Preparing Motion or Animation for Puppetry

There are two main methods to prepare animation for puppetry: from Motion track or by using the Collect Clip feature.

ClosedUsing the Motion Track Method

For creating motion or animation with clips, including character's Motion, prop's Animations and prop's Image Sequence Animation, simply right-click on the clip and export it to a file.

  1. Create a scene and an object for puppeting. This example prop is composed of two elements.

    *Notice that one of the elements contains the embedded Sequence Image Animation command.
  2. Right-click on the object and execute Action Menu > Burn.
  3. Open the Timeline > Motion track to view the animation clip.
  4. Right-click on the clip and execute the Export command to save the motion clip as a file.
  5. Now that it has been saved, delete the clip.
  6. Create a new scene and load the object prepared in the previous section.
  7. Select the target object and enter the Motion Pilot mode.
  8. Click the Open File button and load the animation created in the previous section.

    Refer to the Producing Animation with Template Only section for more information.
  9. Click the Preview button and press the Spacebar to start previewing. By clicking the mouse button, the motion or animation will be played repeatedly.
    *You can click mouse button again to stop the motion or animation.
ClosedUsing the Collect Clip Method

For creating motion clips with layer keys, including FFD Layer Keys, Motion Layer keys, Sprite-Transform, Sprite-Deform, Sprite-Switch and Sprite-Opacity keys, you need to use the Collect Clip function to export to file.

  1. Create an object and enter the Composer Mode.
  2. Build the bone structure for the object.
  3. Return to the Stage mode and open the timeline. Set sprite keys for the sprite elements.

    In this case, the flickering windows lights.
  4. Open the Collect Clip track and make a range.
  5. Right-click in the range and choose Export to save it to a file.
  6. Now that they have been saved to file, delete all the sprite keys.
  7. Create a new scene and load the object prepared in the previous section.
  8. Select the target object and enter the Motion Pilot mode.
  9. Click the Open File button and load the animation created in the previous section.

    Refer to the Producing Animation with Template Only section for more information.
  10. Click the Preview button and press the Spacebar to start previewing. By clicking the mouse button, the motion will be played repeatedly.
    *You can click mouse button again to stop the animation.