Moral Techno
I thought, dear readers, that you might enjoy some technical differences in the production path between 'Moral Orel' and 'The Private Dick'
MO and Robot Chicken use the Minolta DiMAGE A2 camera not the Nikon D100/D70 that I use. The A2 does not have the ability to change lenses but that feature is a trade off for its ability to show a 'live' hi res video image for the grabber.
This elliminates the need for a spycam into the viewfinder because the 'live frame' as well as the captured frames are all displayed on a high res video monitor. In my opinion this was a wise choice made by the boyz at Screen Novelties when they set up Robot Chicken. Why? you ask...speed of production. Don't get me wrong, changing lenses is fundamental for me in my production of the 'Dick' as it was for 'Disaster! The Movie' because ultimately these images will be projected (animation gods willing) in a theater, not just broadcast on a smaller TV screen. Having a fixed zoom lens allows the camera guys to quickly reset a shot and the live video image lets them see immediately what it will look like on a broadcast monitor. It also allows the animator to see a clearer image of the puppets and animation they are creating. Ya its a trade off, you don't get the same depth of field possibilities, and a prime lens is always going to be PHATTER in so many ways, but you have to make choices based on each productions individual needs.
For a frame grabber setup the Lunchbox Sync is used. Not my favorite, but I have to say such a vast improvement over the old crappy Lunchbox from hell.
moral orel
MO and Robot Chicken use the Minolta DiMAGE A2 camera not the Nikon D100/D70 that I use. The A2 does not have the ability to change lenses but that feature is a trade off for its ability to show a 'live' hi res video image for the grabber.
This elliminates the need for a spycam into the viewfinder because the 'live frame' as well as the captured frames are all displayed on a high res video monitor. In my opinion this was a wise choice made by the boyz at Screen Novelties when they set up Robot Chicken. Why? you ask...speed of production. Don't get me wrong, changing lenses is fundamental for me in my production of the 'Dick' as it was for 'Disaster! The Movie' because ultimately these images will be projected (animation gods willing) in a theater, not just broadcast on a smaller TV screen. Having a fixed zoom lens allows the camera guys to quickly reset a shot and the live video image lets them see immediately what it will look like on a broadcast monitor. It also allows the animator to see a clearer image of the puppets and animation they are creating. Ya its a trade off, you don't get the same depth of field possibilities, and a prime lens is always going to be PHATTER in so many ways, but you have to make choices based on each productions individual needs.
For a frame grabber setup the Lunchbox Sync is used. Not my favorite, but I have to say such a vast improvement over the old crappy Lunchbox from hell.
moral orel
posted by Tennessee Reid at 7:46 AM
5 Comments:
One of the main differences I see is that Hormel Chili seems to be the preference on Moral Orel while my sources tell me Dennison's is used on Private Dick.
DJ Calvinator rockin' tha wheels of steel baby!
LunchBox Sync? Over $3 grand each. Toolworks site don't even publish prices online. Some months ago, I recall your rant here at the Dick, about LBsync which triggered me to tirade at SMA.com. Unfortunately, I was under the "influence" of some brewskies :P
LBsync ... "analog out" only but maybe they chose it cuz it can take analog feed from still cam. I gots one of these little babies ... Canopus Advc110 ....
www.canopus.us/US/products/ADVC110/pm_advc110.asp
Converts analog to firewire and visa-versa (under $250 if ya shop around) Most 'puters already set-up with firewire card (more common than analog card setups) Canopus will convert analog out from still cam or video cam to, "firewire signal" ... then you can use many of $cost effective$ Stop Mo framegrabber programs :) Also multi-purpose use ... works for grabbing videos/movies if you want to digitize them for posting clips online. Dark Strider uses it frequently for that. My Stop Mo Shorts just momentarily all bunched up about this :) and I'm probably preach'n to choir here!
It is so good to see the gang down there. Jeffy and Calvi...I miss those dooders. I liked the set up on RC. Those cameras have pretty so-so images, but the "live-out" is key.
Using an external keyboard has made all the difference with my FrameThief-ing. It feels like the old Danger grabbers. I tape my buttons and get that "click-clack". I tried going into an old lunchbox to view my spycam image and the image was so bad that I couldn't make out the puppet. I am hooked on the multipurpose laptop grabber with nice external monitor. Higher rez and more efficient (+ cheaper 2).
I just bought the Crappy Old Lunchbox from Hell.
Did I just make a huge mistake?
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