Some people here probably have a Lip Sync project back in their minds for a future project some day. Trust me, finding software that works is hard. Get it now while it is still here! The popular Meloware Lip Sync doesn’t work with the new versions of Blender and Python.
After searching high and low, I found a Python script (modified Meloware) that actually works in Blender, with MagPie v0.9
I tried it and it save me MANY hours of manual lip syncing in Blender. A single sentence can have up 50 to 60 IPO curves. Imagine taking about 30 seconds of time to form ONE curve (Bezier curves are a pain in the ass). A complete dialog from one cartoon character can take ages.
Note: There are no easy tutorials for the script, but one mistake crashes it.
So far I learned that the “magpie.mot” file is a default file that you use for all of your Blender projects. Don’t change it. LOOK at it in notepad before you use MagPie. I haven’t figured out where the “Closed” option is (as in a closed mouth on a cartoon).
Also, when using the script, you need to have your keys pre-set. So what I do, is create a generic curve for each Key (0 to 1.0 curve is normal). Do this before 0 seconds or frames.
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One more thing. I use 30fps, so plan I plan on making my final video 30 fps. Mixing speeds will cause no synchronization.
I am not sure if MagPie 0.9 is set for 30 fps or 29.7 fps. I don’t see any way to change it. MagPie pro has this feature, but totally useless in Blender or any script for Blender.
Here’s a Quick animation TEST I did to see how well the Python script works in Blender 2.37, with the latest version of Python installed in Windows XP. My animation is not phonetically correct. For example, the letter ‘B’ would be pronounced as “bah”, bot “BEEEE”. The purpose of the aimation is to see that eack Key is correctly associated with the MagPie list.
I wrote my own ‘Dictionary File’. The one at that website is not correct(magpie2.mot).
If you watched the video, I found some errors, but don’t know Python well enough to fix them.
The letter R and S are swapped.
The letter T key doesn’t register
The “Closed” Key doesn’t register. (For example, Close the mouth)
Without the “Closed” key working, the mouth will hang open.
I could maybe deal with manually adding “T”'s when they occur in the dialog of the cartoon character.
Here’s what I have come up with for Keys, to save time and resources. I condensed them in similar groups (good enough for a cartoon - Better than what I have seen on TV - like Speed Racer):
Key1
AIKNHL
Key2
BP
KEY3
CG
Key4
D
Key5
ESTMV
Key6
F
Key7
OQRUW
Key8
M
Now I will see what I can do to make the “D” into a “closed” key. I’ll make Key9 the closed key (“D”), and use “D” where there is a “T”.
Here’s the latest on LipSync. I created a video of a cartoon head with some dialog.
It took me 10 minutes to place the settings in MagPie and 3 minutes to import it to Blender using the script (type in the numbers), 3 minutes to render 15 seconds to ad audio to video.
To do this clip by hand, with Blender’s interal sliders and curves would have taken HOURS!
I randomly captured a “voice” on my PC with a TV capture card. It so happens to be Dr. Phil.