[Mat Clark]

Keyser_Soze wrote:

I think it was more useful back in the days when there was only action. But source nodes are still very handy when you want to affect the matte but not the front or the other way around.

I wondered if it might be something like that.

One day I came across some old pdfs from flame 5 or 6 (?) that made a big deal out of the Magnet. Something I have never used but sure sounds like it might be handy. Now just where in the hell does the Magnet get played up in current versions? Uh, nowhere that I can see.

Keyser_Soze wrote:

Lets say you want to remove a spot. Add a layer with a sep front. Go into the keyer mask the spot. Move the front layer. Maybe you need to cc a bit. Presto… spot gone! Another example.. you want a shadow under a text but you dont want it to be a black layer but instead a color corrected version of your background. Add your back with a sep matte, cc your layer and move your shadow around without affecting the front. Well I guess you get the hang of it now.

Cool, thanks KS. I’ll be sure to try this out next time I’m on the system. Sure would be nice to have a reasonable answer for that pesky client 🙂

jet

[Mat Clark]

johnmont wrote:

Think nested comp. They are essentially action setups within an action setup (with some limiations).

I’ll try and post some examples…

Cool thanks.

I keep trying to see them as nested (pre) comps but I think the key word is limitations (“A man’s gotta know his limitations” so says Clint). Examples (along with the two already on the board) might help it sink in. I keep waiting for the day when the client asks why I don’t “just” use a source node and I have to mumble some idiotic reply 🙁

[Mat Clark]

loops wrote:

Does anyone have a picture of the beautiful Inferno* box from the old Discreet Logic* days, that release where they covered the box in art?

Yeah, and the Softimage (Microsoft version !!!!) with Reboot. Weighed like 90 pounds I think.

[Mat Clark]

Jason,

Man you said it. I sooooooo miss my U hotkey! I do not like constantly going back to Animated/Exp & Col….Selected/barf & growl.

Let’s start a petition to get the U working in flame. Way too much time cleaning up when I should be animating with ease.

[Mat Clark]

Good stuff, thanks.

Yeah, when the backlighting fades just a bit the edges start to flicker – pain.

I keep looking for that holy grail of easy FG/BG separation, and it’s tough when you get — this — close — and still no joy.

The paintbucket works, frame by friggin’ frame. So I just hum “Paid by the Hour” and turn off my brain 🙂

While we’re on the subject, any tips on “nicely” telling clients/producers they are ignorant for not consulting with VFX prior to shooting? I haven’t gotten good responses from the phrase “Dumbass says what?”

😉
jet

[Mat Clark]

pokeitwithastick wrote:

You start to see the performace hit when you start manipulting more than five HD layers in action. 2k and 4k it really starts to slow down.

Performance hit on which? Linux or SGI? Which “it” do you mean?

I’m just trying to keep up…I expect to face this change soon enough. Then the gargantuan systems will be used as very cool looking coffee tables or sofa backs.

jet

[Mat Clark]

Hi n8,

This pipeline leaves me with edges only, not a matte. I’m trying to find a way to use the edges (which take about 1 minute to create) as a border/boundary for paint – or whatever – to then create the matte.

Sorta like a coloring book; all the lines are there, now I just want to find the magic crayon to fill in the spaces 🙂

[Mat Clark]

Thanks loops.

I can fill, but it’s frame by frame (this version doesn’t support batch paint). I can’t find a “flood fill” (I did find a “food bill”, will that do?), and is it possible to link fill to autopaint?

What spark will do it?

[Mat Clark]

The web page is gone. Can you relink it somewhere?

jet

[Mat Clark]

Cool thanks Mike.

(uh, but just what IS the flint icon?)

[Mat Clark]

tilde, tap, tilde, tap

aahhhh, a new mantra 😉

Anybody here got a good “in” at Autoscreet and could maybe request some hotkeys for this? Are we REALLY expected to use TWO hands running this app?!?!?!

😉

jet

[Mat Clark]

Thanks for the notes – yeah, I’ve been trying those (except the texturing ideas, sound good). I guess what I’m after isn’t directly doable in flame, but I’ll wait to see if I get any more input.

Anybody use Maya; familiar with the Instancer? How close can I get to that in flame?

Same for MAX and Sandblaster.

I don’t mind going out to Maya if I have to (“that doesn’t suck” – as my CD likes to say) but if I can do it in flame – all the better 😉

jet

[Mat Clark]

Yeah, that’s the kind of specific info I’m looking for. Wish I’d had such knowledge before I bought the “other” DVDs — can you say ebay?!

Looks like it’s time to order. Thanks for the heads up.

[Author]

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