Oxberry Master Series Animation Stand

Operations Manual

AEG 05/2005
 Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................ 5
Scheduling................................................................................................... 5
Logging In.................................................................................................... 5
The Oxberry Master Series Animation Stand......................................... 7
The Compound Table................................................................................ 7
Platen........................................................................................................... 8
Viewfinder Rack Over................................................................................ 8
Voltage Control and Color Temperature................................................. 8
Backlight...................................................................................................... 9
Determining Correct F‑stop: Light Reading And Wedge Tests.............. 9
Neutral Density Filters.................................................................................. 9
Polarizing Filter............................................................................................. 9
Magazine Torque........................................................................................ 9
Limit Switch................................................................................................ 10
Pot Box....................................................................................................... 10
Film Stock Information ............................................................................. 10
Motion Control Basics.......................................................................... 11
The RunTime Screen................................................................................. 11
Menu Area................................................................................................. 11
Camera Information................................................................................ 11
The RunTime Command Summary......................................................... 14
Operating the Oxberry............................................................................. 19
When you walk in the door...................................................................... 19
Turn That Computer On!.......................................................................... 19
Preparing To Load The Camera.............................................................. 20
Loading The Magazine............................................................................ 21
Threading the Camera............................................................................ 22
Turn the Camera Power On .................................................................. 22
Sample Shoot in the Camera Manual Screen...................................... 23
Pre-Shoot Checklist!.................................................................................. 23
Un‑load Your Film ..................................................................................... 24
Shutting Down the System....................................................................... 25
Programming Compound Shots......................................................... 26
Programming A Compound Move........................................................ 28
Programming Keyframes......................................................................... 28
Setting Tapers............................................................................................ 29
Executing the Shot.................................................................................... 30
Programming a Fade/Dissolve................................................................ 30
Entry Mode................................................................................................ 31
Example Fade/Dissolve............................................................................ 31
Edit Mode.................................................................................................. 32
Saving Data to a Disk............................................................................... 34
Loading Data from a Disk........................................................................ 34
Rotoscoping with the Oxberry............................................................. 35
Getting Started......................................................................................... 35
Frame and Draw....................................................................................... 36
Normalize the Oxberry............................................................................. 36
Glossary...................................................................................................... 37

Oxberry Operations Manual Table of Contents

 Table of Contents
Fig. 1 Oxberry Master Series Animation Stand....................................................7
Fig. 2 Compound Table.........................................................................................7
Fig. 3 Take Up Adjust Box..................................................................................10
Fig. 4 Pot Box.....................................................................................................10
Fig. 5 A & B Wind Film......................................................................................10
Fig. 6 Axes Control.............................................................................................10
Fig. 7 Main Menu Screen.................................................................................... 11
Fig. 8 RunTime Screen........................................................................................12
Fig. 9 The Camera Manual Screen.....................................................................17
Figs. 10 & 11 The Camera Pulley and Belt Assembly.........................................20
Fig. 12 Film Gate Assembly................................................................................20
Fig. 13 Magazine & Camera..............................................................................21
Fig. 14 Film Gate Assembly & Aperture Plate...................................................21
Fig. 15 Magazine & Film Threading..................................................................21
Fig. 16 Camera Threaded...................................................................................22
Fig. 17 Viewfinder with Lamphouse attached.....................................................23
Fig. 18 Normalization Checklist.........................................................................25
Fig. 19 The Program Screen...............................................................................26
Fig. 20 Sample Artwork......................................................................................28
Fig. 21 Positioned Artwork . ..............................................................................29
Fig. 22 Current Move and Position information................................................30
Fig. 23 The Fade/Dissolve Screen......................................................................30

Table of Contents Oxberry Operations Manual

 ...Introduction...
“the Oxberry is the model most animators would choose as a
headstone for their grave.” Byron Grush

Access
Students enrolled in animation intensive programs or independent contracts after
completing one quarter of successful use of the 16mm Bolex camera may use the Oxberry
after satisfactorily completing proficiency training
Proficiency
The Oxberry Proficiency is a three part process requiring two two-hour meetings with
animation staff. It is required that the entire manual has been read before coming to the first
session. The first meeting is a demonstration of the Oxberry by animation staff. The second
meeting requires you to demonstrate that you can properly operate the Oxberry on your
own. The third part of the process is shooting film on the Oxberry with a lab aide present.
You will not be considered proficient until these three steps have been completed.
Scheduling
You and anyone working with you in the lab must be proficient. Contact animation staff to schedule
a proficiency. Regular scheduling should be done through Media Loan. If you need a substantial
amount of time fill out a Media Request form, available from Media Services, and schedule through
animation staff. If you are not going to show up for your scheduled session call Media Loan to
cancel your time. You may lose your scheduled time if you are more than 15 minutes late for your
session. Repeated lateness and or no shows will result in a loss of priviledges. Please be courteous
to your fellow animators and allow everyone the opportunity to use these facilities.
*Late Night Access is available for Com facilities. Fill out the form at the Com Information Office.

Keys
To gain access to the Oxberry room you must always checkout a key from Media Loan prior to your
scheduled time and return it promptly afterwards. Doors must be locked at all times and never be
propped open. The Lab Aide Office has a door that always stays locked. You are required to keep
the main office door closed while using the Oxberry. Do not mess with anything in the lab aide
office or leave garbage out!!! You are financially responsible for the room and its contents. Lost or
stolen keys must be reported immediately to Media Loan and Animation staff.

Logging In
Otherwise known as the lab Bible this binder contains the history of the lab and manuals. Problems,
questions, answers... It’s all there! Make your mark on history by signing in to the Log Book with
your printed name, program, contact info, what you worked on (i.e. sand, cut-out etc.), what
equipment you used, the time you enter and the time you leave the lab. When you log out write
down in detail any problems you might have encountered while working. This is the main form of
communication between you and the staff who maintains and audits the space weekly. Failure to
sign in to the Log Book will result in loss of access.

If you are having problems in the lab...

Do not attempt to unplug or re-wire anything, especially if you think you know what you are
doing. Flip through the Log Book to see if anyone else has experienced the same problem and if
a solution was found. If that fails contact a staff person. Never force any of the components. If
something doesn't fit,budge, move you are doing it wrong. Take a deep breath and start over.

Introduction Oxberry Operations Manual

 ...Introduction...
>Animation Lab Aide Office, COM 311 >Jim Felix, Lib 1805
ext. 6139, [email protected] ext. 6073, [email protected]
>Electronic Media Front Desk, Lib 1501 >Media Loan, Lib 2502
ext. 6270 ext. 6253

>Stephanie Zorn, Lib 1507

ext. 6249, [email protected]

The Oxberry Animation Stand is a compound table system for shooting 2-D animation onto
16mm film. The operating system for the Oxberry uses Spectrum Motion Control Software
to run all camera functions and program table moves.

Some general warnings...

Be careful
The Oxberry is a delicate, old and irreplaceable piece of equipment. Do not use force on any
part of it because you may break it. If a part won’t budge, you’re doing it wrong. Go back and
start over; you probably missed a step.

No Leaning
DO NOT lean on the table. It is tempting to rest your weight on the table and/or shadow board
while working on the camera, but please avoid this impulse! It can put the table out of alignment
or worse break something!

Messy Materials
There is absolutely no messy materials allowed in the Oxberry room at any time. Food, drinks
must be left outside and there is no messy items such as sand, paint, clay, or anything that could
be spilled or clog the gears on the table.

Responsibility- huh?!
When you use this facility you are assuming financial responsibility for the equipment and
surrounding lab aide office. Do not leave keys out, doors propped, leave the lab aide office
open even while you are in the Oxberry room, or leave a mess. When you use the Oxberry you
are also responsible for making sure the lab aide office door is closed at all times.

No food or drinks
It’s not a restaurant... Leave all foodstuffs outside of the lab aide office. Please be courteous of
 The Oxberry Master Series Animation Stand
The Oxberry Master Series Animation Stand (fig.
1) is composed of four major components: 16mm
film camera, a motor-controlled compound
table, color temperature controlled lighting and a
computer control system. The Oxberry is used for
creating film titles, travelling mattes, rotoscoping
and of course filming 2D animation.

cAMERA
The camera exposes film one frame at a time,
allowing animation to be shot in “ones”, “twos”,
“threes” or however many frames are set as the
Step Rate. Mounted below the camera is a
Shadow Board which prevents excess light from
bouncing off of the table and artwork up into
the lens. The shadow board is equipped with a
mount for Neutral Density filters or any filters you
choose to use.

