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Q. What
can I use
to capture video?
A. There are several ways to capture video. The easiest
and least expensive is to use a USB or FireWire web cam. This works
fine but the quality isn't always great.
The best way is probably to plug in a Mini DV Camcorder via
FireWire cable.
They're inexpensive, have good image
quality, are very reliable and can be used for other purposes as well. If
you have an
older analog video camera you'll
need a USB video adapter like the AVerMedia DVD EZMaker USB 2 or a video
capture
card like the Osprey 100.
Digital still cameras in general do NOT work. Their drivers make
them appear to the computer
as a removable disc allowing you to copy files from the camera's
memory to the computer
but the computer can't actually see through the lens so they won't
work with FlipBook or any other
capture program without special
programming.
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Q. How can I
output my scenes to videotape as a completed movie?
A. Export your scenes as AVI files and import them into any video
editor to make your movie.
Then use the video editor to output through a FireWire to a DV
camcorder or burn them to a DVD.
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Q. What
scanner do you recommend?
A. Any 100% TWAIN compatible
scanner will work (& even some that aren't 100% compatible).
We generally prefer Epson
scanners. They work well. The Epson software is good and they offer
TWAIN drivers for
OS X with most of their scanner models.
The
Mustek A3 USB may be the only scanner that can scan an entire sheet of
12-field animation paper for less $150,
which makes it a great choice if you
can find one. It will let you use
FlipBook's AutoScan Plug-In to save time
and wear and tear on your peg holes.
We do NOT recommend HP. Although
their scanners are fine there is a problem with their
software for scanning animation
and they don't always provide OS X
compatible TWAIN drivers.
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Q.
What
additional equipment would be helpful
in making animated movies?
A.
Graphics Tablet
TWAIN Compatible Scanner
Digital Video Camera for Input & Output
Television or TV Monitor
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Q.
Where can I get
help if I have questions about using FlipBook?
A. We offer free technical support whether you've already purchased
FlipBook or not.
If you have trouble please
email us and you will get help.
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Q.
Why do my color images turn gray when I import then
into FlipBook's foreground levels?
A. FlipBook foreground levels are designed for the traditional ink &
paint process of animation where you start
with pencil lines and then paint inside the characters leaving the
outside part of the images transparent to allow
other levels and the background to show through. This requires the
files to be in a 32-bit format with an alpha
channel to define the areas of transparency.
Without that alpha channel the only other thing FlipBook could do
with a color image would be to make the entire
image opaque, which wouldn't make any sense.
So we give you two options. The default is to convert the image the
grayscale to accommodate the ink & paint
process. But there is an option to automatically add an alpha
channel and make all of the white areas in the image
transparent. The process of making part of an image transparent is
called keying and in animation these types of
images are called overlays.
If you put a check in the overlay box then you will get an option
to set how much of the white you want to key out
or to make transparent. A setting of 255 will only make pure white
become transparent. A setting of 250 will also
make a little bit of the off-white become transparent. The lower
the number the more shades of white and even
gray FlipBook will make transparent.
If you're capturing images into FlipBook with a video camera and
you want them to be in color then you need to
capture them into the background level and make sure that FlipBook
is in color mode by clicking on the color
palette icon in the tool bar.
