Using Dragon Stop Motion PC.pdf

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Using Dragon Stop Motion 2.3For Windows


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Welcome

Dragon is a stop-motion solution created by professional animatorsfor professional animators. It's designed to complement how the pros

animate. We hope this manual helps you get up to speed with Dragonquickly.

The chapters in this guide give you the information you need to know toget proficient with Dragon:

Big Picture on page 1 helps you get started with Dragon.

User Interface on page 15 gives a tour of Dragons features.

Camera Connections on page 43 helps you connect cameras toDragon.

Cinematography Tools on page 57 and Animation Tools on page 87give details on Dragons main tools.

Time-lapse on page 111 explains how to use Dragon for time-lapse.

Managing Your Projects and Files on page 113 shows how to useDragon to organize and manage your project.

Adding and Editing Audio Clips on page 119 and Reading DialogueTracks on page 127 explain how to add audio clips and cues to yourproject.

Using the X-Sheet on page 133 explains our virtual exposure sheet.

Automate Lighting with DMX on page 137 describes how to use DMXto automate lights and events.

Motion Control on page 153 helps you integrate motion control,scripts, and hand-cranked camera moves with Dragon.

Shooting in 3D on page 165 explains how to connect Dragon to a ste-reo slider, set up 3D exposures, and review your 3D sequence.

Exporting Your Take on page 181 explains how to access your files forpost-production.

Preferences on page 191 explains all of Dragons preferences and set-tings.

Troubleshooting on page 203 helps you solve difficulties some usersrun into.


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New Features for this Version

We're pleased to introduce the following improvements:

Multiple Language Support

The software interface has been translated to Spanish, French, Italian,German, Portuguese (Brazilian), Japanese, Chinese and Korean. Thisincludes rollover tips that provide information about the interface.

DMX Channel Selection

Select multiple channels at once to edit their keyframes in tandem.

See also:

Editing Multiple Channels on page 142.

DMX Groups

Group lighting channels. Grouped channels can be edited together, andreturned to later.

See also:

Grouping Channels on page 142.

DMX Cut, Copy and Paste

Cut, copy and paste keyframes from channel to channel.

See also:

Cutting, Copying and Pasting Keyframes on page 141.

DMX Solo

Select one or more lighting channels to solo them, running their light-ing sequence while leaving other channels static.

See also:

Soloing a Channel on page 144.

DMX Real-Time Playback Trigger

Configure the DMX INPUT to trigger real-time playback of the DMXprogram. That will allow you to synchronize a quick test move with amotion control system.


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See also:

Adding a Switch/Relay Output Trigger on page 149.

Adding a Logic Output Trigger on page 151.

Automatic Bash Lighting without a DMX Dimmer Pack

Automate your bash light by using the external relay switch or logic out-put terminals on the DDMX-S2 or the IOTA Controller.

See also:

Using an External Relay Switch or a Logic Output to Automate a BashLight on page 152.

X-Sheet Export to CSV (for Excel or Numbers)

Export the X-Sheet as a CSV file for better customization.

See also:

Exporting the X-Sheet as a CSV on page 135.

Audio Editing: Mark in, Mark out, Crop

Press I orO to mark in or out points, and crop the audio clip to a selec-tion.

See also:

Selecting the Audio Clip on page 123.

Cropping the Audio Clip on page 124.

Change Animation Window Scale with Mouse Scroll Wheel

Scroll up to make the animation view smaller, scroll down to make itlarger.

Loop Hold Time

Set Preferences to add a delay of your choice during looping. Whenenabled, Dragon will pause on the live frame for the time you set beforelooping again.

See also:

Loop Key/Ping-Pong on page 89.

Playback Preferences on page 193.


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Hot Key Alternates

From Preferences, set up to three possible alternative keys for all hotkey actions.

See also:

Programming Hot Keys on page 195.

Configurable Shooting Order (for Shoot on Twos/Threes/

Fours/Etc)

When shooting multi-frame sequences (such as on-twos) with multipleexposures per frame, you now can shoot the first exposure for everyframe, then the next exposure for every frame.

See also:

Capture Preferences on page 197.

Shoot Order on page 94.


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Table of Contents

Welcome........................................................................................... iiiNew Features for this Version ................................................................. v

Maps .............................................................................................. xiii

Chapter 1: Big Picture ........................................................................... 1How Dragon Works............................................................................................................... 1Powerful Tools....................................................................................................................... 2Quick User Interface Overview ............................................................................................. 4

Activating Your Software ...................................................................................................... 6Quick Set-Up Guide for Supported Video and Still Cameras............................................... 9Passes, Takes and Exposures Explained............................................................................. 10RAW File Workflow ............................................................................................................ 13HDR (High Dynamic Range) Workflow ............................................................................. 14

Chapter 2: User Interface..................................................................... 15Animation Window Overview............................................................................................. 15Cinematography Window Overview ................................................................................... 23X-Sheet Overview................................................................................................................ 25Dragon Controller Overview ............................................................................................... 27Keypad Window Overview.................................................................................................. 29Menu Overview ................................................................................................................... 31

Chapter 3: Camera Connections............................................................. 43Camera Options................................................................................................................... 44Connecting DSLRs or DSCs with Live View ....................................................................... 45Connecting DSLRs or DSCs without Live View.................................................................. 46

Connecting Digital Video Cameras..................................................................................... 47Connecting HD Video Cameras with HDMI....................................................................... 47Connecting HD Video Cameras with HDV........................................................................ 48Connecting an Unsupported Camera to Dragon............................................................... 50Shooting Without a Video Assist ........................................................................................ 54Switching Video or Capture Sources................................................................................... 55

Chapter 4: Cinematography Tools........................................................... 57Composition Guides............................................................................................................ 57Image Controls.................................................................................................................... 61Multiple Passes and Exposures........................................................................................... 73Tricks of the Trade ............................................................................................................. 84

Chapter 5: Animation Tools .................................................................. 87Keypad Controls .................................................................................................................. 87Playback Options................................................................................................................ 90Using Onionskin.................................................................................................................. 97Using Roto Layers............................................................................................................. 101Punch-in with Live View Magnification ........................................................................... 104Frame Editing.................................................................................................................... 105


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Chapter 6: Time-lapse........................................................................ 111

Chapter 7: Managing Your Projects and Files............................................ 113Creating a New Scene........................................................................................................ 113Opening a Previously-Shot Scene...................................................................................... 115Duplicating Your Scene..................................................................................................... 116

Creating a New Take ......................................................................................................... 116Switching Takes.................................................................................................................. 117Managing Takes ................................................................................................................. 117Importing Scene Settings................................................................................................... 117

Chapter 8: Adding and Editing Audio Clips ............................................... 119Loading Audio Files .......................................................................................................... 121Moving Through an Audio Clip ........................................................................................ 121Playing Back the Audio Clip.............................................................................................. 122Editing the Audio Clip....................................................................................................... 122

Chapter 9: Reading Dialogue Tracks....................................................... 127

Adding Dialogue Cues and Viewing Them While Animating........................................... 128Adding Additional Dialogue Tracks.................................................................................. 130

Chapter 10: Using the X-Sheet.............................................................. 133Adding Production Information to the X-Sheet............................................................... 133Setting Scene Length and Starting Frame........................................................................ 133Leaving Reminder Notes in the X-Sheet .......................................................................... 134Printing the X-Sheet.......................................................................................................... 135Exporting the X-Sheet as a CSV........................................................................................ 135

Chapter 11: Automate Lighting with DMX ................................................ 137Connecting DMX to Dragon ............................................................................................. 137

Creating a Lighting Program ............................................................................................ 139Automating a Bash Light .................................................................................................. 145Setting Lighting Per Exposure .......................................................................................... 147

Adding Input and Output Triggers................................................................................... 148