Zoom Column
The camera is mounted on an adjustable zoom
that can be controlled by the motion control
system for smooth zooming in and out. The focus is
automatically adjusted during a zoom operation.
The home, or normalized, position for the Zoom
axis can be checked by using the field Reference
Column and Counter which are located on the
column at the left rear of the stand.

cOMPOUND tABLE
The Compound Table (fig. 2) is where artwork Fig. 1 Oxberry Master Series Animation Stand
is placed for filming. The image area of the
compound table is in the center of the table, aligned directly under the camera lens. The compound
table is controlled by the Registration Pins
motion control system to pan
or rotate artwork. The top and
bottom peg bars (fig. 2) can
be operated independently Peg Bars
of each other using the Pot
Box (fig. 4) to create pans. The
table can be moved in the
North/South and East/West Platen
directions as well as perform
rotations. Together with the
zoom operation, these functions
can all be programmed with N
the motion control system to W E
animate complex camera and S
table movements precisely. Fig. 2 Compound Table

Oxberry Operations Manual 7 The Oxberry Master Series Animation Stand

Registration Peg bARS
On the north and south sides of the image area are two peg bars containing sets of three registration
pins that correspond to the Acme Punch System.

Platen
The platen is an optically clear glass set in a frame (fig. 2) used to keep 2D artwork flat while shooting.
Clean the glass surface of the platen before positioning your artwork. Extreme care must be taken
to keep the glass free from scratches. Always clean in an east‑west direction using the glass cleaner
and white photo wipes supplied in the lab.

Do not attempt to remove the platen alone, schedule time with a lab aide! This will knock the table
out of alignment and ruin future shooting sessions. Even worse this could also break the platen.

Viewfinder Rack Over

In order to know the relationship of the artwork to the camera the viewfinder must be positioned
over the lens or racked over. The camera has a prism viewing system makes racked over viewing
possible.

Artwork can be viewed two ways: with the lamphouse in place which will project guidelines over
the artwork, or by removing the lamphouse and viewing the image directly through the ground
glass. Viewing through the ground glass will present the image right-side up and backwards. When
viewing through the ground glass the diopter must be adjusted to your eye by turning the focus
ring.

The viewfinder has two sets of guidelines, a frame line and a TV‑safe line. The off‑center line that
runs through the frame is for 35mm framing and not for use on this stand. Use the TV‑safe line as the
widest edge of the action if you intend to transfer your film to video or to broadcast it on television.
All titles should be within this area. It may be necessary to open the aperture to allow enough light
through the viewfinder to see your image. If you open the lens aperture to let in more light, make
sure you return the aperture to the correct f‑stop for shooting.

Voltage Control and Color Temperature

An auxiliary box or variac controls the voltage going to the lights. The large dial on the variac
(marked Volts Adjust) controls the voltage. The amount of voltage is displayed on the adjacent
voltage meter (marked Volts).

The voltage meter should be kept at a constant setting of 90 Volts throughout the course of a shoot
to maintain consistent color temperature and exposure. Monitor the meter, not the position of the
Volts Adjust dial.

At the optimum color temperature, the lights are balanced with the film stock to produce the
most accurate color. Maintaining a constant 90 volts keeps the lights at 3200 degrees Kelvin. Most
color film stocks used for animation do not require filter adjustment ‑ they’re balanced for use with
tungsten (3200K) lights. Check the color temperature information on the box for the stock you plan
to use or refer to the manufacturer’s reference literature. If the stock you plan to use is balanced
for daylight, you’ll need to use filters over the camera lens.

Top Lights
Two 750 watt, 3200K lamps are mounted as top lights on either side of the animation stand. These
lights should be kept at a 45 degree angle in relation to the surface of the platen to prevent glare
off the glass surface. There is a flood to spot adjustment below the lens of the lights that is normally
kept on flood. Before shooting confirm that the lights are in the flood position.

The Oxberry Master Series Animation Stand 8 Oxberry Operations Manual

Do not ever touch the top lights; they are covered with polarizing filters which will be damaged by
the natural oils on your fingertips. The lights are turned on with the power switch located on the
power supply.

Backlight
A neon backlight is mounted below the compound table. The backlight power toggle switch is
mounted to the right front table leg. In the center of the compound table is a removable 9 inch by
14 inch glass inset. The glass in it can be removed and replaced with clear or patterned glass. If
you need another selection of glass you need to contact a lab aide and have it installed for you.

Determining Correct F‑stop: Light Reading And Wedge Tests

Shooting an exposure, or WEDGE, test to determine the correct f-stop to shoot your artwork
is recommended. This is especially important whenever you shoot with unusual film stock, final
footage, filters, experimenting with lighting, or backlighting artwork. Fill out an exposure sheet, or
“dope” sheet, while shooting your wedge test, recording all variables that apply to your shot. There
are sample wedge tests available for reference.

While shooting and during the wedge test use the Sekonic Light Meter to determine exposure. The
Light Meter is stored on the shelf. Please refer to the Media Loan handout on the use of the Sekonic
Light Meter if you need information about how to measure light.

Neutral Density Filters

The Oxberry lens stops down to f16. If the light meter reading indicates an f‑stop of 22 or smaller a
neutral density filter (gel) for correct exposure will need to be used. ND gels allow for finer adjustments
of exposure than the aperture control ring allows. It is common practice before beginning a shoot
to conduct a wedge test using ND gels to bracket in 1/3 step intervals.

Filters are available through a lab aide. Again, filters are quite expensive ranging up to $100 for
a small piece of plastic and are easily scratched, so please, handle them with care.. Filters are
installed in the frame located on top of the shadow board. Be sure to set your aperture setting
(f-stop) on the lens, including compensations for filters as appropriate.

While ND filtering may save what would otherwise be overexposed film, it’s much better to match
film stock to the lighting conditions of the Oxberry stand. The 750 watt lamps in the top lights produce
more than enough light for the slowest film stocks commonly available.

Polarizing Filter
A polarizing filter should be mounted on the under side of the shadow board and stored in its
package the shelf when not in use. The polarizing filter under the camera lens in conjunction with
the polarizing filters on the lights helps to eliminate glare and reflections that bounce off of the
platen/artwork. An added bonus is that it also intensifies colors. Set the level of polarization by
looking down through the viewfinder, and adjust the filter to the most effective position by rotating
the filter holder. Depending on the level of polarization this can reduce exposure by up to 1.5 stops.
Indicate on the shooting log what level of polarization is set to.

Magazine Torque
Magazine torque is the constant pressure exerted onto the take-up spool of film that enables the
exposed film to be transported smoothly into the take-up side of the magazine. The Take Up Adjust
dial on the box (fig. 3) controls the take‑up and supply tension. This should be kept at 60, which is
normally sufficient to provide proper tension. When tension is insufficient, the film may not be taken
up properly, particularly when the film pack on the take‑up side becomes nearly full. Excessive
tension will tear or break film and sprocket holes.

Oxberry Operations Manual 9 The Oxberry Master Series Animation Stand

When back winding the camera it may be necessary to lower the tension
of the magazine torque. If you will need to do any effects that required
backwinding, such as cross dissolves, you must arrange for lab aide
assistance before your scheduled time to adjust the torque for you.

Limit Switch
At the end of each drive axis is a limit switch which prevents the camera
or table from going beyond the intended range of motion. Because of
these switches, the camera cannot, in theory, hit the table. If you reach
the end of the drive motion on any axis, a warning “beep” should sound
from the computer, and the movement should stop automatically.

Use Caution! It is possible for the limit switches to malfunction. Hit the
SCROLL LOCK !!!SCROLL LOCK !!!SCROLL LOCK !!! key on the keyboard to
stop all camera and table movement in this event.

The camera could also collide with the platen if it is in the raised position
or with your artwork if the artwork has depth that would raise it above
Fig. 3 Take Up Adjust Box
the normal table surface.

Pot Box
The Pot Box (fig. 4) can be used to manually jog (shift back and forth) the upper and lower peg bars
on the compound table.

Film Stock Information

Choose low speed film stock balanced for tungsten lights. Use either
single or double perf 16mm stock in the Oxberry. HiCon (High Contrast)
film produces pure black and pure white with no gray tones, useful for
shooting titles and making travelling
mattes.

Note that if purchasing single perf,

16mm film, it must be “B wind” in order
to thread properly from the feed to
the take up side.

Fig. 4 Pot Box

Fig. 5 A & B Wind Film

Jog What Now?

All camera and table axis can be moved by way of assigned Function keys from the
Program KeyFrames Screen. The Peg Bars can be jogged (moved) left and right with
the Pot Box.
Zoom - F11/F12 Rotate - F5/F6
North/South - F9/F10 PAN1 - Pot 1
East/West - F7/F8 PAN2 - Pot 2
Fig. 6 Axes Control

The Oxberry Master Series Animation Stand 10 Oxberry Operations Manual

 Motion Control Basics
The Spectrum Motion Control System (SMCS) allows you to both program complex camera and table
movements accurately and control the camera and table positions manually. When you turn on the computer,
the first screen will look like this:

Spectrum Motion Control

1. Run/Program a Shot
2. Display/Edit the Shot Data
3. Special Functions
4. Load or Save Data to Disk
5. Change the setup parameters
6. Use the Camera Calculator
7. Goto User Functions
8. Exit to Dos

What do you want to do?

Fig. 7
Main Menu Screen

On this Main Menu Screen (fig. 7), you will only be concerned with the options on lines 1, 4, and 8. The first option
is highlighted and you can select it by pressing the Enter key or selecting 1 on the keyboard. This option brings
you to the RunTime Screen where you will be spending most of your time in the SMCS.

