Is there any way to recompute a layer on twos or more?

[Soom]

As most animators, we work mostly on twos, unless we animate a very fast action. But TVPaint is designed to perform all of it's actions on ones - this concerns stretching the layer, applying FX, importing footage, recomputing etc etc. This forces us to redo the animation on 2's manually. I know there were discussions similar to this, but I didn't find any satisfactory solution...
So I have actually 3 questions regarding this matter:
1. Is there any way to remove every second instance on a layer in one click?
2. Is there any way to create instances on any layer on twos? I mean - just create the instances even if there is just a hold on a layer without any animation
3. I wanted to ask also if there is a way to apply FX and recalculations on twos, but I realized, that if the first question would be possible, then it would solve all the rest.

[slowtiger]

As a workaround, do this:
- make sure the layer contains an even number of frames (add one if necessary)
- squash it without interpolation to half its length
- stretch it without interpolation to original length
(- remove additional frame if necessary)

Isn't it possible to put this into a script?

[Elodie]

1. Is there any way to remove every second instance on a layer in one click?

If the second instance is exactly the same than the previous one, you should use the recompute instance from the animator panel or from Image > Exposure > Recompute.

2. Is there any way to create instances on any layer on twos? I mean - just create the instances even if there is just a hold on a layer without any animation

Why don't you create a button that creates a new instance + an exposure cell automatically ?

3. I wanted to ask also if there is a way to apply FX and recalculations on twos,

Why don't you apply the FX on heads only ?

[Soom]

If the second instance is exactly the same than the previous one, you should use the recompute instance from the animator panel or from Image > Exposure > Recompute.

This is what I do, but it only works in this specific case, but for example after applying an FX, I cannot do that cause every frame will be different

Why don't you create a button that creates a new instance + an exposure cell automatically ?

Yep - I will do that, but it still makes me press this button numerous times before I reach the end of the scene - what if it's 500 frames? I can of course press it 20 times, and then copy paste the bunch again and again - there are lot's of workarounds, I just search for a faster way (The question is - is there a script that could run this button until it reaches the end of layer?)

Why don't you apply the FX on heads only ?

That's what I do, but only after I already create the animation on twos in the first place!

[Soom]

As a workaround, do this:
- make sure the layer contains an even number of frames (add one if necessary)
- squash it without interpolation to half its length
- stretch it without interpolation to original length
(- remove additional frame if necessary)

Isn't it possible to put this into a script?

hmmm - that's one idea - I will try

[Elodie]

That's what I do, but only after I already create the animation on twos in the first place!

Yes, it's logic : you usually apply a FX on an animation whose the instances have a certain duration (1, 2, more...).

what if it's 500 frames?

There is something I don't get. Maybe I don't understand the way you are working
For me, when you animate a sequence, you start with the key images, already placed in the timeline at the good "frame", then, step by step, you add the in-betweens, add new instances, change their duration...
Here in your posts, I understand that you start by creating a certain amount of instances before starting to animate (don't hesitate to explain me again if I'm totally wrong !)

If you want to create 500 instances in twos immediately, you can create a button that :
• add N instances
• then select all these new empty instances
• add a new exposure to all these instances
=> you have your 500 instances in twos.

[Soom]

Yes, it's logic : you usually apply a FX on an animation whose the instances have a certain duration (1, 2, more...)..

True, but not always: there are many cases when I need to move or change one object over time without it being animated in the first place. For example I just a had sequence of somebody driving a car. the hands and the wheel don't need to be animated, but just turn back and forth around an axis. So I need to split one static drawing into instances on 2's, and after this, apply a KeyFramer FX. Here I had 2 layers, but what if there are more?

Another case: I have an animation of characters flying up and holding each other. There are 7 characters - so 7 layers. I created an animation of each of them without inbetweens - just the key poses - so, let's say they are on 4s, 6s, 8s, whatever. Before I continue to inbetweening, which should be my last step, I need to make them fly also, in order to understand their movement path. For this I am using a KeyFramer FX as well. But I cannot apply it, before I make everything on 2's, so I go manually over each layer and add instance every 2 frames before going into the FX stage.

Another case - I import a video footage and want to work on 2's with it.

Another case - I import an image sequence, which was originally done on 2's too, but was exported full fps. I understand there are all kinds of workarounds, like importing it into a different project with 12 fps for example, but it's just taking time and brain energy :/

As you see there are quite many uses to this...

So I hope that also answers your other question.

If there only was a simple button that inserts an instance every N frames until the end of a layer, or over a selection, that would save lot's of manual work

[Paul Fierlinger]

If there only was a simple button that inserts an instance every N frames until the end of a layer, or over a selection, that would save lot's of manual work

+1
I come across this often and have been too timid to ask for an improvement.

[Elodie]

Okay Soom, I understand better your needs

If there only was a simple button that inserts an instance every N frames until the end of a layer, or over a selection, that would save lot's of manual work

I need more information here.

Let's imagine I have the "key" animation :

create instance N frame.jpg (92.14 KiB) Viewed 21688 times

I've selected all the frames and I use my magic button.

What is the result ?

1) break the big instance into several instances of twos, but does not "detect" the next big instances, it just breaks every 2 frames :

2) break the big instance into several instances of twos, but "detects" the next big instances :

[Soom]

+1
I come across this often and have been too timid to ask for an improvement.

Thanks Paul!

I need more information here.
Let's imagine I have the "key" animation :
I've selected all the frames and I use my magic button.
What is the result ?
1) break the big instance into several instances of twos, but does not "detect" the next big instances, it just breaks every 2 frames :
2) break the big instance into several instances of twos, but "detects" the next big instances :

I think the 1'st option should be a default, and the 2'nd option - an option to choose. Would be great if they both were available.

[Elodie]

What do the other TVPaint users here think about this ?

[slowtiger]

I prefer #1: just break everything into the given interval (2 should be default, but changeable), keep whatever keys are there at their given position. If I want to shift them (it's like quantizing notes in music), I could easily do it manually.

I can imagine good use for animation to music: use this funtion to place instances at every beat, eightht, sixteenth ...

[Soom]

What do the other TVPaint users here think about this ?

I can confirm that several people in the studio would like to have this too

[Elodie]

I prefer #1: just break everything into the given interval (2 should be default, but changeable)

Yes, sure

I can imagine good use for animation to music: use this funtion to place instances at every beat, eightht, sixteenth ...

Ok, just like you can do with the stop watch, but in addition of creating a sound, you'll create an instance.

I can confirm that several people in the studio would like to have this too

Hahah, ok !

BTW, I see many new photographs on The Song of the Sea's blog. Have you been shot ?

[Soom]

BTW, I see many new photographs on The Song of the Sea's blog. Have you been shot ?

Hmmmm.. uhhh - I didn't even know about a blog ))

found it ! I am that blurry guy with the black SmudgeGuard glove and Itchy (or Scratchy, never know who is who) t-shirt - I think I'm the only one not sitting at my work place there , haha