Chapter 12: Motion Control ................................................................. 153Using Motion Control with Dragon .................................................................................. 153Creating Action Scripts ..................................................................................................... 158

Adding Hand-Cranked Camera Moves............................................................................. 159

Chapter 13: Shooting in 3D.................................................................. 165Connecting to a 3D Slider ................................................................................................. 165

Setting Up the 3D Slider ................................................................................................... 167Setting Up Exposures for 3D Shooting............................................................................. 170Using a Push-In Mask for 3D............................................................................................. 171Reviewing 3D Images......................................................................................................... 171


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Chapter 14: Exporting Your Take .......................................................... 181Finding Your Source Files................................................................................................. 181Creating a QuickTime Movie of Your Take....................................................................... 185Creating a QuickTime Movie from a Stereo Image Sequence.......................................... 187Exporting Image Sequences.............................................................................................. 189

Chapter 15: Preferences..................................................................... 191Configuring Preferences.................................................................................................... 191Configuring Scene Settings .............................................................................................. 200

Chapter 16: Troubleshooting ............................................................... 203I'm having trouble connecting my camera ...................................................................... 203I'm having trouble connecting my unsupported camera to Dragon with

Folder Watching ........................................................................................................ 205My Dragon controller isn't working.................................................................................. 207

Why did I get a warning message?.................................................................................... 207How do I optimize my camera to work with Dragon?...................................................... 210The Live View on my DSC is too dark to help me animate .............................................. 211

When I double-clicked my project file, nothing happened .............................................. 211Why doesn't the audio play when I play back my movie?................................................ 212A tool palette over my video assist won't go away. How do I get rid of it? ...................... 212


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Maps

Animation Window Map ...................................................................................................16Animation Tools Map .......................................................................................................20

Animation Nav-Line Map ................................................................................................. 22Cinematography Window Maps ....................................................................................... 24X-Sheet Map ..................................................................................................................... 26Dragon Controller Map ....................................................................................................28Audio Window Map ........................................................................................................ 120File Hierarchy Map, long ................................................................................................. 171File Hierarchy Map, short ...............................................................................................172


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Chapter 1: Big Picture

This chapter will help you get started using Dragon. It includes an over-view of how Dragon works, gets you acquainted with its main windows,

and helps you quickly connect cameras to your computer. Finally, itexplains some important Dragon concepts, like the takes and exposuresthat enable you to do more complex effects, along with how to useDragon to work with RAW and HDR files.

This chapter includes the following sections:

How Dragon Works on page 1.

Powerful Tools on page 2.

Quick User Interface Overview on page 4.

Activating Your Software on page 6.Quick Set-Up Guide for Supported Video and Still Cameras on page 9.

Passes, Takes and Exposures Explained on page 10.

RAW File Workflow on page 13.

HDR (High Dynamic Range) Workflow on page 14.

How Dragon Works

When shooting animation, Dragon Stop Motion will create two separateimage sequences in tandem. The first is a series of low-res frames

derived from a live video source for use in refining animation. The sec-ond is from a high-quality capture source, such as RAW files from aDSLR, for finished frames. These image sequences are kept in perfecttandem during shooting and editing within Dragon.

This process takes particular advantage of the new DSLR Live Viewcapabilities. Dragon switches the DSLR from a video assist mode to afull-fledged high-quality capture mode every time you shoot a frame.

Basic Overview of DSLR Shooting

1. The animator compares the live video with stored video assistframes taken from the video source. Because the video assist is live,they can make changes and test them immediately.

2. When the animator is ready to capture the new frame, they pressSHOOT.


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3. Dragon grabs a video assist frame from the video source and storesit on disk and in RAM, ready for playback.

4. Immediately after capturing the video assist frame, Dragon switchesthe camera into full-quality mode and captures a high resolutionstill. Dragon also immediately downloads this high-quality image todisk.

Dragon names and numbers both the feed frames and high-quality cap-tures with the scene and take info for your shot.

Find your feed frames within your Scene folderin the folder calledPROJECTNAME_TAKENAME_FEED.

Find your high-quality capture frames within your Scene folderinthe green framefolder.

Other Configurations:

There are other configurations for shooting with Dragon, such as:

Shooting DV or HD video only.

Using a DSLR with a separate video feed. (DSLR with no Live View).

Using a film camera with a separate video feed source.

Shooting with a DSLR and foregoing the live video.

By leveraging the instant feedback of live video assist and the beautifulimage quality from digital still capture, Dragon can help you movequickly while producing feature-film-quality results.

See also:

Camera Connections on page 43.

Finding Your Source Files on page 181.

Powerful Tools

Dragon brings together a powerful set of stop motion tools into one pro-duction-savvy application.

Animation Tool

Using a live video source, Dragon shows the animator a preview of theframe they are preparing to shoot and the frames relationship with pre-viously captured frames. The animator can compare this frame to the


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Powerful Tools

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last frames by stepping one frame at a time, using full-speed playbackor using the onionskin feature.

See also:

A video overview of the Animation window:http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/tutorials.php

High-Quality Image Capture Tool

Whether you are shooting with HD video or a digital still camera,Dragon carefully captures the highest-quality images possible. Thesehigh-quality frames can come from a different source than the videoassist. Dragon stores the high-quality frames on disk as soon as youshoot them.

When storing images from your camera, Dragon does not reprocessthem. Dragon delivers RAW files and other formats straight from your

DSLR to a folder without ever hiding them from you.

If you are shooting HD or SD video as your final capture, your imagescan be made from a series of averaged video frames. This processreduces noise and video artifacts.

Cinematography Tool

Our Cinematography window is your starting point for adjusting yourcamera's settings and comparing test shots. You can set up masking andbroadcast-safe guides simultaneously. Dragon gives you histograms

and a digital densitometer to evaluate image quality and consistencybetween scenes and takes.

Production Tool

Dragon Stop Motion is a production-savvy system with features thathelp you manage your production.

Dragon uses the same naming hierarchy used on live-actions setsaround the world.

Each Dragon project folder is easily to navigateeven during shoot-ing.

Our frame sequences are a snap to load into compositing software.

Multiple passes and extra exposures are organized simply for stereo(3D) shooting, clean passes and other post effects.
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Every frame shot with Dragon is easily searchable by scene, take andexposure name.

Our QuickTime export produces QuickTime movies in all of thestandard video formats.

See also:

Animation Window Overview on page 15.


Cinematography Window Overview on page 23.

A video overview of the Cinematography window:

http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/tutorials.php

Creating a QuickTime Movie of Your Take on page 185.

Exporting Your Take on page 181.

Passes, Takes and Exposures Explained on page 10.Finding Your Source Files on page 181.

Quick User Interface Overview

The core of Dragon's user interface revolves around the two key artisticpractices involved in shooting stop motion: animation and cinematog-raphy. From there our platform branches out into audio and dialogue
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Quick User Interface Overview

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editing, our powerful X-Sheet, and the Motion Control Integration win-dow.

A . Animation window.B . Cinematography window. C. Audio/Dialogue window.D .Keypad.

E. X-Sheet. F . Motion Control.

See also:






X-Sheet Overview on page 25.

Dragon Controller Overview on page 27.

Audio Window Map on page 120.

Motion Control on page 153.

A

D

F

B

E

C
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Activating Your Software

Once you download a copy of Dragon, youll need to activate the copy touse it.

Activating a License for the First Time

When you start up the program for the first time, a dialog box appearsasking for a serial number and activation code. To activate your soft-ware:

1. Enter a serial number:

If you want to use Dragon on a trail basis, enter a trial serialnumber. To get the number, enter your e-mail address in ourDownload page:http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/download.php

Youll receive a trial serial number via e-mail.
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If youve purchased a copy, enter your full serial number fromthe invoice you received via e-mail:

D-Zed Software Invoice with serial number marked

2. Enter a name you want associated with the license in the REGIS-TEREDTO field. It must be at least three characters.

Upgrading to a Full License from a Trial License

If you have been using a trial serial number and have now bought theprogram, enter a full serial numbers.


