Get Your MakeHuman Character Talking

Tips, trick's, and links about computer graphics world

Moderator: joepal

Get Your MakeHuman Character Talking

Postby Tanny » Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:10 am

Here's a sales demo video of the CrazyTalk program, which can be used to create animated talking heads of any 2d image, including a render or screenshot of your MakeHuman characters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLyYxuvc54E

I've linked to a demo vid for CrazyTalk 7, an older version of the program. I did so because you may be able to get it for free as I did. Contact support and ask for a free copy, and hope for the best.

Or, you can buy the latest version CrazyTalk 8 for $49. This adds 3d features that may have appeal. I didn't find the new features compelling, but you might.

TIP: A limitation of CrazyTalk is that you have to feed it neutral images. That is, subject should be looking directly in to camera with a dead pan expression, no smiles. This allows CrazyTalk to do the animating. This is no problem for a MH character obviously.

IDEA: You could create a pretty involved movie by creating clips of numerous MH characters talking, and then combining the clips in to a full movie in your video editor.

CrazyTalk creates talking heads, so it's not a full animation solution for sure. It's main value seems to be that it's free or cheap, and pretty darn easy to use. It's all just point and click, and there's no arcane nerd stuff involved. It took me about a week of watching video tutorials and playing with the software to become comfortable with basic operations. Others might do the same in a day.

I see CrazyTalk as a kind of middle ground between being limited to rendering 2d static images only, and the complexities of animating a MH character in a sophisticated program like Blender. If you want to animate your MH character, but Blender gives you a headache, this might be a solution.

If this is of any interest, post a photo of your MH character (in a pose as described above) and provide a text script. I'll animate in CrazyTalk and post the file for you on Vimeo. I can only do a couple of these, so first come first served.
Tanny
 
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:02 pm

Re: Get Your MakeHuman Character Talking

Postby brkurt » Wed Mar 15, 2017 2:58 am

Tanny wrote:Here's a sales demo video of the CrazyTalk program, which can be used to create animated talking heads of any 2d image, including a render or screenshot of your MakeHuman characters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLyYxuvc54E

I've linked to a demo vid for CrazyTalk 7, an older version of the program. I did so because you may be able to get it for free as I did. Contact support and ask for a free copy, and hope for the best.

Or, you can buy the latest version CrazyTalk 8 for $49. This adds 3d features that may have appeal. I didn't find the new features compelling, but you might.

TIP: A limitation of CrazyTalk is that you have to feed it neutral images. That is, subject should be looking directly in to camera with a dead pan expression, no smiles. This allows CrazyTalk to do the animating. This is no problem for a MH character obviously.

IDEA: You could create a pretty involved movie by creating clips of numerous MH characters talking, and then combining the clips in to a full movie in your video editor.

CrazyTalk creates talking heads, so it's not a full animation solution for sure. It's main value seems to be that it's free or cheap, and pretty darn easy to use. It's all just point and click, and there's no arcane nerd stuff involved. It took me about a week of watching video tutorials and playing with the software to become comfortable with basic operations. Others might do the same in a day.

I see CrazyTalk as a kind of middle ground between being limited to rendering 2d static images only, and the complexities of animating a MH character in a sophisticated program like Blender. If you want to animate your MH character, but Blender gives you a headache, this might be a solution.

If this is of any interest, post a photo of your MH character (in a pose as described above) and provide a text script. I'll animate in CrazyTalk and post the file for you on Vimeo. I can only do a couple of these, so first come first served.


I take it that one of your other names is Tanisha, and that you work for Crazy Talk in some manner. Not exactly a 'tech-neutral' approach. ;)

It might be a solution, but I've created a better one, and I've added IK bones just today.

For 3D, the best solution (imho) is a rig with weight painting, because it can be exported through Open Collada, and it will work in any app that accepts that format, Marvelous Designer, for example.

