"Cartoonizing" DV at DVinfo.net

Dorothy Engleman · February 28th, 2006, 05:09 PM

How do I create cartoon-like images such as AMC's Clint Eastwood festival promo from DV footage on my iMac?

Thanks for your help!

Dorothy

Stephen Finton · February 28th, 2006, 05:52 PM

If your video editor has a "water color" effect, try messing around a bit with it.

Dorothy Engleman · February 28th, 2006, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Finton

If your video editor has a "water color" effect, try messing around a bit with it.

Hi Stephen,

Thanks! I have iMovie. Is there a specific cartoonizing program which transforms DV into a realistic cartoon image with the black borders?

Dorothy

John McManimie · February 28th, 2006, 06:35 PM

If you have Final Cut Pro, you could try a program like Video Gogh from RE:Vision Effects, Inc. (I tried it before on an older PC and it was painfully slow --- but there is a lot to do!)
(http://www.revisionfx.com/videogogh.htm)

If you have access to a PC, you could try the VirtualDub MSU Cartoonizer Filter. (http://www.compression.ru/video/cart.../index_en.html)

Or try a Wacom graphics tablet and pen and trace over all the original images like the folks making A Scanner Darkly. ;-)

There is probably something better out there... but I don't know what it is. :-)

Emre Safak · February 28th, 2006, 06:39 PM

Search for "Waking Life" and "cel animation". Here's a useful article: http://digitalproducer.com/articles/...e.jsp?id=25687

Those MSU researchers are a real asset to the community, offering their work for free.

John McManimie · February 28th, 2006, 06:53 PM

You could also export frames as separate images and batch convert them in a photo program such as shown here with Gimp (this looks great) and then import back into a video project:

http://blogs.linux.ie/xeer/2004/10/0...with-the-gimp/

Dorothy Engleman · February 28th, 2006, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John McManimie

You could also export frames as separate images and batch convert them in a photo program such as shown here with Gimp (this looks great) and then import back into a video project:

http://blogs.linux.ie/xeer/2004/10/0...with-the-gimp/

Thanks to all for your suggestions! John, I think what AMC did was to cartoonize frame grabs of Clint Eastwood. They were richer and more saturated than the Gimp example. I wish I knew how AMC did this promo. Really splendid effects~!

Dorothy

Eric Brown · February 28th, 2006, 09:16 PM

Dorothy, if you are using iMovie HD-5 (not 6, meaning from iLife '06) go to a website called imovieplugins.com. Click on the "plug-ins" link then the "cf/x effects" link. Then click on the "special fx" link. On the left of the new page there is a column. Select edge detect/pencil and it will show you something that may be at least close to what you're looking for. I've used it and it's pretty slick. Peace.

Dorothy Engleman · February 28th, 2006, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Brown

Dorothy, if you are using iMovie HD-5 (not 6, meaning from iLife '06) go to a website called imovieplugins.com. Click on the "plug-ins" link then the "cf/x effects" link. Then click on the "special fx" link. On the left of the new page there is a column. Select edge detect/pencil and it will show you something that may be at least close to what you're looking for. I've used it and it's pretty slick. Peace.

Eric, thank you, this is too cool! Can't wait to try it. Bless your cotton socks!! Dorothy

James Emory · March 1st, 2006, 07:17 AM

There is a series of commercials that has been airing lately that has cartoonized the actors. I think it's for an insurance company. I don't know if it's nationally or regionally.

Greg Boston · March 1st, 2006, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Emory

There is a series of commercials that has been airing lately that has cartoonized the actors. I think it's for an insurance company. I don't know if it's nationally or regionally.

I know the commercials you speak of. They are for an investment company. The Kodak Easy Share software that came with my wife's digital still cam has that same effect for stills. Was thinking of doing a short sequence using that effect.

-gb-

James Emory · March 1st, 2006, 07:31 AM

Insurance, investments....I knew it had something to do with paying in alot of money and never seeing it again! Haha!! :O

Daniel J. Wojcik · March 1st, 2006, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Boston

I know the commercials you speak of. They are for an investment company. The Kodak Easy Share software that came with my wife's digital still cam has that same effect for stills. Was thinking of doing a short sequence using that effect.

