• Adobe After Effects

  reflective surfaces

  Posted by Phil Summers on May 11, 2007 at 8:05 am

  Hi Guys
  Saw a pop promo shot entirely on blue screen, including the floor. When finished the floor is reflective like a polished surface with reflections of the band etc. Is this achieveable in AE? If so can anybody shed some light on how its done please? Any tips, hints or suggestions would be much appreciated.
  Cheers
  Phil

  Delete replied 19 years ago 4 Members · 3 Replies
• 3 Replies

• 

  Curbsider

  May 11, 2007 at 8:19 am

  I could be mistaken as to what you want, but this might be useful:

  https://forums.creativecow.net/articles/kramer_andrew/reflections/reflections.htm
• 

  Frank Hardie

  May 11, 2007 at 1:18 pm

  Usually shot with clear perspex (plexiglas) over a blue floor. The perspex provides the reflection, while allowing the blue to still be keyed.

  It can be faked in AE, although it can be a headache getting the perspective right on your reflection layer(s).
• 

  Delete

  May 11, 2007 at 3:03 pm

  When you shoot your footage have a b-cam shooting from a really low angle. Use that footage as the reflection later on in compositing. When you put the piece together, create it in a 3d comp. Adjust the center point of the reflection footage so that it is even with the intersection point of the images. Lay the reflection footage (rotation, position, etc.) on the floor of your comp. Use an additive mode or the like (based on your preference and the “surface” material) for the reflection and parent it to the upright footage.

  This is actually kind of like the technique used in many early video games for creating complex shadows or reflections (the scripted duplicate would be parented to the host – ghosting it).

  Don’t forget to blur or soft focus the reflection, unless that’s your main focus in the shot.

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