The RunTime Screen

A thorough understanding of the information on the RunTime Screen (fig. 8) is essential to using the SMCS.
This is the screen to be in to execute any shots which involve motion control of the channels, or to shoot
anything that requires a fade/dissolve.

The RunTime Screen is divided into three major areas: the menu area (the bottom two lines), the motor
information (the right side of the box), and the camera information (the left side of the box).

From the RunTime Screen it is possible to shoot frames and move the table axes at the same time. On the
RunTime Screen you will find information on the following: Mode, Camera, Current Position, Exposure, etc.
You will also find the Run Group on the motor information section of this screen. The Run Group is a list of
all of the axes that are enabled on this stand; Zoom, N/S, E/W, ROTATE, PAN 1 (bottom pegs), PAN 2 (top
peg bars). The home position is zero on all of these axes.

Menu Area
The bottom two lines of the RunTime Screen are used to show you the available options at any given time.
The letter set off by a parenthesis is the key you should type to select a particular option. For example, the
option P)rogram indicates that you should select P on the keyboard to go to the Program Screen.

Camera Information
The left side of the screen normally contains all of the camera and shot-related information, most of which
can be changed by selecting the option C)hange Something. The left side of the screen is also used
to display Keyframe or Frame information on various programming screens, but camera information will

Oxberry Operations Manual 11 Motion Control Basics

always be displayed here if you are at the RunTime Screen. The following details the sections listed in the
Camera Info section of the RunTime Screen.

Current File: Default Next Key : 0 for []

MODE : Shoot/Move Ch: Name Key Mode Speed Position

CAMERA 180 : Disable
: 2: ZOOM 0.00 0.00
: 3: N/S 0.00 0.00
Cap. Shut. : Open 4: E/W 0.00 0.00
Fade Shut. : Disable 5: ROTATE 0.00 0.00
8: PAN1 0.00 0.00
Move Beg : 0 9: PAN2 0.00 0.00
Move End : 0
Total Move : 0

Current Pos : 0
Current End : 0
Direction : Forward

Exposure :
1.00 Sec
Exp. Comp : Disable
Ramp up : 0.00
R)un, ~S)tep, M)ove, G)oto, P)rogram, A)lign Motors, K)alculate, U)ser
C)hange Something, D)isplay, S)pecial, S(W)ap, F)ile, Q)uick Disk, I)nitialize

Fig. 8 RunTime Screen

CAMERA
This displays several pieces of information about the status of the shooting camera. The entry usually
looks like this:
CAMERA 180 : Disable
This indicates that the camera is installed with a 180 degree shutter and that it is currently disabled from
running. In other words, you cannot ~S)tep or R)un because the camera will not expose film.
The entry could also look like this:
CAMERA 180 : 212
This indicates that the camera is using a 180 degree shutter and is on frame 212. The frame number here
refers to the “roll counter”. This number is not linked to the frame number of any particular move which
has been programmed. Whenever the frame number of the camera is displayed the camera is enabled
to run. This means that the next time you R)un or ~S)tep, the camera will expose film.
The camera can be enabled or disabled and the roll counter cleared by choosing the option:
C)hange  C)am/Proj
You can change the roll counter, shooting direction and other variables (see page 12 for more
information).

Motion Control Basics 12 Oxberry Operations Manual

 Cap. Shut.
This indicates whether the shutter is open or closed. The capping shutter is controlled automatically by
the computer. An open shutter will expose film using ~S)tep; a closed shutter will not.
• Whenever you R)un with the camera enabled or from the Camera Manual Screen, the capping
shutter is automatically opened before shooting.
• Whenever you W)ind from the Camera Manual Screen, the capping shutter is automatically closed.
• Whenever you ~S)tep with the camera enabled or from the Camera Manual Screen, the capping
shutter is not affected. This allows you to step the camera with the shutter open or closed.
• The camera controls the capping shutter automatically for Cross Dissolves.
• From the RunTime or Camera Manual Screens, you can manually open and close the capping shutter
using the F6 key.
Unless you are ~S)tep-ing, the computer will automatically override your shutter setting.

Fade Shut.
The status of the fade shutter is displayed on the RunTime and Camera Manual Screens.
When the fade shutter is disabled, the word “DISABLE” will appear next to it. When disabled, the fade
shutter is open by default. If you close the fade shutter manually, it will automatically open the next time
R)un or ~S)tep.
When the fade shutter is enabled, the current position of the shutter will be displayed in degrees. Typically
the angle will be either 0 or 180 unless you are in the middle of a fade or dissolve.
For more information about using and programming the fade shutter, see the section “Programming
Fade/Dissolve” on page 30.

Move Beg
This is the beginning frame of a shot and is always zero. When you are ready to run your programmed
shot, this number is used when you select:
R)un  B)eg

Move End
This is the ending frame of the shot, normally the last frame of move data. This number is used when you
select the end of the shot, as in:
M)ove  E)nd

Total Move
This is the number of frames that will be shot between the beginning and end of the shot.

Current Pos
This is the frame number of your programmed move at which the system is currently sitting. In other
words, if you had just Run a one second shot from frame 0, this field would indicate frame 24.
You cannot set or clear the camera frame directly, since it reflects where the system actually is.

Oxberry Operations Manual 13 Motion Control Basics

 Current End
This is the stop frame for the current Run or Move. When you select R)un this number is updated
automatically.

Direction
This indicates whether the Camera is transporting film in Forward or Reverse.

Exposure
This field tells you what the shutter speed of the camera would be if you shot the move with the current
setup. The default setting is .25 sec; this is also the fastest that the shutter will operate. This number
can be changed with:
C)hange  E)xposure
“Exposure” here refers to the shutter speed, not the f-stop setting on the lens.

Mode
This field indicates that the camera will expose a frame first and then make any programed moves along
axes.
DO NOT change this setting!

The RunTime Command Summary

The bottom two lines, the menu area, of the RunTime Screen lists the actions you can perform from this
screen. The options you will be using are described in this section.

G)oto
This allows you to move any channel to a new position. G)oto can be used in one of two modes:
G)oto  A)bsolute
G)oto  R)elative
The mode which is currently active is displayed in all CAPS. The default is Absolute. For a description
of A)bsolute and R)elative, see the next page.

~S)tep
This will run all enabled axes through the Move the number of frames specified as the Step Rate. In order
to avoid moving accidentally, you must use the footswitch under the table or press Alt + S to ~S)tep
through a Move. The number of frames taken can be changed by selecting:
C)hange Something  Step R)ate
Then entering the number of frames you wish to the camera to take at one time.

K)alculate
K)alculate  T)apers will allow you to set a taper, or “ease in/ease out”, to or from specific keyframes
in a programmed move (see page 29).

Motion Control Basics 14 Oxberry Operations Manual

 R)un
This allows you to run all enabled axes through the move data. The Camera must be Enabled for the
R)un function to work. A R)un will run all enabled axes and will expose film through the move data.
After selecting R)un, the following options will be displayed for determining a stop point:
Run to Frame # or A)bsolute, R)elative, B)eg, E)nd, K)ey Frame

Run to Frame # K)ey Frame

The system will present you with a default frame This option will run immediately to the next
number it thinks you probably want to run to, based KeyFrame in the direction indicated on the RunTime
on the direction you are going and other factors. Screen. By typing R  K repeatedly, you can step
Just press ENTER to accept this default. through your move, stopping at each KeyFrame,
You can also type in a new frame number; any no matter which channel it is in, to check the
number between the beginning and end of the framing.
move will do; you cannot R)un beyond the end of E)nd
the move. Until a move has been created, there This option will run immediately to the end of the
is no beginning or ending frame, and it makes no move (Move End). Therefore, to run to the end of
sense to try to run to a given frame number. the move from any frame, all you have to do is
When you enter a number, motion control sets the R)un  E)nd
direction automatically. You will be asked if you
really want to run in reverse for safety purposes. B)eg
This option will run immediately to the beginning
A)bsolute, R)elative of the move (frame 0). Therefore, to run to the
The system can run either A)bsolute or beginning of the move from any frame, all you have
R)elative to the current frame number. When to do is select
you type A or R you are setting the mode for this R)un  B)eg
run only. The run does not actually begin until you
hit ENTER, B)eg, E)nd, K)eyframe, etc.
A)bsolute is the default. A)bsolute will R)un
WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING
to a specific frame number. This means that if you
To Run properly the camera
are sitting at frame 50 and you enter 10, the system
MUST be enabled!!!!!
will run in reverse to frame 10.
A disabled camera during a
R)elative must be selected each time you want run could cause a discrepancy
to use it. R)elative will R)un a set number of between the computer position
frames in the direction indicated. For instance, if and stand position.
you are on frame 50 and enter A Run Will Expose Film!!!!!
R)un  R)elative 10 WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING
and you are in the forward direction, the camera
will run to frame 60.

P)rogram
This allows you to program a move or to modify an existing move. After selecting P)rogram you are
presented with the Program Screen where you can program K)eyFrames, and F)ade/Dissolve. See
“The Program KeyFrames Screen” (p. 26) for more details.