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1. Find the serial number in the e-mail invoice you received from D-Zed Software.

D-Zed Software Invoice with serial number marked

2. Start Dragon. If your trial license is expired, Dragon will open thelicense dialog.

3. If the license dialog does not appear, clickHELP|ACTIVATELICENSE...

4. In either dialog, enter your full serial number.


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Quick Set-Up Guide for Supported Video and Still

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6. ClickACTIVATE. Dragon activates your license.

Transferring a License

To transfer your license to another machine:

1. Click HELP|DEACTIVATELICENSE... to deactivate it on your currentmachine.

2. Open Dragon on your other machine.

3. Select HELP|ENTERLICENSE... Dragon opens the license dialog.

4. Enter your full serial number.


6. ClickACTIVATE. Dragon activates your license on the other machine.

NOTE: If the machine that was activated is no longer working, send in a sup-port request. Make sure to include your serial number.http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/tt/ticket.php

Quick Set-Up Guide for Supported Video and Still

CamerasThis section explains how to connect video and capture sources.

1. Configure the camera's settings to work with Dragon.

Check our camera web page for a list of supported cameras and spe-cific set-up guides:http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/camera.php

2. Connect the camera(s) to the computer according to the manufac-

turers directions.

Digital still cameras generally connect via USB.

DV and HDV sources generally connect via Firewire.

HDMI sources generally connect via an HDMI cable, using avideo card such as the Blackmagic Intensity:http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/
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3. Turn off other camera software.

Make sure no other software has detected your camera and startedup. Quit any software that wants to connect to the camera.

4. Open Dragon Stop Motion.

Dragon should auto-detect the camera and send a live video signal(if available) into the Animation window. ClickCAPTURE|VIDEOSOURCE and CAPTURE|CAPTURESOURCE to check the status ofcamera connections.

5. Remember the keystroke CTRLR. It resets connections to cameras.

Or, selectCAPTURE|RESET/REFRESHCONNECTIONS.

If you are connecting a camera to a computer while Dragon is

already running, press CTRLRto activate a connection to Dragon.

If you are using a DSLR, go directly to the Cinematography window toadjust all of your exposure-related settings, including image quality andwhite balance.

See also:


I'm having trouble connecting my camera on page 203.

Connecting an Unsupported Camera to Dragon on page 50.

Passes, Takes and Exposures ExplainedEffects shots can take many forms, such as clean passes, plate shots andmatte passes. In this section, we cover how Dragon can make the multi-pass process simple and organized.

Dragon creates effects passes in two specific ways:

1. Straight Pass: Shooting a continuous series of frames before or afterother passes are complete.

To set up a straight pass in Dragon, create a new take within yourscene.

2. Sub-Frame Pass: Capturing two or more images for each frame intime. In Dragon, this is called an exposure. Each take may containup 12 exposures.


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To set up a sub-frame pass in Dragon, create a new exposure from theCamera Control in the Cinematography window.

As you read the examples ofthese passes that follow, keepDragons folder and framehierarchy in mind.

A Dragon project is knownas a scene (gray folder).Here, the scene is namedSample.

A scene folder holds takes(red folders).

Take folders hold expo-

sures (green folders).

See also:

Creating a New Take onpage 116.

Multiple Passes and Expo-sures on page 73.


Straight Pass

A straight pass is a separate sequence that is usually the length of themain beauty pass and is shot straight through from frame 001 to theend.

A common use for a straight pass is the clean pass or clean plate. Thereare times when the rigging in a shot is tough to hide. You may choose tomask out the rigging in post-production. After you are done with yourmain take, remove the characters and objects that were animated andshoot a new take of the set. Now you have a clean version of your shot tomask over the rigs.

Shooting your animation on greenscreen for a main take and shooting aseparate background to composite the animation into is an example ofusing two straight passes.

The simplest way to create a new straight pass is to add a new take tothe scene you are working in. This will keep all of the scene informationfrom the previous take and set you to frame one. Or, create a new scene

Sample_001.dgn

Sample_001_Take_01

Sample_001_01_X1

Sample_001_01_X1_0001.jpg






Sample_001_Take_02

Sample_001_02_X1


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file for the extra passes. You can import scene settings from a previousscene if necessary.

See also:

Creating a New Take on page 116.

Creating a New Scene on page 113.Importing Scene Settings on page 117.

Using Chroma Key on page 103.

Sub-Frame Pass

The Sub-Frame Pass refers to secondary frames taken while animating.Because stop motion animation is most likely non-repeatable, somepasses need to be generated on a frame-by-frame basis. Mattes, stereopairs, and special lighting passes are all examples of sub-frame passes.

To create a sub-frame pass, add an Exposure from the Camera Controlpane within the Cinematography window.

A common example of a sub-frame pass is the front light/backlightpass. The front light frames are the images you see (beauty pass), whilethe backlight frames are used to generate a matte for compositing. Inthe film days, this would be called a checkerboard matte because thebeauty and matte pass were shot on a single strip of film. The filmwould look like alternating dark and light squares. The passes would beseparated through the use of an optical printer. In Dragon, the expo-sures are separated and organized as you shoot.

Here is an example of a checkerboard-style matte using a greenscreencard instead of a backlight. By placing the card behind your subject dur-ing a second exposure, you can create a matte pass as you shoot.

1. Shoot the beauty shot: FRAME 001, EXPOSURE 1.

2. Place a greenscreen card behind your subject. Shoot the secondexposure of frame 001 to create a matte frame: FRAME 001, EXPO-SURE 2.

3. Shoot the second beauty shot: FRAME 002, EXPOSURE1. When youstep through your animation, you will only see the beauty pass.

4. Repeat this process until you're done with the scene.

Dragon automatically places the beauty and matte exposures into sepa-rate folders, ready for post-processing.


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RAW File Workflow

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See also:

Multiple Passes and Exposures on page 73.


Shooting in 3D on page 165.

Setting Lighting Per Exposure on page 147.

RAW File Workflow

With the development of the RAW file, digital still cameras are nowrivaling the tonal fidelity and flexibility of 35mm film.

Working with RAW Files in Dragon

Most digital still cameras give you the choice of shooting RAW with an8-bit file (.jpg, .tiff) or RAW only.

If you choose to shoot RAW with .jpg or .tiff, Dragon will downloadboth the RAW and the 8-bit files into the same exposure folder withmatching names. The Cinematography window will display only the8-bit file for evaluation and high-res playback in the Animation win-dow.

If you shoot RAW only, Dragon will download the RAW files into theproper exposure folder. Each RAW file has an embedded .jpg file.Dragon will use the embedded .jpg for display in the Cinematogra-phy window and for high-res playback in the Animation window.

Final Raw ProcessingDragon names all of your RAW files with the specific scene, take andframe numbers from your animation. The RAW frame sequence isready for import into your post-production pipeline.

If you need a quick way to convert your cameras native RAW files intoAdobe's DNG file format, we suggest using Adobe's free DNG converter:http://www.adobe.com/products/dng/

Dragon doesnt reprocess RAW files. We suggest programs like Adobe's

After Effects to process and resize your RAW files.

After Effects CS4 can easily recognize many RAW formats and importthem as an image sequence straight from your Dragon exposure folder(green folder).

See also:

http://www.adobe.com/products/dng/http://www.adobe.com/products/dng/


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High-Res Key on page 90.

Adjusting and Locking Camera Settings on page 71.



HDR (High Dynamic Range) Workflow

Create HDR images by combining images with different exposure lev-els. First, use Dragon's multi-exposure system to create two or moreframe sequences with varying exposure levels. Then, import the framesequences into an HDR-creation application or batch-process them inAdobe Photoshop.

