Celestia Forums

Hi all,

I am posting here because I need some help to create a script to control the ship/camera to record some footage for a film I am making. A group of friends and myself are an amateur film making group that makes films as a hobby. We are a non-commercial, non profit group that makes films as I said above as a hobby and for fun.

We are making a film that requires a space scene. I have tried to describe below the kind of image or shot we are looking for. We chose to use Celestia as we are trying to make the film with open source software as much as possible. Another reason for us to use Celestia is that we like the quality of the images and movies that Celestia can create.

We have emailed Chris Laurel about using Celestia for this purpose and he has given us permission.

The shot we are looking for is starting right out of the galaxy so that the milky way is all but a small speck of light in the middle of the screen. The camera then flies/zooms in slowly into the milky way and keeps going until it reaches earth. Once at earth it continues to zoom in until the screen whites out from being zoomed into the planets surface.

Is there anyway I can create a script that will allow me to do this to get the movement smooth.

Anyone who helps will be credited for their work in the credits of the film. Also if you wish I can email or post updates here about the project. We will hopefully have a website online soon for the film which I will post the link to here so that people can check the project out.

Thanks for your help and I looking forward to hearing ideas.

What about this script you will find at the Celestia Motherlode:

http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/show_addon_details.php?addon_id=91

Marco

Thanks for the reply. I like the section where it zooms right in to the planet above Florida, however I would like the camera to start right out of the Milky Way and travel in to Earth then zoom to the planets surface. I am not sure if this is possible or not as I am new to Celestia but any suggestions would be great.

While I like some of the shots in the add-on you posted Mario, I would like a shot without information text and name labels popping up. For the film we need a clean shot. Also the add-on license is described as private use so I am not sure I would be allowed to use it.

Thanks for the suggestion as it has given me some ideas. If you have any other ideas or suggestions I would love to hear them as it expands my knowledge and thoughts of what I want the final scene to look like.

Thanks again.

Hi Jonny

Welcome to this forum

Maybe you don't need a script

Try this
- launch Celestia. You are in front of the earth
- press the "end" key until the Milky Way has the required size.
- begin recording
- press the "home" key util you are close enough of the Earth
- stop recording.


If you really need a script have a look here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hse4FophAq4

Here is the original topic on this forum
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9581&start=405#p112624

It is a travel from outside the Milky Way to a place very close above Paris in France.
The quality of the video is very poor but fairly demonstrative.
The only need I had to make a script was to control automatically the display of the clouds and to have a slower speed when very close to the surface of the Earth. I join the original script to this post. If you find it useful, your may adapt it freely.

Hi jogad,

Thanks its great to be part of this community. Everyone is so helpful and friendly which is brilliant.

Thanks for the suggestion. I will certainly try this out. If however I find I need a script do I have your permission to take your script make any alterations as necessary and use the output in the film.

Thanks again.

jonny wrote:If however I find I need a script do I have your permission to take your script make any alterations as necessary and use the output in the film.

jogad wrote:If you find it useful, your may adapt it freely.

Of course the original script was made for a particular purpose (and for a particular starting point) and you must modify it for your own usage.

Hi jogad,

Yeah sorry I know I put my brain wasn't in gear so to speak. I am so used to having to ask permission before using as some software and scripts.

I will however add you to the credits along with Marco for the help you have provided.