Figured Lip sync, but it sometimes looks robotic - help?

Zero1 · Post by **Zero1** » Tue May 25, 2004 7:53 am

Heya, I'm using the method as described in the guides here, you know the photoshopped mouth bit.

I've got the mouth movements in and for the right duration, but when it plays back it looks too smooth and robotic.

I'm using a 3 stage mouth movement, open closed and midway. Are there any sort of rules that should be followed ie. 1 closed frame, 2 mid and the rest open?

Or how many mid frames are needed before you put a closed frame in?

The rest of the video looks fine, just a part or 2 look a little odd

Arigatomina · Post by **Arigatomina** » Tue May 25, 2004 8:12 am

I think it depends on the words being sung/spoken. If the vowel is an open sound like a hard 'i' or 'a' then the mouth would be wide open for that - if it's a sound like an 'e, o' then it would be closed more so you'd want to use that middle stage. And words that have multiple vowels would shift accordingly. If you have 3 frames to work with, then you don't just want the mouth to flap open and closed in time with the words, you want it to make the *shape* of those words - at least if you don't want it to look robotic. Try saying/singing the words yourself and see how your mouth moves - wide, med, or closed - then model the frames after that pattern.

AquaSky · Post by **AquaSky** » Tue May 25, 2004 8:19 am

Also, if the mouth is the only thing moving onscreen, it can look odd after a while. Try having some background movement, or switching the character's pose/head position. That might make it look more natural.

Zarxrax · Post by **Zarxrax** » Tue May 25, 2004 8:48 am

What IcyCloud said, also don't hold on a single lip sync shot for too long. If a single shot lasts more than 2 or 3 seconds you *really* need to change unless you have a good reason not to.

Tsunami Jones · Post by **Tsunami Jones** » Tue May 25, 2004 9:16 am

Also, just try different things. Practice a bit on things, and you'll definitely get the hang of it. And remember, you don't necessarily need the part for photoshop. That's only when the scene has the character moving around to the point of where it's impossible to do it the other way.

Z3r01 wrote:Are there any sort of rules that should be followed ie. 1 closed frame, 2 mid and the rest open?

Depends on what they're saying. Just play around with it. Also, it helps to talk along with what your trying to have them say.

Also, from what your problem is with it being too "robotic," does that mean that you have their mouth open and close for every word? Because when we speak, we don't do that. Our mouths often remain open, they just change shape. So sometimes, you'll probably want to go from open to mid-open and back to open. Hope that helps.

Zero1 · Post by **Zero1** » Tue May 25, 2004 9:23 am

by robotic i mean that the mouth movement just doesnt look natural, its looks live ive copy and pasted the same movements for the 3 words and yes, there needs to be more shape i think.

i just thought it odd how the rest of the video has been going well and i run into this minor problem

Pie Row Maniac · Post by **Pie Row Maniac** » Tue May 25, 2004 2:12 pm

Z3r01 wrote:by robotic i mean that the mouth movement just doesnt look natural, its looks live ive copy and pasted the same movements for the 3 words and yes, there needs to be more shape i think.

Perhaps you need more "inbetween" mouth movements, where the person is halfway between opening and closing, and vice versa.

Although it particularly depends on how they're talking in the first place. For instance, Akira lip sync is very natural and goes all over the place. Sailor Moon lip sync on the other hand is very "open-halfway-close".

Like everyone else has been saying, just experiment.