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Wolfgang03
Wolfgang03
Participant
November 16, 2019
Answered

Text On Road

  • November 16, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 528 views

Hi guys, I'm new to after effects, and I take a lot of drone footage of real estate for my job. I'm trying to mess around with camera tracking text, and adding callout labels to buildings and marking land parcels. I have most of that stuff down, but I don't know how to add text to streets in a way so that it accomplishes two things:

1. I would like it to be camera tracked, so that the text is off frame, and when the drone pans, the text is there (I know how to do this with 3D Camera tracker).
2. I would like it so that the text is underneath any vehicles that are driving on the labeled road (I experimented with masking, but because the text is a 3d object, I might be doing something wrong).

I could always just leave the text on the road as is, and change the opacity to 50% to accomplish the task of labeling the road currently being viewed. I just feel like getting the cars to drive over the text would impress our clients just a little more. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Rick Gerard

You will have to add a track matte to the comp above the text layer. It is usually easiest to do this with a shape layer. Trace the outline of a vehicle and animate the position. The shape layer only needs to be long enough to be over the car for as long as the car is over the text layer. Then you use the shape layer as a track matte for the text. You'll need a shape layer for every vehicle that passes over the text. Sometimes Motion Tracking the cars can make it easier to do the roto work with shape layers.

 

Let me know if you have any more questions. This isn't texting on a road, but it shows a composite I recently did that has a moving camera, a replacement TV screen, and an actor's shoulder that passes in front of the TV screen. I recently answered a fairly similar question in another thread. Maybe it will give you some ideas.   Re: Efficient roto, no matter what toolset you use...

1 reply

R
Community Expert
Rick GerardCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
November 16, 2019

You will have to add a track matte to the comp above the text layer. It is usually easiest to do this with a shape layer. Trace the outline of a vehicle and animate the position. The shape layer only needs to be long enough to be over the car for as long as the car is over the text layer. Then you use the shape layer as a track matte for the text. You'll need a shape layer for every vehicle that passes over the text. Sometimes Motion Tracking the cars can make it easier to do the roto work with shape layers.

 

Let me know if you have any more questions. This isn't texting on a road, but it shows a composite I recently did that has a moving camera, a replacement TV screen, and an actor's shoulder that passes in front of the TV screen. I recently answered a fairly similar question in another thread. Maybe it will give you some ideas.   Re: Efficient roto, no matter what toolset you use...

    Wolfgang03
    Wolfgang03Author
    Participant
    November 19, 2019

    Mr. Gerard, first let me apologize for just now getting back to you. I was traveling for work, and only just now attempted what you had suggested. You sir, are awesome! Since I'm new to after effects, I wasn't quite sure what a track matte was, but that was easily remedied by a google search. I'ved never posted anything on any forum before (which is funny, because I do IT work on the side), because people always seem to have asked the questions before me. I know this may have been a simple thing for you and many others, but for a newcomer like myself, it feels like I just performed magic. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge!!!

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