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From: Teddy Gage <teddygage@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2012 17:19:59 -0500
Message-ID: <CAPdXPWffcu0S54W6Yt2HWE1GXtjh73nToTn=we_DmtMAK0eBMQ@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: pulling a better difference matte?
To: After Effects Mail List <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
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     Hello, I'm working on an indie film and they have presented me with
some "interesting technical challenges," to put it diplomatically. The
current shot I'm working on is two actors getting riddled with bullets,
with no practical effects or greenscreen. I am adding blood, bullet holes,
dust, smoke and glass. they are flailing about like rag dolls then go down.
It lasts about five seconds. There are rows of shelves behind them with
glass bottles that stay intact throughout the shot. In a separate shot, the
director then pulled the bottles off the shelves using strings, and the two
shots need to be composited together. If only the actors had been shot on
greenscreen, this would be easy. But there are enough changes between shots
that a difference key only gets me about 50% of the way there. However this
ancient effect is not 32-bit, has awful controls, and it's almost
impossible to get a clean difference matte; half the background is pulled
into the effect and I cannot cleanly separate the actors.

Of course, I could roto actors out of the scene, then lay them on top of
the glasses breaking, but I'd like to avoid this. Are there any tools that
are better for pulling out a motion matte from a static background other
than difference matte? Or is there another way to do this I'm not thinking
of?

The approach I currently have going is to pull a difference key of the
bottles flying off the shelves from the static shot, then to roto the
actors' arms etc. in just the regions where they intersect with the
bottles. This way it appears the bottles are being shot up behind the
actors, as they should be. This at least saves me from having to do a full
roto of each actor against the background. Would love to hear any other
suggestions, thanks
TG

-- 
Animator & Editor
www.teddygage.com
Brooklyn

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=A0=A0=A0=A0 Hello, I&#39;m working on an indie film and they have presente=
d me with some &quot;interesting technical challenges,&quot; to put it dipl=
omatically. The current shot I&#39;m working on is two actors getting riddl=
ed with bullets, with no practical effects or greenscreen. I am adding bloo=
d, bullet holes, dust, smoke and glass. they are flailing about like rag do=
lls then go down. It lasts about five seconds. There are rows of shelves be=
hind them with glass bottles that stay intact throughout the shot. In a sep=
arate shot, the director then pulled the bottles off the shelves using stri=
ngs, and the two shots need to be composited together. If only the actors h=
ad been shot on greenscreen, this would be easy. But there are enough chang=
es between shots that a difference key only gets me about 50% of the way th=
ere. However this ancient effect is not 32-bit, has awful controls, and it&=
#39;s almost impossible to get a clean difference matte; half the backgroun=
d is pulled into the effect and I cannot cleanly separate the actors.<br>

<br>Of course, I could roto actors out of the scene, then lay them on top o=
f the glasses breaking, but I&#39;d like to avoid this. Are there any tools=
 that are better for pulling out a motion matte from a static background ot=
her than difference matte? Or is there another way to do this I&#39;m not t=
hinking of? <br>

<br>The approach I currently have going is to pull a difference key of the =
bottles flying off the shelves from the static shot, then to roto the actor=
s&#39; arms etc. in just the regions where they intersect with the bottles.=
 This way it appears the bottles are being shot up behind the actors, as th=
ey should be. This at least saves me from having to do a full roto of each =
actor against the background. Would love to hear any other suggestions, tha=
nks<br>

TG<br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Animator &a=
mp; Editor</span><br style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,=
0,0)"><a href=3D"http://www.teddygage.com" target=3D"_blank">www.teddygage.=
com</a></span><br style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">

<span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Brooklyn</span><br><br>

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