[Bf-vfx] Blender data, big picture

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi,

Here's notes I wrote in gsoc review days, suggestion for Blender work  
Sergey can do. There's no libmv specific info, this is (was) unknown  
for now. Dark matter, but fits in design :)

(Note: in Blender we separate ID data from 'indirect' data. The first  
has option to be linked and used everywhere, appended/linked from  
files, used in nodes, etc).

Tracker integration

1) New ID: MovieClip
- better definition of how sequence of images works
- ffmpg movie file support
- proxy level support (like 4k -> HD)
- proxy level with files as well as making levels in memory
- optimized for real time playback

- Here tracking points (markers) can be stored, track paths, fcurves,  
whatever structs needed for libmv refining as well
- 3d camera info stored? Lens (un)deform info
- Need good mapping from marker results to blender scene data  
(objects, drivers?)
- Solve how to work with masks here

(reasoning why markers are not "ID": mostly because it's fully tied to  
a movie clip itself, no sharing is required. Via MovieClip ID markers  
can be addressed and used).

Future:
- allow MovieClips in sequencer
- MovieClip node in compositor
- Allow type "From composite tree"
   (stores or links node tree)

2) New editor: SpaceClip

- links to MovieClips
- allow realtime playback of clips
   (could become "Render -> Play Anim" as well)
- Design region UI for libmv options, track point editing, solving,  
filters, etc
- Manage & edit markers, masks
- Various display options, like to see 3d scene in back blended/ 
overlayed

Future:
- Color grading options!
   - extract pixel-masks from movieclip (various color formulas)
   - use such masks for effects... via nodes? layers?

To think over:
- Painting here, or in Image window?
   How to manage paint-on-sequence (fast)
   Tracking paint strokes...

(reasoning why new editor: more practical for this experimental stage,  
also allows to create a full tracker-workflow unique UI layout without  
ugly modes in other editors).

3) New Image options:
- Procedural image type "video stream" -> allow playback of connected  
video device (video texture)
   (no paint allowed, not for textures in render)
- Allow image type "From composite tree"
   (stores or links node tree)

4) new ID type CurveMask
- 2D in unified 0-1 space, so it maps everywhere
- editing allowed in compositor, spaceClip, etc
- curveMask compo nodes, texture, sequence strips...


5) Depsgraph
- need a way to solve all dependencies on nodes, images, movies,  
sequence.


-Ton-

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation   ton at blender.org    www.blender.org
Blender Institute   Entrepotdok 57A  1018AD Amsterdam   The Netherlands