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How to select/mask using a Depth pass?
Hi,
I’m currently making a medical animation with video input created in Cinema 4D.
Essentially, The input video I’m bringing into AE 7.0 consists two passes: A RGB-pass and A Depth-pass.In PhotoShop the process of using the depth pass to mask certain portions of the RGB image to then apply filters like Lens Blur etc. is pretty straight forward (Please see: https://static.flickr.com/44/137736165_8926a0b180_o.jpg )
OK, so how is the same thing done in AE 7.0 ?
I have the exact same layers but instead of still images they’re video. I want to use the Depth video to effect/select certain portions of the RGB video in order to apply the Lens Blur filter in very much the same way that I’m used to in PhotoShop.Any help is highly appreciated…
Cheers / Alex
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6 Replies
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Here is a Chinese tutorial about this effects, I have translate the main idea for you:
1.create the image with Z-channel.(such as .rpf)
2.import it into AE, and apply the effect “3D channel extract” to it
3.set the black point and the white point value,and recomp it
4.put the image on to your time line,add “compoud blur” for the picture’s layer. (now you have two layers)set the filter like this:
There might be some other ways of making it. wish to be helpful.
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Hey Joe,
Thanks for your help and for taking the time to translate and put this together
I appreciate it. 🙂 I’ll try this.Cheers / Alex
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if you have any problem, just come back to CreativeCOW again 🙂
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I’m not in front of AE right now, but the new AE7 lens blur has a matte for it’s DOF built in. I was playing with it when it first came out. I put a grad in the matte channel and did swing/tilt effects.
Put lens blur on your RGB channel and use the depth pass as your the matte input on the lens blur.
Because you don’t want your depth channel used to just mix in the blur because that’s not how a lens really works, that will just create diffusion where it’s not 100% blurred or clean. The matte input on the lens blur does what a real lens does which is to truly defoucus by the amount in your matte.
Sorry if I’m not very specific as I’m going on memory until I see it in front of me.
Chris Smith
https://www.sugarfilmproduction.com -
Hey, Thanks for those tips Chris!
I’ve done some experimenting and got it all figured out now. I’m still pretty new to AE but coming from PhotoShop land makes things a lot easier.Cheers, and long live the cow!
Alex
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I just got in front of AE. Yeah, put the lens blur effect on the RGB pass. Then put your depth pass in the comp but turn it’s visibilityy off. Then in the lens blur effect, select it as the “Depth Map Layer” then it should look awesome! Play with the ‘Blur focal distance’ to do a rack focus.
Chris Smith
https://www.sugarfilmproduction.com
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