"Kenneth" <kdw### [at] earthlinknet> wrote:
> Thank you! I have a few time-saving 'tools' that I've constructed over the last
> couple of years that I regularly use now in my animations (and that I've been
> *meaning* to post.) The shaking-camera look comes from one such tool, basically
> a random-spline generator--a macro (but designed for animation). I've since
> discovered that it has MANY more uses. It's all over this scene, in various
> places--the contrails, the dipping/turning of the airplane, etc. Sometimes
> modified, sometimes not. In fact, this scene helped me 'optimize' the code for
> it.
>
> The ground is just a B&W satellite image (of Paris!) that I 'colorized', and
> applied to a plane, with some movement of the image_map in z. There are also
> tens of thousands of buildings down there (simple boxes, in random sizes and
> groupings)--which really can't be seen too clearly. But the ground just didn't
> look 'correct' without them--kind of a subliminal detail. I guess.
>
> Ken

This animation keeps drawing me back - I can't stop watching it and studying the
details. Your random spline generator is fascinating because the motion of the
planes is so realistic. What a great example of a cool solution to a problem
that works out so well. (By "Problem," I just mean figuring out how to achieve
the results you want.) I think I enjoy this animation so much for two totally
different reasons. First for its artistic excellence; and secondly but maybe
even more importantly, because we all know that a project of this magnitude
requires so much thought, planning, and ingenious solutions along the way, the
results of which can be "seen" by other POV users just as clearly as the image
itself.

SO... It's very interesting to know more details of how the animation was
created. Please feel free to share more!

Regards,
Dave Blandston

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