See also:

Passes, Takes and Exposures Explained on page 10.Adding Multiple Exposures in the Cinematography Window onpage 74.




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Chapter 2: User Interface

Dragon's windows, tools, and shortcuts have been designed with you inmind. We've not only taken our team's experience with animation, but

worked with top animators for their feedback. We hope the result is ausable and beautiful interface.

This chapter includes the following sections:



X-Sheet Overview on page 25.

Dragon Controller Overview on page 27.

Keypad Window Overview on page 29.

Menu Overview on page 31.

See also:

A video overview of Dragon:http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/tutorials.php

Animation Window Overview

The Animation window is the central location for all your animationfeatures and tools. The Animation window:

Displays the Live View.

Plays back video assist frames for testing and reviewing animation.

Controls animation aids such as onionskin and drawing tools.

Displays the frame counter and capture counter.

Contains the Nav-Line for navigation, playback, frame editing, andmemory management.

See also:A video overview of the Animation window:http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/tutorials.php

The map that follows points out all the main sections of the window.
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Animation Window Map

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C

BA

E

A . Capture Counter: Shows which full-res frame youre ready to capture.

B . Exposure Indicator: Displays the exposure name and the color associatedwith the exposure.

C. Animation Palette: Shows tools, including Move, Draw, Onionskin,Chroma Key and Lineup Layer.

D . View Pane: Shows a video assist or high-res preview stills. A red line

around the frame (shown) indicates that youre looking at the Live View.A blue line means Live View has stopped.

E. Nav-Line: See a visual representationselect frames for playback, to edit fram

F . Cinematography Button: Opens the C

G. Move Indicator: Displays the move nyoure capturing.

H . Animation Tools: Work with the View


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Frame Counters Overview

The capture counter tells you which high-res frame youre about tocapture.

The frame counter tells you which frame youre currently viewing in

the Animation window.

A . The capture counter: Tells you which high-res frame youre about to capture.B . The frame counter: Tells you which frame youre currently viewing in the Animation win-

dow.

As you use Dragon, other features will correspond to either the capturesource or the video assist. Keeping the two straight will help you useDragon.

The Cap t u r e Coun t e r

The counter at the top of the window is the capture counter(A.). Itshows the frame you are about to capture. The frame in this counter willmatch the information in the X-Sheet. For example, if the X-Sheet

A

B


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shows that you've captured 20 full-res stills, the capture counter willread 21.

See also:


X-Sheet Overview on page 25.The F r am e Coun t er

The frame counter (B.) displays the frame number for the image cur-rently in the Animation window. As you step though or play your ani-mation, this counter tracks with the corresponding images.

When you step forward onto the Live View frame, the frame counterwill display the frame number for this yet-to-be-captured image. At thatpoint, the frame counter's number will match the number in the capturecounter.

When youre viewing the Live View, white dashes appearon either side of the frame number.

When you're viewing a frame you've already captured,the number is white.

When you've moved past the Live View, the number isgray. The options for stepping past the Live View are inPreferences.

See also:How Dragon Works on page 1.

General Preferences on page 192.

Animation Tools Overview

The tools at the bottom of the Animation window help you animate,control your image, and manage playback. The map that follows gives avisual overview of all the tools.

See also:

Adding a Broadcast-Safe Overlay on page 59.Adding a Grid Overlay on page 60.

Adding an Aspect Ratio Mask on page 58.

Pushing In the Broadcast-Safe Overlay and Aspect Ratio Mask onpage 60.

Frame Counters Overview on page 17.

Loop Key/Ping-Pong on page 89.


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Short Play Key on page 89.

Audio Window Map on page 120.

X-Sheet Map on page 26.

Playback Speed on page 91.

Adding Dialogue Cues and Viewing Them While Animating onpage 128.

Managing Your Projects and Files on page 113.

High-Res Key on page 90.

Auto-Toggle Key on page 88.

Using Onionskin on page 97.

Black (End in Black) Key on page 90.



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Animation Tools Map

A B

Q

E F G

R

C D

S T U V W

IH

P

A . Mirror: Mirrors image.

B . Rotate: Flips image 180 degrees.

C. Broadcast-safe: Toggles a TV-Safe overlay.

D . Grid: Overlays a grid on the View pane.

E. Aspect Ratio: Adjusts the opacity of the aspect ratio mask.

F . Mask Push-In: Adjusts push-in mask on all sides of the image.

G. Frame Size: Adjusts frame size in the Animation window. Or, use thescroll wheel on your mouse to adjust the size.

H . Frame Counter: Shows the live feed (dashes) or a previous frame (numberonly).

I . Loop: Loops playback. PressALT+LOOP to turn on ping-pong playback,

moving forward, then reversing through the frame sequence.

J . Short Play: Includes only the last twelve frames for playback, or the num-ber you choose.

K . Audio Button: Opens the Audio window.

L . X-Sheet Button: Opens the X-Sheet.

M . Playback Speed.

N . Dialogue Tool.

O. Volume.

P. Aspect Ratio: Sets the aspect ratio ma

Q. Stealth Mode: Feel a little sleeker.

R . Scene Info: Lists the scene and take n

S. High-Res Preview: Use high-res stills

T . Auto-Toggle: Continuously toggles th

U . Reverse: Reverses play.

V . Onionskin Opacity Slider: Adjusts oni

Center: Clean Live View.Right: Live View with last frame.Left: Live View with any frame.

W . Black: Adds black frames to the end of

X . Camera Status: Names the connectedeach frame you shoot.


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21

Animation Palette Overview

The Animation palette appears any time you move the mouse over theView pane, and disappears again when you move it over the rest of yourcomputer screen. It contains five tools: Move, Draw, Onionskin,Chroma Key, and Line-up Layer.

Click and drag the title bar to move the Animation palette anywhere inthe View pane.

See also:

Move Tool on page 104.

Drawing on the View Pane on page 103.

Using Onionskin on page 97.


Adding a Line-Up Layer (Movie or Still) on page 101.

Animation Nav-Line Overview

The Nav-Line is a visual representation of your frame sequence, allow-ing you to:

See where you are in your scene as you step through frames,

Select frames for playback,

Cut or copy frames,

Delete frames,

Paste cut or copied frames,

Reshoot frames,

Play back very large scenes.

The Nav-Line appears any time you move the mouse over the Viewpane, and disappears when you move it over the rest of your screen. Themap that follows gives an overview of the Nav-Lines features.

See also:

A video overview of the Nav-Line:


Play Section on page 91.

Frame Editing from the Nav-Line on page 105.

Memory Management on page 95.


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22

Animation Nav-Line Map

A

F

B

G

C

H

D

I

E

. Blue Memory Management Bar: Shows whichframes are not stored in RAM or included in play-back.

B . In point: Marks the beginning of a section for play-

back, frame editing, or memory management.Moving the in point moves the play head as well.

C. Play Head: Marks where playback will begin. Dou-ble-click the play head to move the Live dot to theplay head's current location.

D . Live Dot: Marks where the next frame would be

captured. Here, youd capture the next frame at theend of the sequence. If you move the Live dot ear-lier, you will reshoot and replace the frames thatfollow.

E. Live: Shows that the play head, an in point or anout point is currently on the Live dot.

F. Frame Number: Indicates which frame the in pointmarks: in this case, frame 73.

G. Gray Memory Management Bar: Shows whichframes are included in playback and stored inRAM. Click and drag the bar to adjust whichframes to include.

H . Frame Number: Indicates which frame the playhead marks: in this case, frame 413.

I . Out point: Marks the end of a section for playback,frame editing, or memory management. Movingthe out point moves the play head as well.


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Cinematography Window Overview

23

Cinematography Window Overview

The Cinematography window provides a place to set up the compositionand exposure of your scene. Use the Cinematography window to adjustcamera settings, take test shots, preview 3D images, set up exposureswith different camera settings, or test lighting.

