3d max + Vray video to Adobe After Effects

[bluediablito]

Hello all.

sorry for the inconvenience if this is posted on the wrong side of the forum.

 

i am currently working on a project with a friend and we have decided to make an attempt to do some animations. i have done animation in the past but they were simple. i am wondering how should i go about creating the animation and importing the work into Adobe After Effects. How mush post work can be done to the final animation.

 

software planing to use

3d Max + Vray

Adobe After Effects + Magic bullet

Adobe Premiere

**open for suggestions***

 

 

questions..........

 

1--when creating the 3d max video how would i export the video? Do i create the images of every single frame and then import, or do i export it as a video out of max?

 

2--when importing the file to Adobe After Effects what format should i export the final project in order to maintain quality?

 

3--once rendering in 3d max and vray is there a way to create a simple video and then do mayor post work to make it more realistic (when creating a still image it can be greatly enhance in photohop, just wondering is its possible to do the same).

 

 

 

thank you in advance

[andstef]

Hello Jonathan,

I'm also trying to make an animation, and, same as you, I did some simple animations in the past.

I found out the hard way that the best way to create video from 3ds max is to save the video as frames. if you save the video directly from max there are some things that can go wrong and force you to render the animation again.

You can render the animation as an EXR sequence (if you lork in LWF), or as a JPG sequence. You can also save a Z Depth pass for every frame to composite DOF. Adobe After Effects can import image sequences.

I usually export the animation as WMV and choose a "high" preset,this part is mostly trial and error for me.

 

good luck with your animatino

[Fooch]

1. Tga sequences w alpha (32bit) if hd size is an issue. If size/processor/network isn't an issue, then exr

Note: elements/passes might be heavy in file sizes.

 

2. I normally export to QuickTime lossless or Tga seq. I presume it will be edited in premiere.

The final export is usually done in premiere or quicktime pro / sorenson pro to a quicktime mov. H264 or mp4

 

3. Yes. But that's a whole book to be written for comp tricks.

 

I would avoid jpgs , it loses quality. Premiere imports sequences too.

WMVs isn't the best format for films. I would recommend QuickTime.

[alkyon]

Ok you got a guy from squint opera here so I would recommend to stick with his comments!

Here is my experience

1.output to sequence as tga

2.do the post of each seq in after effects

3.then using adobe dynamic link you can do the editing in premiere along with a track of your choice

[Fooch]

Thanks for that.

 

I dont normally use dynamic link for each shot. Its good and it does work 99.9% of the time, but the fail safe option is always to render each shot at the end of everyday. We are blessed to have a fair bit of horsepower and space here so the rule is always render.

Plus AE files can get corrupted sometimes.. and when deadlines are tight, at least there's some files out.

 

Its also good to get tga sequences/lossless mov out of AE (no-alpha for the Post output) to be imported into premiere or FCP for editing. (not all editors use premiere) and oh, for a quick preview of the shots --> try this for sequence previews : http://djv.sourceforge.net/ (freeware)

 

That said, if its a solo project with a limited / control of software usage (some shots we use nuke) , then I would dynamic link each AE file back into the main Premiere file.

Edited January 26, 2012 by fooch

[Camby1298]

Excuse the off topic question..

 

Do you keep a blog Fooch?

[Fooch]

Hi Brian,

 

Nah, lack of time and need the zzz

But James shaw, my colleague at squint does. (google his name)

He post some really good tips in there.

 

Excuse the off topic question..

 

Do you keep a blog Fooch?

[dmv79]

Is there a reason to use TGA over PNG?

[Fooch]

The option to premultiply or multiply the edges. The correct way of making Colour tweaks etc is to use un pre multiply edges. After all the passes are combined, then the alpha is applied for the image.

See, when u layer your elements/passes over each other that is anti aliased / per multiply, the edges add upon each other. Sometimes u get the wretched halo pixel etc.

 

Mainly for nodal compositing software.

That said its more habitual and old school. Personally I don't follow the premultiply / un premultiply much because there are ways to get around that now.

 

So yup, just older habits

[dmv79]

Good to know. Yeah I usually get aroung the edges problem. PNGs are so much lighter... I had to give in.