Download
Compatible with Windows, OSX and Linux. Requires a webcam.
Download FaceToPin (cross platform), the oscP5 library and the relevant version of Kyle McDonald’s FaceOSC for your OS. (Download Processing too if you need to.)
Installation and Use
1. Unzip FaceToPin to a folder in your Processing library. Make sure the folder is named “FaceToPin” — otherwise, Processing won’t be able to find it in the Sketchbook. Install oscP5 the same way, but nest it within an additional folder called “libraries” — i.e. Processing/libraries/oscP5/.
2. Run FaceOSC and make sure it’s tracking your face. Good lighting really seems to help.
3. Launch Processing, and open FaceToPin by going to File -> Sketchbook -> FaceToPin.
3. Press the “Play” button to start recording.
4. Run the resulting JSX script (Processing/FaceToPin/scripts/AEscript.jsx) inside After Effects to import the data into a new comp.
25 comments
John Wise says:
Aug 9, 2012
Don’t know yet, just found the site, just read about the app, hoping to get really excited!
Victoria says:
Aug 9, 2012
Site’s still under construction… I’ll let you know when it’s all ready to go! 🙂 All the info that’s up at the moment applies to the version that’s currently available, but the new one that’s in development is dramatically easier to work with.
John Wise says:
Aug 14, 2012
FYI re: FaceToPin; There is a missing library called oscP5 available from http://www.sojamo.de/libraries/oscP5/ that has to be installed for FaceToPin to work.
Under Windows 7 the default Sketchbook directory link in My Documents will not work for me, I must point the directory to the Processing directory, where I must also then copy the FaceToPin directory. I’ve tried nearly every other possibility.
The only resulting JSX script I find is not a resulting script, but the one that is already installed in the FaceToPin/scripts directory – maybe I’m dense, but I assumed that this had to be dragged into my AE/scripts/scriptsUI folder, well that doesn’t work.
Looking forward to working with FaceToPin, with a little help or how about one of Victoria’s famous tutorials?
Victoria says:
Aug 15, 2012
Thanks for the heads-up about oscP5! I’ll add that to the instructions.
Odd you’re having trouble with the Sketchbook directory setup… I’m on Win7 and it works for me. You should be able to choose the library folder in your Preferences. FaceToPin should be in a self-named folder, while oscP5 needs to be inside an additional folder called “libraries” within the main Processing Sketchbook folder.
Run the JSX FaceToPin generates by going to File -> Scripts -> Run Script… — it’s not a UI Panel.
And I’m still figuring out the best way to use the data this generates… after the new version of K2P is done this is the next project. 🙂
nicolas says:
Sep 9, 2012
Hello
I have exactly the same problem as John, everything works fine except at the end, the resulting JSX script is the one that is already installed… i really don’t know why… (OS X 10.8.1 , Mountain Lion).
A little help would be appreciated.
Victoria says:
Sep 9, 2012
Hmm. It should be overwriting that script each time you record. Try deleting or moving it and see if it generates a new one.
nicolas says:
Sep 9, 2012
Victoria thanks for your prompt answer… i’ve already been doing that and unfortunately it cannot generates a new one the “scripts” directory is empty at the end of process…
Nick says:
Sep 9, 2012
OK–there seem to have been three things going on:
1. I didn’t package the OSC library together with the FaceToPin source. It’s there now.
2. There was a bug where if you tried to record a script without having your face already locked on, it would crash. That’s fixed.
3. You need to press space to start and stop recording the script. I added a note when it starts up.
nicolas says:
Sep 9, 2012
WOW PERFECT ! it works perfectly now ! Nick and Victoria thanks for your precious help that has been really pretty fast…
Frank Hand says:
Oct 5, 2012
On OSX 10.6.8 I’m having the same problem as Nicolas above. Everything works fine as far as point “3. Launch Processing, and open FaceToPin by going to File -> Sketchbook -> FaceToPin.”
When I click PLAY the following message appears…
2012-10-05 20:02:18.705 java[5760:1507] Can’t open input server /Library/InputManagers/LCC Scroll Enhancer Loader
2012-10-05 20:02:19.830 java[5760:1507] Cannot find executable for CFBundle 0x1244d50 (not loaded)
java: OpenScripting.framework – scripting addition “/Library/ScriptingAdditions/LCC Scroll Enhancer Loader.osax” declares no loadable handlers.
Soon afterwards I a set of numbers appears for mouth, blink, nose etc. But if I now click STOP and then SAVE, I see ‘Done Saving’ but the original Aescript.jsx file is not overwritten.
Nick says:
Oct 5, 2012
Try updating Java using System Update.
Frank Hand says:
Oct 8, 2012
Hi Nick, there is no update available on Software Update.
I have run Java Preferences and it is showing Java SE 6 version 1.6.0_35-b10-428. Is there a later version?
Frank Hand says:
Oct 8, 2012
Nick, do I first need to “Export Application” in Processing and open the FaceToPin standalone application?
If I do this I get the little graphic showing the cartoon face. When I press Space this goes red. When I press Space again the interface disappears. But the AEscript.jsx file is still not overwritten.
Victoria says:
Oct 10, 2012
Hmmm. It should work without compiling. We’re looking into it. (Sorry I can’t be more helpful — I’m on a Windows machine and it works fine for me.)
Nick says:
Oct 11, 2012
Don’t click “stop” in Processing–hit space again to save.
Frank Hand says:
Oct 11, 2012
Bingo! Thanks, Nick!
Menno says:
Oct 31, 2012
Is there a tutorial of FaceToPin app.
Tutorial with steps from kinect tot aplly to character would be very helpful for me.
Victoria says:
Nov 1, 2012
We’re still working on this one — it’s a lot more experimental than KinectToPin at the moment. Figuring out the rigging and getting a proper tutorial up are the next steps. 🙂
Menno says:
Nov 23, 2012
I’m a student Media & entertainment management in the Netherlands. Currently I’m doing an internship. For the company I built a character I already got it moving, thanks to you, but now it looks silly, because you hear the talking, but the mouth still isn’t moving.
How did you do that?
Victoria says:
Dec 3, 2012
I’d love to see the character you built! 🙂
The mouth animation is done by converting the audio waveform amplitude to keyframes and using that data to control how open the mouth is. There are also tools like Auto Lip Sync that can do more complex variations on this method.
Fredrik says:
Apr 21, 2013
Hello, everything works great for me but when i go into After Effects – File – Scripts – Run Script file – AEscript (The script i just recorded) i cant seem to view my result, here is a picture of my AE when i imported the script http://i.imgur.com/uWxMFmb.png
I would really appreciate some help on this
Victoria says:
Apr 21, 2013
Looks like the data is off to the side. You should be able to move the red nulls inside the comp to see it. It just imports data with reference nulls — you have to attach it to elements of a face.
Nick says:
Apr 21, 2013
Thanks for sending a clear snapshot–try selecting all the nulls and dragging them until they’re visible in the comp window.
Andy says:
Sep 16, 2014
i really want to try this for a project i am working on. a step by step tutorial to get this to work would be great!
Victoria says:
Sep 16, 2014
This is experimental code. Recording in a format After Effects can use should work fine, but how best to use the data is up to you.