iClone Filmmaking Tips & Techniques (FREE Video 4U)

Last week, I posted a Doctor Dribble cartoon I made in iClone, and said that it was part of a tutorial that I produced on iClone Machinima Filmmaking Tips. Well, the series is finally posted and I'd like to share it with you. This is the way I like to make my iClone movies. It's not the right way, it's just my way, and maybe it will help give you some ideas for YOUR iClone creations. I have to apologize in advance if I seem to talk to the viewer as if you were all children. It's just that this is the way I need to hear myself explain things, ... otherwise I get confused with technical jargon. Plain and simple, I'm a dumb schmuck from Queens, New York. But if you think about it, this is a testament to how easy iClone is. It can take a non-technical guy like me, and enable me to make halfway decent 3D animation. Enjoy the video HERE!

Till Next Time, .... "Keep Cloning"! ..... Pauly

How To Make A Centaur

Today I made a cool Centaur character. Here's how I did it ....

1) Open Your Horse Project

2) Replace the Girl Character with the Male Body Suit Character.

3) Opacity out his legs and shoes.

4) Click on the Horse to Select the Horse Prop.

5) Opacity out the horse's head, and ears.

6) Move the Male Character forward and position him the way you want.

7) Play with the Face tools to modify his face.

8) You may even change the texture of the horses skin by using the Diffuse, if you want (I did not).

NOTE: You can get rid of the ghostly legs and head in 3d Exchange, by playing with the node attribute panel and click "modify specularity", set the "glossiness" and "specularity" boxes to zero, then save back to your prop library (Thanks to Lisa and Michel for that excellent tip).

Till Next Time, ... "Keep Cloning" ..... Pauly

How To Make a Four Legged Animal in iClone

Firstly, a HUGE thanks to Michel Champagne, for turning me on to this concept. For a while now, I've needed to make an animated cartoon type dog in iClone. Now that we have the horse project, I was able to attach a few other props to it, re-texture the horse body, and BAM, instant cartoon Dog. You can use the following process to make other moving four legged animals too. Here's how I did it.....

1) Open your HORSE project.

2) Control F7 to temporarily hide Character.

3) Import a HEAD prop of your choice (in this case, I had a DOG HEAD that somebody shared on one of the forums)

4) LINK the HEAD prop to the HORSE

5) Now Click on the little TAB next to the LINK and the nob menu will come up.

6) Keep Clicking on all the PLUS signs till you find HEAD, and t hen check PARENT BOX.

7) Use the sliders to place the HEAD prop exactly where you need it. It will move with the horses head.

8) Now do the same thing with any other props (in this case I did it to the four separate feet)

NOTE: The front feet of the HORSE are called "HANDS" in the menu)

9) Be sure to add all the horse motions if you have them, before you save the newly merged prop as a new ANIMATED ANIMAL PROP.

10) Also, make sure to re-texture the horse body, and other props till you're happy with the color/texture combo.

Now go and make some animals!

Till Next Time, .... "Keep Cloning" .... Pauly

iClone Artist Spotlight: Michel Champagne

Happy New Year, everybody! I hope 2008 brings you great blessings. I anticipate many more artists this year, turning to iClone for their Machinima production tool of choice. One such artist is one who I've recently had a chance to talk to. I'd like all of you to meet Michel Champagne. I just discovered Michel's beautiful iClone work on YOUTUBE, and couldn't help but take notice of his natural ability for iClone filmmaking. In his short time as an iClone user, he has even been able to create completely functional iClone living props, like an elephant and a cow. He's a polite and very modest man, who was nice enough to take the time to speak with me ......

Pauly: Tell us a little about yourself.

Michel: I am a family man with 2 young kids and a lovely wife. I have dedicated my life to spirituality and becoming a better person.

Pauly: When did you start using iClone?

Michel: A few years ago I was a prop master for an independent film, and that is where I got the bug to create my own movies. I have had trouble finding the right medium for creating my movies. My problem was that when you are a one man show and you don't have many resources, money and people to use, the chances of creating a movie are slim to none. So when I found iClone, my hopes of creating my own movies have increased ten fold. I spend the few hours I have on doing this, so I can share with the world, the beauty of the stories of Ancient India from the Srimad Bhagavatam.

I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of Michel's great work in iClone, and I for one, am really looking forward to it. If you'd like to see a beautiful little iClone film by Michel, click the player below.
Till Next Time, .... "Keep Cloning" .... Pauly