Bricks in Motion
We are a friendly filmmaking community devoted to the art of stop-motion animation using LEGO® and similar construction toys. Here, you can share your work, join our community of other brickfilmers, and participate in periodic animation contests!
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Forums - Bricks in Motion » Equipment & Software » Developers/Programmers Needed! Let's create a stopmotion program!
Another thing that is needed is the ability for it to NOT crash if the webcam becomes unplugged. That's the second most annoying thing about Helium Frog. Even if you have to hit a "Reconnect" button, that's fine. Just as long as you can un-plug/re-plug the webcam easily.
I really like this idea, and I wish I could help. Unfortunately I can't really do any programming.
But, I've compiled a list of the things people have suggested so far, whether important or just nice to have (with my own additions added on):
Cross-platform
Built-in masking tool
Smooth interface
Onion-skinning
Support for webcams and an import option for digital cam users.
Mouth syncing
Instant footage preview
Choice of framerate - up to 30
Choice of resolution - can film in HD
Image and video import
Export images in JPG, PNG, BMP, other
Doesn't crash when the webcam is unplugged from the computer
Audio track
Retinal optimism
Rotoscoping tool
Last edited by Mighty Wanderer (January 21, 2013 (09:31am))
OnionSkin, and the ability to import or export BOTH video files or image files would be the dream... An editor and a capture program... That's the swing of things.... Though some would like to eliminate audacity, gimp, and and editor all together in one program, it may not be able to be done sanely...
However, if it carried the Bricks in Motion name under it (being an "official" product, like Bricks in Motion Animator) would most likely eliminate some peoples fears of using a new program... (I sure know switching from wmm was a hard step, but was SO worth it)
Another suggestion, one which I think is quite important: Make the UI as platform neutral as possible (don't make it blatantly identifiable as a Windows or Mac centric layout).
You might try talking to this guy: Stop Motion Recorder. I believe that he has stopped developing this software, which has been developed in Java and contains most of the points you are interested in. I've communicated with him in the past, and used this program, but it is fiddly and needs further development. Can't hurt to send him an email, at least...
So I think we're going to need to take a role call of sorts, and since cybercom is doing management, I think he should meet up with people in chat and have a document filled with members of this project and their positions.
On an related note, I can read and understand java pretty well but can't write worth the time it would take, so if anyone has any weird bugs or anything be sure to let me know. I should be able to help.
jahnocli, that software you linked to sounds like a lot like what we are shooting for, although is very limited - It can only go up to 25 fps, 640 px, and you can only export images as JPEGs.
But, it does include a feature to tell you when the camera has been bumped. That would be really nice!
I've added a couple more things to the list I made a couple posts ago, check that out if you want to.
Last edited by Mighty Wanderer (January 21, 2013 (11:19am))
thekingofbricks, that software you linked to sounds like a lot like what you are shooting for, although is very limited - It can only go up to 25 fps, 640 px, and you can only export images as JPEGs.
But, it does include a feature to tell you whether the camera has been bumped. That would be really nice!
I've added a couple more things to the list I made a couple posts ago, check that out if you want to.
I didn't link any software. At least I don't think I did.
Sorry, I meant jahnocli.
Would getting the code and permission to work on on that guys software be easier then starting from scratch? (I know nothing about this programming stuff)
Yeah we should do a role call and get official jobs. Thanks jahnocli thats really helpful if we could get permission that would be awesome.
Would getting the code and permission to work on on that guys software be easier then starting from scratch? (I know nothing about this programming stuff)
It would be easier to just use it as reference code then to work on it, at least for me.
EDIT: Who wants to e-mail the guy to see if we can use his code? cause I don't want us spamming him with the same question from pretty much everyone working on this. AquaMorph sure you can help out.
Last edited by cwstudios (January 21, 2013 (12:23pm))
Thanks jahnocli thats really helpful if we could get permission that would be awesome.
No problemo. He seemed like a nice guy when we exchanged emails (admittedly a long time ago -- be surprised if he remembered me). Good luck with the program.
I hope this is relevant, but I made a concept of what the UI of the program could look like.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/88746143@N … otostream/
A few key features:
- Large live view box.
- Magnetic vertical timeline.
- Unique masking export box in the lower left corner (drag from the timeline your background image with the support, and your foreground image into the respective boxes, press export, which will set up a masking situation in your selected photo editor).
- Onion skinning toggle next to timeline.
- Key controls orbit the place where the future logo will be placed.
- Info is displayed above timeline.
- Bottom right corner holds a box with three tabs - Capture, View and Tips - each with their own respective sections once selected.
- Bar along top in my concept is typical OS X; program needs to be able to change between a Windows and a Mac layout when running on either of the two respective platforms.
It's a pretty rough outline/placement of the program, feel free to nitpick apart the things you don't like, but I ultimately hope that my contribution helps the project as a whole. 
Last edited by Carousel (January 21, 2013 (03:28pm))
I like it, it packs a lot in there, but it still looks relatively simple. (Not that I have anything to do with developing this! 
)
But it also needs a "Settings" tab for selecting the export size, the frame rate, export folder, Ect.
And since I'm nosy, what type of things will be under the"View" tab?
Carousel I like it, it's very clean and well designed.
program needs to be able to change between a Windows and a Mac layout when running on either of the two respective platforms.
Great thing about Java is that it can be handled in one line of code which I've already done.
Last edited by cwstudios (January 21, 2013 (04:55pm))
I like it, it packs a lot in there, but it still looks relatively simple. (Not that I have anything to do with developing this! )
But it also needs a "Settings" tab for selecting the export size, the frame rate, export folder, Ect.
And since I'm nosy, what type of things will be under the"View" tab?
I'm glad you like it - the reason I left out a settings tab is, as I am solely on the OS X, such an option would be held in the menu bar along the top of the screen, and is independent of the actual program window, unlike on Windows. So that feature is needed!
Features like grids etc. would be under View.
Great thing about Java is that it can be handled in one line of code which I've already done.
That's good to hear, I don't have much knowledge about coding. 
Last edited by Carousel (January 21, 2013 (07:21pm))
Yes, I've been doing some coding. I'm using OpenCV with the JavaCV wrapper. I e-mailed the Stop Motion Recorder developer, and I realized that he was using JMF(Java Media Framework) which is extremely outdated 2.1.1e was released in 2003 that's the last known stable version that I know of. Did some research and though it was stable it's not stable with newer releases of Java (like java 7) and I couldn't getting anything working. Good news is that the core java features worked and I should be able to transcribe all his JMF to JavaCV.
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