Moho Forum

I'm sure this is going to turn out to be a stupid question but I've searched here and can't find my answer.

How do you save a character to file to import later? I can save the project alright but want to save several views (models) of a character in the way that you can import the Anime characters included with the software.

I guess if you save each of your models/views as a group at the lowest level (so no groups inside groups), you can later import these as seperate models, through the menu File -> Import -> Anime Studio Object. You could import one per AS file and store each file with a descriptive name, so you'd know what model it contains.

Aha! Thanks Rasheed, that makes perfect sense. I was looking at it from completely the wrong angle - in the 'file' menu

I use groups a lot for my stuff, some of which is really complex. I use logical names for each group - eg [Prof. Pringle] and [PM_Sc07_BG], where [name] is the group name.

If I later want to reuse the backgroup from scene 07, I import/Anime Studio Object ... the scene, then select the PM_Sc07_BG folder.

Although in theory you could make endless cycles from one common key drawing, (like the Pink Panther's credit dance routine), in practice the material you are likely to re-use a lot are full length walks, talking heads etc. This week, I saved myself animating an entire scene simply by re-importing the long shot walk, then re-positioned to mid shot on a new background and changed the eye-line (the character has to look off-screen when he hears a noise): Total time maybe 10-15 minutes.

Talking head shots are great for re-use - just change the Papagayo sound file and you save a heap of time.

If you work for storyboards, it often helps at the planning stage to see what re-use is possible, then make the layouts accordingly. If you get into series work with a commercial studio, the producer will expect a reasonable amount of re-used animation, just to make the budget. Having worked mainly on series since 1982, it becomes second nature - either that, or I'm just plain lazy .

Rhoel

i tried saving the file into the documents>smith micro>anime studio>7>library>characters folder,

and it let me pull up the character like those that came with the disk.