viewport.

Step 7: Move the Play head slider to the last frame or click on the end button.

Step 8: Use the move tool to move the aircraft towards the opposite side of the screen until the nose of the aircraft is almost off-screen.

Return the play head to the start and play the animation. You will notice two things immediately. It takes a while for the aircraft to get going and moves very slowly across the screen.

And… Congratulations as you have just created your first keyframes with the beginning and the ending frames of the aircraft movement. IClone takes care of everything in-between hence the term tween or tweener, which is not commonly used in iClone terminology but is a general animation term you may run across.

The first problem in this exercise is the default curve that starts and stops each motion. If you don’t know what a curve is then just follow along as you need to be a little more familiar with animation before we go into curves. Curves are not a beginner’s topic for most new users but the sooner you understand and properly use curves the more polished your animations will be.

THE FIX FOR THE CURVE

Step 1: With the plane selected, open the timeline by pressing the Show Timeline button in the play area. Hold down the Alt button and scroll the middle mouse button until the complete timeline is visible.

Step 2: Right-click on the last keyframe (small green symbol on the right side of the timeline) and select Transition Curve.

Step 3: Change the transition curve from Default to Linear. The aircraft should now be moving at a constant speed between keyframes.

THE FIX FOR THE SLOW SPEED

To speed up the aircraft as it goes across the screen you need to select the last keyframe on the right (in the timeline with the aircraft selected) and move it towards the left to about halfway. You have now doubled the speed of the aircraft. Keep moving this keyframe to the left to increase speed.

You should now see the relationship between the aircraft and the timeline as it gives the animator an opportunity to mark the beginning and end of this animation (the fly across), its duration, and speed.

MOVING THE AIRCRAFT OFF-SCREEN

If you want the aircraft to move from offscreen left to offscreen right, then all you need do is move the play head to the first keyframe (frame 0 in the case), and with the aircraft selected move it to the left until it is offscreen enough to not be seen.

Do the same thing on the last keyframe of the animation and move the aircraft offscreen to the right. You must be on the first frame and last frame as instructed above for this to work. It uses those frames as a starting and ending point and then creates the frames in between.

NOTE: To increase the distance the aircraft flies you will need to zoom out far enough to have the space needed for the longer distance.

How did this Involve the Timeline? I used it to time the movement from frame 0 to the last frame which captures the movement of the aircraft.

A video tutorial covering both methods described in this article.

MOVE THE SKY

For one plane it does not really matter if you move the aircraft or the sky. If, however, you have several aircraft then it becomes much easier to move the sky (one object) versus multiple aircraft objects.

This is my preferred method of making this type of shot with multiple objects. This also allows for easy animation of the various aircraft bobbing up and down or moving about. It cannot be done with a standard sky but instead, it needs to be a prop so it can be moved and keyframed.

THE SKY PROP STEPS

I used Props->Props->3D Space->Dome as the sky.

Increase the Dome scale to 2000
Add a cloudy sky to the Dome diffuse channel or Drag and Drop it directly on the Dome.
Add Water, I used Water 8 in the Still Normal folder.
Set the Water to –100 Height, 270 Direction (so it will flow opposite the direction of the aircraft) Water size to 1000.
Set Wave Size to around 335 to increase size. Set Wave Speed to around 100.
While at Frame 1 move the Sky down to the water or its edge just a little below the surface.
At Frame 1 select the sky and move it all the way to the left while still being able to grab the gizmo to move it.
Go to the last frame and move and move the sky to the right side of the screen making sure not to go too far or the curve of the dome may show.
We now need to select the last keyframe (last frame) and right-click then select Transition Curve and select Linear. You will see a short preview. Now the sky should move smoothly from the first to the last frame.
If you duplicate the Aircraft, make sure to select the Aircraft and the Pilot. Relink each pilot to its appropriate aircraft if you get a popup message regarding strange behavior from links.

As you can see it doesn’t take that much for a simple animation of moving an object or objects across the screen, up and down or in any direction for that matter. You would basically do the same steps for launching a rocket changing the object to angle across or go straight up for a launch.

This is for props, walking characters are another issue as they depend on distance and speed to not have foot sliding issues. If, however, you want to fly a superhero across the screen then the same principles would apply.

CLOSING

The timeline will hold the keys to the animation kingdom and the more you understand what it can do, the more complex your animations can be. What you have seen here is just a starting point. And, in this case, particularly, utilizing the manual and Reallusion resources will limit frustration while you grow as an animator.

