Exporting to layered image sequences? Ideal format for exporting image sequences?

[Michael Chandy Thomson]

Two questions, sorry. 

Is it possible to have OpenToonz export multiple outputs into a single file such as OpenEXR or layered TIFF?

For example in Blender many people have different passes which they render to OpenEXR files. One pass will have the entire render, one pass the specular lighting, and one pass for each object's alpha or stand-alone render. I'm not too sure how it works myself.

I ask because I want to composite externally so I require multiple render passes for glass objects and their contents within. I just learned OpenToonz has a way for multiple outputs so I was wondering if they could all be put in an OpenEXR file or layered TIFF (though it seems that layered TIFFs are Adobe proprietary or something).

Lemme know if it's possible, I don't require it but I am curious.

The second question is what file format do you render to for image sequences. I used to use PNG but lots of Blender artists were recommending OpenEXR, 'cos of its multiple passes and no/little compression which made it quicker to work with.

Since I do 2D animation, I found that TIFF was a nice format to use and much quicker than PNG.

But I'm wondering if there's perhaps another format I should use, if so why? Also, for what purpose would one export to OpenEXR if not able to use multiple passes, etc.

[Rodney]

Hi,

This is one of those questions that can be answered, "Yes, but..."

Opentoonz has the ability to output multiple 'layers' but doesn't currently have the abiity to render out those layers into formats that store multiple images such as OpenEXR and TIFF.

There is an exception with PSD format but I've not found that particularly userful as it does have some quirks.  We could examine why these formats aren't yet supported in that capacity (such as that OpenEXR was only recently added to Opentoonz and only the most basic set of options has been added at this point... making it more of a upgraded PNG format)

Opentoonz can easily output layers (that is to say columns from the xsheet) to many formats for use with compositing so you could add a step in your pipeline to composite and extract from your preferred format when moving files into and out of Opentoonz.

The two main ways to output multiple 'layers' from Opentoonz is:

- Via Output Settngs near the bottom there is a Multiple Rendering option that allows for all the 'layers' of a scene to be output separately.

- Via File Export > Export Open Cel Animation (OCA) each 'layer' will be output separately (Options are PNG, OpenEXR and SVG - for vector levels if we don't want them output as raster)

The OCA format is still new and being developed for use in many programs and as such for now will only output the frames without animation and effects.

If we want to 'burn in' the animation/motion and any effects we'd want to use the Output Settings Multiple Rendering.

OCA will only output unique frames, so if we have drawings exposed on 4s it will only output the first of the four.

Output Settings Multiple Render will render out every frame in the scene (or as entired into Output Settings)

OpenEXR appears to be the format we'd like to get to as most don't realize the potential for advanced TIF usage.

In the short term I'd say PNG sequence are the way to go using Output Settings Multiple Rendering

This will automatically name the output sequences with the name of the column appended which can be useful for stitching the layered sequence together via compositing in any reasonable compositing program.

Opentoonz itself is quite good at composoting so most of that compositing could be done in Opentoonz and then final frames exported as appropriate.

Keep in mind that Opentoonz native formats of toonz raster (TLV) and vector (PLI) store frames per level so if you layer your shots using the same level all those 'layers' can be in one file in the same way as Open EXR or layered TIF... and multilayered vector.

There are many options here so it can be hard to lock down a specific workflow.

Knowing more about your current project and workflow will certainly help but given the current question that's what comes to mind.

- Rodney

[Michael Chandy Thomson]

Hello, thanks for the quick reply!

Thank you for sharing this information, it's really helpful. I'd like to ask a few more questions but I'll look in the docs a little more and try to give a few examples of what I'm trying to achieve.