DV to cartoon

[filmelife]

What do you think is the best method for converting video shot to a cartoon look, i know ps cutout is ok, but it dont stay consistant frame to frame, and rotoscoping is out of the question

any examples. thanks

[TylerGred]

You can try using colorama. Switch the colors to black and white and add a few more black and whites around the wheel. Then turn on frame blending.

[TylerGred]

I should say that this is more of a hand drawn pencil cartoon effect, rather than color.

[scharky]

It's funny you should ask this. I actually just did a short film (you can find it and more info about it in the screen grabs forum) that incorporated the cartoon look. I actually used a very extensive action in photoshop to do it. If you like the look of it, i have posted the action below as well as the clip.

www.stefweb.net/draft1.wmv
http://www.stefweb.net/Cartoonlook.atn

[filmelife]

thanks for the free action :)

the part iam trying to achieve is the colored toon look, without colors dancing in every frame. there's this one by jasc called virtual painter. it aint too bad, but its not consistant

[Policar]

In after effects, use two layers.

One for the black and white edges:
Blur your footage a tiny bit (1-2 pixels at most)
Apply Find Edges
Crank up the Brightness and Contrast until it looks good
Desaturate
Change this layer to "multiply" transfer mode

Then for the layer below, I'd use some combination of posterize and median and make the layer brighter.

[hemophilia]

I don't know what this project is that you're trying to do this for... but... if it's actually a staged thing where you have control over everything, you could try goofy make-up.

A little while back I was going through the same thing you are-- trying to figure out the best way to get a cartoony look out of video footage. I tried the filmstrip in photoshop with a script approach; I tried the after effect filters approach. Honestly I never got what I wanted (it's on the backburner for future brainstorming sessions). But one thing that I did do that started to help... was I did a test with actors in HORRENDOUS thick garish make-up. The face looked kinda like a goth clown devil thing or something. But the point was to over-do the lines and the contrast on the face, so that any of the subsequent post-processing would have an easier time breaking out different color/contrast areas to make each shade from.

It helped get the look closer; but I still never got to what I was looking for as far as smooth motion. The 'jitter' from the cutout style thing just sucked... remniscent of the vomit-inducing "Waking Life" visuals. And nothing with a smoother look than that really captured the right look.

OK I just poked around and found the absolutely LEAST flattering picture of me ever on the planet earth bar none:
http://www.cliii.com/kevin/kevin02.jpg

Oh and I forgot to mention that I was throwing away the color info and just recoloring it with some sloppy masks...hence the no regard for color nature of the make-up. And yes that pic looks horrendous, but believe it or not it looked way more like a "cartoon" after going through the pipeline than source footage that was perhaps a little less horrific ("less horrific" = without the makeup that makes me look like the biggest f%$#ing retard ever to post to DVXuser).

Sadly I can't put up any grabs of 'after-cartoon' cause my computer sucks. It's Canopus' fault. But I'll save that for another thread. :)

Sorry to ramble. Let me know if you get a method that gives a nice smooth look.

[skettalee]

Honestly I am prejudice against anyone that likes the cartoon effect that ole dude did for his wife. It just is calling out to people saying "Hey im way too amatuer!"

Honestly, if someone wants a cartoon look. Draw a cartoon!

[TC]

Honestly, if someone wants a cartoon look. Draw a cartoon!
:( Maya=$$ :(

[scharky]

Jeez Sketta, just how old do you think I am?
I'm sorry I'm not professional enough for you bud!
And you got it right, it was for my wife and it was amature, I didn't make any money off it. Actually, mr. Lee I'm a senior in college getting my BFA in Photography with a minor in drawing.
The effect that I used, was done with a purpose, but because it looked like a drawing filter you think it's unprofessional? It wasn't really meant to be a drawing filter, but that was the look that I was going for, at least for this specific piece.

Honestly I am prejudice against anyone that likes the cartoon effect that ole dude did for his wife. It just is calling out to people saying "Hey im way too amatuer!"

That doesn't even make sense! What are you "prejudice" against? Just because I created something that others like and you don't, you have to offend everybody that does? Do you really understand the meaning of the word "prejudice"?

When I want to do an animated movie I do, you can see one on my site.
Boy for somebody that wants people to "join your board" and promote your site, you sure are good at pissing off a lot of people.

[Jive]

Yes, seriously skettalee, there's no need for that kind of post. What, if anything, did that contribute to the discussion? Was it intended to be constructive?

[Barry_Green]

Seriously, although I tend to avoid discussions like this, I've got to say that Skettalee's recent posts are bordering on "wearing-out-your-welcome." The whole Avid thing, and this thread... that's not how DVXUSER operates.

So, share information, share experiences, etc and we'd be glad to have you... but if you want to start fights or just criticize, that's not really welcome here.

[skettalee]

Im just trying to say. It doesn't matter if your gettin paid to do something. Make it look good. And the cartoon look made it look bad. I dont MEAN to be all mean about it. I just wished people would understand about it. Do you ever see things like that on tv? Those little "COME WITH THE PROGRAM" effects used in that way. It just makes it look ametuer and if i was your wife (which Im not a woman) lol I would like to see you make me something that looks like it would have been a big picture on tv. Just something like that. Everything was great about the video except for that part. I know he had it in him. I just want people to understand. Its not just my opinion on things, its the worlds. If the world would like to see that kind of effect, then you would see it. But no you never do anywhere unless its by someone that just got a camera and just learning to edit. Im not saying that is you. But if you use it, you give that impression.