Oxberry Operations Manual 15 Motion Control Basics

 C)hange Something
Under this heading you can change the following settings:
C)am/Proj, B)eg, E)nd, F)ade/Dslv, D)ir, Step R)ate, X)posure

C)am/Proj
This option lets you set a variety of camera functions without going to the Camera Manual Screen.
You will see the following options:
E)nable K)lear Camera
When the camera is E)nabled, it will expose film Motion Control includes a Film Roll Counter
whenever you R)un or ~S)tep. This function is which is Zeroed when the film is loaded and
used both to enable and disable the camera. advanced as shots are taken. K)lear Camera
When the camera is enabled, the roll counter (film allows the roll counter to be cleared manually at
counter) is displayed on the RunTime Screen. any time.

When the camera is disabled, the word Disable Set D)irection

is displayed. This option is used to change the direction of
film travel from forward to reverse or vice-versa.
C)ontrol Manually
This option takes you to the Camera Manual P)ower
Screen. This is identical to selecting F2 from the Allows you to turn the camera power O)n or
RunTime Screen. For more info on this screen, oF)f. To run the camera and expose film, it will
see the next section. have to be O)n. To Load and Unload the camera
the P)ower should be oF)f.

B)eg
Use to change the beginning frame of your move.
E)nd
Use to specify the ending frame of the move. You cannot R)un or ~S)tep to a frame beyond the current
Move End. You can, however, change the Move End whenever you want to with this command.
F)ade/Dslv
The fade shutter can be O)pened, C)losed, E)nabled, or D)isabled with this option.
D)ir
Use to toggle between forward and reverse as the the current direction.
S)tep Rate
This is the number of frames to be taken each time ~S)tep is used. This allows you to “shoot in twos”
(or any number of frames you wish).
X)posure
Use to change the shutter speed for the shot. If the camera is enabled, this is the exposure (speed) at
which the film will be shot. If the camera is disabled, this is simply the speed at which the system will
run through the move.

Motion Control Basics 16 Oxberry Operations Manual

The Camera Manual Screen
Current File: Default

MODE : MANUAL Ch: Name Key Mode Speed Position

CAMERA 180 : 0
:
:
Cap. Shut. : Open
Fade Shut. : Disable

Move Beg : 0
Move End : 2047
Total Move : 2047

Current Pos : 0
Current End : 2047
Direction : Forward

Exposure :
0.25 Sec
Exp. Comp : Disable
Ramp up : 0.18
CAMERA W)ind, R)un, ~S)tep, s(L)ew, ^F)lash, E)nable, C)hange Something
X)posure, r(O)to, we(D)ge, P)ower, H)ome, K)ap Shutter
Fig. 9 The Camera Manual Screen

The easiest way to shoot film is to “take” or “step” with no camera or table movements from The Camera
Manual Screen (fig. 9). The Camera Manual Screen is meant to duplicate the functions of a stand-alone
camera controller. This means that you can operate the camera without having to program table/camera
moves. You enter the Camera Manual Screen from the RunTime Screen by selecting

C)hange  C)am/Proj  C)ontrol Manually

Going in and out of the Camera Manual Screen is such a common operation that the F2 key has been
dedicated to that purpose. You can use the F2 key to toggle between the RunTime Screen and the Camera
Manual Screen.

The Camera Manual Screen looks similar to the RunTime Screen. The right side of the screen is cleared to
indicate that no channels are enabled to Run, and MODE : MANUAL appears at the top left of the camera
display area. All movement of the film through the camera in the Camera Manual Screen is relative to the
roll counter (the number after the entry CAMERA 180 in the upper left corner of the screen).

In the menu area of the Camera Manual Screen, you will be concerned with the following options:

W)ind, R)un, ~S)tep, ^F)lash, E)nable, C)hange Something,

X)posure, P)ower, H)ome, K)ap Shutter

P)ower
Turns the power to the camera oF)f or O)n. This is neccessary for loading and unloading film.

Oxberry Operations Manual 17 Motion Control Basics

 W)ind
This option closes the capping shutter and winds the camera to a specified frame number. You can
W)ind film forward or reverse. NO FILM WILL BE EXPOSED. The options under W)ind are:
A)bsolute or R)elative

R)un
This option opens the capping shutter, and runs the camera to a specified stop point. FILM WILL BE
EXPOSED. You can R)un film forward or reverse. The options for R)un are identical to W)ind.

^F)lash
This option over-exposes one frame of film to use as a “zero” or “sync” frame for lineup purposes. The
film is exposed at six stops hotter than the current exposure setting. ^F)lash always steps one frame.

~S)tep
This option shoots a preset number of frames in the direction currently specified. The number of frames
shot is set by the Step R)ate. You can change the Step Rate and the Direction by using the C)hange
Something option. The capping shutter is not changed by this option; you can Step with the capping
shutter open or closed.
To Step from the Camera Manual Screen, use the footswitch or press ALT + S on the keyboard.
Choosing ~S)tep just brings up the instruction:
Use ALT + S or footswitch to STEP Hit a key..

C)hange Something
C)hange Something allows a variety of screen parameters to be altered. The Roll Counter, Direction of
film travel, Step Rate, and Exposure may all be changed with this option.
(These options are the same as listed on page 16.)

K)ap Shutter
This option may be used to control the capping shutter. You may O)pen or C)lose the shutter with this
option. You may also use the F6 key to toggle the capping shutter open or closed. Remember unless
you are ~S)tep-ing, the computer will automatically change your capping shutter setting.

E)nable
This option is used to enable and disable the camera while in Camera Manual mode. If the camera is
enabled, the roll counter will be displayed next to Camera 180 in the camera info section of the Camera
Manual Screen. If the camera is not enabled, the word Disable will appear in the camera info section of
the Camera Manual Screen next to Camera 180.

Motion Control Basics 18 Oxberry Operations Manual

 Operating the Oxberry
In this chapter, we will go through the steps of loading film into the Oxberry, shooting in the Camera Manual
Screen and unloading the film for processing.

When you walk in the door...

It is very important that the first thing you do is LOG IN to the log book. Write down your name, program,
date and phone number or email address. Providing contact information is optional but helpful for the lab
aide in case there is a problem with the Oxberry and s/he needs to get more information than you provided
in the Log Book.

After you log in, look around the room and at the stand. You want to make sure that the Oxberry has been
Normalized, or returned to it’s original starting position. Before you even turn on the computer, you can
check to see if:

• The Camera is at the Home position - the #4 position on the columns supporting the camera.
• The Camera door is closed.
• The Camera is not racked over.
• The magazine is securely mounted to the camera body.
• Lamphouse is mounted to the viewfinder.
• There are no filters on the shadow board.
• Torque power is off.
• The room is clean and free of clutter.

As you proceed, refer to the Normalization Checklist (fig. 18) and note any irregularities in the Log Book.

Turn That Computer On!

To start up the system, turn on the main power switch located to the left of the computer monitor. The first
screen that appears is the Main Menu Screen:

Spectrum Motion Control

1. Run/Program a Shot
2. Display/Edit the Shot Data
3. Special Functions
4. Load or Save Data to Disk
5. Change the setup parameters
6. Use the Camera Calculator
7. Goto User Functions
8. Exit to Dos

What do you want to do?

Choose the first highlighted option, Run / Program a Shot, by selecting 1 or Enter on the keyboard. This
takes you to the RunTime Screen.

Oxberry Operations Manual 19 Operating the Oxberry

Preparing To Load The Camera
The camera must be off to load the film. From the RunTime Screen select:

C)hange Something  C)am/Proj  P)ower  o(F)f

Manually advance the camera pulley and belt
assembly in order to align the reference marks
that are indicated on the motor mount and drive
mechanism (figs. 10 & 11).

The inside of the camera and the magazine should

be cleaned before loading film to prevent hairs,
dust, film particles, etc. from touching the film and
damaging the image.

First, unlatch the camera door by twisting the latch

knob to the left and open. Slide the two black
locking levers (fig. 12) up and away from the film gate
assembly and then remove by sliding the assembly
out of the camera.

Remove the aperture plate from the gate assembly by Figures 10 & 11
The Camera Pulley and
sliding its locking lever aside. Take care not to
Belt Assembly
lose or damage the delicate aperture
The camera power must
plate when it is removed from the film gate
be off to move the belt
assembly. Clean the film gate assembly with canned assembly. The lines
air after removing the aperture plate. Replace the must be lined up to
aperture plate right away. The thin edge of the remove and insert the
plate (on the handle side) fits under the ledge on the film gate.
side of the gate opposite the locking lever.

Before returning the gate assembly to the camera

housing, clean the camera and magazine with
canned air. Gently slide the assembly into the
camera and lock it in place. When you slide it into place, you will have to adjust the assembly by lifting up
the gate assembly lift knob (fig. 12). You should never use force to insert the gate assembly; it should slide
in smoothly. If the assembly does not go in smoothly, the reference marks for the camera pulley and belt
assembly may not be aligned. Rotate the pulley and belt assembly until the reference marks align, or until
the film gate will slide back in place. Slide the film gate locking levers into their original position.

