Integrating Motion Graphics with Live-Action Footage in CINEMA 4D and After Effects
In this series of tutorials, we'll learn the process for building motion graphics that integrate with live action footage. Software required: CINEMA 4D Studio R16, After Effects CC 2014.
What you'll learn
In this series of tutorials, we'll learn the process for building motion graphics that integrate with live action footage. We'll also learn how to composite those motion graphics with the footage in a way that can make even the most graphically styled elements feel real. We begin by learning how to bring footage into CINEMA 4D so that it can be animated over. We then use a bit of geometry to matchmove the basketball in the live shot. After getting the position and rotation of the real ball matched, we learn how to use sweeps and MoGraph tracers to create beautiful trailing graphics. Along the way you'll learn some great tips for reducing your polycount in these situations for lighting fast renders. We also learn how to render this project to get the best render with the most useful passes for our composite. Once we move into After Effects, you'll learn how to use simple effects and rotoscoping to bring the basketball fire to life. We even learn a time-saving technique to create a realistic relighting of the actors skin, as if the light from the ball were really being cast upon him. By the end of the training you'll know how to use both CINEMA 4D and After Effects to create amazing motion graphics that follow along with live action footage in a believable way. Software required: CINEMA 4D Studio R16, After Effects CC 2014.
Table of contents
- Preparing the Project 9m
- Matching the Ball's Position and Rotations 8m
- Creating a Sweep of the Ball's Path 9m
- Creating Materials and Compositing Tags 10m
- Rendering the Rib Pass 3m
- Bringing the Passes into After Effects 5m
- Adding the Glows to the Ball 5m
- Masking the Glowing Ball 11m
- Relighting the Ground 12m
- Rotoscoping to Relight the Legs 6m
- Reusing the Rotoscopes as Shape Layers 13m
- Duplicating the Strokes and Softening Them 9m
- Duplicating the Lighting for the Right Leg 9m