Review: PQ Talking Photo
Written by admin on January 31st, 2008 in Gadgets and Devices.
Have you ever visited a website called JibJab.com? If not chances are you have probably seen one of their videos. JibJab.com has developed a technology which can take a photo of a anyone and animate it to talk, sing, dance and pretty much do anything. JibJab.com took their technology to the next level when they introduced “Starring You!“. Using an online interface you can import photos of your friends and family and actually insert them into short videos. Surely, an easy night of entertainment.Now a new piece of software allows you to not only animate people, but instead of a face “cut-out” like that offered on JibJab.com, the software animates the photo of a person within the photo you import into it. That software is PQ Talking Photo. You’ve got to love the title of a piece software that says what it does!
Selecting A Victim
PQ Talking Photo has a very easy to use interface and if you have a minimal amount of artistic ability, like myself, rest assure that you’ll be able to animate any photo within a couple of minutes. Now since we are talking about animating photos you can select your “victim” from three groups. You can also Import a new image from the software’s Home screen as well. On the Model Editor there is even an option to “Add Tooth”. When I first selected this I thought it would animate the photo while a big bucktooth came out of the person’s mouth. Actually, it should really say “Add Teeth” since this it what it actually does. This allows some teeth to be shown as the mouth is open to prevent the look of a big empty black spot in the mouth while the “victim” is animated.
If you want to select one of the pre-installed photos simply change the Edit Mode on the Home tab to “Script View” to select how you want to animate this photo. Of course, there’s probably a good chance you’ll want to import your own photos. To do this, simply click on the “Import image” button.
Making A “Victim” An Actor
You’ll probably be amazed as much as me how easy it is to animate someone in a photo. On the “Create My Actor” tab you simply take six dots on the screen and move them to facial locations as indicated by the example in “Step 2″. This tells the software where the eyes and mouth of the “actor” is so that they can be animated properly. Naturally, the best animation occurs if the photo is of the “actor” looking at you. Side profiles will not work. Upon clicking on “Let’s talk” on Step 3 you are taking back to the Home tab.
Now The “Magic Happens”
Your imported photo should now be displayed on the Home tab. To select how to animate your “actor” click on the “Script-View” button next to Edit Mode. Luckily the software already comes with “Scripts” already done. These scripts include songs and text related to wishing someone a happy birthday, father’s day or mother’s day. Other little goodies are included as well.
Of course, the “magic” is in the fact that you can import other sounds including scripts or songs. Sounds must be in MP3 format. Once the sound is loaded you may have to modify some of the animation. You can do this using the “Expression Group”” and the “ScriptEditor” feature at the bottom of the page. This is very similar to editing videos in video editing software. You can also preview your work at any time using the player underneath the photo. The good news is that if the sound you import is pretty clean then the animation may not need any touch up at all.
A Gift Is Something You Share
Now animating a “victim” wouldn’t be fun if you couldn’t share it right? So, the software allows you to send your creation to anyone you choose using the Share my Talking Show tab. You simply enter your email address and the name of your show. If you want to simply save the “Talking show” for later you can do that as well.
Before you share your “Talking show” you can select whether you want it for Public or Private viewing. Once uploaded your web browser will open and show a list of all of the “Talking shows” you have listed under your email address. If you’d like to share any of these shows you can simply email the person the link next to the “Talking show” you’d like to share.
Summary
This is the ultimate prank software and it is one kids will enjoy to watch. I know my kids have loved watching themselves within the JibJab.com movies I can only imagine how they’ll react seeing themselves singing songs or talking like “Rocky” within their very own photo. A free “lite” version of the technology is available on the PQDVD.com website. The fully downloadable software is actually free with the purchase of the PQ DVD to iPod Video suite for US$39.95.
Get more information about PQ Talking Photo at the PQDVD.com website.
Tags: gadgets, digital, tech, buyers guides
