Teacherman | 7 years ago | 55 comments | 2.4K views
I'm a complete novice and was looking for any help with doing the original Superman movie opening credits sequence. I found something on this forum but it seems to be out of date... (no Extrusion file?)
Please and thank you!!
Thank you!
Being a complete novice, would you please tell me to which folder in my computer I should download this?
Thanks again!
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Hi again... tried to figure it out but I couldn't find any .bt files anywhere the Outerspace software folder on my computer. Have no idea where to put what you gave me.
Thanks again...
Teacherman, 7 years ago
When you start BluffTitler and choose the menu item FILE > OPEN SHOW..., a dialog is presented that allows you to open any show from any folder on any drive.
So you can place them anywhere you like.
BluffTitler features its own file dialog. If you are confused by this and would like to use the standard Windows file dialog, choose SETTINGS > OPTIONS and mark the USE STANDARD WINDOWS FILE DIALOG checkbox.
michiel, 7 years ago
Thank you, michiel!
Good lord... Reading all of the instructions on the link you provided (komie) and they honestly make no sense to me. I think I made a bad purchase... it looked so easy on the website, and I was able to do some very basic things with the demo, but I doubt that I have the skills needed to manipulate this thing.
Teacherman, 7 years ago
You do not have to understand anything of a template in order to use it.
Simply choose EDIT > CHANGE ALL TEXTS to change the texts.
And choose EDIT > CHANGE ALL TEXTURES to change the pictures.
Templates can be super simple and super complex, but changing the texts and pictures is always super simple!
michiel, 7 years ago
I should have qualified my previous statement... because of my extreme time crunch, I don't know if I have the skills to turn this into what I need by the time I need it...
Two major things: does your help page have a search function? Barring that...what about sound...how do I add it, especially the music and the "swooshing" sounds for the text?
Thanks again.
Teacherman, 7 years ago
The search button is at the top right of this site. But it's a lot easier to ask your questions here!
Adding an audio file can be done with the audio layer:
michiel, 7 years ago
WOW! You guys made this in exact sequence with the real credits! I just downloaded the mp4 from youtube and converted it to an mp3... works perfectly!
Okay... now I need to replace the "S" logo with our school logo...?
Teacherman, 7 years ago
And I may as well ask the rest now... thank you in advance for this "above and beyond" level of assistance. This is for our 8th grade graduation opener...
How do I layer student pictures to "fly in" just after each of their names? How would I add an additional "swoosh" sound for each of those pictures?
I'm sure I'll have other questions, but this one and the last one are the biggies right now.
What time zone are you in?
Thanks again!
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Just tried to change the EPS Superman logo to our school logo... didn't work. I turned our logo into a GIF file with transparent background. I clicked "change EPS" and clicked on the GIF. All it did was get rid of the Superman logo,,,
Just finished trying every possible way I could figure...nothing.
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Maybe some else can help you as I am not at home and my assistence as the original poster of the show and user of this software can be only out of memory.
1. The S is an .eps file so a .png picture with transparancy (Alpha Channel) can be used.
Press F9 change EPS select the .png file with the schoollogo outlines.
2. For the pictures of your students you can use the coordinates from the link I gave.
Make first 1 flyby of one student then use duplicate layer for the next student by changing the image and place the keys in the timeline to his name apperence.
You're gone need 3 keys per picture layer the first where the picture is behind the camera the second is the same (copy) but from this point in time it moves to the third key 3 seconds until it is out of sight with the position 3rd slider. You can adjust the size with the size property.
3. Swoosh sound can be found on freesound.org make the swoosh 4 seconds long in total so it loops perfectly now you use the volume to set when it starts.
Good luck
komies, 7 years ago
Thank you... michiel was on this thread and helping but I guess you are closed now?
F9 is "change effect"... I just want to change the picture. I tried a PNG and a GIF by doing F7 "change EPS"... all it did was get rid of the S entirely. Do I need to render it in order to see it? If so, how do I do that?
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Use a png with black outlines and white background an make an eps file out of it with potrace wich is free for download and use. See link
Remember save location and use F7.
