ANIMATE YOUR PHOTOS!
I didn't know I could recite Shakespeare. But I
was doing it quite well. My mouth was moving to the words, my eyebrows
moved up and down, my eyes blinked, in fact all of my facial
expressions were fully operation as I recited one of his sonnets. Just
one thing though. It wasn't really me. It wasn't even a video of me.
But it was still me. Actually, it was a picture of me. Somehow, one of
my publicity photographs had been brought to life. There I was,
watching my still photographic image reciting Shakespeare and it was
one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen done on a computer.
The product is called CrazyTalk 3.0 ($49.95) and
if you want to get someone's attention, this is going to do it
especially if you have their photograph handy or can get one.
CrazyTalk is an easy to use software tool that lets you created
animated images from any picture. Using any photograph in your
computer, CrazyTalk first presents the image on the screen and bonds
it to a morphing facial wireframe overlay. You simply define where the
eyes, nose and mouth are located by matching the facial contours to
the wireframe. CrazyTalk can apply over 20 expressions and gestures to
the image. For example. Surprise widens the eyes, raises the eyebrows
and forms the mouth into an oh-shaped opening. Whistle purses the
lips, Crying saddens the eyes and lowers the corners of the mouth.
Once you choose the expressions you want the
picture to convey, you add a voice using any audio recording, or if
that's not available, you can use a phonetically spoken text message
with CrazyTalk's included NaturalVoice text-to-speech ability. Or
record your own voice if you like and use that for an extra-special
personal touch. The audio editor lets you synchronize the spoken words
to the image's mouth and other facial expressions automatically. You
can further fine-tune the results if you are so inclined.
After you have created your talking head, you
can use the included File Manager to organize the files required by
the talking image into one file. The File Manager also includes a
library of other talking images and sound tracks you can insert into
your existing image to further enhance the experience. When your
speaking masterpiece is finished, you can further embellish it by
placing the animate image within one of the included greeting card
designs and add other special effects. CrazyTalk provides what you
need to send the work as an attachment to an email as a self-running
application. The receiver need only extract the file and run it. It
does not require them to have the CrazyTalk application to experience
your animation. It can also be saved as an HTML document to be viewed
within a web browser, and as an .AVI movie.
The CrazyTalk Web Edition version ($79.95) does
all of the above with additional tools that let you incorporate any of
your animated images within your own home page. Anyone surfing to your
web site will be greeted by any of your CrazyTalk animations. The
CrazyTalk ActiveX web component supports all of the more popular
browsers.
With CrazyTalk, you are not limited to just
human heads. CrazyTalk can animate just about anything. Examples I saw
at their web site include talking animals, paintings and even a
talking automobile. Other available library collections of images are
the Animal, Inanimate Object, Americana, Holiday, and Paintings &
Artwork ImagePacks ($14.95 each).
And if you're looking for even more zany
creations that go beyond the talking heads, check out Reallusion's
"It's Me" ($19.95), a program that lets you create fully animated 3D
characters that dance, move and show emotion complete with little
bodies that have your animated head and face on them. The folks at
Reallusion have really come up with something that's easy and fun to
create, while delivering a result that will not be soon forgotten.
Currently available for Windows only.
www.reallusion.com |
