Return-Path: Received: from mail-ve0-f171.google.com ([209.85.128.171] verified) by media-motion.tv (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2.10) with ESMTP-TLS id 5355099 for AE-List@media-motion.tv; Wed, 22 Jan 2014 22:43:24 +0100 Received: by mail-ve0-f171.google.com with SMTP id pa12so614148veb.2 for ; Wed, 22 Jan 2014 13:47:29 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:from:date:message-id:subject:to :content-type; bh=O+Jd1Pk8CXQmtt4yLB1J+briIkAHQqRBDqU2tvJLJhw=; b=b/OE5k1joWHVitbj/rSPHr73TxV7Ee3wZgWgEbfX6/qMYeCECLS6kh+zT8Nuz4+FEZ 1JOIR3FXwRKXiqmOIJnYrNPcxCu2NHNPBeVbIiW8I5hUp61y0RVpUn/Dm5xKOq2THiI9 tdjJfB3MvqUkip2GjD8SPScMa2Bnd4Rgni1U5l8xst806gstnn74ojMYJyRQ4NePYBl6 1NLaMOXhFhnxAwW5Ij5hEv2T3Q2yLX8faqXxs+Mz2y5bKMZY5LHp5NYjnQZmFrVWPXKE WRpGbbTe8TJyLhMjX91ZoqPPLUDYNxmRi0o1fN8XlsylNhHvRlCOLMeelrxiSRIt2UGW 0rug== X-Received: by 10.221.37.200 with SMTP id tf8mr23782vcb.54.1390427248961; Wed, 22 Jan 2014 13:47:28 -0800 (PST) MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.58.238.35 with HTTP; Wed, 22 Jan 2014 13:47:08 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: References: From: Nathan Shipley Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2014 13:47:08 -0800 Message-ID: Subject: Re: [AE] Integrating Virtual Set into AE To: After Effects Mail List Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=001a11338efc42ae3e04f09612f3 --001a11338efc42ae3e04f09612f3 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 re: Learning Maya - I second with what Teddy has said so well. Maya is really powerful but the learning curve is steep. While I love it, I still get frustrated by it sometimes and I've been using it since 2001! Hire somebody. :) On Wed, Jan 22, 2014 at 1:28 PM, Teddy Gage wrote: > >Whether I could pull this off myself (crash course in Maya? > > Do you have three 40-hour weeks free for studying and full time tutorial > sessions? I mean, it depends on how quickly you pick that stuff up, but > Maya especially is not forgiving of beginners during production under a > deadline. Even with pre-built assets. You still have to understand what you > are looking at. At least limit yourself to C4D. Each aspect of Maya (or > Max, or C4D) is basically an entire career path in its own right (modeling, > lighting, rigging, texturing, animating, dynamics). Trust me on this, if > you want it done right and looking even half decent, hire someone. Or fake > it in 2D. Especially if it's a small budget. my 2c > -TG > > > On Wed, Jan 22, 2014 at 3:49 PM, Rod Wellman wrote: > >> Thanks, Nathan. >> >> I was generally thinking along the lines of what you outlined when you >> mentioned locked off cameras. We would shoot without tracking or dolly or >> camera moves like tilts or pans. (could probably pull off a slight zoom). >> As you mentioned, we would get a small "collection" of varying angles of >> the 3D environments. Whether I could pull this off myself (crash course in >> Maya?), or just maybe hire a 3D artist to perform this function for us, I >> don't know. We're fairly versed in AE when it comes to adding "fake" >> shadows, using AE's lights, could even add a Show Logo on a wall with some >> tracking/match perspective, etc. I don't know that we would have to see >> the floor or a head to toe shot of the talent. Hiring a 3D artist might be >> the way to go so that we could slightly customize the 3D environment if we >> wanted. >> >> Steve's Newtek idea is also worth a follow-up. Closest dealer is in >> Minneapolis, looks like. >> >> Thanks! >> >> Rod W. >> >> >> >> On