Tracker and 3D stroke?

DBoz699

DBoz699

Veteran
Would it be possible to add a Track to an object..then have 3D Stroke..create a strobing kind of look to the tracked object?

example..like holding a stick with like a yellow piece of tape at the end so the tracker sees the color..then have 3D stroke keep track of it and while the object moves around...3D stroke makes the strokes..so it looks like a strobe almost.


anyone have ideas? I wouldnt know wat to add above the original footage...
 
I'm not sure what you mean. I don't get the "strobing' part you are looking to get. Are you wanting to "write" with light, kind of in the air around you? I am pictuing a Harry Potter "I am Lord Voldemort" type of writing effect, but flickering.

Would a two camera setup help with the depth, one in front and one profile?

I don't see why you would reallly need a 3D stroke effect, you could probably do it with a 3D layer and keyframing the stroke width and position for scale and rotation.


I don't really get what you mean though. Any examples from a movie or something for reference?
 
Like..example.

thing.jpg


the red thing follows the stick but stays there..not just like going away...so it kinda looks like a strobe if you were taking a photograph..and stays there so it can also like wrap around someone too if needed...no flickers either.

3D stroke was the only way I could think of doing it.

...if that kinda clears it up a bit......
 
If you're referring to Trapcode 3D stroke, you'll be hard pressed to get it to line up the way you're wanting. I used it on an ESPN open last month and about pulled my hair out trying to get it to track with camera data exported from Maya. It can do some cool looks, but since it uses the comp camera, you'd have to do some serious 3D tracking before hand just to get the comp camera to even line up with your video plate. Boujou or something at that level.

Your best bet is to do the stroke as perhaps an ellipse extruded along a path in a true 3d program (maya, lightwave, c4d, max, etc).
 
yes, it is not a hard problem in Maya. You can track the point in Maya Live, then you set an unvisible object to the locator, and finally you make an emitter from the object so you set any kind of stoke. in 3d it is a bit harder, I cannot imagine how to join the given data...

but I would do it with a simple keyframing method. I think it is much faster, and can be more accurate sometimes...(in 3D)
 
If the camera is static, you don't need anything other than the regular old stroke effect. You can control the width of it, which would allow you to fake depth (no going out of focus easily though) and for tracking, simply apply the data to the start position of it, and leave the end position alone, keeping it in place, but growing when you wave it around.

Personally, I would follow the tip with the pen tool, create a path, and have the effect follow that. Shold be easy for what you are wanting.

You can create a path easily, and copy it, then paste it into the begginning position of your stroke. also, every pen click will represent a keyframe, helping with timing, AND allowing for curves in between keyframes.

The only problem is there is a bug in AE where sometimes when you copy a Mask/Curve, and you go to paste it, nothing happens. You did everything right, but nothing happens. But, if you copy a Mask, save and close the program and then open it, THEN it will allow you to paste. Strange bug, but you can paste masks, just reopen your project.
 
Thanks for all your suggestions.

I dont have access to Maya...even thou it would prolly be alost easier because its a 3D application.

I tried the static shot..and did the paths..it looked decent....but these are just tests im making...i was thinking of doing it with some camera movement..but thats gonna prove to be a really hard challenge then.

kinda sucks.

I was thinking sumthing like this effect in a music video..i described the effect to my friend..and he told me about this video..so i found it and towards the middle end..youll notice the effect.

http://www.hotget.com/videocode/Yellowcard-Lights_And_Sounds--12399.html

Any ideas how they made that??
 
Holy **** - Black... that video you posted is a BLATENT ripoff of mark romanek's coldplay video

Holy ****, ****ing blatent, feckin amazing - it was like "Hmm this imagery is cool, but oddly familiar" then 3 seconds later (7 seconds into the video) "They ripped romanek!"

Just my opinion
 
monte said:
Holy poo poo - Black... that video you posted is a BLATENT ripoff of mark romanek's coldplay video

Holy poo poo, poo pooing blatent, feckin amazing - it was like "Hmm this imagery is cool, but oddly familiar" then 3 seconds later (7 seconds into the video) "They ripped romanek!"

Just my opinion
Click to expand...


why because its got a light rig? i can find a bunch of videos that have light rigs.

btw, check this video...http://www.videocodezone.com/videos/a/audioslave/be_yourself.html

francis lawrence directed that video before romanek did speed of sound. scrub close to the end...shots/rig look familier?

romanek is known to rip on peoples work...he is up there with Tarsem, they both have been suid because of it.

check out this nikka costa video..

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/vir...ideo/like_a_feather_300.asx?siteid=artistsite

it was done in 2001...same idea..artists performs in front of flashy light rig....
 
blckhawk - here is one way, this will at least turn your tracking information into a curve, helps if you have LOTS of things you want to track too. this isnt totaly what your asking for, but at least it lets you automated the mask creation a bit if your tracking an object.

- create a null object

- take your footage with a guy holding a wand..or whatever, with something that you can track to on the tip and use the after effects tracker to track the tip.

- apply the tracked information to the null object.

- make an adjustment layer and place it on the top, above everything else in the timeline.

- draw a 2 point path using the pen tool

- copy the position keyframes from the null object

- open up the mask of the adjustment layer in the timeline, and past the keyframes into the masks shape. it uses those keys to generate a mask that is based on your track data.

- add 3d stroke to another adjustment layer. tell it to use the mask you created.

- you will have to animate the start and end of 3d stroke by hand...kinda of a pain.
 
You could do what Rich suggested or you could shell out a bit more for trapcodes particular which is built for this and was used on Jason Koxvolds video here.
http://www.bubble-squeak.com/site03/mo_citizens.html
Same process track and apply particular and adjust particle birth rate.
Download the trial version of particular and ill email you a project file if you PM me.:thumbsup:
 
nicholasraeburn said:
You could do what Rich suggested or you could shell out a bit more for trapcodes particular which is built for this and was used on Jason Koxvolds video here.
http://www.bubble-squeak.com/site03/mo_citizens.html
Same process track and apply particular and adjust particle birth rate.
Download the trial version of particular and ill email you a project file if you PM me.:thumbsup:
Click to expand...


ah, cool, i didnt realize he had done that with particular....cool...i was always wondering how he got the rough edges.
 
I already have Particular..I have all the trapcode plugins except Echospace and Soundkeys.

I never thought of doing it in Particular.

btw the video isnt playing for some reason...Jason Koxvolds video. Its a quicktime file..but when i click it..it jus shows a question mark and no vid...kinda lame.
But from that picture at the top right corner...thats the exact thing im trying to do..that strobe kinda thing.


Rich's way seems a tadish complicated...im sorta new to AE...but I get wat your sayin.
 
Rich - yes the "Yourself" video has a light rig with the same sort of shots and coloration that are strikingly similar, however the rig itself is no where near the size and "intensity" as the other video I was referencing - which was the main sticking point for me, it looked like the exact same rig... which I suppose isn't a bad thing

I mean - how many videos do you see with the 9 big circular lights that flash on and off - but still, my argument remains - however the second video you linked didn't work for me (codec issues - tried opening in DIVX as well) but perhaps it had a more similar setup.

Again - it's hard to do stuff that nobodies ever done before, all creativity is (in all cynicism) is disguised plagiarism... to an extent... oh well that's a whole nother topic and we could go into romanek and other directors "borrowing" concepts and so on - but I don't want to derail anything...

:)

Best wishes
monte
 
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