Apple Motion - using midi to record animation/VFX parameters

Matt_Fletcher_2000

This is really exciting (been around for a long time apparently, but I never knew!)

http://www.provideocoalition.com/motion_midi/

I've just recently got into Motion for creating overlays over video work etc... But discovering that it accepts midi (notes and ccs) as control for animation parameters (lots of very deep and powerful ones) is amazing.

Sadly you can't import a midi track into the timeline of Motion.

But you can record realtime modulations of parameters (controlled by midi) as you playback your Motion project. So....

• Modstep (or similar) set to control note and sound parameters of synth(s) and drums - and also those same values being sent to motion to control VFX and animation! Therefore your animation should end up pulsing and mophing etc. perfectly in sync with different changes and modulations in the music
• Also, you could simply hook up a nice tactile midi control surface (e.g. TC Data) and have it control animation effects in Motion - then 'play' the animation in time to the soundtrack in your Motion project

There are also possibilities for live VJing etc. since you can set you motion project to loop very nicely

The one shame is that you can't trigger Motion to start via Link... but I did read about some program that will trigger keystrokes on a computer (i'd need the space bar) on a midi command. So that could work in order to kick Motion off recording at exactly the right point.

[All very theoretical right now for me - but could be quite a cool project]

Anyone tried this or anything similar?

Aud_iOS

Interesting - not 100% sure if this fits your description - but AC Sabre has 6 motion controls that send continuous midi to (I think) what ever will accept it: http://air-craft.co/support/ac-sabre-manual/interface/motion-controls/

Hmtx

Great idea Matt! I'd love to know if anyone uses this live on stage.

[Deleted User]

@Matt_Fletcher_2000 said:
The one shame is that you can't trigger Motion to start via Link... but I did read about some program that will trigger keystrokes on a computer (i'd need the space bar) on a midi command. So that could work in order to kick Motion off recording at exactly the right point.

That program - is it ControllerMate ?

Matt_Fletcher_2000

@yug said:

@Matt_Fletcher_2000 said:
The one shame is that you can't trigger Motion to start via Link... but I did read about some program that will trigger keystrokes on a computer (i'd need the space bar) on a midi command. So that could work in order to kick Motion off recording at exactly the right point.

That program - is it ControllerMate ?

I'm not sure to be honest. I'll have to try and find the reference by going through my internet history.

Carnbot

I'd like to see this in After Effects but that's more geared towards rendered and keyframed animation rather than live input. But there are scripts out there for importing midi and turning it into keyframes. i'd be interested in using all the midi modulation apps for controlling and modulating animation parameters in AE but I haven't found a good solution yet.

skiphunt

Back when I was messing with Takate and the couple other iOS Vj-ing options, I discovered some of what Motion could do. Very impressive once you dig in. Didn't know it's midi controllable. Cool.

What I was messing with was effects controlled by frequency.

I still want to do that stuff with IOS and Takate is the closet I've found, but outside of iOS Motion is a real hidden gem for that stuff.

Telefunky

I was a bit concerned (for him) when I discovered that the developer of Takete had the mapping of synth/fx control to video/animation control relatively far down his schedule and even mentioned midi as an alternative...
Imho it's essential for the application because it's conceptually the most straight approach.
With midi mapping there is already a lot of stuff ...
anyone remembers Animusic some 8 years ago ?
(a midi controlled rendering of 3-D models of the most bizarre self-constructed 'instruments' )

of course that wasn't realtime at all, but on the other hand that was 2008 or so...

cheers, Tom

Hmtx

@Matt_Fletcher_2000 said:
... some program that will trigger keystrokes on a computer (i'd need the space bar) on a midi command. So that could work in order to kick Motion off recording at exactly the right point.
[...] I'm not sure to be honest. I'll have to try and find the reference by going through my internet history.

I know there is a program called Bome MIDI Translator that does this

Matt_Fletcher_2000

@Hmtx said:

@Matt_Fletcher_2000 said:
... some program that will trigger keystrokes on a computer (i'd need the space bar) on a midi command. So that could work in order to kick Motion off recording at exactly the right point.
[...] I'm not sure to be honest. I'll have to try and find the reference by going through my internet history.

I know there is a program called Bome MIDI Translator that does this

Thanks