Haven't tried it with EasyShare, but every time I do it with PSP + Virtual Painter, the "drawing" is too randomized to look good as a film sequence. Jumps all over the place. :(

Even just doing a "contour" effect, the motion is annoyingly busy.

Peter Wiley · March 1st, 2006, 02:46 PM

I've seen the ads and I got curious about this so I decided to give it a try. The result is at:

http://www.arbourmedia.com/media/Cartoony.mov

About a 14 second clip.

I did it by:

1) exporting an image sequence from FCP into a folder.

2) Set up Photoshop CS to do a batch action from the folder to a new folder. For the test I just used the watercolor filter.

3) Imported the images in the second folder into After Effects as an image sequence.

4) Rendered the sequence.

5) Compressed it in QuickTime to .H264

Takes some time and some disk space. Works rather well.

Peter Wiley · March 1st, 2006, 03:20 PM

Here's a version using the Photoshop poster filter that is closer to the AMC Eastwood effect.

http://www.arbourmedia.com/media/Cartoony2.mov

February 28th, 2006, 05:09 PM	#1
Dorothy Engleman Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Santa Monica, California Posts: 146	"Cartoonizing" DV How do I create cartoon-like images such as AMC's Clint Eastwood festival promo from DV footage on my iMac? Thanks for your help! Dorothy

February 28th, 2006, 05:52 PM	#2
Stephen Finton Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 344	If your video editor has a "water color" effect, try messing around a bit with it.

February 28th, 2006, 06:35 PM	#4
John McManimie Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 314	If you have Final Cut Pro, you could try a program like Video Gogh from RE:Vision Effects, Inc. (I tried it before on an older PC and it was painfully slow --- but there is a lot to do!) (http://www.revisionfx.com/videogogh.htm) If you have access to a PC, you could try the VirtualDub MSU Cartoonizer Filter. (http://www.compression.ru/video/cart.../index_en.html) Or try a Wacom graphics tablet and pen and trace over all the original images like the folks making A Scanner Darkly. ;-) There is probably something better out there... but I don't know what it is. :-)

February 28th, 2006, 06:39 PM	#5
Emre Safak Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brookline, MA Posts: 1,447	Search for "Waking Life" and "cel animation". Here's a useful article: http://digitalproducer.com/articles/...e.jsp?id=25687 Those MSU researchers are a real asset to the community, offering their work for free.

February 28th, 2006, 06:53 PM	#6
John McManimie Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 314	You could also export frames as separate images and batch convert them in a photo program such as shown here with Gimp (this looks great) and then import back into a video project: http://blogs.linux.ie/xeer/2004/10/0...with-the-gimp/

February 28th, 2006, 09:16 PM	#8
Eric Brown Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 427	Dorothy, if you are using iMovie HD-5 (not 6, meaning from iLife '06) go to a website called imovieplugins.com. Click on the "plug-ins" link then the "cf/x effects" link. Then click on the "special fx" link. On the left of the new page there is a column. Select edge detect/pencil and it will show you something that may be at least close to what you're looking for. I've used it and it's pretty slick. Peace.

March 1st, 2006, 07:17 AM	#10
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	There is a series of commercials that has been airing lately that has cartoonized the actors. I think it's for an insurance company. I don't know if it's nationally or regionally.

March 1st, 2006, 07:31 AM	#12
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	Insurance, investments....I knew it had something to do with paying in alot of money and never seeing it again! Haha!! :O

March 1st, 2006, 02:46 PM	#14
Peter Wiley Major Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lewisburg PA Posts: 752	I've seen the ads and I got curious about this so I decided to give it a try. The result is at: http://www.arbourmedia.com/media/Cartoony.mov About a 14 second clip. I did it by: 1) exporting an image sequence from FCP into a folder. 2) Set up Photoshop CS to do a batch action from the folder to a new folder. For the test I just used the watercolor filter. 3) Imported the images in the second folder into After Effects as an image sequence. 4) Rendered the sequence. 5) Compressed it in QuickTime to .H264 Takes some time and some disk space. Works rather well.

March 1st, 2006, 03:20 PM	#15
Peter Wiley Major Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lewisburg PA Posts: 752	Here's a version using the Photoshop poster filter that is closer to the AMC Eastwood effect. http://www.arbourmedia.com/media/Cartoony2.mov