26 Tracking and 3D Matchmoving plus After Effects Tutorials May 15th in Roundup by Topher Welsh

As more and more computing power comes to the desktop it is becoming easier to make hollywood style effects for any project. Among these is tracking and 3D Matchmoving which is the process of extracting 3D camera information from a handheld camera to be able to composite in other elements with After Effects. In this week's roundup Topher found some of the most compelling tutorials from around the web which show you how to master these techniques.

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Author: Topher Welsh

Topher Welsh is a post production artist working mainly in the fields of motion graphics and visual effects. He is a freelancer out of Tacoma, Washington, and also runs www.VisualFXtuts.com, which provides a daily fix of tutorials from any and all applications in the visual effects industry. His personal website is found here: www.Toe-Fur.com.

26 Tracking and 3D Matchmoving
+ After Effects Tutorials

  • Video Copilot - 3D Crater

    In our last tutorial roundup, we had the 3D Meteor tutorial series featured, in this article we are going to explore how to create the aftermath using Boujou to get the camera solve, export the data to After Effects and 3ds Max, create the meteor hole in Max, and composite everything together in After Effects. This is a 3 Part tutorial so we're starting it off right.

    Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

  • AEtuts+ - Create a Mograph Urban Jungle

    In part 1 of this 2-parter, Naim Alwan uses Boujou to 3D track the shot to get a camera solve, and import the data into After Effects. In Part 2 he creates the vector elements and then uses MochaAE to composite everything together.

    Part 1 Part 2

  • VFXworld - Terminator Eye

    This is a huge 8 part tutorial series on creating a hole in someone's face so that you would be able to see the metal and red eye of the terminator inside. Using Syntheyes, 3ds Max, Photoshop, and After Effects, Hendrik and Florian take you extensively through every step to create a very nice, polished final effect.

    Watch Series

  • VFXworld - Boujou For Beginners

    The guys from the last tutorial have a 3 part tutorial on the basics of Boujou, so in case you don't have Syntheyes, you could possibly use this tutorial to fill in the blanks for the last tutorial.

    Watch Series

  • Nahuel VFX - Matchmoving Text with Boujou

    This is another 3D matchmoving tutorial series using Boujou, 3dsMax to create the text, and After Effects to composite, create shadows, and color correction.

    Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

  • Boujou To AE Troubleshooter

    I know this isn't a tutorial, but almost everyone has some complications when they are trying to import Boujou tracking data into After Effects via the .ma format. This document from finthrow.blogspot.com explains quite extensively why this happens, and the workarounds and fixes there are.

    View Article

  • Basics of Matchmoving in Boujou 4.1

    Here is another "Basics of Boujou" tutorial. Good thing about this one, is it is only one video. This one breaks it down really quickly on getting the solve in Boujou and use the data in After Effects without going into a 3D program beforehand.

    Watch Video

  • Syntheyes to After Effects

    This is a tutorial that takes a shot and matchmoves it in Syntheyes, exports the tracking data directly into After Effects. This an official video from Andersson Technologies, the creators of Syntheyes.

    Watch Video

  • Icarus to Blender to After Effects

    Before PFTrack was PFTrack, it was Icarus, a free 3D Matchmoving software. Some people still use it since it is free, and hey, I can't blame them. This written tutorial takes you through getting the solve in Icarus, bringing that data into Blender, modeling a gun, and then compositing the passes in After Effects.

    View Tutorial

  • Boujou Bullet to Cinema 4D to After Effects

    Boujou Bullet is a more automatic, less intense version of Boujou 4. It is made for more of the streamlined, easier shots to track. This .pdf tutorial takes you through getting a quick camera solve, modeling some simple 3D text in Cinema 4D and then compositing everything together in After Effects.

    View Tutorial

  • Colin Levy - Icarus Training

    Colin had some entries in our 31 VFX Breakdowns article last week, and this week I stumbled upon his old Icarus training series he produced. It fully covers all you need to know in Icarus as well has how to export the tracking data for Blender and After Effects.

    Watch Series

  • Voodoo to Blender to After Effects

    Voodoo is another camera tracker that is free, and is available on Windows or Linux. Best thing about this 2 part series, is it teaches you how to matchmove and 3D model using free programs. You will initially get your camera solve, and tweak your settings in Voodoo, bring that into Blender via Blender Python Script, and then, like always, do your final compositing in After Effects.

