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korbinp41170585
Participant
October 18, 2019
Question

3D Camera Tracker / Text Tracking way off Composition?

  • October 18, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 1050 views

Hello! 

 

First time trying to use tracking with text and having an odd issue. Maybe a duh type of thing. 

Hard to explain so I made a quick video. For some reason the text is just way off the composition screen and doesn't seem to be functioning as I understand it is supposed to (anchored to the point)

 

https://streamable.com/xx7w8

 

 

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    2 replies

    Community Expert
    October 18, 2019

    Here is the link to that thread that shows how I set up a shot using camera tracking:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/qoiuaozfhougaqa/A001_C013_0729G2_1%20vfx%20V3.mp4?dl=0

     

    Community Expert
    October 18, 2019

    For a shot like that, I would use Detailed Analysis. I use it on most shots. Then I would make sure that I set an origin and ground plane and add a solid and a camera using the exact same coordinates. Then you check the tracking. Adding a Grid effect to the solid will help. Camera tracker also ignores effects added to the layer. If you need Lumetri to bring up detail so there is more to track you should make color corrections first, then Pre-compose, then run Track Camera on the pre-comp.

     

    It looks to me like your camera is upside down, which means you had a bad camera solve. That sometimes happens if you leave off Advanced Analysis.

     

    Once you have the origin and ground plane set and the reference solid is tracking properly you can add other layers. Start by adding a reference solid on the surface where you want to place your text and make sure that the solid sticks to the surface properly. If the origin and ground plane is good and the new reference is not sticking then the points you chose for the surface (plane) were not correct. When your reference solids are all tracking properly you can just add a 3D text layer, hold down the Shift key and parent the text layer to the reference solid and the text layer will snap to the same position and orientation. I usually have four or five reference solids, all set to guide layers, on every shot needs to be camera tracked so I can make sure the track and the tracking markers that I pick are good. 

     

    I hope this helps. 

     

     

    korbinp41170585
    Participant
    October 18, 2019

    Rick, thank you so so much for taking the time to look and respond. 

     

    think I follow, at least enough to give it a try. I am super new to using AE but only way to learn is to dig in right? I kind of had a feeling this may not work too easily, like some of the tutorials I have seen. A lot of those shots are closer to things and not so far away from the subject so to speak. 

     

    My goal is to try and just get some numbers on the ground because this is just drone footage of 6 lots for sale, so wanting to label them 1 - 6 as the camera flies over. Maybe too ambitious but I am going to give it a try with your instruction 🙂

     

    I suppose if all else fails I could painfully fade in / out some numbers in Premiere with opacity or something :P.

     

    Community Expert
    October 18, 2019

    I do this kind of thing a lot with drone footage. Most YouTube tutorials I've seen from Enthusiasts do not really offer much help except with their specific shot. The user guide is often the very best place to start.

     

    When you have a shot that just will not track accurately Mocha AE is often a very good option. There is also a wonderful new 3rd party plug-in from AE Scripts called Lockdown that offers a very good solution to this kind of problem. I used it the other day to put property lines on a very hilly piece of land.

     

    I just recently posted a solution on the forum that I can't find now that shows how I set up my camera tracks. I will try and find it and post a link later.