Vray Hidden Line Wireframe Shader

AJ HL Wireframe Shader v1.0
A useful shader for checking tracking and matchmove objects.

When checking a camera track or a matchmove against film footage its always good to check your markers and animation with a hidden line wireframe render before handover. To do this in Vray is currently a little painful in terms of setting up a wireframe shader that can pass through an image plane so to save time I have setup this basic shader network that will automatically create the shader with a projection setup linked to the scene imageplane of your camera.


Install instructions
Download the script from below and paste into the maya script editor as python
Run the script directly from there 
OR
Drag the script into a shelf for a one click solution

DOWNLOAD
AJ HL Wireframe Shader v1.0

There are a few minor bugs that I will work on but here's the list to watch out for.


v1.0 known bugs
use at your own risk.. yada yada...

• There can be only one image plane in the scene
• The camera and image plane must already be created before running the script or it wont link
• You need to manually select what camera your projection is coming from using the imageplane_passthrough node in the hypershade network.

Nuke Inventory - Standard Issue One

So if your using Nuke everyday then here are some scripts that will make life just the little bit easier! I will add more tools over time :) Most of these will be available from www.nukepedia.com

 TABTABTAB! 

A mate of mine has made a very useful alternative to the tab shortcut called TABTABTAB. It is a must have if your everyday nuke workflow involves hitting the tab key over and over to find that one special node ;)

TABTABTAB Can be downloaded free from nukepedia.

http://www.nukepedia.com/python-scripts/ui/tabtabtab/


Backdrop Tools

Another useful tool to keep all them noodled, tangled, mess of nodes neat.. neatish.. nuke's backdrop tool is good but it has issues with layering. This tool fixes backdrop layer issues allowing your to keep things boxed up and neat. If you need to hand off your scripts to other artists it's a good idea to keep sections labeled so if your absent another artist can pick up your comp without having spontaneously combusting at there chair from looking into your comp script! :)

Backdrop Tools can be downloaded from nukepedia

http://www.nukepedia.com/python-scripts/nodegraph/backdroptools/


More useful tools to come :)

GoPro Hero2 Protune Firmware update

So GoPro has announced that the Hero2 will recieve one hell of a professional makeover adding 24fps / higher 35mbps capture rate (from 15mbps) and a flatter CineStyle color profile for using LUT's and working in a non-destructive color workflow! Wowee!! glad I just picked one up, and now I cant wait for the new firmware.

This is a post pulled from 3dvision blog that sums it up nicely.


"GoPro has announced their partnership with Technicolor at the NAB 2012 Show in Las Vegas in order to embed Technicolor’s CineStyle color profile for the debut of the new GoPro Protune firmware this summer. The new Protune firmware for the GoPro HD HERO2 action cameras will also bring support for 24fps frame rate recording, higher 35 Mbps data rate, neutral color profile for better color correction in post-production, log curve encoding offering more detail in shadows and highlights as well as reduced sharpening and noise reduction. The GoPro Protune firmware will be a free firmware upgrade available for the HD HERO2 camera only and will work with the GoPro CineForm Studio without any problems. Using Protune with GoPro CineForm Studio Premium and GoPro CineForm Studio Professional should provide additional benefits, offering extensive color correction controls and customizable presets to create professional, cinematic looks from the GoPro HERO2 captured content. Non-destructive 3D LUTs should provide even more flexibility, enabling users to further tweak their images, manipulate saturation and contrast and color correction controls to create highly stylized content.

There is no word if the Protune firmware will be compatible with the 3D HERO accessory, but there should be nor reason for it not to be. And the 24 fps recording mode along with the higher bitrate would also be a benefit for people using the HD HERO2 action cameras in pairs to record stereoscopic 3D footage. The less additional processing on the input would also be a plus for stereo 3D recording, although there are still some things that need attention when using the 3D HERO adapter in the latest standard firmware for stereo 3D recording in order to have matching exposure and white balance on both cameras for example. Still, can’t wait to see some sample video footage recorded with HD HERO2 using the new Protune firmware…"



NAB 2012: GoPro going cinestyle - HERO2 35Mbit & Technicolor from cinema5D on Vimeo.
http://gopro.com/gopro-partners-with-technicolor-to-incorporate-cinestyle%E2%84%A2-into-gopro%E2%80%99s-new-protune%E2%84%A2-firmware-for-hd-hero2-at-nab-2012/