    Part 1 Part 2

  • JK Studios - Me & Mandy

    This is probably the biggest tutorial series in this article... 10 parts. James Kearsley takes you through the numerous steps putting a human face on a lizard's. Sounds easy enough but it isn't. Watch as he tracks using PFTrack, models in 3ds Max, and composites in After Effects and uses some handy techniques with the Liquify tool.

    Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10

  • Tracking Multiple Squares with Mocha and After Effects

    This is a really cool tutorial by Sasa Jokic of Formation Edit. It shows you how to track 48 different squares in one shot. It actually uses relatively basic tracking skills, but really beats the knowledge into your head after doing it 48 times.

    Watch Video

  • Aharon Rabinowitz - Perspective Corner Pin Effect

    This is mainly a Mocha tutorial with a little bit of After Effects thrown in. It goes through a screen replacement technique where you track the screen within Mocha, and either replace it within Mocha with something or you can import the data into After Effects and do it there.

    Watch Video

  • Adjusting Tracks in Mocha

    This is a very useful tutorial if you are using any version of Mocha. Ross Shain walks you through tracking a grainy, motion blurry, moving bus shot in Mocha, but there is another problem... the bus passes behind an obstructing lightpole! What to do? Ross Shain has the answer for compensating for obstructions and other things that may complicate your tracking and roto jobs.

    Watch Video

  • Exporting Mocha Data to After Effects

    If you are just looking for how you do some simple tracks in Mocha and export that data to After Effects for compositing,this is the tutorial for you. Short, sweet, and to the point.

    Watch Video

  • Mocha for AE v2 Workflow for Paint and Roto

    This is a little more of an advanced tutorial, but it goes more in depth to teach you how to adjust certain parts of your workflow to speed things up and get better results.

    Watch Video

  • David Torno - Face Replacement

    David Torno of AEIOweYou and Side FX Ink takes you behind the scenes of the making of the music video for Pistol Youth - In My Eyes. The techniques David explains is how to take video of a man's face, with the same motions of that of a Golden Girls' video, and realistically composite it over the top of each character using After Effecs and MochaAE.

    Part 1 Part 2

  • Steve Whatley - MochaAE Basics

    In this episode of the Creative Suite Podcast Steve takes you through placing a post on an object in an alley way in a moving backward shot using MochaAE.

    Watch Video

  • CMIVFX Mocha Crash Course

    This set of tutorials doesn't actually deal with After Effects at all, but I figure since there are so many tutorials with Mocha as part of the subject matter, it might do good to post a couple of crash course tuts to further your knowledge to take your tracking skills that much further.

    Basic Tutorial In Depth Tutorial

  • Sin City with Silhouette Roto

    Michele Yamazaki has this old tutorial in the depths of Toolfarm. It is a written tutorial created in the ages of After Effects 6.5, but if you have the Silhouette FX Roto plugin, you will do just fine in any version of After Effects. The tutorial goes through roto-ing out a girl's red fingernails to keep them red and turn everything else greyscale.

    View Tutorial

  • Graymachine - Basic Tracking and Replacing

    In this tutorial, Harry Frank walks you through the steps of using After Effects' built in tracker to replace the lettering on an awning sign.

    Watch Video

  • Graymachine - Advanced Tracking and Replacing

    Similar to the last tutorial, Harry will teach you how to track a shot and replace some signage. This tutorial though also deals with some expressions and rotoscoping.

    Watch Video

  • After Effects' Tracker Explained

    CGSutra has a good written tutorial explaining all the aspects of After Effects' built in tracker, from all the drop down menu options to all of the steps to get an awesome track.

    View Tutorial


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User Comments

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  1. PG

    freelancer.fr May 15th

    thx i just begun my training on boujou, it will help me a lot

    ( Reply )
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    Makar Hany May 15th

    Very Nice and interesting !!

    ( Reply )
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    David May 15th

    as someone without boujou this list is mostly useless to me.

    ( Reply )
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      Rev65 May 15th

      What? 14 of the 26 on the list use FREE tools, AE tracker or Mocha AE from CS4. Far from useless just because you don’t have Boujou!

      ( Reply )
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        sudheer July 26th

        how to improve the tracking tool

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      Topher Welsh May 15th

      Apparently to you the glass is half empty.

