[Figure 6-27] Background image

The figure meshes with the background image, as shown in Figure 6-27.

5.   Select File, Save As and save the file as Background image.pz3.

Load a Background Movie
           1.      Open Poser with the default figure visible.

           2.      Select File, Import, AVI Footage.

The Open dialog box appears.

           3.      Select and open the Swinging into a wall.avi movie file and click Open.

A warning dialog box appears stating that the width/height ratio is different than the Document Window. Click No to continue. The first frame of the movie appears in the background of the Document Window.

           4.      Open the Animation Controls and drag the Timeline to frame 10.

Frame 10 of the background video is displayed.

           5.      Move and rotate the figure to correspond to the background video’s character.

           6.      Select the Display, Guides, Ground Plane menu to hide the ground plane. Then disable the view shadows using the Shadows toggle at the bottom of the Document Window.

[Figure 6-28] Background movie

Aligning the figure to the background video frame by frame lets you create realistic motions, as shown in Figure 6-28.

           7.      Select File, Save As and save the file as Background movie.pz3.

Chapter Summary
This chapter covered two important items used to create a scene other than a posed figure and props[md]cameras and backgrounds. This chapter presented each of the available preset cameras and explained how to control them with the Camera Controls. It also included an in-depth look at the various camera parameters and showed how you could aim cameras with the Point At command and attach cameras with the parenting command. The various background options were also covered, including background colors, images, and movies.

What You Have Learned
In this chapter, you:
• Learned about the different preset cameras and how to access them.

• Used the various Camera Controls to pan and rotate the view.

• Changed the camera shortcut items to use different cameras.

• Used Flyaround mode to quickly see the scene from all angles.

• Positioned and rotated cameras to change the scene view.

• Accessed the display guides that work with cameras, including Ground Plane, Horizon Line, Vanishing Lines, and Focus Distant Guide.

• Discovered the various camera parameters and properties.

• Changed the Focal Length and F-Stop parameters to create a depth of field effect.

• Altered the Shutter Open and Shutter Close parameters to create a motion blur effect.

• Created clipping planes with the Hither and Yon parameters.

• Attached and aimed cameras to and at objects.

• Created a new background with colors, images, materials, and movies.