There are several operations involved. Basically you have to think in layers. Everything your inserted actor passes behind is a layer, everything your inserted actor is in front of is a layer.
In your pre-production planning do you have to consider lighting, shadows, camera angle and distance from this subject. All of these must match to pull off a seamless composite. If there are camera moves then you have to both understand how to track camera movement or background movement and how to shoot so you can get accurate tracking information.
There are several techniques for separating items from the background and these include rotoscope, track mattes, procedural mattes, and keying.
If you are introducing CG elements then you also have to learn how to capture the lighting in your master scene so that you can re-create it with your 3-D models.
That sounds like a lot to know and learn, and it is.
To get started I would suggest that you plan your shot using a locked off camera, measure the distance from the camera to the critical elements in the scene, then shoot a "clean plate" without any actors, then shoot your master with some actors, then shoot another scene with just The actor you want to add to the scene.
If you want to you could shoot your second actor using green screen to make it easier to separate them from the background. Get something simple like this to work and you're on your way to learning how to do the more complicated shots.
Make sure you have a very good understanding of the basics of After Effects, compositing, and camera work.
One last thing. If I were doing "Fifty Shades of Tubby" every single shot would be a separate composition. There is a real tendency by newbies to try to use AE to edit. You should only be creating single shots or on rare occasions short sequences in AE. Your editing should be accomplished in a nonlinear editor like Premiere Pro.
1 Correct answer
5
Replies
AdChoices