Changing the Face of Technology- and
Everything Else
Who hasn't heard of morphing? Thanks
to music videos and movies, we've all seen what morphing effects can do.
Elastic Reality allows you to generate those same effects in your own home or
business.
Elastic Reality's installation is easy and uniform across all of the
supported NT platforms(Alpha, Intel, MIPS, and PowerPC). However, I did run into
some problems on the Alpha and Intel machines in my lab. The error messages for
each machine were identical and had to do with some software I had previously
installed that had corrupted the Video for Windows system files.
Elastic Reality's interface is well laid out, although it might confuse you
if you aren't used to morphing terminology. But, I was so impressed with Elastic
Reality's consistency across platforms that I decided to use it as one of
Windows NT Magazine Labs' benchmarks.
The documentation that comes with the software is first-rate, and an
excellent tutorial steps you through morphing your first images. Don't be fooled
by how easy Elastic Reality is to use, though, because it's not just for
beginners: It's well suited to both experienced and novice image alchemists. The
morphing effects in the recent blockbuster movie "StarGate" were
created with Elastic Reality.
Warping: During warping, you create Bezier
curves that describe the starting shape and the ending shape of your image.
These shapes are linked together and form a correspondence that describes the
amount and direction an image will be pulled or distorted.
Compositing: Compositing usually consists of
mixing a percentage of each image to obtain a new distinct image. The
compositing step gives the illusion that one image is transforming into the
other.
Morphing from George to Grant
The tutorial I chose to follow for this review, as well as for our
benchmarks, starts with two images (one of George Washington from a $1 bill, and
one of Ulysses S. Grant from a $50 bill) and creates a third image that shares
features of both Washington and Grant.
After I opened the project file (pres.er), I selected the "A"
button from the tool bar to see the beginning image of George Washington (see
screen 1). I then pushed the "B" button to view the ending image of
Ulysses S. Grant (see screen 2), and the "A/B" button to see both
images at the same time (see screen 3).
Next, I outlined the images using the Bezier-curve outlining tools. Here,
you outline only the part of the image you want to transform during the morphing
process. I then used toolbar buttons--which look like VCR controls--in Elastic
Reality's preview feature to see these outlines one frame at a time. This
particular example renders 30 frames, and when I stepped through to the midway
point at frame 15, I could see a merged image of the two original sources (see
screen 4).
Video Effects
Once you are satisfied that the morphing process is doing what you want,
you can start rendering your image. You can render either a single frame or the
entire project, and you can save the rendered images in a variety of formats. I
saved the rendered image in a Video for Windows file so I could play back the
results whenever--and wherever--I wanted.
Also bundled with Elastic Reality is Transjammer, a digital
video-transitions editor. Don't confuse this with the sliding text or exploding
screens that come with presentation packages. Transjammer comes bundled with
more than 30 effects that you can modify. These effects range from a simple Band
3 effect to a mesmerizing Tile Fly Away 3. The Band 3 effect is a variation of
the classic three-band transition where the on-screen image is split into three
bands that slide off to alternating sides to reveal a new image. Tile Fly Away 3
takes the on-screen image and splits it into 30 tiles that recede into the
distance in staggered rings until they reveal a new image.
Elastic Reality is a powerful graphics tool in an easy-to-use package.
Combine this with quality documentation and excellent technical support, and
you've got a real winner. It may even help you turn your leaden presentations
and graphics into golden multimedia extravaganzas.
End of Article
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i've read your article about Elastic Reality, i'm a system assembler by profession, at Mumbai india.
I have a client who wants to purchase a lisence copy of "Elastic Reality" for academic pupose, but unfortunately i'm yet unable to get through any of your stockist or authorised distibutors in my vincity.
I would appreciate if you revert my request at the earliest.
Thanking You
aashish sawant August 06, 2003