I've made 2 more flipbooks and learned some more during the process that I want to share with those of you who might like to try this. I'm also including 2 short 10 second videos (mpeg-4) of the final 2 flipbooks.
Original Flipbook: http://www.instructables.com/id/Handmade_Flipbook/
Original Flipbook: http://www.instructables.com/id/Handmade_Flipbook/
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Nothing much changed in how I obtained the individual frames from the video - please see my other instructable ( http://www.instructables.com/id/Handmade_Flipbook/ ) for how this was done.
(I'm also testing out some free software to do the video frame grabs and create the individual framed images shown here. As soon as I find some that works, I'll post another instructable showing you how to use it.)
Just a summary: I used Pinnacle 12 to grab individual frames from a 3.5 seconds worth of video. I've found that a once inch tall stack of images is about 90-100 pictures - anything thicker than 1 inch and the flip effect just isn't that great unless you get really good at sliding your thumb back as you flip... experimentation seems to indicate a stack no thicker than the length measured from the tip of your thumb to the first joint works best.
After grabbing the individual frames, the first time-consuming portion starts - pulling each image into my graphics software (I use Flash to take advantage of layers, but you might also look at Inkscape - free OpenSource software that supports layers and exports to JPEG). When done, you'll have a large collection like this...
(I'm also testing out some free software to do the video frame grabs and create the individual framed images shown here. As soon as I find some that works, I'll post another instructable showing you how to use it.)
Just a summary: I used Pinnacle 12 to grab individual frames from a 3.5 seconds worth of video. I've found that a once inch tall stack of images is about 90-100 pictures - anything thicker than 1 inch and the flip effect just isn't that great unless you get really good at sliding your thumb back as you flip... experimentation seems to indicate a stack no thicker than the length measured from the tip of your thumb to the first joint works best.
After grabbing the individual frames, the first time-consuming portion starts - pulling each image into my graphics software (I use Flash to take advantage of layers, but you might also look at Inkscape - free OpenSource software that supports layers and exports to JPEG). When done, you'll have a large collection like this...
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On some flip book Instructables commenters suggested tapering the width, narrow to wide from front to back. At the printers, this can be done with the cutter by shifting the images at an angle and then trimming the right hand edge. Try it with cheap paper cards first to see if it works right for you.
I would use virtual dub to export the frames (ww.virtualdub.org). Just open up your video in virtual dub and you can hit file>export>image sequence. Export as a targa file. (Targa is the best format for processing in the next step, but if you dont have photoshop just export as a jpg.)
Now, open photoshop and then open one of your frames of video. Create an action. (http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/03/07/how-to-create-photoshop-actions/) Click on image>canvas size. Use canvas size to add the borders on your image.
Now in photoshop go to file>automate>batch. In the play section select the action you just created. In the source section select "folder" then click "choose" and select the folder you exported the targa files to. Then in the destination section select folder as the destination and choose another folder (not the folder that is full of your targa files). Click ok and that will add borders to all of your images. You will have to add numbers by hand or find some other way to number your images.
Now we need to convert the targa files to jpg. I would use irfanview (www.irfanview.com). Open irfanview. Click file>batch conversion/rename. Make sure batch conversion is checked in the top left corner. Browse to the folder with your targa files with borders and click the "add all" button. In the "batch conversion settings" box select jpg. Now select a folder in the "output directory for result files" (not either of the folders full of targa files). Click start batch and it will process all of your files.
You should end up with a folder full of jpgs with bordes.