The Cinematography window should be your first stop before animat-ing. From there make sure your lighting, camera settings, and imagequality are right. Once you start shooting, return to the Cinematographywindow during the shoot to check your captured frames.

The map that follows shows the different parts of the Cinematographywindow.

See also:

Cinematography Tools on page 57.

Reviewing 3D Images on page 171.




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Cinematography Window Maps

C

D

E

FG

M

N

L

K

A B

H

I

O

A . View Pane: View the selected frame, test shot, exposure, or the Live View.

B . Animation Window Button: Return to the Animation window.

C. Background Color: Adjust the background to help you see image edges.

D . Image Tools: Rotate the image and add masks or overlays to it.

E. Exposure Images Tray: View image thumbnails from the exposure, in thiscase, X1. Click a thumbnail to view the image in the View pane.

F . Import Test Shots: Import any image into the Test Shot Tray.

G. Test Shot Tray: View test shots. Click a thumbnail to view the image in the

View pane. Or, drag and drop images from the Exposure Images trayhere. 3D test shots look like stacked images.

H . Image Info: View RGB values and im

I . Digital Densitometer: View relative li

J . 3D Stereo Review: Take 3D test shots

K . Camera Control: Adjust and lock cam

L . Test Shot: Take mono test shots with c

M . Exposures: Add exposures and adjustexposure.

N . Camera Notes: Add notes about the cu

O. Cinematography Viewing Modes: Seecolor or gray-scale, see clip info or 3D

J


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X-Sheet Overview

25

X-Sheet Overview

The X-Sheet is an editable exposure sheet based on the productioninformation for your scene. As you create your scene, Dragon updatesthe X-Sheet dynamically. Open the X-Sheet and edit it, changing thescene length, and adding reminders for a particular frame. Or, printyour X-Sheet for a hard copy of your scene.

A visual map follows of the X-Sheet's features.

See also:

Frame Editing From X-Sheet on page 107.

Using the X-Sheet on page 133.


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X-Sheet Map

A . Production Information.

B . Exposures: Open the Exposure dialog.

C. Moves: Open the Moves dialog.

D . Audio: Open the Audio Window.

E. Print: Print the X-Sheet.

F . Animator: Click to edit.

G. DLG: View the scrubbed audio phonemes for eachframe. Edit from the Audio window.

H . Feel a little sleeker.

I . Scroll Bar: Move through multiple pages of the X-Sheet.

J . Sheet #: Shows the page youre currently viewing. Whenprinted, each page contains 48 frames.

K . Notes: Click to edit notes for the scene.

L . Start/End Frame: Click to edit.

M . Row Colors: Teal Row: Frame to be captured next.

Red Rows: Selected Frames. CTRL-click to select, right-

click to edit.

Blue Rows: Captured frames.Yellow Rows: Frames yet to be captured.

N . NOTES: View the notes for each frame. Click inside a cellto type a note.

O. FRM: View the frame number.

P. EXPOSURES: View the number of exposures per frame.Edit from the Camera Control pane in the Cinematogra-

phy window or the Exposures dialog.Blank cell: Exposure not captured.X in cell: Exposure captured.C in cell: Exposure to be captured next.

Q. Moves column: View the moves name (here itsAX1)and see the position for the frame. Edit from the Movesdialog.

E

F

G

O P Q

H

A


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Dragon Controller Overview

27

Dragon Controller Overview

Most copies of Dragon include a remote keypad, the Dragon controller,with a long USB cable. The controller makes it easy to move away fromyour computer and still control Dragon.

NOTE: Install Dragon before plugging in the Dragon controller. Otherwise yourcomputer will prompt you to identify the keyboard. If you get thatprompt, close it. After you install Dragon, it will recognize the controllerautomatically.

A visual map follows showing how the Dragon controllers commandsrelate to the Animation tools.

NOTE: The keypad shown on the next page is the Dragon controller includedwith your copy of Dragon. If you use the keypad included on the rightside of your Mac or PC keyboard, the placement of theMUTE, DELETEand ONIONSKIN keys will vary slightly, but theyll work the same way.

See also:

Keypad Controls on page 87.

Keypad Window Overview on page 29.


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Dragon Controller Map

*

D R A G O N

MUTE (/)............................................................................................

DELETE (bs) ......................................................................................

BLACK(7).................................................................................. Cuts

LOOP (8) ............................................................................................

CUTBACK(9) ...................................................Eliminates a selecte

AUTO-TOGGLE (4) ....................................................... Toggles the

LIVETOGGLE (5)...............................................Toggles the Live V

SHORTPLAY(6) ................................................Plays a selected nu

ONIONSKIN (+, -) ...........................................................Dissolves

STEP(1, 2)................................................................. Steps frame-

LIVE (3)...................................................................... Jumps to the L

PLAY(0).............................................................................................

HIGH-RES (.) ................................................ Switches from video a

SHOOT (enter)...................................................................................

The Animation tools (below) serve as a dashboard, indicating what playOnionskin slider is adjusted, and what frame youre on.


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Keypad Window Overview

29

Keypad Window Overview

The keypad window is a learning aid. Keep it open when first gettingacquainted with Dragon to help you learn the keypresses for yourDragon controller, or for the keypad on your Mac or Windows key-board.

To open the keypad window, clickWINDOW|SHOWKEYPAD.

Keypad Window. Click LAYOUT to change how the keypad looks.

Once you open the window, you can change the layout of the keypad byclicking LAYOUT in the bottom right corner. Change the layout in the

following ways:

Select: To:

MACKEYPAD Lay out the keypad like the one on a Mac key-board.


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PCKEYPAD Lay out the keypad like the one on a Windowskeyboard.

REMOTEKEYPAD Lay out the keypad like the one included withDragon.

DISPLAYICONS Show only the icons describing each keypresson the keypad window.

DISPLAYTEXT Show the text describing each keypress on thekeypad window.

TOPDISPLAYON Display the text and icon describing each key-press at the top of the window each time youroll over a key.

TOPDISPLAYOFF Do not display text and icons at the top of thewindow.

NORMALSIZE Display a larger keypad.

SMALLSIZE Display a smaller keypad.

ALWAYSONTOP Keep the keypad floating over all other win-dows.

Select: To:


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Menu Overview

31

Menu Overview

The tables that follow give more information about each of Dragon'smenus.


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32

File Menu

Select this menuitem:

To: See also:

NEWTAKE... Open the New Take dialog. Creating a NewTake on page 116.

NEWSCENE... Open the New Scene dialog. Creating a NewScene onpage 113.

OPENSCENE... Open the Open Scene dialog. Opening a Previ-ously-Shot Sceneon page 115.

OPENRECENT> Select from a list of recently openedfiles.

N/A

DUPLICATESCENE... Save the current scene as a new scene. Duplicating YourScene onpage 116.

SWITCHTAKE> View a drop-down list of takes associ-ated with the scene youre working on.

Switching Takeson page 117.

MANAGETAKES... Open the Manage Takes dialog, whereyou can duplicate or rename a take.

Managing Takeson page 117.

LOADLINE-UP

IMAGE...

Load a still image into the current scene. Adding a Line-Up

Layer (Movie orStill) on page 101.

LOADLINE-UPMOVIE...

Load a Dragon scene or a QuickTimemovie as a roto-layer.

Adding a Line-UpLayer (Movie orStill) on page 101.

IMPORT> Import dialogue cues, camera moves,exposures, or drawings from anotherscene. Or import the phonetics fromscrubbed audio.

Importing SceneSettings onpage 117.

EXPORTTOQUICK-TIME... Open a Create QuickTime dialog. Creating a Quick-Time Movie ofYour Take onpage 185.

EXPORTIMAGESEQUENCE...

Export an image sequence with attri-butes you choose (instead of accessingyour files directly).

