Mandelbulber VFX Tools

Tools and Scripts to integrate Mandelbulber Fractal Software into VFX Pipelines

About

Mandelbulber VFX Tools is a work in progress collection of little Tools and helper Scripts to integrate Mandelbulber Fractals into a VFX Pipeline. Mainly ©SideFX Houdini and ©The Foundry's Nuke. All the code is developed during my studies at Animationsinstitut at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in the course Animation & Visual Effects.

Code State | Bugs | Compatibility

Mandelbulber VFX Tools is in a work in progress, prototype stage and for experimental use. It may contain bugs and the code is not fully cleaned up. Feel free to customize and enhance to your needs.

Compatible with Houdini 17.+ | Tested with 17.5.425
Compatible with Nuke 12.+ | Tested with 12.0v3
Compatible with Mandelbulber 2.22+ | Tested with 2.22

Installation

Houdini

• Clone or copy repository. Add path to repository into HOUDINI_PATH environment variable (e.g. in houdini.env file or startup scripts)

  HOUDINI_PATH = &;<PATH_TO_FOLDER>/mandelbulber_vfx_tools/houdini
  

• Add HOU Mandelbulber shelf to Houdini shelfes

Nuke

• In startup script, add to NUKE_PATH and NUKE_MENU_PATH

   set "NUKE_PATH=&;<PATH_TO_FOLDER>/mandelbulber_vfx_tools/nuke/src/nuke;<PATH_TO_FOLDER>/mandelbulber_vfx_tools/nuke/gizmos"
   set "NUKE_MENU_PATH=&;<PATH_TO_FOLDER>/mandelbulber_vfx_tools/nuke"
  

• Add to menu.py

   <MY_MENU>.addCommand("Import Mandelbulber Cam", "nuke_mandelbulber.createExrCamMandelbulber()")
  

Git SVN

• Optional: Git SVN Download SVN Run the following command:

   svn export https://github.com/buddhi1980/mandelbulber2.git/trunk/contrib/vfx_tools
  

How to Use

Houdini Animation Editing

• Open Houdini / Open Animation Editor / Open Python Shell / Open HOU Mandelbulber Shelf
• Click on Import Animation Shelf Tool and select .fract File
• Edit Keyframes in Houdini Animation Editor Pane
• Export back to Mandelbulber .fract File with Export Animation Shelf Tool

Import Mandelbulber Camera to Houdini

• Open Houdini / Open Python Shell / Open HOU Mandelbulber Shelf
• Click on Create MDB Cam Shelf Tool and select first Frame of Mandelbulber .exr Sequence
• A animated Houdini Camera matching the Mandelbulber Camera will be created based on .exr Metadata
• Can be used within Houdini or exported as Alembic
• Supports Perspective, Stereo, Equirectangular and Stereo Equirectangular Cameras

Import Mandelbulber Lights to Houdini

• Open Houdini / Open Python Shell / Open HOU Mandelbulber Shelf
• Click on Create MDB Lights Shelf Tool and select Mandelbulber .fract File
• Only enabled Lights from Mandelbulber will be imported
• Limited to 1 Main Light and 4 Auxiliary Lights available in Mandelbulber

Import Mandelbulber Camera to Nuke

• Select Read Node with rendered Mandelbulber EXR Sequence
• Click Import Mandelbulber Cam in the menu you set up
• A animated Camera matching the Mandelbulber Camera will be created based on .exr Metadata
• Supports Perspective, Stereo, Equirectangular and Stereo Equirectangular Cameras

Resources

• Mandelbulber GitHub
• Mandelbulber Website

Credits

• Mandelbulber VFX Tools are developed during my studies at Animationsinstitut at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in the course Animation & Visual Effects.
• https://animationsinstitut.de/
• https://www.filmakademie.de/

Thanks

Thanks a lot for helping making Mandelbulber more useable in Animation and VFX!

• Krzysztof Marczak - Main Developer of Mandelbulber
• Sebastian Jennen - Developer of Mandelbulber
• MCLarekin - Developer of Mandelbulber