Please, someone can help me with this? Enter, following two characters at the same time and exit

Good morning everyone, since yesterday I’ve been struggling with this.

I would like my characters to enter at the same time, for the camera to follow them from zone 1 to zone 3, while they are simulating that they talk to each other and exits.

But I have certain drawbacks:

  1. When I’m reviewing the scene on my cell phone, they enter but one covers the other. I would like to appreciate both characters (that one is almost next to the other.)

  2. I’ve searched other threads, and tried the codes for the following commands, but always ends up following one.

  3. The same as the first case, but it would be for the exiting.

This is the last modification I made to my script, and it doesn’t work as I want. I have tried several things. :frowning:

EXT. CAMPUS GARDEN - DAY

@MEGAN enters from left to upscreen left AND ERNESTO enters from left to upscreen left
@MEGAN walks to upscreen right in zone 3 AND MEGAN does it while walk_talk_happy_loop AND ERNESTO walks to upscreen right in zone 3 AND ERNESTO does it while walk_talk_happy_loop
@MEGAN exits right AND ERNESTO exits right

Hi.
First I’d like to point out that even if this is still possible when using location commands, it’s much easier to do it if you use spot directing.
The reason it looks like they’re covering each other is because they actually stand the exact same position and on the same layer. By layering them and then adding different walking time - having one walking a tad bit slower or faster than the other - you can make it look like they’re walking next to each other rather than on top of one another,
ex (the times are just randomly made up)
EXT. CAMPUS GARDEN - DAY
@MEGAN enters from left to upscreen left in 2.0 AND ERNESTO enters from left to upscreen left in 2.3
@MEGAN walks to upscreen right in zone 3 in 4.0 AND MEGAN does it while walk_talk_happy_loop AND ERNESTO walks to upscreen right in zone 3 in 4.2 AND ERNESTO does it while walk_talk_happy_loop
@MEGAN exits right in 2.0 AND ERNESTO exits right in 2.0

But it will look unsmooth and because they’re destinated location’s the same they’ll at times uninvetably overlap.

If I were you - and I’d still want to go with location and not spot directing - I’d use & instead of @ and AND, and add proper pauses.

ex
EXT. CAMPUS GARDEN - DAY
&MEGAN enters from left to upscreen left in 2.0
&ERNESTO enters from left to upscreen left in 2.5
@pause for 2.0 <— pausing for the time it takes MEGAN to use her destination
&pan to zone 3 in 7.0 <— don’t forget to add a pan to zone 3 or the character’s will just walk out of view.
&MEGAN walks to upscreen right in zone 3 in 5.0 AND MEGAN does it while walk_talk_happy <—MEGAN continues walking her second walk while ERNESTO still is on his first
@pause for 0.5
&ERNESTO walks to upscreen right in zone 3 in 5.0 AND ERNESTO does it while walk_talk_happy
@pause for 2.5
&MEGAN exits right in 2.0
@pause for 0.5
&ERNESTO exits right in 2.0

<3

Hi HappyDaisy! :slight_smile: Thank you very much for taking the time to answer. At the moment the fusion of both codes is working for me, but both the enter and the exit look strange… I’ve been modifying the numbers to see if I can get the correct configuration.

EXT. CAMPUS GARDEN - DAY
&pan to zone 2 in 5.0
@MEGAN enters from left to screen left AND ERNESTO enters from left to screen left in 1.6
@MEGAN walks to screen right in zone 2 in 6.0 AND MEGAN does it while walk_talk_happy_loop AND ERNESTO walks to screen right in zone 2 in 6.6 AND ERNESTO does it while walk_talk_happy_loop
@MEGAN exits right in 1.0 AND ERNESTO exits right in 1.0

does anyone here want to be in my writing group

2 Likes

Happy to help. :smile:

The reason it looks strange is probably due to the distance they walk those times being shorter than the time I randomly made up. To make it smooth you need to find the right pace for the whole walk.
Usually I have about about 4.0 when I want a character to cross one zone into the next at a regular walk speed, so 8.0 to pass all zones, but it depends on at what speed/style I want the characters to walk in. The more time you give the characters to reach their destination the slower they’ll walk. For instance running needs to be faster and if I want them to walk tiredly I make the time frame longer. Each animation also has its own time set to take into consideration.

Paning between zones usually goes faster than it takes for a character to walk from one zone to the next so the time frame for it needs to be longer - the pan being slowed down - or it will rush ahead from the characters, making their walking happen out of sight.
The reason for this is that the pan starts from the middle of the screen instead of from the side like the characters do. That’s why I put the pan to begin after the characters has made the first walk instead of at the start of the scene. You can of course put it at the start if you prefer that, but then you need to take that into consideration with the time frame of the pan and make it even slower. But the risk with that is that the pan then becomes too slow and has the characters catching up on it, and ends up getting behind the characters instead.

Having multiple things happening at the same time is a delicate balance act without end, but with a bit of experimenting I’m sure you’ll get it. It would be easier if you learned spot directing though. Then you wouldn’t have to do all those pauses. I’d really recommend it.

<3

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Thanks HappyDaisy!

In certain parts of my story I used the spot, but it get difficult for me when the character is in motion. Especially when I want the male character to look taller.

As for the current problem, I had to cut the paning so that the enter and the exit were not visible. It looks better this way, since the characters entered, they stopped for a second and then kept walking.

By the way, I want to give you credits in the scene. Which is your Instagram?

I actually don’t have one for this purpose (yet), but if you want to credit my username should do. :relaxed:

Okay, I understand,
But it’s actually then that spot directing should suit you the best. When you use location all characters automatically become the size that’s been pre coded. With spot directing you decide what size the characters should be yourself. So if you want the male character to be a head taller than the girl you make him larger but keep the same longitude and position.

ex
EXT. CAMPUS GARDEN - DAY
&MEGAN spot 1.280 -63 0 in zone 1 at layer 1 THEN MEGAN walks to spot 1.280 429 0 in zone 3 in 7.0 AND MEGAN does it while walk_talk_happy
@pause for 0.5
<— a pause to give MEGAN a small head start
&ERNESTO spot 1.320 -63 0 in zone 1 at layer 2 THEN ERNESTO walks to spot 1.320 429 0 in zone 3 in 7.0 AND ERNESTO does it while walk_talk_happy
&pan to zone 3 in 7.5
@pause for 7.5

Less messy. :wink:

<3

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OMG! It worked just as I wanted! THANK YOU HAPPYDAISY! THANK YOU VERY MUCH! :heart_eyes:

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