Exporting ImageSequences onpage 189.


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Menu Overview

33

EXPORTSTEREO(3D) QUICKTIME...

Export stereo images for preview inQuickTime.

Exporting StereoSequences to

QuickTime onpage 180.

EXPORTSTILLIMAGE...

Export the image youre viewing in theCinematography window.

Exporting theCinematographyView on page 65.

EXPORTX-SHEET Export the X-Sheet to a CSV file. Exporting the X-Sheet as a CSV onpage 135.

PRINT... Print a copy of the X-Sheet. Printing the X-

Sheet onpage 135.

PREFERENCES Open Preferences. There, you can adjustsettings for your entire project.

Configuring Pref-erences onpage 191.

QUIT Exit Dragon. N/A


To: See also:


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34

Edit Menu


To: See also:

UNDO Undo actions: capturing a frame, delet-ing, cutting back, or editing. N/A

REDO Cancel any action you undid. N/A

CUT Cut the selected frames. Frame Editing onpage 105.

COPY Copy the selected frames. Frame Editing onpage 105.

PASTE... Paste the selected frames. Frame Editing onpage 105.

DELETE Delete the selected frames. Frame Editing onpage 105.

PASTEINSERT Insert frames. Frame Editing onpage 105.

PASTEOVER-WRITE

Replace frames. Frame Editing onpage 105.

PASTEREVERSE Insert frames in reverse order. Frame Editing onpage 105.

PASTEREVERSEOVERWRITE

Replace frames with frames in reverseorder.

Frame Editing onpage 105.

MARKIN Set the Nav-Lines in point for playbackor editing.

Animation Nav-LineOverview on page 21.

Frame Editing fromthe Nav-Line onpage 105.

MARKOUT Set the Nav-Lines out point for play-back or editing.


Frame Editing fromthe Nav-Line onpage 105.

GOTOINPOINT View the in points frame in the Viewpane.



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Menu Overview

35

GOTOOUTPOINT View the out points frame in the Viewpane.



To: See also:


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36

View Menu

Scene Menu

Select this menu item: To: See also:

SIZE > Select from a drop-down

list of image sizes.

N/A

ORIENTATION > Select from a drop-downlist of orientations.

N/A

GRID> Overlay a grid on the Viewpane.

Adding a Grid Overlay onpage 60.

COMPOSITIONGUIDES... Open the CompositionGuides dialog, where youcan adjust the BroadcastSafe overlay, the AspectRatio Mask, and the maskpush-in.

Adjusting CompositionGuides from the Dialog onpage 57.Composition Guides onpage 57.

AUXILIARYMONITOR> Display a full screen viewof the Live View or play-back on another monitor

Using an Auxiliary Moni-tor on page 96.


SETTINGS... Adjust scene settings. Configuring Scene Set-tings on page 200.

EXPOSURES... Add multiple exposures toyour scene.

Working with MultipleExposures from the Menuon page 78.

MOVES... Create a hand-crankedcamera move.

Adding Hand-CrankedCamera Moves onpage 159.

CONNECTIONS... Connect supported hard-ware, like the DDMX-S2 ora stereo slider, to Dragon.

Connecting DMX toDragon on page 137.Connecting to the DESCthrough Dragons Connec-tions Tab on page 157.Connecting to a 3DSlider on page 165.


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Menu Overview

37

3DSLIDER... Configure an attached 3Dstereo slider.

Setting Up the 3D Slideron page 167.

DMX... Work with a lighting pro-gram or a bash light.

Automate Lighting withDMX on page 137.

TRIGGERS... Work with electrical inputsor outputs.

Adding Input and OutputTriggers on page 148.



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38

Capture Menu


SHOOTSINGLEFRAME Shoot a frame with your

capture source.

Keypad Controls on

page 87.SHOOTMULTIPLEFRAMES...

Shoot more than oneframe.

Shoot Multiple onpage 93.

TIME-LAPSE... Shoot a time-lapsesequence.

Time-lapse on page 111.

SHOOT 2 FRAMES Shoot two frames withyour capture source.


SHOOT 3 FRAMES Shoot 3 frames with yourcapture source.


SHOOT 4 FRAMES Shoot 4 frames with yourcapture source.


SHOOTPREVIEWIMAGE Use Dragon without avideo assist.

Shooting Without a VideoAssist on page 54.

CUTBACK... Jump to a frame and, ifyou wish, delete the inter-vening frames.

Cut Back Key on page 88.

VIDEOSOURCE > Select your video source. How Dragon Works onpage 1.

Camera Connectionson page 43.

CAPTURESOURCE > Select your capture source. How Dragon Works onpage 1.

Camera Connectionson page 43.

CAMERAPREFERENCES... Open the Capture tab ofthe Settings dialog.

Capture Settings onpage 201.

PAUSECAMERA Pause your cameras LiveView to avoid overheating.

Why did I get a warningmessage? on page 207.

RESET/REFRESHCONNEC-TIONS

Reset connections to cam-eras.

Switching Video or Cap-ture Sources on page 55.


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Menu Overview

39

LOCK/UNLOCKFOCUS Lock the cameras focus(Canon PowerShot only).

Adjusting Focus andZoom with the Canon Pow-erShot Camera on

page 72.ZOOMIN Zoom in on the image

(Canon PowerShot only)Adjusting Focus andZoom with the Canon Pow-erShot Camera onpage 72.

ZOOMOUT Zoom out from the image(Canon PowerShot only).

Adjusting Focus andZoom with the Canon Pow-erShot Camera onpage 72.



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40

Playback Menu

Window Menu


FPS > Select from a drop-down

list of frame rates.

Playback Speed on

page 91.PLAYTOBLACK Add black frames to the

end of playback.Black (End in Black) Keyon page 90.

LOOP Loop playback. Loop Key/Ping-Pong onpage 89.

SHORTPLAY Play back only some of theframes from a sequence.

Short Play Key onpage 89.

REVERSE Play the sequence back-wards.

N/A

TOGGLE > Toggle the last frame andthe Live View.

Auto-Toggle Key onpage 88.

MONO Play back images normally. Playing Back StereoSequences in Dragon onpage 179.

3DANAGLYPHCOLOR Play back frame sequenceusing anaglyph images, incolor.

Playing Back StereoSequences in Dragon onpage 179.

3DANAGLYPHB/W Play back frame sequenceusing anaglyph images, inblack and white.


3DTRANSPARENTCOLOR Play back frame sequenceusing transparent 3Dimages, in color.


3DTRANSPARENTB/W Play back frame sequenceusing transparent 3Dimages, in black and white.



MINIMIZEALL Minimize all of Dragonswindows.

N/A


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Menu Overview

41

SHOW/HIDECINEMATOG-RAPHY

Open the Cinematographywindow, or close it if itsalready open.

Cinematography WindowOverview on page 23.

SHOW/HIDEX-SHEET Open the X-Sheet window,or close it if its alreadyopen.

X-Sheet Overview onpage 25.

Using the X-Sheet onpage 133.

SHOW/HIDEAUDIO Open the Audio window,or close it if its alreadyopen.

Adding and EditingAudio Clips onpage 119.

Reading DialogueTracks on page 127.

SHOW/HIDEKEYPAD Open the practice keypad,or close it if its alreadyopen.

Keypad Window Over-view on page 29.

SHOW/HIDEMOTIONCONTROLLOG

Open the Motion Controllog, or close it if its alreadyopen.

Using Motion Controlwith Dragon on page 153.

ANIMATION [PROJECTNAME]

Open or close the Anima-tion window.

Animation Window Over-view on page 15.



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42

Help Menu


USERGUIDE... Open the current version

of this User Guide

N/A

WEBSITESUPPORT Open an Internet browserand link to Dragon's sup-port web site.

Troubleshooting onpage 203.

