Visualization Guide
Visualization Guide
Visualization Guide

Animate Source Lighting Settings


Use it!

Light sources can be moved in an animation by attaching them to actors that move. Alternatively, they can be made into actors themselves, and scripted to move and/or rotate. Additionally, you can animate their various settings. This lets you dim or brighten light sources, for example, during an animation sequence. You can make them change colors, also, or change the cone angle and delta angle of Spot Lights.

Animate Source Lighting Settings dialog box

  
Tool SettingEffect
Light Name

Displays the name of the light source being animated.

Frame Number

Sets the frame number from which the settings become active.

Interpolation

Sets the method used to interpolate the change to the setting.

  • Linear
    • — Transition from one setting to the other is calculated linearly.
  • Spline
    • — Calculation of the transition from one setting to the other is based on a b-spline curve.
Velocity

Sets the velocity of the transition from one set of values to the next.

  • Constant
    • — Transition is at a constant rate.
  • Accelerate
    • — Transition starts at rest, moving with constant acceleration.
  • Decelerate
    • — Transition constantly decelerates to finish at rest.
  • Accelerate-Decelerate
    • — Transition starts at rest, accelerates to half-way, then decelerates to finish at rest.
  • Infinite
    • — Transition is instantaneous, from the last viewing position to the camera view.
Setting

Sets the source lighting setting being animated — Intensity, Color, Cone Angle, Cone Delta Angle. Cone Angle and Cone Delta Angle, apply only to Spotlights. For each setting, the relevant setting control(s) appears below the setting option menu.

To script a light source
  1. In the Animation Settings tool box, select the Animate Source Lighting Settings tool.

  2. Identify the light source.
    The “name” of the light source appears in the Light Name field of the tool settings.

  3. In the Frame Number field, key in the frame number.

  4. From the Interpolation option menu, choose the interpolation method — Linear or Spline — for the transition to the new setting value.

  5. From the Velocity option menu, choose the velocity type — Constant, Accelerate, Decelerate, Accelerate-Decelerate, or Infinite — for the transition to the new setting value.

  6. From the Setting menu, choose the setting to animate:

    Intensity

    Color

    Cone Angle (Spot light sources only)

    Cone Delta Angle (Spot light sources only)

    Attenuation Distance (interactive rendering modes only)

    Brightness (Lumens value for photo-realistic rendering modes)

    Rotation (rotation of IES lights)

  7. Use the control(s) below the Setting option menu to specify the setting value. These controls are similar to those in the Source Lighting dialog box.

  8. Accept the settings with a data point.
    The new script entry is entered in the Animation Producer dialog box list.

    9. For information about creating light sources, see Define Light tool.

Alternative Method — To script a light source
  1. From the Animation Producer's Settings menu, choose Animate > Source Lighting.

  2. Identify the light source.
    The Animate Light Settings dialog box opens.

    Animate Light Setting dialog box

      

  3. In the Frame Number field, key in the frame number.

  4. From the Interpolation option menu, choose the interpolation method — Linear or Spline — for the transition to the new setting value.

  5. From the Velocity option menu, choose the velocity type — Constant, Accelerate, Decelerate, Accelerate-Decelerate, or Infinite — for the transition to the new setting value.

  6. From the Setting menu, choose the setting to animate:

    Intensity

    Color

    Cone Angle (Spot light sources only)

    Cone Delta Angle (Spot light sources only)

    Attenuation Distance (interactive rendering modes only)

    Brightness (Lumens value for photo-realistic rendering modes)

    Rotation (rotation of IES lights)

  7. Use the control(s) below the Setting option menu to specify the setting value. These controls are similar to those in the Source Lighting dialog box.

  8. Click the OK button.
    Focus returns to the Animation Producer dialog box. The new script entry is listed there.