Variable frame rate rendering and projection

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for rendering a computer-generated animation sequence, comprising instructions for:

• obtaining a first piece of animation corresponding to a first shot of the computer-generated animation sequence,
• wherein the first piece has one or more motion parameters defining relative motion between a virtual camera and one or more objects in the first shot;
• determining a measurement of action in the first shot based on the one or more motion parameters of the first piece;
• determining a first frame rate for the first shot based on the determined measurement of action in the first shot;
• obtaining a second piece of animation corresponding to a second shot of the computer-generated animation sequence,
• wherein the second piece has one or more motion parameters defining relative motion between a virtual camera and one or more objects in the second shot;
• determining a measurement of action in the second shot based on the one or more motion parameters of the second piece;
• determining a second frame rate for the second shot based on the determined measurement of action in the second shot,
• wherein the first and second frame rates are different,
• wherein the one or more motion parameters of the first piece or second piece specify locations of the virtual camera at different times in the first shot or second shot, respectively, and
• wherein the measurement of action in the first shot or second shot is determined based on the specified locations of the virtual camera in the first shot or second shot, respectively;
• rendering the first shot using the first frame rate;
• rendering the second shot using the second frame rate;
• storing the rendered first shot with frame rate information indicating the first frame rate;
• and
• storing the rendered second shot with frame rate information indicating the second frame rate, wherein the first and second frame rate information convey to a display device the first and second frame rates for displaying the first and second shots, respectively.

A system to render a computer-generated animation sequence, comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• obtain first and second pieces of animations corresponding to first and second shots, respectively, of the computer-generated animation sequence, determine measurements of action in the first and second shots based on motion parameters defining relative motion between a virtual camera and one more objects in the first or second shot, wherein the one or more motion parameters of the first piece or second piece specify locations of the virtual camera at different times in the first shot or second shot, respectively, and wherein the measurement of action in the first shot or second shot is determined based on the specified locations of the virtual camera in the first shot or second shot, respectively, determine a first frame rate for the first shot based on the determined measurement of action in the first shot, determine a second frame rate, which is different than the first frame rate, for the second shot based on the determined measurement of action in the second shot, render the first shot using the first frame rate, render the second shot using the second frame rate;
• and
• a storage device operatively coupled to the processor and configured to store the rendered first and second shots with frame rate information, wherein the stored frame rate information for the rendered first shot indicates the first frame rate, and wherein the stored frame rate information for the rendered second shot indicates the second frame rate, wherein the first and second frame rate information convey to a display device the first and second frame rates for displaying the first and second shots, respectively.