The actual shooting of a video project is typically only a portion of the process. There’s pre-production, of course; writing, storyboarding, rewriting, location hunting, casting, and so, so much more. But, there’s also post-production. Long after the shoot is over, post is churning away, making something coherent out of all that raw footage. This is especially true if your project needs graphical elements you couldn’t film in the studio. That’s where the process of motion tracking comes in. It’s a simple and effective way to ensure many types of visual effects integrate seamlessly into your project. Not only does it save time, it can also allow for graphic assets to be swapped out easily!
Understanding motion tracking
Motion tracking allows you to track different objects, shot live, in order to replace them with effects later on. Essentially, you link your graphic to a specific point within the footage that has the natural motion you want. You associate graphics with target objects in consecutive frames, allowing them to appear as if the graphic itself is moving like the real life object.
There are a lot of benefits to motion tracking. People sometimes hear the words “graphic effects” or “animation” and assume it means spending more money. And yeah, shooting practically can be a great way to go when you want to limit costs. Other times, however, it ends up being very limiting.
Motion tracking in action
Let’s take an easy example of a scenario where motion tracking can really shine over shooting practically. Say you’ve got a phone app, and you feature it in a commercial. If you shoot someone interfacing with your app practically, you don’t have to do anything else to it, which is great… right?
But what if you change your brand colors, or your logo? What if a crucial step in the app’s UI gets re-engineered? Now, suddenly, the commercial you shot is useless! It features outdated iconography and it doesn’t accurately represent your brand.
Using motion tracking and inserting the graphics in post-production ensures that if your brand does change, the screens can say whatever you want, forever. It’s as simple as creating a new graphic. The practical option would force you to reshoot it, or ditch the commercial altogether. Now who’s wasting money?
Preparing footage for motion tracking
If you know you’re going to add graphical elements into your footage before you begin shooting, you should prepare in advance. Preparing practical “track points” on set before you shoot makes post-production WAY easier. Motion tracking software can easily lock on to these small, (usually) green markers after the shoot. The points are then easily removed in post! Just like that, a formerly complex and time-consuming process is replaced with an efficient one.
Applying motion tracking in post-production
It’s honestly difficult to find much content these days that doesn’t involve some motion tracking. From cell phone ads to The Avengers, it’s basically everywhere. But, for a few easy (and excellent) examples, check out ECG Productions’ reel. Typically, the animation team at ECG uses motion tracking within After Effects and Syntheyes to insert graphics or text into a specific spot within existing footage. The uses are numerous, as you might guess. Just here at ECG, motion tracking has been an integral process to:
- Create a storybook feel within a video using animated tilts, motions, or transitions.
- De-emphasize the background of a scene, bringing the subject of the video to the center of attention.
- Blur out specific areas within live footage to either give people or objects in the background a more generic feel.
- To hide a logo you don’t have clearance to use.
- Add in a digital environment that matches camera and actor movement (with the help of a green screen.)
All this is made possible because motion tracking aligns with the object you’re trying to connect with. It doesn’t matter if you’re adding something in or blurring something out.
Working with an experienced animation team
Achieving any of the effects possible through the use of motion tracking requires an experienced crew of post-production professionals. The animation team is obviously vital; they also create the graphics to be added into the footage that’s being tracked. But lighting and proper camera settings (Remember your white balance, people) are necessary, too. The team at ECG is prepared to help you realize your next video project through the inclusion of effects such as this. To learn more about motion tracking and all the effects available to create a memorable video, contact ECG today.