Best way to lipsync?

#1

Hi All,

What is the best way to animate with lipsync in Messiah? So far I can see 3 options:

  1. Manually - by creating mouth expressions and switching between them against a sound file.
  2. Automatic - Magpie Application, from the website it can export to Messiah (has anyone tried this?):
    http://www.thirdwishsoftware.com/magpiepro_order.html
  3. Automatic - Mimic Application, although it looks like they no longer sell the standalone version, only plugins for Lightwave and Poser. But maybe lipsync is easier in Lightwave?:
    http://www.eovia.com/products/daz_mimic/daz_mimic.asp

Does anyone have any experiences, thoughts or comments to share? :slight_smile:

Regards, Jon

#2

Mimic Application…
I think they still sell the standalone version…
http://www.daz3d.com/shop.php?op=itemdetails&item=1982

:wink:

#3

Unless it’s for a quick delivery and the performance isn’t really important to the client or yourself. I’d go with animating it by hand. The “automagic” lipsync plugins pump out pretty sub par acting performances. Just my 3 cents :wink:

#4

For me. . . manual will ALWAYS win out over any automated system. Messiah’s feedback and scrubbing is very smooth. Once you get the hang of it. . . you can rip through dialog very fast and be in complete control.

#5

Make the body act the dialog then and just then if the body is moving to the audio and looks right , hand animate the mount , if the body is animated right then the lip will not need that many keys… anddddd it will look a lot better than doing it with an automated app or working on the face first…

my two cents  :)
#6

Thanks for the feedback everyone, always helpful! :slight_smile:

For those that have performed lipsync manually in Messiah, what rigs have you found to be the most efficient? I’m thinking of some sort of bone rig around the mouth and then maybe the pose feature to record the basic mouth positions, any opinions or ideas on this?

Thanks, Jon

#7

do a google search for chris landreth phonemes.

It also might be found in any maya documentation.
-JoeC

#8

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