REALLUSION COURSES

iClone 8 – Motion Clip Editing & Basic Timeline Features

IClone 7 – Timeline: Speed, Loop and Time Warp

Getting Started

MANUAL

Timeline Section

Timeline User Interface

How to set Default Keys and reset Motion Layer Keys

How to Produce Custom Pose or KeyFrame Motions

MD McCallum – WarLord

WarLord’s Workshop

Product Release

AccuFACE Revolutionizes Facial Tracking from Live and Recorded Video

November 6, 2023December 7, 2023 reallusionblog2 Comments

Frustrated with the reliance on expensive hardware for facial mocap production? Why not opt for pre-recorded videos for facial tracking? Maybe the technology wasn’t quite there in the past, or it wasn’t accessible to most. But now, the moment has come to put professional actors and video content at the forefront! See how a brand new technology can offer top-tier facial mocap and make collaborative production a reality.

Reallusion is thrilled to introduce iClone AccuFACE, an AI-powered facial tracker that delivers high-quality facial animation, accurately in real-time. AccuFACE can seamlessly capture facial expressions from webcams, GoPros, or existing video files. By integrating Nvidia RTX GPU-accelerated AI technology, AccuFACE revolutionizes facial tracking by eliminating the need for costly hardware or subscription fees, making it accessible to designers of all levels. With the synergy of iClone and Character Creator, crafting new IP characters for professional facial animation is now within reach.

CAPTURE PERFORMANCES FROM ANY VIDEO SOURCE

AccuFACE is capable of capturing facial expressions from both webcams and conventional video files.

Live Webcam: Compatible with standalone USB web cameras or laptops equipped with integrated webcams, AccuFACE offers optimal tracking resolution of 720p at 30 frames per second. Recommended webcam specs >

Recorded Videos: Rotate videos for mobile video recordings or footage from mounted helmet cameras.

Remote Collaboration: AccuFACE lets production studios seamlessly collaborate with professional actors or voice talents worldwide, liberating animation productivity from equipment dependencies and the restrictions of time or location.

CALIBRATE FOR ACCURACY & INDIVIDUALITY

Optimize Expressive Range

Calibration for personalized subtle expressions and precise brow movements.

LIVE MODE Calibration: Tailor the character’s facial settings to match the live performer with an easy-to-follow guided process, and receive immediate animation feedback for thorough refinement.

VIDEO MODE Calibration: When obtaining the ideal calibration poses from a single video source proves challenging, AccuFACE offers the flexibility to search for calibration frames across multiple video files.

FULL-SPECTRUM MOCAP REFINEMENT

AccuFACE offers a comprehensive toolkit to address the common facial mocap challenges, bringing artists several steps closer to achieving flawless animation, real-time filters to enhance tracking quality.

Strength Balancing: adapt regional strength adjustments to the actor’s individuality and balance expression intensity. Watch video >
Smooth Filter: Eliminate undesirable spasms from the tracking data as a result of exceeding tracking angles, excessive hair coverage, or uneven lighting and shadowing. Watch video >
Denoise: AccuFACE offers a comprehensive toolkit to address these common challenges, bringing artists several steps closer to achieving flawless animation. Watch video >
Anti-Interference: Cross-region interference and cross-triggering can lead to muddied expressions. AccuFACE interference cancellation can reduce unwanted head, brow, and mouth movements. Watch video >

SINGLE-PASS AUDIO-SYNC

AccuFACE captures synchronized audio data and facial animation, enabling the rapid generation of voice-synced animations using data from the webcam and microphone.

TIMECODE SYNC FOR LOSSLESS RECORDING

Timecode-based full-frame animation recording, independent of computer performance. Capture up to 60 fps of clean facial animation data without frame drops.

LIP AND TONGUE ARTICULATION (AccuLIPS)

Incorporate subtle lips and tongue animation through integrated AccuLIPS technology. Be able to fine-tune viseme and lip shapes for flawless talking or singing animations.

MULTI-LANGUAGE SUPPORT

By cleverly bypassing voice-to-text recognition, AccuLIPS can extend its capabilities to other languages beyond English. Lip detection and accuracy can be further improved with additional text scripts while free tools are readily available to convert non-English audio files into their romanized counterparts.