Fig. 12 Film Gate Assembly

Operating the Oxberry 20 Oxberry Operations Manual

Loading The Magazine
Remove the magazine from the camera by loosening the thumb
screw at the top of the camera/magazine mount (circled in fig.
13), while securely holding the magazine with your other hand.
To remove the magazine, lift up then pull the top away from the
camera.

Unscrew the cover plate from the feed/supply (top) side of the
magazine. Place the cover out side down in order to avoid getting
dust inside the magazine. Be careful not to interchange the
magazine cover plates, which are labeled to avoid confusion.

Blow out the inside of the magazine with canned air to remove Magazine
dust. Turn off all overhead and shooting lights. Turn off the Lip
fluorescent lights in the outer room before handling raw stock, as
some light leaks through the ceiling vent.

Load film into the supply side of the magazine in complete

darkness when on cores and in subdued light when on daylight
spools. The supply side is the upper side of the magazine when
Fig. 13 Magazine & Camera
it’s mounted on the camera. The film must come off the reel
counter-clockwise (fig. 15). Clip the end of the film; the cut can be straight or diagonal. Bend the end
slightly against the curve of the film. This will help get the film through the magazine openings smoothly.

After feeding the film end through to the outside of the magazine, screw the supply side lid securely on the
magazine, being careful not to overtighten it. The rest of the loading can be done in normal light.

Pull approximately 2 feet of film out from the magazine’s supply (top) side and insert the end into the other side
of the magazine (the take‑up side/bottom). Be sure not to twist the film and that the emulsion side is facing
out. Attach the end of the film to the
take‑up core or spool. The film must
go onto the take-up spool clockwise,
as illustrated in fig. 15. Allow the
excess loop (approximatly 1½ feet of
Guide Rollers
film) to hang outside of the magazine
for threading into the camera body. Knobs

Pull the film loop through the opening

in the camera body. Tilt the magazine
to allow the lip on the take-up side
of the magazine to settle into the

Registration Lift Knob

Sprocket Guide

Fig. 14 Film Gate Assembly & Aperture Plate Fig. 15 Magazine & Film Threading

Oxberry Operations Manual 21 Operating the Oxberry

corresponding groove at the opening to the camera body (fig. 13), and press the upper (feed) end of the
magazine to rest against the thumb screw. Twist the screw firmly into place, but do not over tighten.

Threading the Camera

Release the two guide rollers which will hold the film against the
sprocket guide by twisting their knobs and swinging them away
from the sprocket guide. Thread the film according to the diagram
in fig. 15. The loops on either side of the gate should be equal
in length and pear shaped. The loops should not touch any part
of the camera body but should have plenty of slack to allow for
smooth passage through the camera.

To position the film in the gate, lift the registration lift knob up (fig.
12) and left, until it clicks into place. Slide the film in between
the two metal guides of the gate. Position the film so that it rests
between the guide pegs on either side of the gate. Carefully grip
the film on the magazine side of the gate and gently tug it to the left
Fig. 16 Camera Threaded
until you can feel it “click” into place. This ensures the sprocket
holes on the film are properly aligned in the gate. The film should now be centered properly in the gate.
Release the registration lift knob by pushing it to the right, back into its original position.

Push the two guide rollers back against the sprocket guide, firmly holding the film in its threaded positon.
Close the sprocket guide rollers. (The door to the camera body will not close unless the sprocket guide
rollers are properly closed.)

Turn the Camera Power On

From the RunTime Screen, select:

C)hange Something  C)am/Proj  P)ower  O)n

Check the Take-Up Adjust box for the torque supplied to the magazine (fig. 3). The Take-Up Adjust dial
on the box controls the take‑up and supply tension. It should be kept at 60 (which is normally sufficient to
provide proper tension) and is marked by a triangle. When tension is insufficient, the film may not be taken
up properly, particularly when the film pack on the take‑up side becomes nearly full. Excessive tension will
tear or break film and sprocket holes.

Turn the power toggle switch on the Take-Up Adjust box to ON. Press F2 on the computer keyboard. You
are now in the Camera Manual Screen.

While watching the film in the gate, use the foot pedal to advance the film one frame at a time. Make sure
that the film travels through the gate and rollers smoothly without getting munched, losing its loops or
getting hung up in some other way. Also check that the film is being taken up into the magazine. You will
be able to see the torque control arms turning on the left side of the magazine. If the film is NOT going
through the camera smoothly, stop advancing the film and re-thread the camera and gate.

When you are sure the film is advancing correctly, close the camera door. Screw on the lid for the take-up
side of the magazine, being careful not to over-tighten.

Advance the film 120 frames to get past any film that was exposed during loading. The capping shutter
will close automatically. The easiest way to do this is to W)ind a 120 frame sequence. From the Camera
Manual Screen, select:

W)ind  R)elative  120  Enter

Operating the Oxberry 22 Oxberry Operations Manual

You are now ready to shoot your film.

Sample Shoot in the Camera Manual Screen

For this example, we want to shoot 24 frames (one second) of the first cel, and then start shooting each
following cel in “twos”.

Position drawings on the table so they’re facing you. If you’ve punched your drawings with the standard
Acme animation hole punch, place the drawings on the registration pegs. Release the platen (if using) from
its upright position and lower it gently. Always lower the Platen before operating the Zoom!

Rack over the camera to frame your art work. This is controlled
by the rack over power toggle switch, located on the Take-
up Adjust box (fig. 3). To rack over the camera, flip up the
red safety cover, and flip the toggle switch. The rack over
motors will automatically put the camera in rack over position.
The camera door must be closed for rack over. Mount the
lamphouse onto the viewfinder (fig. 17) if not already in place.
The power switch for the projection lamp is also located on the
Take-Up Adujst box. Follow the directions on the lamphouse
to turn lamp on. (The fan power must be on for the light to
come on.) When the lamphouse is turned on, the frame lines Fig. 17 Viewfinder with Lamphouse attached
will be projected down onto the table.

To adjust the camera and table for proper framing, you have to enter the Program KeyFrames Screen.
Programming keyframes is discussed in detail in the next chapter. From the RunTime Screen, select:

P)rogram  Program K)eyFrames

Use the Function keys and Pot Box to jog the camera and table into position (fig. 6) so that you artwork is
properly framed by the light from the lamphouse. Make sure the major action and all titles will be within the
TV Safe field.

After aligning your artwork and determining camera positions, return the camera to the shooting position by
flipping the rack over toggle switch. (The camera will shoot black while in the rack over position.)

WARNING! If you need to remove the platen for any reason please make sure you schedule time with a lab
aide so they can remove the platen for you. Do not attempt to remove the platen yourself; you will knock
the table out of alignment and ruin future shooting sessions.

Before you begin exposing valuable film, go through this checklist to make sure you are ready!
Pre-Shoot Checklist!
˛ Film loaded properly ˛ Check the camera D)irection
˛ Camera door shut ˛ Is the Camera Enabled?
˛ Magazine lids securely on ˛ Be sure the Cap. Shut. line says,
˛ Artwork is framed properly “Open”
˛ Projection lamp is off ˛ Torque power turned on
˛ Camera in shooting position (not ˛ Newly loaded film has been advanced
racked over) 120 frames
˛ Room lights off? Lab lights, too? ˛ You aren’t wearing a white shirt, are
you?
˛ Check lighting / f-stop

Oxberry Operations Manual 23 Operating the Oxberry

Once you are ready to begin, from the Camera Manual Screen (F2), select:

R)un  R)elative  24  Enter

The Camera will immediately expose 24 frames. Change out the first cel for the next. You will now expose
2 frames for each cel, shooting in “twos”. On the keyboard, select:

C)hange Something  Step R)ate  2  Enter

The number “2” will now appear in the lower bar menu next to the option ~S)tep, indicating the number of
frames exposed each time you step on the footpedal. Continue shooting using the footpedal to take two
frames each time you step on it. You can also select ~S)tep from the keyboard. Continue shooting until
all cels have been shot.

Un‑load Your Film

Before unloading your film, you should return all axes to their home positions, normalizing the camera and
compound table. Return to the RunTime Screen (F2) and select:

G)oto  Z)ero  (2-5, 8-9)  Enter

All axes will move to their home positions.

When you’re ready to remove your exposed film from the camera, advance the film 120 frames with the
shutter closed to protect any film that you exposed during shooting. The easiest way to do this is to “W)ind”
a 120 frame sequence by selecting:

W)ind  R)elative  120  Enter

If you haven’t used the entire roll of film, you will need to cut the film to separate the exposed from the
unexposed stock. Make sure you have an extra film container before proceeding.

Turn the torque power off on the Take-Up Adjust box.

Turn the camera power off. Select:

C)hange  Something  C)am/Proj  P)ower  oF)f

Manually advance the camera pulley and belt assembly to align the reference marks indicated on the motor
mount and drive mechanism. Open the camera door and cut the film on the left side of the gate with a pair
of scissors. Lift the registration knob up and to the left until it clicks into place, and slide the film out of
the gate. Open the sprocket rollers, unthread the film, unscrew the magazine from the camera body and
remove it.

