Hi,
this may be a stupid question but I can't seem to find it mentioned anywhere. Is it possible to import video into houdini to use as a reference for compositing? I've successfully imported a motion capture and now would like to have a reference of my video to play in the background while working.

Thanks for your help!
Nick

nope….
(and I for one don't want this feature to ever be implemented.)


save out your video to frames, then load it with a file COP.

RFE: I would like the ability to have a movie play in the viewport so I can watch Transformers 2 while modeling.

Do we have flash support for the help browser yet? :twisted:

RFE: I would like the ability to have a movie play in the viewport so I can watch Transformers 2 while modeling.

Actually, it would be nice to import that into COPs and speed up all the slow motion shots with a TimeScale. It'd be about 90mins and borderline watchable then :twisted:

ultraharmonizer
I've successfully imported a motion capture and now would like to have a reference of my video to play in the background while working.

Hi,

Save out your frames as images (for a free quick solution use VirtualDub.org).

In /img, create a new Image network.

Get inside it and put down a File node.

Enter the path to your images. Check Composit View pane to make sure the images are found.

Get back to Scene view, click “D” for display options, Background > Image source > COP > reference your File node.

Should do it. (You could add a Null node after the File, and link to that. Then you can mess with your image sequence, add stuff, without dropping the link).

Fredrik

Hi Fredrik,
unfortunately VirtualDub.org is only for windows and I'm on mac. I wish there was more information on compositing. Am I missing something or is everyone suggesting to composite using alot of guess work. I'm interested in creating animations and placing them into “real life” footage. I had a trial version of lightwave that was able to import my video and my motion capture without any problems. Maybe I need that program to help supplement Houdini.

thanks for all of your suggestions.

arctor
nope….
(and I for one don't want this feature to ever be implemented.)


save out your video to frames, then load it with a file COP.

Michael,

what sort of frames should i make? is there a tutorial on how to do this anywhere? Thanks for your help!
Nick

How about a targa sequence. If you are on a Mac you can do it with QuickTime

yeah…a sequence of frames can be made with quicktime…
personally I'd make 8bit jpgs - small and fast in the viewport, you don't need high quality…

then render your 3D and comp those with the high quality frame sequence - tiff or targa etc

Michael, Thanks for your help…I got it working. I'm very new to all of this so forgive me if I'm asking dumb questions. So now that I've got my jpg sequence imported, how do I see it with my geometry? I'm guessing that the only way to do this is in the composite view… correct? If so, how do I get the geometry to show up in the composite view?
Thanks

see Fr3drik's post from Sep 17, 2009 11:45 am

this will give you your backgroud image sequence in the viewport…
an important step here is to have a camera that matches the camera from your video….

brilliant…thanks guys! sorry for missing that previous post.

guys, is there a way to have the image sequence (with an alpha channel) in the foreground? I'm trying to composite a roto of someone running (image sequence w/ alpha channel and motion capture) into a world created in Houdini.
thanks again for your help,
Nick

you could apply the image sequence to a grid and give it an ogl texture which would respect the alpha…
but even without seeing exactly what you're trying to do my guess is that this stuff should be done in comp not in the 3D viewport

post an example file if you can

Thanks for your help arctor. I really appreciate it. I'm very new to all of this.

I'll try posting something when I get a little further along. I'm figuring it out little by little. I'm a musician attempting to learn houdini for music videos. This program has opened up a whole world of possibilities for me. I just have to keep learning it…

Fr3drik

ultraharmonizer
I've successfully imported a motion capture and now would like to have a reference of my video to play in the background while working.

Hi,

Save out your frames as images (for a free quick solution use VirtualDub.org).

In /img, create a new Image network.

Get inside it and put down a File node.

Enter the path to your images. Check Composit View pane to make sure the images are found.

Get back to Scene view, click “D” for display options, Background > Image source > COP > reference your File node.

Should do it. (You could add a Null node after the File, and link to that. Then you can mess with your image sequence, add stuff, without dropping the link).

Fredrik

Thank you very much I tryed your solution and I put a Transform nude on the end and link it for rotate and scale the reference all thing works like a charm.

goldfarb
nope….
(and I for one don't want this feature to ever be implemented.)

WHY YOU DON'T WANT THIS FEATURE…. Importing video formats would be a great feature..
I wonder a VFX application doesnot support video formats.. HAHAHAHA it's a joke right…

PLEASE ADD VIDEO FORMAT SUPPORTS to be imported as SOPS..

By the way I LOVE HOUDINI … The best VFX app ever…

Cheers

Wow, I can't believe how long ago Transformers 2 came out.