REPORTAPROBLEM/CRASH/BUG

Open a support ticket,notifying us of any prob-lems you run into withDragon. The Dragon teamresolves or addresses eachticket and posts updates on

the Help Ticket site. Everyticket is assigned a numberso you can track the resolu-tion of your ticket.

Troubleshooting onpage 203.

CAMERATEST... Run a test of your camerato help us assist you withconnection problems.

I'm having trouble con-necting my camera onpage 203.

ACTIVATELICENSE Enter a license key ifyou've just switched from atrial version of Dragon to

the full version.

Upgrading to a FullLicense from a TrialLicense on page 7.

DEACTIVATELICENSE Deactivate Dragon on onecomputer to allow you totransfer it to another one.

Transferring a Licenseon page 9.

ABOUTDRAGONSTOPMOTION

View a dialog with versioninformation.

N/A


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Chapter 3: CameraConnections

Dragon generally uses two image sources while shooting.

1. A capture camera shooting high-quality images. These frames makeup your final animation. For example, you might use:

A supported DSLR camera.

A supported non-SLR digital camera (such as the Canon Power-Shot).

A digital video camera.

An HD video camera. A film camera.

An unsupported camera.

2. A live video source, letting you step to the Live View from the cap-tured frames, and giving you access to a variety of Dragon's anima-tion tools. For example, you might use:

The Live View on your digital still camera.

A video feed from your digital still camera.

A digital video camera. A lipstick camera or spy cam set up through your capture cam-

era's viewfinder.

An analog video source connected to your computer through anAV/DV bridge.

Dragon doesnt have to control both sources for you to use the program.For example, you might want to use Dragon as a feed-only frame grab-ber: using a digital video camera to preview your animation, but a filmcamera to capture your full-res images. Or, you might work without avideo source, using the still images captured from your cameras to pre-

view frames.

See also:

Camera Options on page 44.

The camera page on our website:http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/camera.php

http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/camera.phphttp://www.dragonstopmotion.com/camera.php


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44

Quick Set-Up Guide for Supported Video and Still Cameras on page 9.

Camera Options

The sections that follow give tips for different camera configurations

you might use with Dragon. Each one also explains how that particularconfiguration works with Dragon.

See also:




Quick Set-Up Guide for Supported Video and Still Cameras on page 9.

DSLR or other DSC with Live View

This is the optimum configuration for Dragon. Both the video assist forpreviewing animation and the high-res capture frames, which caninclude RAW, are pulled from the same digital still camera (DSC).When you connect your camera to your computer, Dragon will automat-ically detect that you have a DSC with Live View and set up the sourcesaccordingly.

See also:

Connecting DSLRs or DSCs with Live View on page 45.

DSLR or other DSC with a Separate Video SourceMany people set up their preview frames from a separate DV or HDcamera while shooting high-res frames from a digital still camera(DSC). Some people set up spy cams that look through the DSCs view-finder. Or, you can set up a DV camera close to your DSC. Check youranimation with the video assist; Dragon grabs the high-res frames fromthe DSC.

Connecting DSLRs or DSCs without Live View on page 46.

Video OnlyIf you are shooting with video only, Dragon will extract a video assistand capture frames from the same video signal. When you shoot,Dragon grabs a low-res preview image for frame flipping. It also gener-ates a high quality still from the video stream and saves it in the cap-tured frames folder.


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Connecting DSLRs or DSCs with Live View

45

See also:

Connecting Digital Video Cameras on page 47.

Connecting HD Video Cameras with HDMI on page 47.

Connecting HD Video Cameras with HDV on page 48.

Motion Picture Film and a Video SourceDragon works very well for film. Set up Dragon with a video signal fromthe film camera's video assist. You will need to convert the analog signalto DV. If you do not have video assist, set up a DV camera alongside thefilm camera. Whether you use video assist or not, you will need to trig-ger the film frames from a separate control.

See also:


Using Motion Control with Dragon on page 153.

An Unsupported Camera

If Dragon does not currently support your camera, you can still use thesoftware. Set up folder watching, so Dragon can look for the framesyour camera captures in the folder where they're stored.

Or, if your camera doesnt work with folder watching, you might con-nect your camera to Dragon via the DDMX-S2, and use the DDMX-S2sswitch/relay output to trigger the camera.

See also:

Connecting an Unsupported Camera to Dragon on page 50.

Adding a Switch/Relay Output Trigger on page 149.

Digital Camera without Live View and without Live Video

If you're unable to work with a video feed for some reason (your cameradoesn't support Live View, and you don't have a digital video camera),you can use Dragon to shoot preview frames that substitute for a LiveView.

See also:

Shooting Without a Video Assist on page 54.

Connecting DSLRs or DSCs with Live View

To connect to digital still cameras (DSCs), including DSLRs, with a LiveView output:


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1. Check our websites camera page for individual setup instructions:http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/camera.php Scroll down the list of supported cameras and find your camera.ClickDETAILS to view setup instructions.

2. Set the camera's shooting mode to MANUAL.

3. Turn on the camera and connect it to your computer:

For Canon and Nikon digital still cameras, connect the camerawith a USB cable.

For Olympus DSLRs, make two connections, one for camera con-trols, and one to receive the Live View.For camera controls, connect the camera to your computer witha USB cable for camera controls.For Live View, decide whether to use the cameras AV output or

HDMI output. For AV, connect your camera to your computerwith an AV cable. For HDMI, install an HDMI conversion card,then plug your camera into it with an HDMI cable.

4. Open Dragon.

Dragon should connect to the camera and show the Live View in theAnimation window.

5. Use the Camera Control pane in the Cinematography window to setthe camera's exposure, white balance and image size.

See also:Connecting HD Video Cameras with HDMI on page 47.



Connecting DSLRs or DSCs without Live View

If your digital still camera (DSC), such as a DSLR, does not have LiveView, connect it to Dragon in this way:

1. Check our websites camera page for individual setup instructions:http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/camera.phpScroll down the list of supported cameras and find your camera.ClickDETAILS to view setup instructions.

2. Set the camera's shooting mode to MANUAL.

3. Turn on the camera and connect it to your computer with a USBcable.
http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/camera.phphttp://www.dragonstopmotion.com/camera.phphttp://www.dragonstopmotion.com/camera.phphttp://www.dragonstopmotion.com/camera.php


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Connecting Digital Video Cameras

47

4. Open Dragon.

Dragon should connect to the camera.

5. Select CAPTURE|CAPTURESOURCE to make sure your camera isselected.Or, check that your cameras name appears in the bottom right cor-ner of the Animation window.

6. Use the Camera Control pane in the Cinematography window to setthe camera's exposure, white balance and image size.

7. Choose a video source:

Use a video source for the video assist frames.

Shoot with the DSLR only.

See also:


Connecting HD Video Cameras with HDMI on page 47.

Shooting Without a Video Assist on page 54.



Connecting Digital Video Cameras

1. Turn on the DV camera and connect it to your computer with a

Firewire cable.

2. Open Dragon.

Dragon should connect to the DV source and show the Live View in theAnimation window.

See also:


Connecting HD Video Cameras with HDMIHDMI is an un-compressed video format for delivering high-definitionvideo to your computer. To use HDMI video with Dragon, you musthave an HDMI conversion card like the one from Blackmagic Design:http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/

1. Install the HDMI conversion card into your computer according tothe manufacturers instructions.
http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/


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48

2. Connect your camera to the card with an HDMI cable.

3. Open Dragon.

Dragon should connect to the HDMI source and show the Live View inthe Animation window.

See also:


Connecting HD Video Cameras with HDV

HDV is a compressed video format for delivering high-definition videoover Firewire to your computer. Windows XP, Vista, and 7 supportHDV if you install an MPEG-2 decoder. Ffdshow is a free, open sourceMPEG-2 decoder for Windows available from our web site.