Edited on a smartphone on a remote location without pc.
komies, 7 years ago
The S is rendered by layer 7.
This is an EPS layer so you can load another EPS by choosing MEDIA > CHANGE EPS. Try MEDIA / EPS / Arrow.eps that comes with the installer to see how this works.
The EPS layer can also trace a bitmap. Choose MEDIA > CHANGE EPS and try MEDIA / TEXTURES / BixLogo.png that comes with the installer to try this.
michiel, 7 years ago
potrace is loaded with viruses.
I'm confused... I thought it traced PNGs with a transparent background. I'll try a bitmap.
Teacherman, 7 years ago
This is the original
Teacherman, 7 years ago
I guess I can't post bmp files here?
so, heres the PNG of the BMP
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Or PNGs apparently
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Also, I can't find anything in Help or Community (other than articles that no longer exist) that tell me how to move or change the order of layers. Seems like this should be a very basic thing....
I think I actually did make a $70 mistake. I'm in way over my head.
Teacherman, 7 years ago
No, in this community as stated "A JPG Picture, max 1024 pixels wide"
Blufftitler has a builtin tracer and that is what Michiel was talking about. And this works best with PNG with transparency.
But you stated that this did not work.
So I suggested to use Potrace to make an EPS to replace the one used. I thought that that would be faster then finding out why it didn't work for you.
Potrace works with BMP file format.
komies, 7 years ago
Blufftitler is an 3d application so the order of a layer (Wich layer is in front) depends on it's possition in 3d space. (Position 3rd slider is z-axis).
komies, 7 years ago
@teacherman
Have you tried Michiel suggestions?
What happens if you start in a new show/ add traced picture layer and select the png with the transparency.
komies, 7 years ago
I tried Michiel's suggestion...I think. I don't know what it means: "Try MEDIA / EPS / Arrow.eps that comes with the installer to see how this works." I go there but there's nothing there.
At this point, I'd be happy to just move the order of the layers so that the change in order is reflected in the finished video. I move the layers with alt+] up and down but it makes no difference. The order never changes in the finished product.
I also can't add a layer that appears and disappears as part of the procession of titles.
Teacherman, 7 years ago
He means c://outerspace/media/eps and select arrow.eps for the eps slot when you press shortcut F7.
With order you mean the time it is presented?
Change the text per layer in the textbox.
Select the name that is presented on the wrong time and edit this in the textbox to name it should be is the fastest way.
The original show was set correct order so use this, so you don't have to change the keys in the timeline. 1. Outerspace software 2. Blufftitler 3. Presents 4. Supermen 5. Chaver 6. Daveh 7. Snafu 8. Jeep35 9. Sfwriter 10. Marvin 11. Jezus 12. Everettm 13. Lee 14. Robertto666 15. Persiana 16. Vincent 17. Introchamp 18. Thanks to Michiel
I don't get what you mean with the last question.
To add a new layer select layer/ add layer (Select which type of layer) this layer will be placed on position 0,0,500 use the third slider op the position property to get this layer closer or further away from the camera. Use the top slider for x-axis left and right and the second slider for the y-Axis for up and down in 3d space. Use the size property to make it bigger or smaller,
It's now 02:35 A.M. in the netherlands and i'm going to get some zzz's.
Good luck and have fun.
komies, 7 years ago
Thanks again... it sounds like there's no way to add layers in between the existing layers, correct?
For example:
5. Chaver
NEW LAYER: 6. PICTURES OF CHAVER
7. Daveh
NEW LAYER: 8. PICTURES OF DAVEH
I appreciate the help, but there's very little about this software that is intuitive, at least to me. I've never used anything like this before, but I can usually figure things out fairly quickly. I taught myself a couple of Adobe products without too much trouble.
The help section seems to be for people with more experience than myself...the way it's written makes a lot of assumptions in terms of end-user knowledge.
Anyway, enjoy your Zs. Thanks again for trying, but I'm completely baffled by this software. The demo seemed so easy, but when it comes to manipulating a larger piece made up of many layers I can't get it to do anything that I need/want, nor are there even any tutorials for this. Plenty of help for manipulating individual layers, but literally nothing that tells you how to manipulate a completed template as a whole. Incredibly frustrating. I wanted to go cheaper than Adobe and I suppose I'm paying the price for that.
