• Location: Australia
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Topic: Matching animation to voicing Help needed (Desc)

Hi there guys,

I am finding myself having difficulty matching my animation with voicing for the character, especially if it is a longer line, you see my main problem is I don't want to really pause much at all for the frames, but then again we need to, but what I want to know is how do you guys do this? I mean, I can do the first few second of the the voice for animation fine, but after that, I find it difficult, its either the movement has already been done for that voice, so using it again will make it repetitive, what can I do to achieve a better match for matching the voice to the animation on longer voices?

Its my main concern for Brickfilming to tell you the truth, would really appreciate some feedback with some tips and advice.

Kind regards,
Generalned

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Re: Matching animation to voicing Help needed (Desc)

That's where the magic of post-production editing comes in.

First, when you write the script, you should know where the pauses will be in the line, so when you film you'll know to capture a few frames there of nothing happening. In post, you can stretch those frames out (or cut them down) until the motion matches the audio.

What I do is, say, when a guy raises his arm, I take two frames when it is all the way up, then once it comes back down I take two or three for that position. With that number, it's easy to cut them (Or copy/paste) to get the footage at the right pace. That being said, don't abuse this. The pauses have to look natural, and there can't be long pauses after every little motion or the viewer's interest will go south in a hurry.

Also, getting the voice lines before you film the scene is another way to help with this.

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Pritchard Studios's Website

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Re: Matching animation to voicing Help needed (Desc)

Thanks Pritchard, sounds helpful, just to ask tho so I understand what your saying, do you only take a few extra when you get the hand to the top?
Or do you also pause the hand movement to it reaches the top, so from bottom, to a bit higher, to mid level, then top?
And when getting it to top, and you do the voice, how do you change it later, when doing the next voice, I mean is there no worry for possible repeats of the same movement?

Or does this come naturally in the process?

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Re: Matching animation to voicing Help needed (Desc)

I have an entire chapter on animating dialogue in my Guide, which can be d/l or viewed here:

http://afewbricksshort.com/Brickfilm_Guide.pdf

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HoldingOurOwn's Website

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Re: Matching animation to voicing Help needed (Desc)

Thanks  man, I feel I know the concept Pritchard is explaining, but I would love to see the guide, thanks man, did you get my email btw?

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  • GHB
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Re: Matching animation to voicing Help needed (Desc)

I use iStopMotion which allows you to open an audio file and animate to it. I know iStopMotion isn't the only program that can do this.

GHB's Website

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Re: Matching animation to voicing Help needed (Desc)

Really GHB?? I never knew that, do you know what programs can do this on pc? and thank you Holdingourown the guide is very well done, appreciate it.

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  • Joined: February 25, 2011

Re: Matching animation to voicing Help needed (Desc)

You can also upload sound files to HeliumFrog, and it'll have a window that you can use to match the sound with the animation. It also has a CGI mouth that positions itself to whatever sound is being made if there is talking, so if you're doing mouth movements you can animate the matching mouth position.

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Mighty Wanderer's Website

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Re: Matching animation to voicing Help needed (Desc)

Generalned wrote:

Really GHB?? I never knew that, do you know what programs can do this on pc?

Well, from the programs I've used, I know that SAM Animation allows this and it works on a PC. It's 30 bucks unfortunately, but it is a pretty decent program. It allows two audio tracks under your animation. I would maybe do a little more research though on programs that have this function before getting SAM, just because there are much better programs out there.

GHB's Website

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Re: Matching animation to voicing Help needed (Desc)

@Mighty Wanderer Jeez thanks for that input brother, I had no such idea, I'll look more into that as well! Are you able to tell me how to upload sound, as I didn't even realize it was possible, I think it would help quite a bit, until I get back into the rhythm of animating.

@GHB thanks for that bro, I'm going to check it out and look into that program as well, I will also do a bit more research, as I didn't know this kind of thing really was around, so I appreciate your time to give me this helpful advice.

Kind regards,
Generalned

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