• Location: Santa Cruz, CA
  • Joined: November 26, 2008

Topic: [Feedback] Resources

So, the resources system is pretty good right now, but several things have happened.

1. We realized that we had no content to post, and therefore our system was useless.

2. We realized that our system was too much like the old resources system.

So in a manner of speaking, we are looking to reach out to people in a new way. Speak to younger demographics. Make the resources truly a place people can learn exactly how to make a brickfilm.

So where do you come in?

Several places. The first of which something we're calling it the 1-2-3's of Brickfilming.

The 1-2-3's of Brickfilming will be a hand illustrated and outrageously simple guide for newcomers to the hobby. Constructed especially for people who have never even thought (or maybe even know) how to stopmotion animate something. Think of how useful this could be when telling people about your films and/or how you made them!

So what we're looking for is some feedback and collaboration. We need you to work together and come up with the bare essentials brickfilming. What is the least it will take for someone to take those first few frames and play them back? What are your 1-2-3's to get to that point? If you had to recommend ONE piece of software for your platform for a beginner, what would it be? Any equipment you'd recommend for your platform? What piece would be the best to animate for a first timer? What tips would you give them to help them succeed?

Discuss.

:::: !important is the Jedi mind trick of CSS ::::
  • Location: Aperture Labs
  • Joined: September 24, 2012

Re: [Feedback] Resources

Something on how diffrent FPS makes the animation smooth or rough would be important I think.

lil'jj's Website

  • Location: My man cave
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

I think there should be some links to Hazzat's Brick help channel on YT.

Changed my siggy.
  • Location: Hampshire UK
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

I have two tutorials from the 'site that shall not be mentioned' that I would like to submit for your consideration. So let me know how we go about submitting stuff.

1) One dolly shots
2) 'Radio Chatter' voice effect in audacity

I am also running my own tutorial channel on YouTube, Tutorials4Brickfilms
The first film is up there, it is all about the very basics of setting up your room/studio. Feel free to link to it if you like it.

The next films planned for my YT Tutorials are

Basic Set Lighting
Camera advice & Software advice
Lego buying advice
Basic Animation
Sets
Video Editing Advice
Audio advice & Sound Effects

These tutorials are aimed at the absolute newcomer and will have all the basics in short easy to manage films.  If these are received well, I may end up continuing the series onto more involved topics like chroma keying etc.

Last edited by Si665 (December 27, 2008 (07:34am))

YouTube - FunnyBoysFilms and YouTube - Tutorials4Brickfilms and BrickShelf

Si665's Website

  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

As it's the 1-2-3's of Brickfilming, I think each number have its own title as a category.

Example:

Introduction

This would be a little Introduction to brickfilming if you do not know what it is.

1 -- Getting Your Software

This would have software for everything you need. And it should have sub categories for each type of software (eg. editing, frame capture etc.)
Example:
Scripting:

  • Software -- FREE

  • Software -- FREE

  • Software -- NOT FREE

Frame Capture:

  • Software -- FREE

  • Software -- FREE

  • Software -- NOT FREE

Editing:

  • Software -- NOT FREE

  • Software -- NOT FREE

  • Software


2 -- How to Brickfilm (Beginners)

This would have tutorials on how to brickfilm for the beginners. So it should go throw everything you need to know to begin your first brickfilm.
Example:
Tutorials

  • Tutorial #1 -- (type: audio)

  • Tutorial#2 -- (type: audio)

  • Tutorial #3 -- (type: animating)

  • Tutorial #4 -- (type: animating)


3 -- Techniques of Brickfilming

This would be for once you've got the idea of brickfilming and software and stuff. It would basically include more detailed tutorials and articles for maybe camera stands or dolly shots etc.
Example:
Tutorials

  • Tutorial #1

  • Tutorial #2

Articles:

  • Article #1

  • Article #2

Links to Other useful sites:
http://www.link.com/
http://www.link.com/
http://www.link.com/

Something like that.
What do you think?

-Steve

Last edited by Steve (December 27, 2008 (08:01am))

  • Location: Stockholm
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

If it would be useful, I could create a guide on the different walk / runcycles.

My old YouTube is since long ago defunct - now even removed.
Here is my new one.

Filip's Website

  • Location: Braunschweig, Germany
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

I think you should contact: http://bricktrick.de/
The site is completely in german but there are many good tutorials. I think there could be a partnership or somebody could translate the tutorials.

P.S.:nice new site!

GS-STUDIOS.EU.TC
http://gregstei.gaussschule-bs.de/~gregstei/Dateien/MGM%20Banner.jpg

Brick-Greg's Website

  • Location: Your...
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

Can Daragh and me have our private Radio here for A.O Radio ? mini/bigsmile

-Darkman

https://i.imgur.com/C9qJKA8.jpg
youtube]                   Twitter]

Darkman's Website

  • Location: Stockholm
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

I'm actually creating a walkcycle guide as I write this post. I suppose I could e-mail it to you, Schlaeps, and tell me if it's any good.

My old YouTube is since long ago defunct - now even removed.
Here is my new one.

Filip's Website

  • Ash
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Location: Lost in the warp since 1885
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

Well, if you guys want to get some free software links, you know where to go. =]

I like Steve's idea.

Windows wise, I think a good starter set up would be a webcam (9000, 4000 etc..), MonkeyJam, Virtual Dub, Axagon, and Audacity.

