F-Curve or Track Based Animation Control?

I’m really just a noob looking for pointers on how to play commands to a Maestro from timeline-base control similar to most animation programs. I have After Effects and Cinema4D but I’m new to Python so any tips on sending data from a track based timeline out to serial would be a big help!

Here’s some (rather long) back story:
I work in motion graphics and on occasion we produce spots that feature cereal and milk being poured into bowls. Our original method of “winging it” was very imprecise and lead to lots of time lost on multiples takes then reviewing playback on every. single. take. until we “got it”.

I took matters into my own hands, did some research and (using the Micro Maestro and a few servos) was able to set up sequences to automate my needs. Now I have the cereal falling out of the box into a bowl at just the right angle in the perfect amount of time! Every time! If the director calls for a faster pour, I change the acceleration and everything else still works! But timing milk is a different story… well really it’s just back to my wasting time story.

What I need is a way to easily shift the timing of the movements for each servo. If it was timeline based, with a track for each channel, I could easily slide the keys for that servo’s track (i.e. run the move once and easily correct the timing for take two). Using powerful software such as Cinema4D or After Effects seems a bit overkill but it would allow me to work with an interface I’m used to.

Thanks for reading all that! If you can help me at all I’d really appreciate it! :smiley:

Hello.

Using servos and a Maestro sounds like a neat solution to your problem. I am not familiar with the “Cinema4D” or “Alter Effects” software. If you can explain what you want the servos to do, I might be able to offer some suggestions.

-Brandon