To use HDV with your Windows computer:

1. Download the ffdshow installer from our downloads page:http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/downloads/index.php

2. Run the installer. The Setup dialog appears.

3. Click NEXT. The Select Destination Location dialog appears.
http://www.dragonstopmotion.com/downloads/index.phphttp://www.dragonstopmotion.com/downloads/index.php


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4. Click NEXT. The Select Components dialog appears.

5. Click NEXT. The Select Start Menu Folder dialog appears.

6. ClickNEXT. The Select Additional Tasks dialog appears:

Select Additional Tracks dialog, with MPEG-2 checked.

7. Scroll down to MPEG-2 and check the box.

8. ClickNEXT.

9. ClickNEXT two more times, then clickFINISH on the last dialog.Your computer installs FFDSHOW.EXE.

10. Turn on the HD camera and connect it to your computer with aFirewire cable.

11. Open Dragon.

Dragon should connect to the HD source and show the Live View in theAnimation window.

See also:



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Connecting an Unsupported Camera to Dragon

Even if Dragon doesnt support your camera, you can still use the pro-gram. Dragon can detect images downloaded from your camera throughfolder watching. Folder watching also lets you shoot stills directly fromDragon, making the integration as seamless as possible. Unfortunately,folder watching cannot integrate with some Dragon features, such ascamera settings.

NOTE: if your camera doesnt work with folder watching, you might connectyour camera to Dragon via the DDMX-S2, and use the DDMX-S2sswitch/relay output to trigger the camera. See Adding a Switch/RelayOutput Trigger on page 149.

To set up Dragons folder watching for an unsupported camera, youll:

1. Connect your camera(s) physically to your computer.Connect Your Camera(s) to Your Computer on page 50.

2. Check settings in your cameras capture utility.Check Your Capture Utilitys Settings on page 51.

3. Make sure Dragon knows which capture utility youre using.Check the Capture Utility Selected in Dragon on page 52.

4. (Optional) Tell Dragon which keystroke your capture utility uses soDragon can control your camera.Set Up Dragons Keystroke on page 52.

5. Tell Dragon where your capture utility downloads your pictures.Select Which Folder Dragon Will Watch on page 53.

6. (Optional) Tell Dragon how many images to expect from your cam-era for every shot.Set Up the Image Count on page 54.

7. Verify your folder watching setup.Test Folder Watching on page 54.

Connect Your Camera(s) to Your Computer1. Install and open a capture utility that works with your camera, such

as Olympus Studio 2.A capture utility controls the camera on your computer, so you canshoot stills by pressing a key on the keyboard, adjust settings onyour screen, and download images from the camera onto your com-puter.


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2. Connect your capture camera to your computer.

3. Plug your camera into its power source (or fully charge its battery).

4. Turn your camera on.

5. Set the camera to CAPTURE mode (not PLAY).

6. (Optional) Connect a video source.

Check Your Capture Utilitys Settings

1. Start your cameras capture utility if it doesn't start automatically.Open up the portion of the program that remotely controls yourcamera.

2. Check which keypress you'd use to take a picture.

For example, for Canon cameras working with the Canon EOS Util-ity, you press SPACEBAR.

3. Set the folder where you want your stills to download on your com-puter. This is the folder Dragon will watch.Keep the default (usually your PICTURES folder) or set up a newfolder. Make a note of the location.

Select Capture and Video Sources in Dragon

1. Open Dragon.

2. Select CAPTURE|CAPTURESOURCE|FOLDERWATCH.

3. Check that your video source is connected:

If you will use stills from this camera as a video source, selectCAPTURE|VIDEOSOURCE|FOLDERWATCHING.

If you are using a supported video source, Dragon will automati-cally detect and connect to your video source.

If you will work without a video source, see Shooting Without aVideo Assist on page 54..


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Check the Capture Utility Selected in Dragon

1. From Dragon, open the Cinematography window. The Camera Con-trol pane displays details about your camera's connection to Dragon:

2. (Optional) Change the capture utilityAPPLICATION(A.) if it's incor-rect.

Set Up Dragons Keystroke

In the Cinematography windows Camera Control pane, you can set upthe KEYSTROKEto take pictures without having to switch back andforth between the capture utility and Dragon:

1. Compare the KEYSTROKE displayed with the one you noted inCheck Your Capture Utilitys Settings on page 51..

BA

CD

A . Application: Shows which camera utility Dragonwill use to communicate with your camera.

B . Keystroke: The key your utility uses to capture an

image. Here, the key is SPACE.

C. Folder: Shows where Dragon will look for picturesdownloaded from your camera. This is the folderbeing watched.

D . Image Count: How many images your camera will

download for each capture. For example, if youwill download both a JPEG and a RAW image, set

IMAGECOUNT to 2.


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2. If they don't match, click the keystroke (here, SPACE) and selectSET... The Keystroke dialog appears:

3. Press the key that your camera utility uses. Here, the keystroke isENTER.

Dragon displays the keypress in the dialog. Now, when you pressSHOOT, or take a test shot, Dragon will have your picture utility cap-

ture a still.

NOTE: If you wish to use your camera utility to capture stills, you don't have toset up the keystroke. Dragon will automatically detect any stills you cap-ture using the utility and display them.

Select Which Folder Dragon Will Watch

From Dragons Cinematography window, select the FOLDERwhere yourutility will download pictures.

1. Click the currently selected folder (above it's calledSCENE_01) andclickBROWSE... Dragon opens the Open dialog.


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2. Navigate to the folder where the utility will download your stills andclickCHOOSE. This is the folder you noted in Check Your CaptureUtilitys Settings on page 51..

Set Up the Image Count

From Dragons Cinematography window, set the number of images todownload with IMAGECOUNT.

If you will only download one image from your camera, keep theIMAGECOUNT at 1.

If you will download two images, (for example, a RAW with .jpg), setit to 2.

Test Folder Watching

To check that the integration with your camera utility is working:

From Dragons Cinematography window, press TESTSHOT to take atest shot.

Or, if you didn't set up a KEYSTROKE, take a test shot in your camerautility.

Dragon detects the still in the folder you're watching and displays it as athumbnail in the test shot tray at the bottom of the Cinematographywindow.

See also:


I'm having trouble connecting my unsupported camera to Dragon withFolder Watching on page 205.

Camera Options on page 44.

Shooting Without a Video Assist

Dragon will work without a video feed, using stills from your capture

source as preview images. Using Dragon this way, however, means thatyou won't get automatic updates when you change something on yourset.

To work without a video source:

1. Connect your still camera to your computer.


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2. Close any associated programs that open with your camera (forexample, iPhoto).

3. Open Dragon. Create a new scene, or open one you've alreadyworked on.

The Animation window opens.

4. Select CAPTURE|VIDEOSOURCE|[YOURCAMERANAME] (STILLS).Dragon configures itself to work with only a capture camera, anddisplays this message:

5. Click OKto close the message.

6. Set up your first shot. When you're ready, pressLIVE to shoot a pre-view image.

7. Press SHOOTto shoot a capture image.

See also:

Creating a New Scene on page 113.

Switching Video or Capture Sources

If you decide to change the camera you're using to capture full-res stills,or you forgot to connect your video camera to your computer beforeopening Dragon, you can select a new source. To select a video or cap-ture source:

Press CTRLRto reset the connections to any cameras you've con-nected to your computer.

Select CAPTURE|VIDEOSOURCE|your video source's name.

Select CAPTURE|CAPTURESOURCE|your camera's name.

Or use the Scene Settings dialog:


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a. From the Scene menu, clickSETTINGS. The Scene Settings win-dow appears.

b. Select the new video source or the capture source from theappropriate drop-down list. The settings for the source appear.

c. Adjust the settings if you wish, and close Scene Settings.

Documents

Using Dragon Stop Motion PC.pdf