      I actually originally planned this to be MatchMoving only, but then I figured people are gonna really want basic tracking and planar tracking tuts as well…

      Best thing about all this, you can get PLE’s (Personal Learning Editions) of most of the software in the article. I don’t think Boujou has one, but there is a PLE I think of Boujou Bullet, PFTrack, Icarus and Voodoo are free and I am almost positive there is a PLE of Syntheyes. Just google to get their official sites, and search around.

      Or check out Toolfarm… they have a huge directory of what programs have trials or PLE’s.

      ( Reply )
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    江少 May 15th

    这个好

    ( Reply )
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    Billy May 15th

    Thanks for the list Topher. Your stuff is always good. I wanted to throw this out there so you didn’t think this was a slam on you.

    But we’ve had ONE decent tutorial since April 29th. This place is becoming a list of lists for other places, interviews and inspirational examples. AEtuts started off with a bang…and has dwindled to a whisper. I might as well just visit Topher’s site. He’ll let me know when the one tutorial each month is posted here…

    ( Reply )
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    Arik May 15th

    Excellent list, I almost wanted to cry because I couldn’t find anything that didn’t use boujou. And I can’t spend 10.000 dollars on that software.

    ( Reply )
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    Chip May 15th

    Thanks for this guys. Another great resource.

    ( Reply )
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    David W. May 15th

    Awesome Topher! But I would add Videocopilot’s Healing tutorial.

    ( Reply )
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    Immjg May 15th

    Nahuel VFX – Matchmoving Text with Boujou is ok for me but where is the tutorial ?????????????????? Pls answer!!!!!!!

    ( Reply )
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      Topher Welsh May 15th

      Just scroll to the bottom of his page and click the play button where is says Nahuel 09′ and click HD

      Theres no audio, but there is some awesome music.

      ( Reply )
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        IMMJG May 16th

        thanks

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    manny May 15th

    I just hope that there will be more cinema 4d – After effects integration tuts in this section. Great tutorials though…very helpful!

    ( Reply )
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    Adam Everett May 15th

    Topher, you’re the man! You realize you kill me with these lists though… by the time I make it all the way through one, there’s another one that pops up the next day… I have to get SOME work done!!!

    ( Reply )
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      Topher Welsh May 15th

      haha thats the point! I dug your last tutorial dude… good stuff… and funny … haha definately one of my more favorite tut makers. I actually was gonna email you but I couldn’t find it anywhere… shoot me an email at topher@toe-fur.com

      ( Reply )
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    Matt May 15th

    <3 Boujou. I haven’t used anything else, because, frankly, I didn’t need them when Boujou did everything I needed.

    ( Reply )
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    Arik May 16th

    Hmm, anyone know where to find the PLE of Boujou? Not too keen here to spend 10.000 dollars.

    ( Reply )
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    Dummie May 16th

    How can i make a mac osx effect like in SexDrive_(2008) ?

    ( Reply )
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      Topher Welsh May 16th

      I have no idea what you are talking about… you gotta video example?

      ( Reply )
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        Dummie May 22nd

        Have you watched The Movie SexDrive (2008) Im talking abput that movie ::I love that effects they made in that movie

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        Dummie May 22nd

        here is that movie’s trailor
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xOUCZH14Is
        watch this & u’ll understand what i’m talking abut

  15. PG

    Topher Welsh May 16th

    This is what I found on Google

    http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Video/Boujou.shtml

    ( Reply )
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    Ska May 16th

    Tracking Multiple Squares with Mocha and After Effects Tutorial is actually done by Sasa Jokic of http://formationedit.com
    Ross Shain just posted tutorial at Imagineer Systems Vimeo channel.

    ( Reply )
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    Ross Shain May 17th

    Topher,
    Thanks very much for posting links to a bunch of Imagineer’s tutorials! We appreciate it and glad that people are finding them useful.

    I did want to give proper credit and props: The “Tracking Multiple Squares with Mocha and After Effects” video here was created by a talented artist named Sasa Jokic of Formation Edit. http://formationedit.com

    If people would like to see more mocha tutorials and have special requests, please email me.

    Best,
    Ross

    ( Reply )
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      Lloyd May 17th

      [EDITOR REPLY] Thanks for bringing that to our attention. Post updated.

      ( Reply )
  18. PG

    e11world June 4th

    Nice list of resources and tutorials. Thank you very much!

    ( Reply )
  19. PG

    Yashvir Bagwandeen October 24th

    Much needed

    ( Reply )
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