After Effects 3D Camera + Planar Tracking Course

After Effects 3D Camera and Planar tracking is an in-depth look at using After Effects built in 3D Camera Tracker and Mocha AE’s Planar tracking and rotoscoping software which ships with After Effects CS4 and above.

The course will focus on ‘real-world’ production examples and will show you from the ground up how to use the built in 3D Camera Tracker to solve shots with camera motion for insertion of elements (Text, 3D models, Graphics) into a 3D scene, as well as exploring Mocha AE to generate accurate tracks based on ‘planes’ without relying on traditional tracking markers (feature tracking) for object tracking and rotoscoping, and how to use that data inside After Effects.

You’ll also learn easy and intuitive ways to perform rotoscoping including the use of the mocha Shape plug in for After Effects. The extensive practical exploration will also include working with alpha channels, embedded mattes, edge controls, off screen tracking, and removing objects.

Course Content:

- After Effects 3D Camera Interface
- Mocha AE interface
- Tracking multiple objects
- Adjusting tracks and exporting corner pin data for use in After Effects
- Using Mocha for Rotoscoping inside After Effects
- Tracking objects that either enter the frame or leave the frame during the tracking process and exporting tracks that may not start or end at the beginning or end of the shot
- Tracking organic objects
- Tracking complicated shots with extreme perspective tracks
- Exporting shape data with the Mocha shape plug-in for After Effects
- Rotoscoping and shape export
- Tracking 3D shots. Using a number of tools to track and help solve 3D shots

Lesson Structure:
Project-led practical exercises

Entry Requirements:
No previous experience is necessary. Students should be fluent in English.

Tutor:
Pierre Vella is an independent digital creative working in film, video and digital technologies. He is a founding member of MITA (Moving Image Training Alliance) and runs a series of training programmes in film and video post-production, web technologies and motion graphics in London and Cambridge.

General:
Each student will be provided with their own workstation and can discuss any specific areas of interest they may have toward the end of each day with the tutor.