Know more about AccuFACE related production:

Learning

KeenTools FaceBuilder for Blender and Character Creator 4 – Create 3D Characters from Multiple Photos with Headshot 2

October 31, 2023November 16, 2023 reallusionblogLeave a comment

This is a short guide on how to make unique fully dressed 3D characters with the powerful integration of FaceBuilder for Blender, Character Creator 4, and Headshot 2. Follow these quick steps to give your model a look-alike appearance using just a few photos or video snapshots.

Create a digital head using photos in FaceBuilder for Blender

FaceBuilder for Blender lets you make fully-textured 3D heads based on photos. Inside Blender, go to the FaceBuilder tab, click on Create New Head and load images using the Add Images button. Check Allow facial expressions and Lock neck movement.

Reference photos for creating a head model with FaceBuilder

Creating heads with FaceBuilder is semi-automatic. Select the top image on the list and click Align Face. FaceBuilder will detect the face in the image and estimate the position of the mesh in 3D. The next step is to line up the mesh with the face manually. Drag the existing pins or add new ones to accurately match the facial features. Pay special attention to eyes, brows, nose and mouth. This will help you get a better texture in the end. Repeat the same operations for the remaining images.

Creating a fully textured digital copy of the head with FaceBuilder for Blender

The next step is projecting texture from the images onto Geometry. Select maxface UV type in the Texture tab, then go to Advanced and check Equalize brightness and Equalize colour to smooth the texture and make it more even. Then click on Create Texture and hit OK. The digital copy of the head is now ready for export to Character Creator. Go to the Export tab and hit the Character Creator button. FaceBuilder will run the software and transfer the 3D head model and the texture right into it.

Important! You need to have the latest versions of Character Creator and Headshot plug-in installed on your computer for this operation. Visit the official Reallusion website to download the software.

Exporting the model to Character Creator and refining it

Generate the body in Character Creator

Character Creator offers extensive settings to give your 3D character a unique appearance. We’ll stick to a very basic setup to demonstrate a quick path to creating a character.

Export from FaceBuilder to Character Creator gets you to the final stage of generating a head called REFINE. Here you can explore the mesh in the viewport and adjust everywhere it doesn’t quite match up using a number or brush tools. For example, click on the Project button and go over those areas on the mesh that didn’t fill out right versus the FaceBuilder profile. You can speed up this process using the Symmetry Edit option that will mirror your adjustments to the other side of the face. As soon as you like the way your head looks, click on ATTACH TO BODY.

In the popup first select a body type for your character and also Mask type, which is basically how much of the original texture you want to use. You can go with No Mask to use the full head at this point and adjust that later. Click on Generate to finally put the head and the body together.

Customise your 3D character

Here are some effective steps on customising your 3D character to make it look like the person in the original photos.

Go to the Content tab to set up the overall appearance of your character. For example, you can choose a hairstyle in the Hair tab or dress up your model in the Clothes tab. You can also add and remove various parts of your model in the Scene tab. The Motion button lets you quickly and easily select a pose for your character.

Customizing your character in Character Creator

Control your character likeness with the Headshot 2 plug-in

The Headshot 2 plug-in lets you tweak every single element of your head model inside Character Creator. Go to the Headshot tab, scroll down to the bottom, and activate Auto Update to have all your changes updated automatically. Inside this tab, you will find some very useful texture settings.

Skin

You can select Skin Type from the number of presets and also change skin colour using the colour picker. You can also localise the texture imported from FaceBuilder by specifying Face Mask in the Skin Settings section.

A little tip. Try different options to see which mask works best for your head, paying attention to ears, cheeks, and forehead. Likewise, you can improve texture around the nose and mouth by choosing a Mouth and Nostril Mask. Selecting an Eyelid Mask may help you fix issues like eyelashes baked in the texture.

Eyes

You can select Eye Color at the very top of the Texture Adjustment section. But there’s a lot more you can do with the eyes in the Morphs tab on the Modify panel. Go to Actor Parts and search for Eyeball Iris Scale for example to adjust that value. Back in the Headshot tab, you can go to Shape Adjustment, check Activate Sculpts Morph, click on the Eyes button and then adjust their position simply by dragging them right in the viewport. You can then rotate the head side-on, zoom in on the eye and adjust its depth.

Hair

Go to the Scene tab, select Hair Base, then go to the Texture tab on the Modify panel, select Hair in the Material List, then scroll down to Shader Settings. Here in Strand Color you can change the colour of all main hair parts. If the hairstyle contains more elements, you can adjust their colour in the same way by selecting them in the Scene tab.