Linux wise, I'd say StopMotion, Kino, Rosegarden, and Audacity.

OSX wise, I'd go with iMovie, Garageband, FrameByFrame and Audacity.

Last edited by Ash (December 27, 2008 (07:44am))

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/RockyFS/things/sigbim1_copy.jpg

-Available to answer questions on Hardware, Software, and Audio. Also, I recommend checking out the offical Free Software List
  • Location: Ireland
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

Darkman wrote:

Can Daragh and me have our private Radio here for A.O Radio ? mini/bigsmile

-Darkman

No, I think we should go for the offical podcast of Bricksinmotion.com mini/bigsmile

-Daragh

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/daragh2me/Avatarsposters/allworkandnoplay2.png
  • Location: Santa Cruz, CA
  • Joined: November 26, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

StevieCollins, I think it should be even simpler than that. It should be something like:

[1] Setup (cover basic software, hardware and LEGO brick needs for only the filming process)
[2] Film (cover exactly how stopmotion works in simple terms)
[3] Playback and Edit (cover how to playback the film in that person's OS and what editing options are available. Link to more advanced things in this section for "more steps")

Think of this as almost a kids book for brickfilming. We can't overload them with ideas or dozens of software selections. We need to give the bare essentials to learn and then give them the option of exploring more if they like it.

:::: !important is the Jedi mind trick of CSS ::::
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Squash/D … oxmas2.jpg
Is this what you mean by hand illustrated, Schlaeps?
Sans bad handwriting of course.

Last edited by Squash (December 27, 2008 (10:44am))

  • Ash
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  • Location: Lost in the warp since 1885
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

Maybe really simple, almost xkcd style.

Schlaeps, what do you think of those software selections?

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/RockyFS/things/sigbim1_copy.jpg

-Available to answer questions on Hardware, Software, and Audio. Also, I recommend checking out the offical Free Software List
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

If possible I'd recommend leaving Axogon Composer off the list for 'beginners' software.  It's not very user-friendly, it's got bugs in it, and it's mostly meant for visual effects work anyway.  I also used it to edit my movies, but it's not really ideal for that.  Not to mention that the beta license on it makes distributing it a little sketchy.  However, I don't know of any good free editing software for the PC.

-Sméagol

http://i.imgur.com/wcmcdmf.png

Sméagol's Website

  • Location: Holland
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

i dont think that there is any good free editing software.
Prove me wrong.

-Donsalvatore

New film:
In Pre-Production...]

Donsalvatore's Website

  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

donsalvatore wrote:

i dont think that there is any good free editing software.
Prove me wrong.

-Donsalvatore

It's debatable. I could edit a film for free using Axogon or Blender, but it wouldn't be anywhere near as simple or fast as editing using Vegas or Premiere.

- Leo

  • Location: Santa Cruz, CA
  • Joined: November 26, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

donsalvatore wrote:

i dont think that there is any good free editing software.
Prove me wrong.

-Donsalvatore

I think there are good free alternatives that come with most systems. For instance, for a beginner on a Mac, iMovie is a great tool and comes free for them. On Windows there's Windows Movie Maker.

Nobody said that we had to offer free downloadable options (though that would be ideal).

:::: !important is the Jedi mind trick of CSS ::::
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

I think VirtualDub is one of the best, but has a rather high learning curve. I found VideoMach to be pretty simple to learn, even if it did less than VD. I'd say the easiest for me is WMM though, because even with the often crap titles and less than precise audio lineup, when you just need to put your film together it's the most obvious to understand,  free way to do so IMO. It was what I started with.

  • Location: NY
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: [Feedback] Resources

Windows Movie Maker is pretty basic, and yes, it's horribly bug-ridden, but it works for beginners.

I think the most important thing to stress to new brickfilmers is that you should do as much as you can with what you have before spending excessive money on other stuff, especially f they don't even know if they're really interested yet. A lot of newbies are young and don't have the best judgement, and it's really sad to see a 10-year-old break their piggybank for something like After Effects when they could spend a small amount of that on a webcam that doesn't completely suck. I feel really strongly about this. We have an obligation to make sure that kids don't get in over their heads.

My proposal for a tutorial:

1. What is brickfilming?
A very basic explanation of what stop-motion is, what brickfilming is, and how they both work.

2. Basic equipment
An introduction to the technical specifics of frame capture. This is something I remember not getting; it should be very well-explained. This includes a quick but thorough overview of camera types and capture software, nothing else. The necessity of manual control should be stressed as well.

3. Preparing for filming
This covers everything leading up to animation itself. Building a set that is good for animating in, securing things with sticky tac, basic lighting (one lamp only) and camera placement. Preparing the camera settings for filming should also be included.

4. Animation
A quick overview of framerates, and then a relatively extensive tutorial on the basic techniques of animation. I highly recommend that we ask somebody to do this who really knows what they're talking about. David Pagano would be my first choice.

5. Postproduction
An overview of entry-level editing software; this should include the basics of nonlinear video editing.

6. Presentation
How to export a film, what file formats to use, and the pros and cons of sites such as YouTube.

7. Conclusion
This should stress the importance of lots of practice, and warn of pitfalls faced by new members.

I think it would be a great idea to have a little page where new members could ask questions that would be answered by experienced members. Sort of like how the Reports page works, where somebody submits something and everybody with access to the page sees it and can respond.

Night Owl's Website