Turn off all overhead and shooting lights. Turn off the fluorescent lights in the outer room. Open up the feed
side of the magazine and remove any unexposed stock, placing it in its original box. Seal and label the box
to indicate the number of feet remaining.

Open the take-up side and remove exposed stock. Put it into a can or a box that has all original labels
removed to avoid confusion at the lab. Turn on the lights. Label this container with the new information:
your name, address, phone number, the type of film stock (so the ASA and color balance are clear), amount
of footage enclosed, whether it’s a test, and the subject or title. Tape all seams on boxes or cans.

If you have used single perf B-wind film (so the emulsion is out) be sure and let the lab know that the
exposed film you wish them to process is B wind, and that the emulsion is facing out. Also make a note if
you taped the film to the take-up core or spool. Replace the magazine, mounting it to the camera with the
lids in place.

Operating the Oxberry 24 Oxberry Operations Manual

Shutting Down the System
You should always exit motion control properly, to allow it to save motor positions and other information
which it uses the next time the system starts up. Make sure that all the axes are in their “home positions”
before shutting down the system.

1. Use the ESC key (or Ctrl-E when appropriate) as many times as necessary to get to the Main Menu. You
may have to answer Y)es to exit a couple of screens. From the RunTime Screen, press Esc, and it will ask
if you really want to exit; answer Y)es.

2. At the main menu you have another opportunity to save by choosing “4. Load or Save Data to Disk”.
If you programmed something you wish to save and have not yet done so please choose this and see the
section “Saving Data to a Disk” (p. 34).

3. Select option “8. Exit to Dos”, and enter Y)es to indicate you really want to exit. (The main menu
is the only screen you cannot exit with Esc or Ctrl-E.)

4. If motion control thinks that you have move data or stats which have been changed but not saved to
disk, it will tell you so at this time, and give you one more opportunity to “Load or Save Data to Disk”. Even
if you do not need to save any data enter Y)es. This will take you to the Load or Save Data to Disk screen.
If you do not need to save any data select Esc to exit to DOS.

Normalize the Oxberry (see below) and Log Out, locking doors and turning off lights on your way out of the
Animation Lab!

Oxberry Normalization Checklist

If you fail to normalize the Oxberry Stand and room, you may be
denied access to the facility. Before you leave, check the list!
c Film unloaded
c Torque power OFF
c Magazine mounted to camera body
c Take -up and supply lids screwed on properly
c Camera in shooting position (not racked over)
c Gate cleaned out, camera door closed
c Camera in HOME postion
c Platen glass clean, platen in place on table (if used)
c Filters removed and replaced
c Lamphouse mounted to viewfinder
c Computer off
c Room cleaned up if you made a mess.
c Room lights off
c Sign out and detail any problems you may have had

Fig. 18 Normalization Checklist

Oxberry Operations Manual 25 Operating the Oxberry

 Programming Compound Shots
The Program KeyFrames Screen
In order to shoot compound table moves or zooms, you must program the move. In order to do this, you
must enter the keyframes for the move in The Program KeyFrames Screen.

Move Fr : 0 Cam Fr : 0 Next Key : 0 for [] <#:|>

KeyFr - PAN1 - Pos Ch: Name Key Mode Speed Position

2: ZOOM F11-12 0.00 0.00

3: N/S F9-F10 0.00 0.00
4: E/W F7-F8 0.00 0.00
5: ROTATE F5-F6 0.00 0.00
8: PAN1 Pot1 0.00 0.00
9: PAN2 Pot2 0.00 0.00

Jog motors(1-9=Speed), G)oto, M)ark KeyFrame or F)rame, Q)uick Disk

C)hange, L)ock, U)nlock, mo(V)e, D)elete, R)ecalculate, ~S)tep Cam or A)lign

Fig. 19 The Program KeyFrames Screen

When you select P)rogram from the RunTime Screen, the menu area changes and you are presented with
many options including Program K)eyFrames. The only other option from this menu you will be concerned
with is F)ade/Dissolve which will be covered later in the chapter.

Program K)eyFrames
Programming KeyFrames involves telling the computer exactly where each axis should be at “key”
frames, and then letting the computer “connect the dots” to build a smooth move between those points.
Programming with KeyFrames is the most common way to program a move, hence the F1 key is a short-cut
to the Program KeyFrame Screen from the RunTime Screen.

Descriptions of the relevant options offered in the menu area of the Program KeyFrames Screen follow.

Programming Compound Shots 26 Oxberry Operations Manual

 Jog motors (1-9 = Speed)
While in the Program KeyFrames Screen it is possible to jog all motors to desired positions so new
keyframes can be established for the shot. To accomplish this, the Function keys on the keyboard are
used. Each of the Function keys is associated with another and are assigned to individual channels.
Zoom = F11-F12
N/S = F9-F10
E/W = F7-F8
Rotate = F5-F6
The other 2 channels are controlled by command pots located on the Pot Box (fig. 4 ).
PAN 1 = POT 1
PAN 2 = POT 2
1-9 Speed refers to the speed at which the motors run, 1 being slowest, 9 fastest. You can adjust the
speed of the motors by simply hitting a number on the keyboard. It is recommended to run at speeds
above 6.

M)ark KeyFrame
This option is used to mark the keyframes at which you wish to hold specific positions for each channel.
Once KeyFrames are specified, motion control can build the move between the keyframes
Upon selecting M)ark, the system will ask you which channels you wish to mark, defaulting to any
channels which have been moved. Next the system will ask for the frame number for this keyframe.
Channels are independent of one another and may be marked in any order or at any time. Each channel
may contain up to 48 keyframes Marking keyframes is such a common operation that the Space Bar may
be used instead of the M key.
You cannot have any keyframes in a channel unless you also have a keyframe at Zero. If you try to
M)ark the first keyframe at a frame number other than zero, a second keyframe will be placed at zero
automatically.

G)oto
The G)oto command allows you to send a channel or group of channels to an arbitrary position,
independent of the current move. The default mode for G)oto is A)bsolute. This means that if the
ZOOM axis is at 250.00 and you tell it to G)oto 300.00, it will move directly to 300.00.

L)ock KeyFrames
This allows you to protect portions of your move from changing, no matter how the rest of the move
may change. When a keyframe is locked, the move data from the locked keyframe up to the next higher
keyframe will be unaffected by any subsequent recalculation.

Mo(V)e KeyFrames
This allows you to move keyframes in one or more channels to a new frame number. For example, if you
had keyframes at 0, 50, and 100, you could move the keyframe at 50 to 30, causing the motors to get to
the first position much earlier in the move.

Oxberry Operations Manual 27 Programming Compound Shots

 D)elete KeyFrames
This deletes keyframes for one or more channels at specified frame numbers. When used on a group of
channels, you can delete keyframes at a single frame. When used on a single channel, you can delete
a range of keyframes. This option doesn’t change the move data, it simply removes the keyframe(s)
specified. Later recalculations, however, will change the move data.

R)ecalculate
This option is used to direct the system to determine all the intermediate data between the keyframes
which have been marked. The calculation is performed as soon as this option is entered. Otherwise, it
does not occur until you exit the Program KeyFrames Screen.

A)lign Motors
This option allows you to align the channel motors to their starting positions. Select:
A)lign  Starting P)osition
The system will default to any channels which have moved since you entered the Program KeyFrames
Screen. Whichever channels you select will move directly to the position they were in when you first
entered the Program KeyFrames Screen.

Programming A Compound Move

Motion Control can be as important and time consuming as the animation itself.
Remember this and take it seriously. This is a step by step introduction to a
sample compound table move.

Our sample situation involves a picture of a building (fig. 20). According to our
storyboard this shot begins on a close-up of the door. The camera is to pan up
to the top of the building while zooming in closer.

During our preparation for this shot we created a “dope” sheet. A dope sheet,
also referred to as an exposure sheet, is a list itemizing everything you plan to
shoot frame by frame. Our dope sheet for this shot says that we are going to
pan for 120 frames (5 seconds). Our zoom will begin 20 frames into the pan and Fig. 20 Sample Artwork
will end at the same time.

Programming Keyframes
To shoot this using Motion Control you must program keyframes. Keyframes are what the system references
to begin or end moves.

From the RunTime Screen, select:

P)rogram  Program K)eyframe

to get to the Program KeyFrames Screen. You can also use the F1 function key to access the Program
Screen.

Place your artwork on the table and rack the camera over. Turn on the light and fan in the lamphouse so
you can determine the framing for each keyframe. Using the F11/F12 keys to operate the Zoom axis, frame
your artwork for the close-up of the door.

Programming Compound Shots 28 Oxberry Operations Manual

To mark this as your starting point, select:

M)ark Keyframe
The computer will ask:

Set keyframe for which channels? [2-5,8-9]

Select Enter to set the keyframe for all channels. The computer will prompt you to enter a frame number.
Enter 0. All axes are now marked with a start position. As you mark keyframes, that information will appear
on the left hand side of the Program Screen.

