• Adobe After Effects

  Red Laser pointer removal

  Posted by Dane Silzle on March 20, 2011 at 1:27 am

  Does anyone have experience with removing a red laser pointer (or it equal) from
  tlive footage? and how would you go about rotoing it out.

  This laser pointer was used by the trainer to get the cat to pat the dog on the head and it’s moving all over the footage. Please see the frame grab:

  

  I’m still working with CS3,

  Thanks for your help,

  Dane

  Dane Silzle replied 15 years, 1 month ago 4 Members · 9 Replies
• 9 Replies

• 

  Tudor “ted” jelescu

  March 20, 2011 at 10:17 am

  It’s not an easy task- not seeing the footage it’s impossible to say for sure, but I presume that the laser pointer goes over different textures which requires you to deal with it in segments. First animate a mask around the point with room enough to feather the edges. Then comp the footage on top of itself. Now you will have to animate an offset on the footage below to match the texture under the hole left by the mask. This way you will get the same texture, color, grain and even movement

  Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
  Senior VFX Artist
• 

  Dane Silzle

  March 21, 2011 at 11:56 pm

  Ted,

  Thank you so much for you rapid and helpful response, I apologize for not responding sooner.
  I was out with another client on a production over the weekend and just got back to the studio.

  Ordinarily, we’d have control of the Takes when at a shoot, however this was actually a Photo Shoot
  for Print and the Agency asked us to Shoot “B-Roll”(their term for: get what you can and we’ll make something out of it). Unfortunately there was no opportunity to control the shoot.

  I’ve been considering Mocha Pro for the Planar tracking and removal, do you think it would help
  with this fast moving Laser pointer?

  Thanks again Ted
  Regards, Dane
• 

  Dane Silzle

  March 22, 2011 at 12:03 am

  Dave,

  Please read my (above) response to Ted, It’s important you have all the facts before
  posting a hasty response…
• 

  Tudor “ted” jelescu

  March 22, 2011 at 7:26 am

  Not being able to see your footage it makes it hard to say- my gut feeling is that the laser point may be moving too fast for any tracking to be of use, that’s why I suggested the method in my initial post.

  Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
  Senior VFX Artist
• 

  Dane Silzle

  March 22, 2011 at 7:08 pm

  Thanks Ted,

  When the agency decided what direction we’re going with on this prodject,
  I’ll try your fix and report back.

  Dane
• 

  Ross Shain

  March 22, 2011 at 9:54 pm

  Hi Dane,
  If the clean frames exist within the shot, there is a good chance that mocha Pro could help. If the area you want to remove goes over very specific moving details it could make it a lot trickier.

  If you’d like to post the footage our team can usually tell very quickly if mocha Pro will help or not.

  Best,
  Ross Shain
  Imaginer Systems

  Ross Shain
  Imagineer Systems
  http://www.imagineersystems.com
• 

  Daniel Power

  March 28, 2011 at 3:15 pm

  Laser beam is bad for your eyes,I think you’d better find a expert to do it.
• 

  Dane Silzle

  March 28, 2011 at 4:18 pm

  The professional Trainer was using the clicker and pointer.
  There Cats and dog from there facility. I’m sure they know what their doing
  as these trainers have featured on numerous major movie released.
• 

  Dane Silzle

  March 28, 2011 at 4:24 pm

  he professional Trainer was using the clicker and pointer.
  There Cats and dog from there facility. I’m sure they know what their doing
  as these trainers have featured on numerous major movie released.

Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up