This is meaning to help. you gotta understand you gotta spit in peoples face sometimes to make them realize. I dont want to get that agressive with it but people shouldn't use that affect unless they were planning on making "THE SIMPSONS" or "THE FAMILY GUY" or something else. (Which are great cartoons by the way)

I dont mean to be mean about it, but its the truth. And if you dont believe that its the truth then you are blind to it.

Yeah obviously your wife will like anything you do, but make it perfect and something that would be actually shown on TV.

Do something spectacualr without using any plug in you can find to make any weird effect you can use.

Sorry for everyone hating what I got to say. But as the world goes, its true. Yeah I might have thought of using that too, until I realized, NO. That would dub me totally ametuer for doing so. And I dont blelieve you are that, because not the whole video is in that way.

Maybe Im just too straight forward for you guys. But you gotta understand, you can just hide things and say "YEAH THAT WAS COOL" when there was much better ways to go about it.

So once again sorry, and I'll just not give feedback until I see something thats worth really good feedback.

Which will probably be never, cause you all know, nothing is perfect and there is a part of everything that can be fixed.

I know myself, I would much rather hear someone tell me that "
NO, that lightning bolt in your hair in that one peice of feature makes your footage look like trash" [just saying]

Cause then I would realize. I KNOW HUH? I could do alot better and be more creative. I will try it differently then!

[scharky]

Sketta
This whole thing wasn't about your opinion, it was about going out of your way to put my piece down at any chance you had. *When I posted the clip I asked for peoples opinions, and you said the same thing there, that it looked amaturish. *That is fine, that is why I asked for peoples opinions. *At the same time, many other people that saw it said it looked great. *BTW if you look at the action, it is not just a simple plug in. *The problem is, that now you are deconstrucively bashing my work on other parts of the forum. *These people were not asking for your opinion, the title of the thread is "cartoon look", so I posted a link to an action that I derrived in photo shop. *Then you basically come in here and call everyone that has been responding to this thread an amature, and that you're prejudice against them.
Look, I know that I havn't seen anything like that on TV, and that to me is good. *Personally, TV today, SUCKS. *There is so much generic cliche crap going on that it is sickening. *If you want to fall into the trap that "since everybody allready likes this type of work, I will forever more do this type of work", then go ahead. *You truely can't go wrong, as it is already a proven fact that things with a certain look sell. *I would absolutly love to spend my day looking at what people have created on this forum and others then watch the same thing over and over again (just with different actors) on TV.
* * I on the other hand like to do everything that I can to make my work not look things you see on TV. *Sure music videos pay the bills, but I am and have been an "artist" way before I am a professional. *Your whole thing against me is that it does not look professional. *So what, I did not intend to sell it. *I turned it in for a project in my computer art and design class and got an "A". *Did my professor think it was "professional"? the thought probably never crossed her mind, as this was a self expression piece that had specific reasons for each look, each color, each "cartoon". *I don't expect anyone on this forum to understand these reasons as I didn't explain them, and I didn't need to. *Again it is fine to post your opinion, but to blaitantly bash my work whenever you get the chance, that's just freakin rude.
Look, I understand your opinion, and actually agree with you, TV would never show it. *That is fine, I'm not in it for the money. *While furthuring my education in college for these last two years I have shot 6 weddings, 2 commercials, about 15 shorts (three of which were shot in 16mm) and am currently finishing the storyboards for a short film to be shot this summer. Guess how much I got paid for all of these things. . . .$0. *In fact I'm sure I have probably spent upwords of about $10,000 just on these things alone (thank god for grants and scholarships). *My point is, the word Professional means "to be paid for your work." *I gueass in that sense I am a total amature, as I work for the love of it (as do many of the others in this forum) and do not expect to be paid while I am learning a trade. *People have offered money for the weddings that I do, however as I am working with academic software, and the fact that I am currently just building my portfolio, I cannot accept that money. *that is fine, because i get free money for my art work that I do through the numerous grants and scholarships that I have recieved. *Hopefully once I graduate I can start being paid for doing what I love. *Obviously that is what you are doing so you understand this. Unfortunatly the reality is, if you want to get paid the "big bucks" you do need to "conform to THE MAN" and do what the big talentless corporate leaders tell you to do. *Untill then I will continue being an "amature" experimenting, rebelling against "THE MAN" which is mainstreem television, and truely explore my "art work" for what it is worth. *
Again after looking at your post, this is not about you giving me feedback, you did that once and I thank you for that. *This, however

"Honestly I am prejudice against anyone that likes the cartoon effect that ole dude did for his wife. It just is calling out to people saying "Hey im way too amatuer!" *

"onestly, if someone wants a cartoon look. Draw a cartoon! "

is not feedback and is completly uncalled for. *And if you actually do listen to feedback like you say, maybe you should read what others have said to you about your "feedback" that you are leaving. *Not just in this thread but in others as well.

[Jay_Blanchard]

"Maybe Im just too straight forward for you guys. But you gotta understand, you can just hide things and say "YEAH THAT WAS COOL" when there was much better ways to go about it. "

While we're being "straight forward" Sketta, you might want to pop in those "Hooked on Phonics" tapes again--your grammar's kind of lacking, dude.

[grinner]

I get pretty good results with cartooner in Boris Continuum Complete. Not as good as drawin frame by frame but much quicker.