The Zoom begins 20 frames into the pan. Mark a frame at the start of the Zoom by selecting:

M)ark Keyframe  2  20
Jog the camera and table into position for the end of the pan and zoom using the Function keys. M)ark
Keyframe for all channels to mark the end of the move at Frame 120.

Fig. 21 Positioned Artwork

The rack over projection lamp shows KeyFrame 0 on the left and KeyFrame 120
on the right.

Setting Tapers
Tapers are the ease ins and ease outs of table moves. On our dope sheet, we have planned a 10 frame ease
in and ease out for both axes.

Return to the RunTime Screen by pressing ESC as many times as necessary. Choose:

K)alculate  T)apers
This will give you a list of taper functions: I)n: 5, O)ut: 5, for Channel 2, Taper off, N)ext,
L)ast, D)o it, U)ndo. Selecting an option using the Control key will affect the whole Run Group. To
set your Ease In and your Ease Out to take 10 frames, select:

I)n  10
O)ut  10
Change tapers for Channel 3 by selecting:

N)ext  I)n  10  O)ut  10

To put these tapers into effect, select:

D)o it

Oxberry Operations Manual 29 Programming Compound Shots

Executing the shot
Prepare the camera to shoot. Turn off the projection lamp, rack the camera back over the lens, and turn on
the top lights. You should be in the RunTime Screen.

On the left side of the RunTime Screen, you can see the current
Move and Position information (fig. 22). The move information
Move Beg : 0
shows the beginning of the move, the end of the move, and the
Move End : 120
total move. Notice the current position, current end, and direction Total Move : 120
in the window. The camera is still in the position it was in to set
Current Pos : 120
the end keyframe.
Current End : 20
To move the table positions back to those of the initial keyframes Direction : Reverse
we set at Frame 0, select:
Fig. 22 Current Move and Position
M)ove  B)eg information

Note current position, current end, and direction.

Enable the camera by choosing:

C)hange  C)am/proj  E)nable  Y

Or using the F8 function key, which is the shortcut.

Set the f-stop according to the wedge test you undoubtedly did when planning your project. Alternatively,
meter the lighting using the Sekonic light meter located in the cabinet. Make sure the exposure time is at
the desired duration and has not changed. The length of the exposure is visible in the window on the lower
left of the computer screen and should be listed as .25 sec.

After adjusting the camera’s f-stop to the

proper setting, you are ready to shoot.
Frame Range Type Curve
You can choose R)un or ~S)tep through
0..25 Shutter OPEN
the move. The camera will disable itself
25..50 Fade Out 1
at the end of the move.
50..110 Shutter Closed
Programming a Fade/Dissolve 110..125 Dissolve Auto 1
In order to Program a Fade/Dissolve, you
will have to have already programmed in
keyframes for your intended “move”. If
you are not moving any axes, simply set
two keyframes indicating the length of
your shot at their current positions. You
must specify what you want the shutter
to do for every frame. Do not assume it
will be open/closed/whatever. You must
tell the computer exactly what to do.

From the RunTime Screen, select P)

rogram, F)ade/Dissolve.
Frame Range: 125..---
The Program Fade/Dissolve Screen has
two modes: The Entry Mode and the
Fade Ends at Frame: [2047]
Edit Mode. The Entry Mode allows you
to build complicated shots, consisting of Fig. 23 The Fade/Dissolve Screen

Programming Compound Shots 30 Oxberry Operations Manual

Fades, Dissolves, Cross Dissolves, Shutter Open and Shutter Closed segments of varying lengths. The Edit
Mode allows you to modify the programs you created in the Entry Mode.

Entry Mode
When you first enter the Program Fade/Dissolve Screen, you are automatically in the Entry Mode. When
you are done entering a Fade/Dissolve list, you are left in the Edit Mode so that you can check and correct
your work, if necessary.

To get started quickly, try the following example on the computer.

Example Fade
This example involves programming a fade out from frame 0 to frame 24. After entering the Program Fade/
Dissolve Screen, the system displays:

Fade Begins at Frame []

Enter 0. Then:

Fade Ends at Frame []

Enter 24.

If the number you enter is greater than the current Move End on the RunTime screen, Move End will be
updated automatically. Now you are presented with the following screen prompts:

Shutter o(P)en, C)losed, Fade I)n or O)ut, D)issolve, S)pecial [Shutter Open]

The system defaults to Shutter OPEN. Since we are programming a fade out, select:

O)ut

The system next asks for a New Curve. The Spectrum system has three different fade curves built in, or you
can build your own. For now, just hit Enter to accept:

New Curve: [1]

In the top half of the screen, you should now see a Fade/Dissolve list looking something like this:

0...24 Fade IN

Note that SMCS tries to automatically fill in any sections that you don’t specify with the appropriate shutter
condition. You can override this choice in the Edit mode.

Use the Escape key to end programming the fade and go to Edit Mode, and again to return to the RunTime
Screen.

In the RunTime Screen, you will have to ENABLE the Fade Shutter in order to activate the Fade / Dissolve
for your shot. To do this, select:

C)hange Something  F)ade/dissolve  E)nable Fade Shutter

Next to the words Fade Shutter in the RunTime Screen, is a number indicating the position your shutter is
currently at according to your current position within the move.

You may also need to enable the camera. Select:

C)hange something  C)am/Proj  E>nable  Y

Oxberry Operations Manual 31 Programming Compound Shots

Also make sure that you are at the beginning of your move by selecting:

M)ove  B)eginning

You are ready to Shoot your Programmed Fade/Dissolve. Choos R)un or ~S)tep or use the foot pedal to
step through your move.

After you have finished shooting the Fade/Dissolve Move, you will need to remember to disable the Fade
Shutter. Do this the same way you enabled it, through the C)hange Something window.

If you are planning another move, you will need to go back into the Program Fade/Dissolve screen and
delete the data you previously entered.

Dissolves
Only use auto-dissolve [D)issolve in edit mode of the Fade/Dissolve screen] if you are not changing any
positions between your two shots. If you do need to change positions between shots, instead:

1) Shoot a fade out (with curve 3)

2) Wind back to the beginning frame of the fade

3) Reset your positions

4) Shoot a fade in (also with curve 3) with the same number of frames. If you are
planning another move, you will need to go back into the Program Fade/Dissolve screen
and delete the data you previously entered.

Edit Mode
In the Edit Mode, one of the lines in the fade/dissolve list will be highlighted. The highlight bar indicates the
line you want to work on. You can move the highlight bar using the arrow keys. If there are too many lines
to fit on the screen, the lines will scroll up or down as you move through them. Once you have the fade/
dissolve list in place, you are presented with several options (descriptions follow):

A)dd
This takes you back into the Entry Mode and allows you to add new lines to the fade/dissolve list. The
questions you will be asked as you enter new lines will match the questions described in the appropriate
sections below.

I)nsert
This also takes you into the Entry Mode, but instead of adding the lines you enter to the end of the list, it
inserts the new lines just above the current highlight position, pushing the rest of the lines back.

D)elete
This option allows you to delete the highlighted line.

Change E)nd
By selecting this, you can change the end of the line under the highlight bar, thereby changing the length
of a particular Fade/Dissolve or Shutter Open/Closed segment.

Programming Compound Shots 32 Oxberry Operations Manual

 C)urve
Motion control supports three built-in curves for Fades and Dissolves You specify a curve for a particular
Fade/Dissolve by entering a number between one and three. If the highlight bar is on a Fade/Dissolve,
you can specify which curve to use with this option.
Fade and Dissolve Curves
Fades employ exponential curves where the greatest change occurs when the shutter is open and the
least change occurs when the shutter is nearly closed.
Dissolves use cosine curves, where the total shutter angle for the dissolve out plus the dissolve in equals
180 degrees at every point.
Fade/Dissolve curves are specified as follows...
Curve Meaning:
1 Designates the mathematically “Perfect” curve, smooth ease in/ease outs.
2 Produces a much flatter (more linear) curve. Ease in /outs spaced further apart.
3 Results in a perfectly flat (linear) fade. No ease in / out.

T)ype
This allows you to change the type of the line under the highlight bar. You can change a Shutter Open
to a Dissolve Auto, for example. The options you get with this option are identical to the ones you get in
the Entry mode:
Shutter oP)en, C)losed D)issolve
This allows you to indicate that the shutter should This specifies a Dissolve Auto. When performing
be open or closed for a specified number of the operation, the computer executes a Dissolve
frames. Auto in the following sequence:
Fade I)n, O)ut 1. Dissolve out, using the specified Curve.
This allows you to specify one of the three types of 2. Cap the lens and wind back to the beginning
fade curves for a certain number of frames. of the dissolve, moving the rest of the system
S)pecial back accordingly.
This option includes I)n or O)ut. These options 3. Prompt the user to change artwork.
are available in case you want to use the dissolve
4. Dissolve in, using the specified Curve.
curves, but you only want to dissolve in one
direction, I)n or O)ut.

Oxberry Operations Manual 33 Programming Compound Shots

Saving Data to a Disk
Use this option to save the complex moves you have programmed for future use or reference. The system
saves only the information from your currently programmed move. If you will be programming and executing
more than one move per session, save each move after you have programmed it.

