Simple 3D Tracking (Matchmoving) Exercise in iClone 4


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By JasonJ68 - 14 Years Ago
Hi All:

Just a bit of experimentation with matchmoving inside iClone.

For some reason I had a hell of a time getting the background video imported as a 2D background.  I had to import the video to an image layer instead, which wasn't as easy to work with.  This meant that I had to export the animation separately from iClone and use compositing software to composite the animation with the background.   Exporting both the animation and the background within iClone itself would have been the best solution, I think.

If I put a lot more time into the tracking (especially at the beginning of the video) I would have gotten much better results. But in reality, this was just a test to see if it was possible at all.

Comments welcome!

iClone 4 match move test:
By stuckon3d - 14 Years Ago
Good try Jason,
like i mentioned on another post, it is "possible" but it is very tedious work and the results will be less than perfect. The camera move you had was very tame, a more shaky camera move where you had to key every single frame by frame, i don t think you would have had the same results. Ideally, iclone will allow us to import the camera information from syntheyes or matchmover, or whatever tracking software available out there, and then the camera will be deadly locked on. ;)

cheers,

Stuckon3d
By Teviniii - 14 Years Ago
For some reason I had a hell of a time getting the background video imported as a 2D background. I had to import the video to an image layer instead, which wasn't as easy to work with. This meant that I had to export the animation separately from iClone and use compositing software to composite the animation with the background. Exporting both the animation and the background within iClone itself would have been the best solution, I think.

@Jason

Importing your background footage as an "image layer" will result in your props/avatars appearing BEHIND the background. A more useful method is to apply your background footage to a plane or wall instead. Additionally, applying your background footage to iClone's 2D background would have also made things more complicated because a 2d background is "locked in perspective"; e.g, you can't zoom or pan it - it's always the same size with the same spacing.

This is probably a no-brainer but my alternative to complicated 3D tracking is using a tripod to film the action of a WIDESHOT still frame. I then import the footage to a plane and size it in proportion to my avatars/props. I am then able to zoom and to do limited 2d style panning with minimal adjustments to my avatars/props along the way.

So yeah, I get decent results by keeping my real camera still and letting the iClone camera do all the work.

An example of this begins at 1:15 and ends at 1:37 in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JQFIkADvsQ. ACTUALLY, the first half has a moving real cam but a few seconds later, you'll see an example of what I explained above.
By JasonJ68 - 14 Years Ago
Okay, I accept that my tracking demo SUCKED but I thought it was worth a shot!!! LOL

For the record, I do know what the differences are between a 3d plane, a 2d image layer, and a 2d background layer.  If you check out this video: (10,815 views, just sayin')

: at 1:08 to 1:16 the performer's hand is tracked via a 2D background.
So the technique has its uses; I guess I pushed it too hard.

The video Teviniii recommended ("Colored girls...") was both awesome and cringeworthy--
The tracking shot is impressive enough to warrant further experimentation.
Looking closely at the tracking shot, the iclone avatar is casting a shadow on the 3d surface. LOL.

@stuckon3d : I wish there was a way to involve SynthEyes with iClone!

I'm going to try a different recipe, maybe:
-stablized high def background video
-iClone Avatars + props
-greenscreen human performers
-fake handheld camera motion

We'll see how it goes! Thanks for the dialog!

By stuckon3d - 14 Years Ago
Hey Jason,
i dont think that your attempt sucked at all, actually was pretty good for what it was, but it was also done on a video that did not have too much parallax so technically you could just have tracked everything in aftereffects and locked the characters down that way to the background. I know you have great compositing skill man. No mistake about that. ;)
By Teviniii - 14 Years Ago
@Jason

I didn't think your demo sucked! I just wanted to show an example of the very simple method that I use - my "cheat" version of tracking. Because my channel is primarily dedicated to current events a la SNL, I have to spit them out ASAP. 95% of my stuff is done in a couple of days so I'm always coming up with workarounds.

I'm not sure what you meant when you said the hand is tracked by a 2D background......