A little tip. You can change the scale and size of all body parts in the Morphs tab on the Modify panel. Use search for specific elements, for example, Head Scale, Neck Scale, and Shoulder Top Scale. You can also go to the Attribute tab, make your model open the mouth with the Display Mouth button, and then back in the Morphs tab, search for elements like upper and lower teeth to change their height and scale.

Export to Blender

Go to File > Export > FBX and select the Clothed Character option. In the export menu select Blender as destination, then select Mesh in the FBX Options, uncheck Embed Textures, and then click on Export and save it to disk as model.fbx.

To get full control over your CC4 character we recommend installing the Character Creator add-on. Go to Add-ons in Blender Preferences and activate the Rigify option to be able to use the local rig. Download CC/iC Tools from GitHub. After you install it, you’ll get a new tab named CC/iC Pipeline on your side panel. Go to that tab, click on Import Character, navigate to the model.fbx file, and hit Import.

Explore Character Creator Add-on settings

The Character Creator add-on gives you access to many useful settings. You can go to the Scene tab and select a lighting scheme, like CC3 for example. This will make the materials inside your model visible in the viewport. Another thing you will surely need for your model is a rig. Go to the Rigging and Animation tab and click on the Rigify button. This way you get control over all elements of your model inside Blender.

A little tip. If you plan to export your model further on to other 3D environments, it makes sense to optimise the materials applied to your model. Go to the Character Build Settings tab, select Basic, and then click Rebuild Basic Materials. This will create a simplified version of the materials for your model.

Final results in Blender

Animate your model

Back in Blender, on the CC/iC Pipeline panel, click on Import Animations, select motion.fbx, and hit Import. Then go to the Rigging and Animation tab, select the animation you’ve imported in Source Armature and also Source Action, and then hit Preview Retarget. Preview the imported animation by hitting Play.

The quickest way to animate your model is to use animation export from Character Creator. Inside Character Creator, click on the Motion button and select a specific animation. You can preview it by hitting the Play button right below the viewport. If this is the way you want your character to move in Blender, go to File > Export > FBX> Clothed Character. Select Blender as a destination once again, and then choose Motion in the FBX Options. You will also need to activate Current Animation and All checkboxes, and also deselect First Frame in Bind-Pose. Now hit Export and save it as motion.fbx.

For more info, check out the KeenTools dedicated webpage on FaceBuilder x Character Creator 4 integration.

Learning

WarLord’s Workshop – Beginners Guide: Soft Cloth & Volumetric Lighting

October 26, 2023October 26, 2023 WarLordLeave a comment

One of the most important skills you learn as an animator is lighting and this cannot be overstated. It is a make-or-break factor that can make a so-so story look great while poor lighting can make a great story look bad. There can never be enough tutorials viewed regarding lighting as there are a lot of different tricks, tips, and viewpoints from different authors that, when combined, may lead to great lighting techniques that set up apart from the crowd.

OVERVIEW

This article is an introduction to how Volumetric Lighting, combined with Soft Cloth physics and character interaction adds depth to a scene but like all eye candy can be overplayed. I will be combining a few concepts:

Animating a character with a simple motion.
Using that motion with the character to interact and pull open windows curtains.
Using dummies attached to the hands to make it easier to move the curtains with physics.
Use a volumetric spotlight to silhouette a character standing outside the windows looking in.

Short Demonstration of Soft Cloth and Volumetric Lighting

THE CHARACTER AND THE MOTION

The character I used is Camilla, one of the characters that comes with iClone, and the motion, Open Curtains, can be found in the MOTION->HUMAN FEMALE->PERFORM folder. Both of these should be available unless you haven’t downloaded the extra free resources that come with iClone. Look under the FREE RESOURCES folder in Smart Gallery.

THE SETUP

A woman in front of a set of closed curtains covering a large picture window in a rural living room. There is a strange blue light coming from the window and she uses her hand to grab the curtains and open them to the point that she can look out only to see the silhouette of a strange-looking creature looking back through the window just a few feet away.

The room is dimly lit so the rays of the blue light pass through the window silhouetting the creature in front of the window.

THE ROOM

This is a very simple setup with two characters, the woman and the creature on each side of a living room window. The drapes are Soft Cloth props that can be found in PROPS->PHYSICS PROPS->CLOTH TEMPLATE PIN-> Pin4_4Points. I duplicated the cloth for the other curtain and left their settings at default.

There are multiple light sources within the room including a point light that is near the character so I could keep the overall lighting down but still be able to see the character. I also increased the IBL lighting for this article so we could see what was going on. Experiment with different IBL lighting images and strengths to enhance the image visually without blowing out the more subtle lighting.