The default MH rig with IK bones, and free:

http://www.geekopolis.ca/blender/walk_cycle_models/ginaCaranoIKFK_277a.blend

My custom rig, free also, but more for the cognoscenti:

http://www.makehumancommunity.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=10750&p=27795&hilit=mystery+of+O#p27795

Visemes as poses works everywhere. :geek:
brkurt
 
Posts: 1100
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:49 pm

Re: Get Your MakeHuman Character Talking

Postby Tanny » Wed Mar 15, 2017 10:33 am

I take it that one of your other names is Tanisha, and that you work for Crazy Talk in some manner. Not exactly a 'tech-neutral' approach. ;)


Grandpa Geezer will now tell a little story.

Twenty years ago the Net was like a friendly small town. If you offered something for free to some community, members would always applaud and thank you for your good intentions, even if they had no interest in what was being offered.

And then the Net grew up and became the world's largest city. The social atmosphere changed to a much more cynical big city style attitude. Now if you offer something free to strangers, it's guaranteed inevitable that the response will be to accuse you of being a spammer, or perhaps even an immediate ban.

Grandpa Geezer misses the old small town Net. But you don't miss it. Because you weren't even born yet when it was happening.
Tanny
 
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:02 pm

Re: Get Your MakeHuman Character Talking

Postby Aranuvir » Wed Mar 15, 2017 10:42 am

@Tanny: We finally got the point, that you like CrazyTalk. I want you to stop advertising for other software! This is of topic!
Aranuvir
 
Posts: 1314
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:12 pm

Re: Get Your MakeHuman Character Talking

Postby brkurt » Wed Mar 15, 2017 9:08 pm

Tanny wrote:Grandpa Geezer misses the old small town Net. But you don't miss it. Because you weren't even born yet when it was happening.


This is funny, from my perspective. I'm quite likely older than you. I have been teaching neuroscience at a private college for twenty-seven years; I got involved with Makehuman because of my work in the Ekman Facial Action Coding System.

As a fun project, I have been animating martial arts movements, which cannot be well explained using 2d. Check out the early work in this area in "The Matrix", when Neo learns Kung Fu.

Here is an example. I'm working toward integrating Chris Van Allsburgh's color pallet with Blender. Photorealism isn't useful here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i89zrlvyx8g
brkurt
 
Posts: 1100
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:49 pm

Re: Get Your MakeHuman Character Talking

Postby Tanny » Wed Mar 15, 2017 9:41 pm

Aranuvir wrote:@Tanny: We finally got the point, that you like CrazyTalk. I want you to stop advertising for other software! This is of topic!


1) It's not off topic at all. CrazyTalk is one of many things one can do with MakeHuman characters. It appears to be an option most members here don't know much about, so I'm trying to make a contribution to the forum by sharing something I know that some other members don't. CrazyTalk doesn't compete with MH and it wouldn't matter if it did given that MH is free.

2) I want you to take responsibility for your own reading experience. If you don't like my posts, the solution is simple, don't read them. There's an ignore feature in your control panel that will allow you to very efficiently remove all of my posts from your view of the forum. So stop whining, because I am the Lead Whiner on this forum and don't you forget it. :D
Tanny
 
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:02 pm

Re: Get Your MakeHuman Character Talking

Postby Aranuvir » Wed Mar 15, 2017 10:12 pm

None of the moderators will stop controlling what is going on in the forums.

And I/we (the moderators) do not have a problem about other 3D-software, even if it should be in direct competition, like Poser/DAZ. But things can be exaggerated, as it was the case here.
Aranuvir
 
Posts: 1314
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:12 pm

Re: Get Your MakeHuman Character Talking

Postby Tanny » Wed Mar 15, 2017 10:20 pm

Aranuvir wrote:None of the moderators will stop controlling what is going on in the forums. And I/we (the moderators) do not have a problem about other 3D-software, even if it should be in direct competition, like Poser/DAZ. But things can be exaggerated, as it was the case here.


Well ok, so let's fix this. Given that you're a mod, and seem to object to most of what I share here, why don't you just go ahead and ban me. I agree in advance, no complaints. Seriously. Just hit the ban button and we're done, and you will be liberated from the horrible torture I am inflicting upon you.

Either that, or stop following me around from thread to thread making snarky little jabs. I'm agreeable with this solution too.

Or, keep doing the snarky dance, and I''ll keep joining you in it. Agreeable here as well.

See, plenty of solutions are available, pick one and run with it, your choice.
Tanny
 
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:02 pm


Return to Off topic

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest