Post processing frames tips?

[TheBadger]

(This maybe is very general, but I am only using TG frames as I ask questions here. But if it is too general please move to open)

Hey,

So I have been post processing frames of a very short animation just as I normally do a single render.
In PS I create actions and record them to use in batch processing the rest of the frames in a sequence.

I have a problem now that I haven't had before. In this sequence I am playing with clouds a lot (trying to not be afraid of them ), Specifically I am trying to get good mist/fog animation. In this case, I have greatly different lighting from the beginning of the sequence to the end, as the cloud is very bright, and is at one point all over the foreground and then later the foreground is less cloudy. The result is that when I adjust 'levels' for one part, I destroy the levels of another.

It is necessary for me to work in PS to do all I want, as I have many more tools and plugins for PS than after effects, and PS is more powerful that way anyway.

My question is, How do others automate doing work on frames when for sequences? Can I get some tips on how to deal with complex/contrasty lighting changes in a sequence of renders? I have no trouble to edit the frames individually of course, but thats kinda the point of batch editing. What things do you recommend?


Thanks a lot.

[Hetzen]

AE will do all you can do in PS apart from a very few things. It keyframes your levels over time easily. It's non destructive. What do you need PS for?

[Kadri]

I think you are using automatic options of level,contrast etc. probably? Use the manual versions.
The manual ones wont change from frame to frame or from the beginning to the end
when the lighting changes much in an image sequence.

[Kadri]

You can do 2 different edits. One for the beginning and one for the ending and then make a transition from the first to the second.
Not sure if you can automate this kind of change in PS or not.
But programs like AE or Sony Vegas,Premiere would be easier to use.
I use other programs only when i don't have the same effect in Sony Vegas for example.

[Hannes]

I prefer AE on this too. It's some sort of 4D Photoshop.

[TheBadger]

I know about Levels in AE. My issue is that I have tools that I use in PS that are not available in AE, which give good results. So I like to use them on the frames. And then go to AE for what that is good at. But in this case THe levels in AE work better over the course of the animation because it does adjust. But I have to adjust the levels in PS to use my plugin filters the way I want (unless there is  a workflow to go back to frames from AE to PS?). I suppose I already know I can get similar plugins for AE but the PS ones are more beefy and I prefer those results from what I have seen of similar AE plugins.

I think the only way I can do this is to just use .exr, post process those first, then work in PS and AE. I have been using tiff, direct from TG. But I think its not enough dynamic range for this, although I kinda liked the contrast it made, looked good in B&W.

On the other hand, I have been working on low quality tests that rendered fast. Bigger better renders would give me more clarity, unfortunately I have already seen that at HD with good GI, takes my renders from ok time, to probably 2 hundred hours for the sequence... Might be a chance to try a farm... Kinda nervous about that though too.

always something I guess

[Flythru]

In Terragen  are you rendering out layers you may find you have more control in AE using layer blend mode than levels although you can obviously still apply levels on single layers. 

[WAS]

You have a couple options; render out your project as a image sequence from AE and apply you filter by recording a Photoshop Action Script that batch handles a folder and applies a effect. Then recompile the frames.

You can attempt to save your effects as a PSD and import the layers into AE.

Alternatively you can learn filtering scripting in Java and write a AE filter script which is in Java.

[TheBadger]

Thanks you guys.

I am continuing to try to get it perfect. I really want to render it out. I just have to make sure it is perfect before I try to use pixel plow.