The Hand Dummies

The hand dummies are not necessary as the character comes set up and ready to interact with the curtain via collision dummies. This, however, requires a more pinpoint placement of the character to get the curtains to move properly. The dummies have more contact area, but they can be resized too.

These dummies are blocks found in PROPS->3D BLOCKS->BOX_001, resized to better fit the hands and they can be resized independently if needed as was the case here. The right-hand dummy was longer than the left-hand dummy to get the desired effect on the curtains. Since the blocks are invisible, if Set as Dummy, they will not render. Be sure to ATTACH the dummies to the hands.

A better view of the Hand Dummies with Physics turned on and set to Kinematic.

If you look closely enough at different camera angles, you will see that there is a bit of space between the character’s arm/hand and the curtain. The lighting of this scene will hide that. It could be tweaked, if necessary, by decreasing the dummy size and the collision dummies in the arms and hands of the character.

Activate the physics box. Leave the physics setting at default and the mode to Kinematic. This is very important as this will hold the dummies’ place while maintaining the collision physics necessary for this animation to work.

ANIMATING THE CHARACTER

This is the easy part since we are only using one, supplied motion. No tweaking will be necessary unless you just want to do so. Place the character near the center of the Soft Cloth curtains. Next drag and drop the Open Curtains motion onto the character.

The final movement and interaction between character and curtains.

If she runs into the wall or past the curtains, don’t panic, just adjust her starting position until you get the expected results. This will take a bit of back and forth while you find the optimal position that will keep the character from running into the wall while interacting with the curtains.

CURTAIN INTERACTION IS CONTROLLED BY PHYSICS

While we can adjust the properties of the curtains the interaction itself will be controlled by the motion clip added earlier. The physical contact between the character and the curtain can be controlled by the size of the dummies we attached earlier.

If you need to, make the hand dummies large enough to easily see until you see what is going on, then you can scale them down to decrease the gap between the character and the curtain cloth If needed.

SETTING UP THE SPOTLIGHT

The spotlight is used to project the lighting through the window. The placement of the spotlight in terms of distance from and height are arbitrary with direct or close placement yielding more light while being above and angled down yields a better silhouette and will not wash out the scene with too much light.

Check the Volumetric Light box about halfway down the modify menu with the spotlight selected. Also, check the Unlink Light Intensity box so the slider becomes available, and then you can experiment with different looks.

CREATURE PLACEMENT AND ANIMATION

In this example, I used an alien model that I rigged through Character Creator 4 which I then animated with an idle motion using the motion puppet. This was “motion for effect” so I just needed movement so it wouldn’t look like a statue planted in front of the window.

The creature was placed directly in front of the window with the spotlight up and behind. Experiment with the placement of both.

Run the animation, which since it involves Soft Cloth is also a physics simulation. The difference is that the character is animated and the curtains are simulated. Tweak, position, re-position, experiment, relight, or whatever at this point as the scene is now ready to render.

SUMMARY

Volumetric lighting can be overplayed so keep it dramatic when it needs to be, like this test scene, more subtle at other times. While lighting is very important, you do not want it to detract from the purpose of the scene which is to tell a story.

A bright, ray-filled scene is cool, but it doesn’t and shouldn’t be in every scene unless the lighting is more subtle. A more judicious use of volumetric lighting will go a long way towards a more cinematic result.

Before I close, I’d like to add the first time I saw this volumetric light and curtain effect in iClone was a masterful test created by a pioneer of iClone Mark Pleasant of Small Wonder Studios. The test was brilliantly executed and at the time, stunning, as volumetric lighting was new to iClone. Any tutorial by Mark is worth watching as he is an experienced cinematographer and an excellent animator.

REALLUSION VISUAL & LIGHTING TUTORIALS

Creating Interior Visuals with Volumetric Lighting

Global Illumination (GI) Basics Part 1

Global Illumination (GI) Basics Part 2

Getting Started Tutorials

ICLONE MANUAL

How to Use Volumetric Lighting Effect

Ambient Light

Applying Lights

The Comparison of Lights

MD McCallum – WarLord

WarLord’s Workshop

Featured Story

Iconic Super Mario Princess Peach Made With Character Creator and Blender

October 26, 2023November 7, 2023 ericchangreallusionLeave a comment

Ping Chi Kuo (Big Tree)

Hello everyone, I am Ping Chi Kuo, often referred to as “Big Tree”. Presently, I hold the position of Art Director and Manager at Chinesegamer International Corp (CIC). It is with great privilege that I take this opportunity to impart my insights and experiences garnered from working in the 3D character art industry.