Just so I understand, once you've created multiple layers, you are stuck with the original order you put them in? What if you have a TEXT layer as #6, but you need a PHOTO layer as #6 instead? Do you have to delete the text layer entirely? Why can't you simply move the order of the layers as needed? That seems crazy.
I guess I'll try for a refund, but it doesn't seem likely.
Thanks again.
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Good morning, teacherman.
Blufftitler is a 3D software that is easy to use incomparison to Blender, Cinema 4d etc.
Blufftitler is NOT a Adobe product that handels fake depth by layer order.
If you add a picture layer you set the position of that layer by changing in the property dropdown Position by using the 3 sliders to set a position in 3D space.
The time you want to animate this layer you set this in the time slider.
For instance if the 7nd layer is set position to move to -300 in the third slider (behind camera) there will be a key created on the timeslider. When you then drag the timeslider to a point further in time say 3 seconds and set in position the 3rd slider to 1200 the animation will be 3 seconds from the 1st key to the second key and moves from -300 to 1200.
You can move this keys in the timeline to make it start later say at 5 seconds
So this animation will start after 5 seconds and will in the 3 seconds move from position -300 to 1200. (from key to key)
The next (new) layer can be made with the clone layer under Layers in the menu, by dragging the key in the time slider you set when it starts this can be earlier or later but for this I would drag it to 8 second for the first key and 11 seconds for the second key. So this layer animation starts after 8 seconds en will move from -300 to 1200 in the next 3 seconds (from key to key).
You said that the timing was perfect of the textlayers to the music, so my suggestion to use these existing layers with the keys on the time slider would be easier to use the existing so you only need the change the text and no editing of the keys in the timeline.
So in short the keys in the timeslider determines the order how long and when a animation starts and ends.
For us it would be unworkable that the keys in the time slider would change or get lost when you moved the layer.
komies, 7 years ago
Choose MEDIA > CHANGE EPS to change the logo. The file dialog also accepts pictures. In this example, the file BluffTitler\Media\Textures\BixLogo.png from the installer has been used.
michiel, 7 years ago
Okay... thank you...this helps (so did some sleep).
How many more hours from now will you be available to answer questions?
I know now exactly what I NEED to do, just not yet sure HOW to do it, but I have a better idea thanks to your previous messages.
First question:
How do I replace the EPS with just a regular picture? I've given up on having our logo with the red outline. I did get one to work yesterday, but it just didn't look right. I just want our logo as it appears regularly to fly across the screen in the same place and time. If you could give me step-by-step instructions for how to do this, I could probably do the rest.
Teacherman, 7 years ago
The fastest and easiest way would be what Michiel said with a small difference.
Use the full logo with the white rectangular background WITHOUT THE TRANSPARENCY.
How? Press F7 and use the full rectangular white background logo image as shown in Michiel's screenshot. When done you should see on the third key in the time slider at 31.100 a red frame.
Then go to the third dropdown on the far left and change "tubular round" to solid. Now you see the logo in total red.
After this you will have to change the colour, stand on the third key and mark the all keys (above the properties dropdown) then go to the properties dropdown select colour and set all sliders all the way to the right so you will get 255,255,255
After this you can control the extrusion if you think it is needed with the size third slider and change this per key. Go to layer 7 and goto the first key with the next key button on top of the timeslider. You can do the same with the second and third key of that layer 7.
komies, 7 years ago
Komies and Michiel what a patience: You are great. A suggestion can his problem partially solved to make use of dynamic content?
Filip, 7 years ago
Thanks Filip love to see your take on this propossed XML adventure.
Offcourse I help when I can, especially for a teacher who want to make an effort for his pupils graduation.
komies, 7 years ago
@Teacherman
When you go to the second key in this layer the image should look like this.
komies, 7 years ago
Used this picture:
drive.google.com...
Filip, 7 years ago
Thanks so much for all your help... Still plugging away here!
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Is it possible to change a text layer into a picture layer by using the change texture dialog (F9)?
