If you don't know where to start with motion graphics, check out my column "Quick Tip." I'll show you how to create some awesome effects using Adobe Creative Suite and other tools.
There are two ways to slap an image or title on a wall in post production. You can either manually set down a million keyframes, adjusting its position and orientation at every fraction of a second, or get Adobe After Effects to do the hard work for you.
It might remind you of how we attached pictures and words to moving objects using the Tracker tool in a previous "Quick Tip."
What makes this lesson different is that we will use Track Camera instead of Track Motion . It tells Adobe After Effects to analyze your video for flat surfaces, such as floors and walls, and create points where you can attach images or text.
There are two ways to slap an image or title on a wall in post production. You can either manually set down a million keyframes, adjusting its position and orientation at every fraction of a second, or get Adobe After Effects to do the hard work for you.
It might remind you of how we attached pictures and words to moving objects using the Tracker tool in a previous "Quick Tip."
What makes this lesson different is that we will use Track Camera instead of Track Motion . It tells Adobe After Effects to analyze your video for flat surfaces, such as floors and walls, and create points where you can attach images or text.
If you'd like to use the same assets in this lesson, download this drone footage and this cat video from Pixabay. Both of these videos are free to use for commercial purposes, if you'd like to include them in any of your own upcoming projects.
Ready? Here's how to get started.
Ready? Here's how to get started.
Step 1. Use 'Track Camera' on your video
By now, you're probably familiar with how to find the Tracker window in Adobe After Effects. It should appear minimized to the right of your window. If not, click on Window in the top menu bar and make sure there's a checkmark next to the Tracker option in the drop-down menu.
Drag your drone footage onto the timeline. Highlight it and then select Track Camera in the Tracker window. Adobe After Effects will begin analyzing the video. |
Step 2. Select a surface in your video
Once Adobe After Effects is done with its analysis, you'll find a number of these colorful markers all throughout your video. These markers are used to identify the angle of surfaces in your video.
If you move your cursor over a marker or in between several markers, Adobe After Effects will attempt to emulate the orientation of the surface, as in the image below. Click on it to highlight that surface.
If you move your cursor over a marker or in between several markers, Adobe After Effects will attempt to emulate the orientation of the surface, as in the image below. Click on it to highlight that surface.
This will add a Camera and either a Text or Solid Shape layer. That text or shape will be at the same angle and position as the flat surface you selected throughout the whole clip.
Step 3. Tweaking your text or video
The text option should be self-explanatory, so I'm going to skip ahead to how you can attach an image or video to the wall. Precompose the layer labelled Track Solid 1 and name it anything you like.
If you want the composition to be a rectangle instead of a square, click on Composition in the top menu bar, select Composition Settings. Adjust Width and Height in the window that appears.
Delete the Solid Shape in the precomposed layer and add whatever image or video you like. For this lesson, use the cat video. |
If we go back out into our main composition, you might find that the video is really, really tiny.
All you need to do is to open up the Transform options for the precomposed layer and adjust its Scale. You might also want to adjust its Orientation if the video isn't exactly aligned with the flat surface.
If you play your video back, this is what it should look like.
All you need to do is to open up the Transform options for the precomposed layer and adjust its Scale. You might also want to adjust its Orientation if the video isn't exactly aligned with the flat surface.
If you play your video back, this is what it should look like.
That's really all there is to it.
Mess around with it. Use cat videos to vandalize the world's most prominent buildings in post production. That's the magic of Adobe After Effects.
I'll be back again in two weeks for another "Quick Tip!"
Mess around with it. Use cat videos to vandalize the world's most prominent buildings in post production. That's the magic of Adobe After Effects.
I'll be back again in two weeks for another "Quick Tip!"