During my academic journey, I developed a strong passion for the realm of 3D art. I’m convinced that 3D art serves as a boundless canvas for infusing creativity and imagination into visual creations, thereby offering unique and immersive experiences to viewers. For this reason, I remain dedicated to expanding my expertise across various aspects of production, encompassing everything from crafting 3D models and materials to perfecting animation and artistic design. Today, I am very pleased to introduce how I made this Princess Peach character starting from the CC base model after discovering the Character Creator to Blender workflow.

My Experience with iClone and Character Creator

A few years ago, our company embarked on a journey to harness the power of PBR shader technologies for our new game. Our team eagerly embraced the challenge, even though the creation of a PBR character demanded significantly more time and effort than our conventional approaches. In my role overseeing both art direction and management, I keenly felt the pressure from all angles, necessitating a delicate balancing act.

Through a stroke of fortune, we stumbled upon Character Creator as a potential panacea for our ordeal. This software not only slashed production time by half but also enabled us to uphold exemplary quality standards. With Character Creator, we were able to craft dozens of distinctive and captivating characters, effortlessly achieving the majority of our objectives.

During that period, the capabilities of Character Creator were already impressive. We could swiftly generate a diverse range of martial arts characters while effortlessly fulfilling the need for an extensive array of weapons, apparel, and accessories. These components could be seamlessly combined and customized to achieve various visual styles. This streamlined approach not only facilitated the creation of fresh characters but also enabled us to meet stylistic demands swiftly and easily. Notably, our production efficiency experienced a substantial boost when it came to the creation of NPCs (non-player characters), which simply required the skillful combination of distinct elements.

Stylized Characters Made with Character Creator

As I continue my search for tools that can enhance our content creation pipeline, I’ve noticed that beyond Character Creator’s powerful versatility, Reallusion offers a range of other tools that greatly improve efficiency. Drawing from my own experiences, integrating characters into iClone while infusing them with visual appeal solely through imagination and creativity is truly unparalleled.

Notably, Character Creator excels in developing realistic characters and handling stylistic ones, significantly expanding the scope for introducing stylistic variety. A notable example from last year involves my use of Character Creator 3 to craft an adorable adaptation of Super Mario. If this catches your interest, feel free to explore the link below — just remember to enable English subtitles if Chinese isn’t your forte!

Making Princess Peach with Character Creator and Blender

The advent of Character Creator 4 (CC4) has ushered in a new level of simplicity in crafting stylized 3D characters, to the extent that virtually anyone can accomplish it with ease. On the back of this opportunity, I’m thrilled to present my entire creation process of another iconic character in the Mario universe: Princess Peach! The workflow for bringing Miss Toadstool to life can be summarized into the following key steps. (Please turn on the CC subtitles and select auto-translate for English subtitles)

Export the base mesh proxy from Character Creator 4 into Blender for shape modeling

Design Princess Peach’s hairstyle in Blender, and turn curve lines into hair meshes

Create outfits and accessories using Blend’s powerful mesh editing tools, and make their corresponding texture UVs.

Assigning PBR materials for the outfit via Blender’s material node tools

Send my custom character shape, hairstyle, and outfit design with skin weight, and material settings to CC4, and be able to further adjust materials and refine skin weights in CC4. Apply some motions to test the physics settings for her skirt and export to Blender to adjust the test motions.

Use the talking animations in CC4 to refine the details of the facial expressions.

Use the Reach tool in iClone 8 to create seamless interactive motions between Princess and Mario.

Final Thoughts

Integrating Reallusion tools into my Character Creator to Blender workflow has consistently brought me joy and satisfaction at every turn of the process. While their solutions are powerful and versatile, they still provide a stimulating environment for me to express my creativity.

Regarding CIC, the inclusion of Reallusion tools marks a revolutionary turning point in our 3D content creation process. They not only enable us to match our rapid turnaround pace but also uphold our morale and creative enthusiasm. By simplifying intricate processes and injecting excitement into routine tasks, Reallusion software empowers us to embrace more substantial challenges and attain new heights.

Ultimately, I firmly believe that technological advancements bring forth even more opportunities. Through the utilization of newer and more advanced tools and techniques, we can broaden the horizons of our creativity, delivering rich and stunning gameplay experiences like never before.