Teacherman, 7 years ago
I know it's the weekend...I am completely and utterly stuck.
I want to put a picture in the exact place where text is currently.
I want the picture to do the same thing as the text does now in terms of animation.
Even though I duplicated the keys from the text and applied them to the picture, the picture just sits there and is the backdrop for the entire show.
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Okay... figured out how to make the picture animate...now I can't make it disappear at the end of the animation. It just shrinks and stays there for the rest of the show...
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Use in the properties dropdown the transparency set 0 for full and to 1 for completly transparant.
komies, 7 years ago
and that will attach to the key I am standing on? The other problem is I can't get particles to just attach to the picture...they stay for the whole show
thanks again for all your help... as patient as you are, you really should teach middle school... ;-)
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Yes... worked!
Teacherman, 7 years ago
@teacherman
Yes on each layer you can set the keys in the timeslider.
When you have a picture and you attach particles to the active layer (the third L button) it will create a child layer. When you set transparency to the pareant layer the child layer will also be transpararent.
I would suggest to first attach a border to the picture (first L button) go to this child layer and then attach particles to this border so the picture is free to view.
komies, 7 years ago
Can't render to MP4...keeps telling me that it could not activate. Reduced resolution to 1280 X 720...no luck.
Tried a compressed AVI, but it said I was missing a codec or something.
Did an uncompressed AVI but now there's no sound in the finished video.
Graduation is in six hours......... must sleep now. Any help would be appreciated.
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Hi Selina, welcome to the party.
And yes this is the correct and standard way because Blufftitler does not come with Codecs of it's own and uses therefore third party filters for directshow.
komies, 7 years ago
YOU ARE ALL SUCH BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE! IT WORKS! IT WORKS! FOR THE LOVE OF PETER, PAUL AND EVERY OTHER SAINT WHO SHALL REMAIN UNNAMED IN THIS POST....IT WORKS!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!
POST-GRADUATION WRAP-UP TO FOLLOW!
Teacherman, 7 years ago
@teacherman
Your welcome, and good luck and have fun with the Graduation of your pupils.
And don't be shy to ask another question or for help as you have seen there is always a friendly user in this community to help you when they can.
And we will wait in anticipation for the Post-Graduation Wrap Up to see what you have made.
Beware that the soundtrack of the Superman Title Intro is copyrighted,
therefore it was not included in my original show.
komies, 7 years ago
Post Script...
Once again, thank you to everyone who chipped in their expertise. The show was a big hit...people in the audience were actually cheering! And of course, the kids loved it. We have some real technophiles in our middle school who were all very impressed with the show. They all wanted to know how I did it, so I wouldn't be surprised if some of them end up getting BluffTitler as a late graduation present...
Unfortunately, I can't really post much of what I created... I basically turned the template into a slide show, meaning their individual names followed by their baby picture side-by-side with their yearbook photo also hurling through space then fading into the background. Needless to say, I can't really post their pictures to the internet.
It ended up being 3:48 seconds long (the exact length of the Superman theme), and I cloned most of the existing keys to create the additional text I needed. It ended up being a lot of fun playing around with the different effects, and once you get a feel for the subtle changes that are needed for each "credit", the software really delivers in terms of versatility.
Anyway, thank you all again for all of your help and patience. With your assistance, I was able to add that extra special "touch" to our graduation.
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Odd... just tried posting more jpgs no wider than 1024...maybe there's a limit as to how many pics you can post in a given time period? Or maybe I still don't know what I'm doing... :-)
Either way...thanks again!
Teacherman, 7 years ago
Good to hear that it was a succes, and everything worked out in time for the graduation.
And it fills me with joy that a 2½ year old show I made as a lesson for others to follow is still relevant, and can bring joy to others.
For future quick and pro shows check out the Bixpacks, these are templates made by pros that can easily be changed with the edit/change all .... options to your needs.
And check out the tutorials video's in the online userguide outerspace-software.com... to get you ready to make the next big "made by me" presentation. With the search option on top of the community you can also find tutorials made by other users and ready to download shows to use, change and learn from them. And alot of show-off to get inspiration.
Have fun exploring and good luck with your following endaveours.
komies, 7 years ago