Wed, Jan 22, 2014 at 2:28 PM, Nathan Shipley wrote: >> >>> Also - note that the specific look of the virtual set as shown in >>> whatever thumbnails the client has found would come from lights, textures, >>> and render settings/passes created in Maya or Max -- that could be >>> difficult/impossible to translate through to After Effects. >>> >>> You could find a 3D artist who could render passes from matched/tracked >>> cameras that you would then bring into After Effects to add >>> reflections/shadows of the talent into the set you render from 3D. I >>> wouldn't expect to just pick up Maya or a 3D package quickly if you haven't >>> used one before, though, so budget for a 3D artist. >>> >>> Perhaps you shoot with locked off cameras and create a preset collection >>> of stills of the environment to composite the talent into? The 3D artist >>> just creates some preset views and you don't shoot any moving cameras that >>> would need to be tracked. Plan it out, know that you have various set >>> different angles you can shoot from, and try not to show contact with the >>> floor, which makes it trickier. >>> >>> Steve's Tricaster idea sounds solid, though, if the quality is up to par >>> with what they're looking for. (Haven't used one before myself.) >>> Especially for a series of multiple videos. Then you see just what you're >>> going to get on-set, make adjustments as needed on the fly, client approves >>> then and there, and you don't get into endless hours of post time tracking >>> cameras, long 3D renders, and comping green screen shots. >>> >>> Just some general thoughts! >>> - Nathan >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Jan 22, 2014 at 11:59 AM, Steve Oakley wrote: >>> >>>> I think its completely the wrong approach. get a Tricaster that does a >>>> live virtual set, or rent as needed. as a starting point >>>> http://www.newtek.com/vse >>>> >>>> doing this all live will be vastly simpler / faster / easier / >>>> better.... and saner ! >>>> >>>> S >>>> >>>> On Jan 22, 2014, at 1:47 PM, Rod Wellman >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>> > Hi all, >>>> > >>>> > A prospect is interested in creating a web video series. It's >>>> basically a talk show where 2 or 3 people will be discussing various >>>> products. >>>> > >>>> > They want to use a 3D virtual set as the background. We would shoot >>>> them against our green screen in our studio and composite them into this 3D >>>> environment probably using AE. >>>> > >>>> > The 3D environment he's interested in is available for Maya (.ma, >>>> .mb), 3ds Max (.max), Autodesk FBX (.fbx) and as .obj . >>>> > >>>> > It looks like there is a version of Maya that we could "rent". We >>>> don't own, and I don't have experience with any of these programs. >>>> > >>>> > Maybe it's possible to bring the .obj file into AE via Element 3D? >>>> > >>>> > Can anyone point me in the right direction for how to achieve this, >>>> or at least help me ask the right questions? >>>> > >>>> > Thanks, >>>> > >>>> > Rod W. >>>> > >>>> >>>> >>>> +---End of message---+ >>>> To unsubscribe send any message to >>>> >>> >>> >> > > > -- > _____________________________ > VFX & Motion Graphic Artist > teddygage dot com > --001a11338efc42ae3e04f09612f3 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
re: Learning Maya - I second with what Teddy has said so w= ell. =A0Maya is really powerful but the learning curve is steep. =A0While I= love it, I still get frustrated by it sometimes and I've been using it= since 2001! =A0Hire somebody. =A0:)


