Video composition w/ 3d model and shadow

[number]

I've been trying to combine a 3d model with some video footage. I was following the tutorial below, but think that it (tutorial) or I are missing some details. My latest test is attached.

 

I was having a heck of a time getting just:

1. flying saucer

2. Shadow of saucer on the ground

3. everything else transparent

 

 

What I got:

1. Render of the saucer only in PNG w/ transparency

2. Render the shadow only in PNG w/ transparency

3. Combined in vegas pro w/ the vide footage and explorted to mp4.

 

I need to go back through my experiments and produce a matrix of settings so that I can produce model and shadow separately. Seems like I should be able to get my goal in one image file, but this escapes me. Anyone else have success w/ this recently? I haven't tried OpenEXR as an export type yet. It may not be all bad to have the model separate from the shadow, as I can separately control the transparency, add noise, etc. for the shadow.

 

 

fix its:

1. Extra shadow to the far right. I would imagine that I can set the "Cast Shadows" to OFF for that light. I'll try that in the next round.

2. motion blur

3. tweak shadow

4. fix video that is too short (saucer shows over black)

 

thanks,

 

Tim

 

tutorial

http://www.hash.com/users/ed/tutorials/fpm/fpm.htm

 

saucertest.mov

[John Bigboote]

Sounds like you are answering most your questions yourself. I would prolly render to .tga with an alpha...the shadow on that 2nd light can be shut off... a little fog might help too....since the ship and it's shadow never intersect, you can 'slop matte' each of them and control them separately in post... tweeiking till it looks right. Looking good!

[bighop]

You may want to add the film grain filter to this. The animation looks good, and the model looks too good, in other words the model is more shape then the video.

[number]

Thanks John and bighop.

 

The fog sounds like a good idea and I'll try the film grain tonight. I was toying w/ moving the saucer behind the ferry. We'll see.

 

Hope to have another draft tomorrow.

 

Thanks again,

 

Tim

[number]

OK, spent some time understanding how to tweak the render settings to get either: Saucer, Shadow, Both along with alpha or without alpha.

 

The render settings are a little frustrating if you're going from file type to file type. It seems that some settings are set under Targa sequence, and are carried over to JPEG sequence and/or PNG sequence.

 

I got to the point that the saucer model would not render until I changed Shadow=OFF under the Format=Targa sequence render! No settings under Format=JPEG allow you to unset the targa shadow setting. Bug or feature? I would want the settings to be more independent for the render settings.

 

Repro:

1. Set the following;

ground: Receive Shadows=ON; Shadow Only=ON;

targa render: Buffer: Shadow=ON;

 

2. Render now in JPEG. Only the shadow renders. Cool. How do I get the saucer back? (try it w/ JPEG selected). Nothing I could find. Render a PNG sequence, same story.

 

3. Now, select Format=Targa sequence. Buffer:Shadow=OFF. Go back and render either a JPEG of a PNG. OK, got the Saucer back.

 

4. What do you do if you don't know this trick?

 

You can really get wedged here and without a global reset. Am I missing something? Maybe this is an initialized versus uninitialized state. It behaves independently until I select targa? I hope the Hash dev can trouble through or explain this.

 

 

In the end, I can now get what I need in two render passes (Saucer + Alpha) and (Shadow+Alpha).

 

I'm going spend some time on the next experiments w/ the composite now that I've got the render under control.

[number]

I figured out my issue w/ targa and the alpha in my video editor.

 

In Vegas Pro, you have to set the alpha channel manually for the media. The transparency for PNG is automatically detected.

[John Bigboote]

You are your own best teacher...I like that!

[number]

Feeling a lot better about integrating 3d w/ live video. I think that I solved a number of issues, but still more to master.

 

latest version:

 

1. Fixed second shadow problem

2. change geometry to better match scene

3. stabilized video and fixed rotation

4. Rendered all TGA w/ alpha

5. composited in Combustion; keyed out ground; matted out ferry and beach; and added motion blur (probably not as good as AM).

6. Added some fine Gaussian blur to shadow and saucer

7. Added noise to the saucer and shadow

 

 

 

to do:

1. fix reflection

2. clean up video

 

saucertest_fixed.mov

[TheSpleen]

that came out real good!

[robcat2075]

That's starting to work.

 

I think the reflection needs to be broken/subdued quite a bit since the water isn't doing such a mirror-like reflection on anything else.

[number]

latest version attached.

 

1. Created a separate layer for the reflection and subdued it!

2. Used color curves in Vegas Pro on the sauce to lighten the shadow on the saucer image. Ideally, I would have had another ambient type light source in AM project.

 

I'll call this complete for the purposes of my exercise. I can see that I'll need to spend more time on the setup so that I avoid fixing so much in post.

 

saucertest_fixed_good_reflection_color_curves.mov

[bighop]

That looks great! I like how the UFO goes behind the ship. The reflection looks more realistic too. Add a camera shake and this is ready for uTube!

[TheSpleen]

Impressive work.

[number]

Thanks spleen and bighop for reviewing and commenting.

 

I think that I may be able to match the camera shake with my compositing tool (Combustion). So many layers and filters, just w/ a simple effects shot!

[number]

I was able to match the saucer to the background video shake. Just took a couple tries.

 

Final proof of concept included.

 

saucertest_final.mov

[Fuchur]

Wow, those children on the ground are really not easy to scare away

 

*Fuchur*

[number]

hmmm...It would be fun to have the saucer stun them.

 

--Tim R