• Adobe After Effects

  Fix 2 layers together with tracking

  Posted by James Smith on April 20, 2009 at 11:35 pm

  Hello

  Please forgive me if this sounds stupid, but I am just getting started on After Effect CS4.

  My question is:

  I have footage of a car and the camera zooms out then a window appear (new layer, fake reflection) so it looks like the camera is traveling through the window (this bit I can do fine). The camera then moves to the left which brings the car frame around the window in shot, then gradually moves to the car bonnet until everything is out of shot.

  How do I fix the reflection layer to the inside of the car window frame? So basically make the window look real while the camera moves past it?

  Thanks

  James Smith replied 17 years ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Stuart Elith

  April 21, 2009 at 3:58 am

  Just like you have titled your post, with tracking 🙂

  When you are adding elements to a shot you often have to mask/rotoscope bits as well (such as a doorframe that might get in the way of the reflection) and distort the element as the perspective changes, stuff like that.

  I think what throws some people off is that the item slides a lot – you really need to get a dead-on track for something to really sit in the scene well. I’ve been doing some phone screen replacements recently and it has reminded me again that even a little wobble for just a few frames is really noticeable.
  Get your track great and things will be so much easier… you can search for tutorials and tips for motion tracking in AE. If you have CS4 there is Mocha AE built in which I haven’t used, but is said to be very versatile.
• 

  James Smith

  April 21, 2009 at 11:04 am

  I see what you mean, but the part I am stuck on is when the camera zooms out from inside the car, the window reflection comes in (as the camera has just travelled through it) so the reflection is the full size of the viewers screen. The camera then pans to the left, which brings the car window frame into shot, I do not know how to change the reflection to cut down from full screen to slowly disappearing as the window frame wipes across.

  I have had a look at all the tracking advice but can find nothing on about this.

  Sorry it is hard to explain I hope you understand it all.

  Thanks

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