On Wed, Jan 2= 2, 2014 at 1:28 PM, Teddy Gage <teddygage@gmail.com> wrote= :
>Whether I could pull this off myself (crash course = in Maya?

Do y= ou have three 40-hour weeks free for studying and full time tutorial sessio= ns? I mean, it depends on how quickly you pick that stuff up, but Maya espe= cially is not forgiving of beginners during production under a deadline. Ev= en with pre-built assets. You still have to understand what you are looking= at. At least limit yourself to C4D. Each aspect of Maya (or Max, or C4D) i= s basically an entire career path in its own right (modeling, lighting, rig= ging, texturing, animating, dynamics). Trust me on this, if you want it don= e right and looking even half decent, hire someone. Or fake it in 2D. Espec= ially if it's a small budget. my 2c
-TG=


<= div class=3D"im">On Wed, Jan 22, 2014 at 3:49 PM, Rod Wellman <felis= tmail@cableone.net> wrote:
Tha= nks, Nathan.

I was generally thinking along the lines of= what you outlined when you mentioned locked off cameras. =A0We would shoot= without tracking or dolly or camera moves like tilts or pans. (could proba= bly pull off a slight zoom). As you mentioned, we would get a small "c= ollection" of varying angles of the 3D environments. =A0Whether I coul= d pull this off myself (crash course in Maya?), or just maybe hire a 3D art= ist to perform this function for us, I don't know. =A0We're fairly = versed in AE when it comes to adding "fake" shadows, using AE'= ;s lights, could even add a Show Logo on a wall with some tracking/match pe= rspective, etc. =A0I don't know that we would have to see the floor or = a head to toe shot of the talent. =A0Hiring a 3D artist might be the way to= go so that we could slightly customize the 3D environment if we wanted.

Steve's Newtek idea is also worth a follow-up. =A0C= losest dealer is in Minneapolis, looks like. =A0

T= hanks!

Rod W.



On Wed, Jan 22, 2014 a= t 2:28 PM, Nathan Shipley <nshipley@gmail.com> wrote:
Also - note that the specific look of the virtual set as s= hown in whatever thumbnails the client has found would come from lights, te= xtures, and render settings/passes created in Maya or Max -- that could be = difficult/impossible to translate through to After Effects.

You could find a 3D artist who could render passes from matc= hed/tracked cameras that you would then bring into After Effects to add ref= lections/shadows of the talent into the set you render from 3D. =A0I wouldn= 't expect to just pick up Maya or a 3D package quickly if you haven'= ;t used one before, though, so budget for a 3D artist.

Perhaps you shoot with locked off cameras and create a = preset collection of stills of the environment to composite the talent into= ? =A0The 3D artist just creates some preset views and you don't shoot a= ny moving cameras that would need to be tracked. =A0Plan it out, know that = you have various set different angles you can shoot from, and try not to sh= ow contact with the floor, which makes it trickier.

Steve's Tricaster idea sounds solid, though, if the= quality is up to par with what they're looking for. =A0(Haven't us= ed one before myself.) =A0Especially for a series of multiple videos. =A0Th= en you see just what you're going to get on-set, make adjustments as ne= eded on the fly, client approves then and there, and you don't get into= endless hours of post time tracking cameras, long 3D renders, and comping = green screen shots.

Just some general thoughts!
=A0- Nathan
=


<= div class=3D"im">On Wed, Jan 22, 2014 at 11:59 AM, Steve Oakley <ste= veo@practicali.com> wrote:
I think its complete= ly the wrong approach. get a Tricaster that does a live virtual set, or ren= t as needed. as a starting point http://www.newtek.com/vse

doing this all live will be vastly simpler / faster / easier / better.... a= nd saner !

S

On Jan 22, 2014, at 1:47 PM, Rod Wellman <felistmail@cableone.net> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> A prospect is interested in creating a web video series. =A0It's b= asically a talk show where 2 or 3 people will be discussing various product= s.
>
> They want to use a 3D virtual set as the background. We would shoot th= em against our green screen in our studio and composite them into this 3D e= nvironment probably using AE.
>
> The 3D environment he's interested in is available for Maya (.ma, = .mb), 3ds Max (.max), Autodesk FBX (.fbx) and as .obj .
>
> It looks like there is a version of Maya that we could "rent"= ;. =A0We don't own, and I don't have experience with any of these p= rograms.
>
> Maybe it's possible to bring the .obj file into AE via Element 3D?=
>
> Can anyone point me in the right direction for how to achieve this, or= at least help me ask the right questions?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Rod W.
>


+---End of message---+
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--
_____________________________
VFX & Mot= ion Graphic Artist
teddygage dot com
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