Room shaders for animated movies

A room shader for generating image data for a room image for an animated movie, the room shader comprising:

• a layers generator to generate a first plurality of planar layers in depth for a first room image including conveying a room interior effect for a room visible through a window on a flat surface of a building image by specifying color and transparency of each planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers to create an illusion of depth on the flat surface,
• wherein each layer of the first plurality of planar layers in depth is depicted in a plane that is substantially parallel to the window and while ceilings, floors, and walls are depicted in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the window,
• wherein the first plurality of planar layers is depicted behind a glass of the window to provide classic animation styles for the animated movie;
• a wall generator to generate a first plurality of wall layers for a wall in the first room image;
• a pattern multiplier to create a second room image by duplicating one or more of the first plurality of planar layers for the first room image to produce a second plurality of planar layers and duplicating one or more of the first plurality of wall layers for the first room image to produce a second plurality of wall layers,
• the pattern multiplier to modify the second planar layers and the second wall layers by adjusting frequency and size of the one or more of the first plurality of planar layers and the one or more of the first plurality of wall layers;
• a pattern applier to apply the first room image and the second room image as patterns to the flat surface of the building image to create the illusion of depth;
• a parallax offset calculator;
• and
• a reflection shader,
• wherein the layers generator also generates a third plurality of planar layers in depth for a third room image, and generates a fourth plurality of planar layers in depth for a fourth room image,
• wherein the third room image and the fourth room image represent a single connected room visible through two respective windows,
• the parallax offset calculator to calculate a parallax offset between a planar layer for the third room image and a planar layer for the fourth room image, and
• a reflection shader to calculate shading reflection using the parallax offset for at least one surface in the third room image.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program to generate image data for a room image for an animated movie, the computer program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

• generate a first plurality of planar layers in depth for a first room image including conveying a room interior effect for a room visible through a window on a flat surface of a building image by specifying color and transparency of each planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers to create an illusion of depth on the flat surface,
• wherein each layer of the first plurality of planar layers in depth is depicted in a plane that is substantially parallel to the window and while ceilings, floors, and walls are depicted in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the window,
• wherein the first plurality of planar layers is depicted behind a glass of the window to provide classic animation styles for the animated movie;
• generate a first plurality of wall layers for a wall in the first room image;
• create a second room image by duplicating one or more of the first plurality of planar layers for the first room image to produce a second plurality of planar layers and duplicating one of more of the first plurality of wall layers for the first room image to produce a second plurality of wall layers, and modifying the second plurality of planar layers and the second plurality of wall layers by adjusting frequency and size of the one or more of the first plurality of planar layers and the one or more of the first plurality of wall layers;
• apply the first room image and the second room image as patterns to the flat surface of the building image to create the illusion of depth;
• generate a third plurality of planar layers in depth for a third room image;
• generate a fourth plurality of planar layers in depth for a fourth room image. wherein the third room image and the fourth room image represent a single connected room visible through two respective windows;
• calculate a parallax offset between a planar layer for the third room image and a planar layer for the fourth room image;
• and
• calculate shading reflection using the parallax offset for at least one surface in the third room image.