HLS Suggestion - Scripting Information Page

[timon]

I was just making a spread sheet for "This is Halloween NBC" listing all of the parts, lyrics and timecode when I was thinking "Wouldn't this be something nice to have right inside the editor". So here is my idea for a "Scripting Information Page" or SIP for short.

The SIP would be tied to time markers you could place at any point in the song. You could even create the SIP up front then connect sections to the song. The SIP contains various pieces of information such as Lyrics, Character parts and other as needed information. The SIP could be user extendable if needed.

Using the SIP you could go through the song, mark the beginnings key sections of the song so finding them during editing would be faster. Take for example singing props, using SIP you could break up the song, using Lyric sheets easily pulled from the internet, into manageable parts then using the SIP click on a entry and have the editor index you directly to the beginning of that area. This would make creating singing parts much easier to manage.

The SIP window would normally be left up all the time. If you have a multiple monitor system it could be pushed off to another window. Any time you want to jump within the song to a index point you just click on an entry in the SIP window. Also, as you move through the song the current section your in would highlight in the SIP window.

This is just a quick stab on how the SIP could be useful we'll just have to see if others agree that this might be useful or if I'm all wet.

One thing for sure is that if added HLS would be totally unique.

John

[timon]

Just thought I'd add what the XML file might look like.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<SIPConfiguration SIPConfigurationFileVersioin="01">

<entries>

<name>Narrator</name>
<startCentisecond>20000</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>23010</endCentisecond>
<Lyrics>Twas a long time ago longer now than it seems in a place that perhaps you've seen in your dreams</Lyrics>
<Props>Pumpkin 1</Props>

</entries>

<entries>

<name>Narrator</name>
<startCentisecond>23150</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>23610</endCentisecond>
<Lyrics>For the story that you are about to be told, took place in the holiday worlds of old</Lyrics>
<Props>Pumpkin 1</Props>

</entries>

<entries>

<name>Narrator</name>
<startCentisecond>24150</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>24610</endCentisecond>
<Lyrics>Now, you've probably wondered where holidays come from</Lyrics>
<Props>Pumpkin 1</Props>

</entries>

<entries>

<name>Narrator</name>
<startCentisecond>25150</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>25610</endCentisecond>
<Lyrics>If you haven't, I'd say it's time you begun</Lyrics>
<Props>Pumpkin 1</Props>

</entries>

<entries>

<name>Shadow</name>
<startCentisecond>26150</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>26610</endCentisecond>
<Lyrics>Boys and girls of every age</Lyrics>
<Props>Monster 1</Props>

</entries>

<entries>

<name>Shadow</name>
<startCentisecond>27150</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>27610</endCentisecond>
<Lyrics>Wouldn't you like to see something strange?</Lyrics>
<Props>Monster 1</Props>

</entries>

</SIPConfiguration>

[JHinkle]

Nice idea - I'll do it.

Joe

[timon]

Wow, that's great

Originally I thought of only a start time but having start and end is much better. Anytime the cursor is within a timing slot that entry gets highlighted.

I'd have user definable fields so the user can define what they want to display. The name and time are the only required fields.

While I was sequencing this afternoon I realized that being able to not only select by time but by cells you can then use it with multiple voices which are overlapping. So for example I could select the time range around the cells for my singing pumpkin and that would be one entry along with an overlaping selection of a monster. You can really document your sequence which makes it easy to code. This is easy because your only selecting time and cells and not the data within the cells.

Now there are only 3 things slowing me down in switching.

1) Import and Export, mainly import, to LOR S3 format.

2) Using a video file. When you add this keep the ability yo see the audio wave form unlike LOR where you can't see it. Also keep the scrubbing. Seeing the video during scrubbing would be nice but it's not a show stopper if you don't.

3) Being able to use the props I've created for the LOR S3 visualizer. BTW, I really like the way LOR did their vislizer interface in that they made it a separate program and useing IP network to send data to it. That way you can run the visualizer on another computer and not slow down your sequencing computer.

I'm going to have too try this under wine on the Mac although a real Mac port would be supper cool

[timon]

Here is an update possible XML file with rows selection added. The only issue doing it this way is if you add sections then this has to be updated as well. There may be other way such as linking this ability to only grouped items. but as I said this is just an example.