To save data, you will need an IBM formatted 3¼” floppy disk or Zip disk.

From the RunTime Screen, select F)ile.

This puts you into the Load or Save Menu. Insert your IBM formatted 3¼” floppy disk into the vertical disk
drive. Choose:

2. Save Shot Data to Disk

This will raise the disk inventory screen showing the inventory on your disk. At the bottom of the screen, you
are prompted to enter a name for this set of shot data. Name it so that you can easily identify it later.

The system will ask what channels you are saving. The default setting is to save all channels. Press Enter
on the keyboard to choose this option or enter only the channels you wish to save. You have saved your
shot data.

Loading Data from a Disk

This requires an IBM formatted 3¼” floppy disk with previously saved shot data.

From the RunTime Screen, select F)ile.

Insert your 3¼” floppy disk into the disk drive. From the Load or Save Menu, select:

3. Load Shot Data

You can scroll through the disk inventory using the arrow up/down keys. Highlight the shot data you wish
to load. Press Enter.

Your data will be loaded into the runtime screen. To set the motors to the beginning of the move, select:

M)ove  B)eg
You are ready to run your shot.

Remember to Normalize and

properly shut down the Oxberry and
Spectrum Motion Control System!
See page 25...

Programming Compound Shots 34 Oxberry Operations Manual

 Rotoscoping with the Oxberry
The Oxberry can also be used to Rotoscope exposed and processed film. Rotoscoping is the process of
tracing images projected from processed film, or “source footage”, one frame at a time. After loading your
source footage into the camera, you can project a single frame onto a cel or paper that is registered on the
peg bar of the compound table. You would then trace the image, advance the camera a few frames, then
trace the next image, and so on.

Since rotoscoping exposed film could scratch or otherwise damage it, do not rotoscope from camera
original unless you don’t care what happens to it. Never rotoscope films checked out from the Library.
However, the Animation department has a substantial library of found footage that you are welcome to use.
Ask the lab aide for help with acquiring found footage.

It is recommended that you have a lab aide’s assitance the first time you rotoscope on the Oxberry. When
you intend to rotoscope on the Oxberry, schedule your time with a lab aide. The platen must be removed
from the table before you rotoscope. If the lab aide knows in advance what your purpose is, s/he can
remove it before your scheduled time. Do not attempt to remove the platen yourself! You must have a
lab aide’s help to remove it.

Parts of the preparation process require two people. Have a partner to help you.

Getting Started
As always, the first thing to do is LOG IN. Note that you are using the Oxberry to rotoscope. The platen has
already been removed since you undoubtedly informed the lab aide that you were rotoscoping.

You will need some items from the metal storage cabinet. Take out the drawer from the plastic cabinet
labeled “rotoscoping prism”. It should contain the prism, a short piece of SMPTE leader, 2 hex screws and
a hex wrench. You will also need the large C-clamp that should be on top of the plastic cabinet.

Turn on the computer. Turn the torque power off on the Take-Up Adjust box. Make sure that the camera
power is turned off. From the RunTime Screen select:

C)hange Something  C)am/Proj  P)ower  o(F)f

Remove the lamphouse from the viewfinder and set it safely on the table. Open the camera and remove the
film gate assembly. Remove the aperture plate and place it in the drawer with the prism. Do not lose
or damage the aperture plate!

Place the prism on the gate so that its two screw holes match the holes on the top of the gate. The metal
part of the prism should be on top while the glass part of the prism extends down into the gate. Attach the
two pieces with the hex screws.

Put the gate back into the camera. The gate assembly lift knob that you need to move up to slide the gate
back in place is now blocked by the prism. You will need to push it up from behind before you slide the gate
in all the way. Remember to lock the gate in by sliding the lock levers back into place.

Load your source film in the camera as you would normally load raw stock to shoot. Do not close the
camera door. Turn on the torque power. Turn on the camera power and go to the Camera Manual Screen
(F2). Advance the camera with the foot pedal to make sure that the film is threaded correctly.

Attach the lamphouse to the edge of the camera with the C-clamp. The light should be shining straight into
the prism. This is easier to do if you have a helper, since you need to hold the rackover light steady while
screwing on the C-clamp.

Oxberry Operations Manual 35 Rotoscoping with the Oxberry

Turn the fan and the light on in the lamphouse.

The shutter will be closed at first, so you won’t be able to see the film image projected on the table. From
the Camera Manual Screen, select:

r(O)to  Y
This will open the shutter and the light will shine through the film. Remove the polarizing filter and open the
lens to the widest aperture so the maximum amount of light comes through.

Frame and Draw

Return to the RunTime Screen (F2) and then go to the program KeyFrames Screen (F1). Jog the Zoom axis
(F11/F12) up until the image is the size you want. Move the table North/South (F9/F10) or East/West (F7/F8)
if necessary.

Return to the Camera Manual Screen (Esc, then F2). Since most rotoscoping involves only drawing every
second or third frame, you might want to change the step rate so that the camera will advance two or three
frames for every step on the footpedal. Select:

C)hange Something  Step R)ate  2 (or 3 or whatever)

Trace the projected image. Using the footpedal, advance to the next reference frame and trace. Repeat as
necessary.

When you are done rotoscoping, revert the shutter to its normal position by selecting:

r(O)to  N
Return camera and table to their home positions (refer to page 24).

Normalize the Oxberry

Remove the lamphouse from the camera and replace the polarizing filter. Turn off the torque and camera
power. Unload your film and remove the gate. Remove the prism and return it to its box. Replace the
aperture plate in the gate and slide the gate back into the camera. Put the prism and C-clamp back into the
storage closet. Replace the lamphouse on the viewfinder. Follow all normalization procedures (p. 25) and
Log Out, noting any problems.

Rotoscoping with the Oxberry 36 Oxberry Operations Manual

 Glossary
Absolute - Describes a type of numerical entry. Absolute means that if the motor is positioned at a setting
of 50 and you enter a new value of 10, the motor will make a bee-line move backward to 10.

Channels / Axes - Axes are the various motorized components that the computer can control. The
words “axis” and “channel” are interchangeable. The Axes specified for the Oxberry Animation
Stand are as follows :
Channel 2: Zoom Operates the Up and Down movement of the Camera.
Channel 3: N/S Operates the North and South movement of the Table.
Channel 4: E/W Operates the East and West movement of the Table.
Channel 5: Rotate Operates the Rotation of the Table, or “spins” the table.
Channel 8: Pan 1 Operates the East/West movement of the lower peg bars.
Channel 9: Pan 2 Operates the East/West movement of the upper peg bars.

Exposure - Exposure has two meanings in relation to the stand. When used as part of a computer entry,
it means “Shutter Speed.” The shutter speed can be changed as needed. The fastest speed
available (and the default) is .25 sec. The shutter can remain open for up to 1 second. The speed
can be changed within this range. Exposure can also refer to the aperature or f-stop settting on the
camera lens.

Groups - For convenience, channels are frequently referred to in groups. Most

operations which can be performed on a single channel (e.g. clearing the
channel, marking keyframes) can also be performed on a group of channels.
When specifying a group of channels, type the individual channel numbers separated by spaces
and/or commas. For example, typing [2 5 9] or [2,5,9] or [2 5,9] produces the same result. To
indicate a range of channels, use the dash (or minus) sign. For example, [2-5 9], would be the same
as [2 3 4 5 9]. Whenever you are entering a group, you can select A)ll to specify the currently
enabled RunGroup. The computer will display the group and then wait for you to add or delete
channels and/or hit Enter.

Motion Control - Spectrum Motion Control is the type of computer program used with the Oxberry.
This progam allows the computer to track, input, and precisely control the movements of all the axes
in relation to the camera “takes". Spectrum Motion Control is a DOS based program.

Move - Move in motion control is equivalent to “Shot”. It is the set of planned keyframes and positions
currently entered into the computer system.

Platen - Optically clear glass set in a frame and used to keep 2D artwork flat while filming with the Oxberry
Animation stand.

Relative - Relative describes a type of numerical entry. Relative means that if the motor is positioned at a
setting of 50 and you enter a new value of 10, the motor will move forward to 60.

RunGroup - The group of channels currently enabled to run. These are the channels which are displayed
on the Runtime screen.

Shot Data - The shot data is the actual information that the computer uses to move
the axes during a shot. The computer only stores memory data for one shot at
any given time. You may save data for many different shots on a floppy disk.
Shot data is one of the key concepts in using any motion control system. Since much
of the art of creating a move with any motion control system involves manipulating the
shot data, it is important to clearly understand what it is, where it is and how to change it.

Oxberry Operations Manual 37 Glossary

 For every axis of the planned move, there is an area of the computer’s memory, called a “channel”
or “channel memory”, reserved for the shot data for that axis. In this area, the computer keeps track
of exactly where the axis is supposed to be at each frame of the shot. You can modify this shot data
in many different ways to get the move that you want.

Taper - Taper allows ease ins and ease outs of programmed moves along channels.

Glossary 38 Oxberry Operations Manual