Moon Shots Teaser, A new documentary film about the Apollo Moon missions Options

[herrartist]

Dear Space Enthusiasts,
I am currently working on a new documentary film, produced in Ultra-HD, about the Apollo Moon missions.
You can watch a teaser with first impressions of the film right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caNgFybFKFk

Every suggestion to make it better, especially how to work with the 3D-camera in After Effects and/or Apple Motion are very welcomed!

Martin Hans Schmitt

[Gerald]

Das ist ein interessantes Projekt!

Die Mitglieder dieses Forums fokussieren sich jedoch auf unbemannte Raumfahrt.
Man wird Ihnen am ehesten helfen können, wenn es Ihnen gelingt, diesen Aspekt Ihres Projekts hervorzuheben, z.B. Bildmaterial, das durch unbemannte Sonden gesammelt wurde.

(invited to focus on unmanned aspects of the project)

ADMIN: Thanks Gerald.

[vikingmars]

Dear Space Enthusiasts,
I am currently working on a new documentary film, produced in Ultra-HD, about the Apollo Moon missions.
You can watch a teaser with first impressions of the film right here:
Every suggestion to make it better, especially how to work with the 3D-camera in After Effects and/or Apple Motion are very welcomed!
Martin Hans Schmitt

How nice ! Thanks herrartist !!!
(just 1 comment, if I may say : at the end of your excellent movie, the LM upper stage should be seen approaching the CSM from below the horizon and not receding from the CSM on a parallel orbit...).

[stephenv2]

Dear Space Enthusiasts,
I am currently working on a new documentary film, produced in Ultra-HD, about the Apollo Moon missions.
You can watch a teaser with first impressions of the film right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caNgFybFKFk

Every suggestion to make it better, especially how to work with the 3D-camera in After Effects and/or Apple Motion are very welcomed!

Martin Hans Schmitt

Martin,

Congrats on your project - it's great to see more people using images for projects like this. I've been working on a similar project "In Saturn's Rings" for a number of years. About a dozen members of UMSF have made major contributions to the film. Although I'm working at a higher resolution, I only use photoanimation and don't use the morphing/tweening or mapping stills onto 3D objects that you are, I am familar with all those techniques and the challenges they create.

I also see you use some some 2.5 animation. I assume you are using the 3D Camera in After Effects as animation stand camera from the Oxyberry multi-plane animation school of photoanimation (the technique I use and have refined over the years. I watched your teaser on my 4K UltraHD Dell and can see the issues you refer to.

In short - the best advice I can give you is to study real motion shots, either CGI or better yet, motion camera "In camera" shots similar to the shots you want to get sense of how those shots look and feel for real. Then it's a matter of learning to mimic those shots with photoanimation techniques.

I struggled with all these issue myself when I started - it's not easy work what you are doing and you've already got some promising results.

I do think you have to be carefuly about using morph and tweening - too much and the distortion introduced can feel too fake especially at 4K on a large screen but used subtly it can be effective. For my film, I'm not using it at all but I have used it for some clips I posted online e.g. Martian Cloud Photoanimation

Finally, feel free to contact me offline and if you want to volunteer help in on my film, you can see an insider view of the techniques we are using to make the film.

Best of luck with your project.

stephen van vuuren

[Astro0]

ADMIN NOTE: After further discussion, the admin/mod team have decided to move this topic into the Image Processing Techniques section.
The discussion will be allowed to continue as long as it concentrates on 'image processing, related software and effects advice'.
As noted below, specific discussion of human spaceflight or commercial aspects of the film will result in the topics immediate closure.

PREVIOUS ADMIN NOTE: A reminder to EVERYONE, please remember that UMSF is about 'unmanned' spaceflight.
The standing rule is that we do not discuss 'human' spaceflight, even in regards to historic LEO and Lunar missions.
Our Rules and Guidelines clearly state that:
1.1 UnmannedSpaceflight.com is intended for the discussion of robotic space missions, past and present. In particular, it is a place where people meet to discuss and share the images returned by these missions and the ongoing drama of their exploration of space.
1.5 Debating the relative worth of manned and unmanned spaceflight is forbidden.
1.6 Since September 2008, the human spaceflight section of this forum has been closed.
While this project is about a retrospective film and not direct debate or discussion as noted above, it unfortunately does open a door that we do not necessarily want opened. Due to the contribution of some members to this film, the thread won't be immediately closed but may be in due course.
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that further discussion be taken offline.
I am sure that 'herrartist' would appreciate everyone's input and we wish them luck on the production.
As another reminder, please take note of Rule 1.10
1.10 The promotion of your own commercial product (eg: software, websites etc) or requests for raising funds for projects (eg: films, experiments etc) is not permitted. This includes references to products and projects by persons known to you. References to freeware or shareware is acceptable in some circumstances - checking with an Administrator or Moderator is recommended before posting.
Sorry if this all seems heavy-handed, but these are UMSF's rules that have stood us in good stead for over 10 years.
Regards, Astro0 - UMSF Administrator

[herrartist]

Dear Stephen,

thank you for your advices and encouraging notes. I have seen that your film Saturnn's ring, wich I am eager to see, is distributed by Mance Media. They have asked me too but I am still waiting to make a final distribution deal as long the film has not been finished.
Yes, I am using After Effects and also Apple Motion for doing the 2D to 2.5D animations. Bye the way, I was very impressed with the Apollo astronaut moving in 3D space on the moon's surface as seen at the beginning of your trailer. How did you achieve this effect?
At the moment my greatest problem is to find really high resolution photos for doing flyovers above the moon's surface. The pictures have to be very big in size because (something like 8K) the are layered on a 3D sphere to make the animation (BCC sphere filter for AE). If it works good you get the feeling that the moon is revolving in 3D.
You asked me to help you for your film. Please tell me what I can do for you.
Have also fun watching my film MARS VIEWS 3D: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58Y2zDv0k4o
a stereoscopic experience for your home-theatre running in July at the Naturvision-Filmfestival in Ludwigsburg/Germany.
Best luck with your project too!

Kind regards

Martin Hans Schmitt

[JohnVV]

if you need hiresolution moon images
the LRO wide angle camera mosaic is here
http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/data/LRO-L-LROC-5...BDR/WAC_GLOBAL/

the 100Meter res mosaic is about 40 Gig in size

[Gerald]

With this entry point, ready-to-browse images of the relevant sites, can be found here.

[herrartist]

[quote name='JohnVV' date='Jun 29 2014, 09:31 PM' post='210748']
if you need hiresolution moon images
the LRO wide angle camera mosaic is here
http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/data/LRO-L-LROC-5...BDR/WAC_GLOBAL/

Dear Gerald,
thank you for providing me with the link.
But how can I open the IMG files? Neither Photoshop CC nor Graphic Converter can open this. Do you have a solution for me? (please Mac OS X Maverick solution, if possible)..

[Gerald]

Following the link I provided will lead you to a tiff download ("individual images"), e.g. at the bottom of this site.

For the img files - JohnVV pointed to - of the PDS, Björn Jonsson is the undisputed expert here, with his img2png converter.
The img files consist of an ASCII header followed by binary pixel data.

[JohnVV]

For using on a Windows OS Björn's "img2png" is a great tool

but on a Linux OS ( sans wine) the USGS/and (NASA/JPL) program ISIS3 is what i use
"Integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers"
http://isis.astrogeology.usgs.gov/document...uide/index.html

there is also a Apple version for 10.6 and 10.8

Also GDAL supports the *.img / *.lbl format
http://www.gdal.org/
i like the all in one package "FWTools"
http://fwtools.maptools.org/
http://fwtools.maptools.org/linux-experimental.html