In this example it's assumed that rows 1 through 8 are the 8 channels for a HolidayCoro Singing Pumpkin.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<SIPConfiguration SIPConfigurationFileVersioin="01">

<entries>

<name>Narrator</name>
<startCentisecond>20000</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>23010</endCentisecond>
<startRow>1</startRow>
<endRow>8</endRow>
<Lyrics>Twas a long time ago longer now than it seems in a place that perhaps you've seen in your dreams</Lyrics>
<Props>Pumpkin 1</Props>

</entries>

<entries>

<name>Narrator</name>
<startCentisecond>23150</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>23610</endCentisecond>
<startRow>1</startRow>
<endRow>8</endRow>
<Lyrics>For the story that you are about to be told, took place in the holiday worlds of old</Lyrics>
<Props>Pumpkin 1</Props>

</entries>

<entries>

<name>Narrator</name>
<startCentisecond>24150</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>24610</endCentisecond>
<startRow>1</startRow>
<endRow>8</endRow>
<Lyrics>Now, you've probably wondered where holidays come from</Lyrics>
<Props>Pumpkin 1</Props>

</entries>

<entries>

<name>Narrator</name>
<startCentisecond>25150</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>25610</endCentisecond>
<startRow>1</startRow>
<endRow>8</endRow>
<Lyrics>If you haven't, I'd say it's time you begun</Lyrics>
<Props>Pumpkin 1</Props>

</entries>

<entries>

<name>Shadow</name>
<startCentisecond>26150</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>26610</endCentisecond>
<startRow>1</startRow>
<endRow>8</endRow>
<Lyrics>Boys and girls of every age</Lyrics>
<Props>Monster 1</Props>

</entries>

<entries>

<name>Shadow</name>
<startCentisecond>27150</startCentisecond>
<endCentisecond>27610</endCentisecond>
<startRow>9</startRow>
<endRow>16</endRow>
<Lyrics>Wouldn't you like to see something strange?</Lyrics>
<Props>Monster 1</Props>

</entries>

</SIPConfiguration>

[JHinkle]

Couple of comments/questions:

1. Keep as independent XML file or keep data within HLS? Independent would allow you to process it outside of HLS. Inside its always part of the sequence.

2. I'm assuming Centisecond means 100th of a sec. Since HLS can also work at .025 and .05 seconds - you will limit your start and stop positions. I suggest .025 - then I'll roll up.

3. Your rows have no meaning in HLS - since rows are just there for you to display and edit your sequence. If the channels are not part of the "Display Group" - there is no meaning. Why rows anyway. I assume by seeing the SIP information be hi-lighted by the audio timeline - you can relate to what channels are affected.

Joe

[Greg in Canby]

Wow, that's great
2) Using a video file. When you add this . . .

So I got turned on to HLS about 72 hours ago, trying to catch up . . . so did somebody say VIDEO??

I'm in.

Greg

End hijack.

[JHinkle]

I can do a AVI file on a PixelPlane - but the resolution is LOW.

Joe

[timon]

Couple of comments/questions:

1. Keep as independent XML file or keep data within HLS? Independent would allow you to process it outside of HLS. Inside its always part of the sequence.

Once you start using it inside of HLS then there is not much you can do outside of it. You might want to be able to import or export the information.

2. I'm assuming Centisecond means 100th of a sec. Since HLS can also work at .025 and .05 seconds - you will limit your start and stop positions. I suggest .025 - then I'll roll up.

I'll leave this to you as I was just using some XML ideas from a LOR S3 sequence. So I think that .025 is fine. Thinking about this some more you might want to use minutes:seconds.fraction, i.e., "03:12.025", so it's easier to read and possibly edit. If someone edited the file and put in say "03:12.040 you would just round that to "03:12.050" so nothing would break it would just adjust.

3. Your rows have no meaning in HLS - since rows are just there for you to display and edit your sequence. If the channels are not part of the "Display Group" - there is no meaning. Why rows anyway. I assume by seeing the SIP information be hi-lighted by the audio timeline - you can relate to what channels are affected

My point is to be able to link entries to groups of channels by time. I tend to think of multiple channels grouped together as Props so to me Groups and Props can be treated the same. That way you can link lyrics to different Props/Groups based on the point in the song. This becomes important when vocal parts overlap. I think it's totally reasonable that you link groups and SIP entries.

For example I have 6 singing Props called Pumpkin1, Monster 1 through Monster 4 and Witch 1. Each of these will be singing different parts. As I create notes I would attach them to each of these Props/Groups with the time index into the song.

You might even want to have multiple Props/Groups linked to the same SIP note which should be easy to do. That way it's easier to sequence multiple Props singing the same lyrics.

So I see Time, Title and Groups as the main entries in a SIP with Notes or other information bring just that, information for the user. If importing this you would still have to link the groups.

Sometimes it's easier to take about this instead of messaging back and forth so if you want to brain storm this on the phone I'm happy to do so.

Not back to my sequencing.

John

[Greg in Canby]

I can do a AVI file on a PixelPlane - but the resolution is LOW.

Joe

I'm kind of hoping to use a projector for both Christmas AND Halloween, should the option ever present itself.
Greg