Workflow recommendation for lip syncing multiple head angles

[rogermate]

I figure others must have faced this choice and have a best method.
Lip syncing with papagayo is very sensitive to the file name. What is the recommended worklow for having multiple angles of the head for a character when you want to lip sync?

for example
AI_front.jpeg vs. AI_profile.jpeg

or

Bill_AI_front.jpeg vs. Sue_AI.jpeg


Do you keep each set of mouth views in a separate directory and name them
the same?

Do you use full descriptive names for each mouth, then manually edit the papagayo output .dat file to correctly name each file?

Do you rename the layers in the switch layer to be just AI.jpeg?

[synthsin75]

The easiest method would be to have separate switch layers for each specific angle, that way each just uses a standard set of phoneme names. Each of these you'd put in yet another switch layer. The trick here is to have a couple of vector layers in with these switches. On these layers you'd animate a single phoneme (usually the 'rest' phoneme) from one angle to the next.

You use these animated vector layers to transition between the different angle switch layers. The only problem is that your characters can't speak while they are turning their head. But as long as you don't overdo the head turning, no one should really notice.


To do a lip-sync that functions as the character is turning their head, you need to either use point motion for the phonemes and bone motion for the turns or vice-versa. With the lip-sync-by-action script, both are possible. One requires actions and the other just helps to use actions to sync the head and mouth turning.

[rogermate]

The easiest method would be to have separate switch layers for each specific angle, that way each just uses a standard set of phoneme names. Each of these you'd put in yet another switch layer.

Well I just figured out that it is the name of each layer that is switched, not the name of each imported file. That make it easier and it makes perfect sence to have separate switch layers for different angles. Thanks.

The trick here is to have a couple of vector layers in with these switches. On these layers you'd animate a single phoneme (usually the 'rest' phoneme) from one angle to the next.

You use these animated vector layers to transition between the different angle switch layers. The only problem is that your characters can't speak while they are turning their head. But as long as you don't overdo the head turning, no one should really notice.

Wow, I was first just thinking of doing a hard switch between the angles, instead of animating the turn. But that is an interesting idea of mixing point animation with the pixel images. Haven't tried drawing in AS the face parts which I'm trying to animate, but it is an interesting idea.

Makes me think of the Charles Schwabb commercials where cartoons that are simplified actual video talk about their financial concerns. I'm thinking for the project I'm on, that is too much work.

[synthsin75]

Makes me think of the Charles Schwabb commercials where cartoons that are simplified actual video talk about their financial concerns. I'm thinking for the project I'm on, that is too much work.

Yeah, that's frame-by-frame rotoscoping. Too much work for me as well.

Didn't realize you were using images. Unless you're planning to go all vector, a hard switch between angles is probably your only option. Working with images is rather constricting. I wouldn't try mixing vector and raster animation, since I think it'd be easer to just go all vector, if any.

But if you do manage to successfully mix the two, I'd love to see the result.