Sunday
Mar182007
Camera Projection
Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:11AM 
PLTV 006 is a simple screencast of the camera projection setup I used for Fender Bender. Although camera projection is well covered in AE7 Studio Techniques, I don't think many people would consider it capable of creating as complex a form as an aircraft carrier. The lesson is that a good image (mine, shown above, was a 3008x2000 pixel RAW file shot with a Nikon D70s) projected on very simple shapes can be convincing for small moves.
Reader Comments (19)
Wow, great work! I get the impression that camera mapping is one of the secret tools that pros use all the time, while the rest of us spend weeks perfecting 3D models and textures and then fail miserably when it comes to photo-realism.
WOOT WOOT! Man, I really want to learn more about doing things like that.
You should start doing some free training videos like I make at http://training.337studios.com
That would be cool!
is it possible to use camera projection in AE 6.5 pro? I'm rather new to the effects scene but am trying to learn everything possible. This seems like it would come in handy on several different occasions...
I love the Fender Bender spot! Thank for the behind the scene setup! I have a question. Why do you have a light at the front of the camera? Also I hope you are on the After Effects 8 beta tester!
Hi Stu. Cool technique! On an off-topic note, do you know any good tutorials on rotoscoping? I'm reading the DV Rebel's Guide, and I understand the concepts behind the effects, but I just don't know how to effectively rotoscope a person... especially with motion blur! Thanks!
Alexander Gao
alexanderwanggao@hotmail.com
Josh: Yes, the technique I used is totally doable in AE 6.5—the section on camera projection is largely unchanged from http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321316207?ie=UTF8&tag=prolost-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0321316207" REL="nofollow">AE 6.5 Studio Techniques to http://www.amazon.com/dp/0321385527?tag=prolost-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0321385527&adid=03JRT610SBV271ZKRH51&" REL="nofollow">AE7 Studio Techniques.
Matt: The light is actually what projects the image onto the layers. Get http://www.amazon.com/dp/0321385527?tag=prolost-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0321385527&adid=03JRT610SBV271ZKRH51&" REL="nofollow">Mark's book to learn how to set this up.
Alexander: For my money there's still no better roto training than what's included with the vintage "Masters of Visual Effects" video series—watch for it on eBay.
Stu-
I was just reading from your book, actually from the pdf on the dvd, that you thought Canon's 24F mode is not very good. Could you elaborate on its shortcomings, or send me link where you or someone else has already done so?
Your book and blog are great, thanks.
Alexander-
You can find some pretty good tips on roto at
http://effectscorner.blogspot.com/
There are a couple of great quicktimes on roto from Scott Squires, one of the creators of Commotion.
Josh, the 24p/24f question is discussed in detail http://rebelsguide.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=152" REL="nofollow">here on the Rebel Café forum—please join the conversation if you like!
Wow, Stu, thanks for that little behind the scenes! I've done camera projection for before in 3d, but never attempted it to this level in 2d. I'm really gonna check it out now!
Alexander -
i don't know if this will help, really, but I made a video tut on all the roto tools in AE. it's here, if you want:
http://www.simplycg.net/viewtopic.php?t=2168
Hey Stu, any chance of explaining a little bit about the advantages of camera projection over splitting a still into layers in Photoshop and then scaling and positioning them in z-space. Maybe using this script: http://www.aenhancers.com/viewtopic.php?t=498 It seems harder to prevent image tearing with camera projection to me...
wow man, you just made me go out and buy that book. I always liked AE, but never was really able to unlock it's capabilities until recently. I think to date though the coolest thing i've seen done with it was a video about the Frankenstein on the Windmill shot from Van Helsing, where the whole shot was comped in AE, and they added in the camera match, and put all the angry crowd into a little half-sphere. I was like, holy crap! this is the coolest AE trick ever! I think it's safe to say that this little 2d mapping technique carries on in the tradition of blowing minds.
-www.zachrm.com
great stuff, i didnt know ya could do camera projection in ae, i always did that kinda stuff in 3d max, i bought the studio techniques book a couple of days ago but i havent read it yet, could ya guys tell me in wich part of the book is so i can jump right into it. :)
I've been trying this technique out this week (following along with the AE 7 Studio Techniques book). One thing I can't seem to figure out is how to keep the quality of the projected images intact. My projections seem to come out blurry no matter how I set things up.
You can increase the shadow map resolution in the 3D renderer Options, under the Advanced tab in Comp Settings. I used 4K.
Great stuff!
any chance to see a tutorial about it?
You do this camera projection like fusion 5 without projector tool ?
Hi all... I am trying to do my own camera projection in After Effects with some footage coming from RedOne in 32bpc and I am very interested in keeping all the info in the brightest lights... the thing is I loose the superwhites when I change the Material Options in my original footage and the 3D solids and then all the lights clip at 1...
Does anybody knows how to keep this information in the highlights?? ...or is not possible to do the camera projection in HDR with AE?
Thanx a lot for your help in advance...
well, I found the answer myself... I could not find a way to do it with the steps used in the tutorial by Andrew Kramer in VideoCopilot, but using the plugin CameraMapper from DigiEffects everything keeps in 32bpc and it applies the composition Motion Blur as well without using the CC Force Motion Blur....
Thanks anyway....