[Bf-committers] Proposal to Remove Features

[Roger Wickes]

Fields provides motion blur and much smoother video than progressive at the same 
frame rate. 30i is effectively shown at 60hz, and the result is much smoother 
motion than 30p, without Blender calculating a specific MBlur or vector blurl; 
turn on fields and it does an automatic "tween frame". 


On the INPUT side, working with interlaced input in the comp, you have to 
de-interlace to do any meaningful mask work etc. You work with 60hz squashed but 
hard-edged images. You can pre-process interlaced into fielded image sequence 
for work in the comp, but that is an extra step. If you bring it in directly, I 
dont think the comp supports inter-frame work, so working with fielded 
interlaced video is not directly supported (but we have a workflow that can deal 
with it). So if you do that, then you need some way to interlace the output from 
that 60hz sequence.

Keep in mind that many consumer camcorders record interlaced. A large portion of 
our user base is in that range, and want to comp in their spaceship on top of 
their back yard plate. I think Blender needs to support input interlaced video 
for the next five years at least, either via a manual pre-process step or ... a 
fully implemented feature set. 


I think the question is whether Blender needs to be able to GENERATE interlaced 
video. Not using fields on output gives everything a very crisp but jumpy feel 
to it, and so probably actually works well for high-energy TV commercials. I 
think it the answer depends on how long the broadcast standard is going to 
remain in place. Technically, it was invented before CG and motion blur/vector 
blur, so it may be eclipsed as a blurring technology. As an artist, if I was 
doing like a cartoon, I need blur. The question is whether fields would give a 
better result that motion and/or vector blur. I guess it should be put to the 
test. Better is a function of visual appeal and render times.

--Roger


Check out my website at www.rogerwickes.com for a good deal on my book and 
training course, as well as information about my latest activities. Use coupon
Papasmurf for $15 off!



----- Original Message ----
From: Mats Holmberg <mats.holmberg at 2me.fi>
To: bf-blender developers <bf-committers at blender.org>
Sent: Fri, July 9, 2010 11:10:14 AM
Subject: Re: [Bf-committers] Proposal to Remove Features

I guess the problem with fields nowadays is that they aren't really needed. I 
use Blender for creating TV-commercials, all in standard resolution PAL format, 
but have never used fields for anything. The biggest reason for this is that 
fields are quite useless when compositing, and compositing is involved in my 
every single project. The end result is always interlaced, but that doesn't mean 
field rendering has to be used. Progressive source material works better just 
about always in my experience.

-mats