Placing a 2D image within 3D video with CS 5.5 – tips / tricks?

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

FreeForm and more so, Freeform Pro can help you to give true 3d depth to a 2d image. Here’s a tutorial I did using Free Form:
https://library.creativecow.net/jelescu_tudor/3D-from-2D-image_AE/1

Some useful links for Free Form Pro:
https://library.creativecow.net/jelescu_tudor/FreeForm-Pro-review/1

https://library.creativecow.net/jelescu_tudor/AE-3D-tunnels-FreeForm-Pro-1/1

https://library.creativecow.net/jelescu_tudor/AE-3D-tunnels-FreeForm-Pro-2/1

Here’s a stereo shot using FreeForm Pro:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0ANaJlEFtg

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

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[Walter Soyka]

[Michael Kammes] “I’m looking for tricks to place the 2D image “within” the 3D video. Stereo scene depth doesn’t seem to help a ton. While I can give the 2D image pseudo depth, the depth of the image still comes from the front of the image being at point closest to the foreground.”

Michael, I’m not entirely clear on what you’re looking to do. Could you rephrase your question?

As you adjust the z-depth of the 2.5D image (placing it farther away from the camera rig), it should recede back into the scene. This may get confusing for the viewer with the 3D footage if there are other clear, non-stereo depth cues in the footage (like foreground occlusion, shadows, or scale), or if you haven’t matched the physical properties of the AE camera rig to the camera that originally shot the footage.

If you want to integrate your CG elements into your 3D footage, you must remember that your footage is really 2D, with the illusion of 3D. If there are camera moves, you must track and solve them, using that data to drive your AE camera rig. If you want to interleave your graphics with the footage, you’ll have to rotoscope in stereo (hard in AE, easier with specialized stereo roto tools like NUKE and OCULA, or perhaps Silhouette).

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Michael Kammes]

Apologies for the delay…had a shall we say, *involved* event this past week…

Many thanks for the links and tutorial, Ted. Watching and bookmarked, as well.

Walter, I think you get what I’m asking, I just don’t have enough user experience with the various tools to make the 2D graphics (now with depth) appear to “fit in” with the 3D live footage, but I think you’ve pointed me in the right direction.

I appreciate the pointers, gang.

~Michael

.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior technology & workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
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