Adding 3D objects to video

Today we will look at one of the ways to combine 3D graphics and video. For this we need:

  • Video
  • Adobe After Effects (I will be demonstrating on CC 2017)
  • Element 3D Plugin
  • Necessary 3D model

Pay attention to how and where you will shoot your video. Please note that the more different details there are in your video, the easier it is for the program to track points to which a 3D object will be attached later.

To get started, open Adobe After Effects. In the window that appears, click New Project ...

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Next, we need to import our video into which we will add 3D graphics. File> Import> File ...> Select a video.

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Drag the imported file into the timeline window.

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Now you need to track the points to which the 3D model will be attached. Be sure to click on the video in the timeline window so that the program understands which element we will work with. Then, in the Inspector window, select Camera tracking. If you do not have an Inspector window , simply activate it through the Window tab .

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Tracking process started. We can only wait until the program finishes processing the video and calculates all the possible points for binding the object.

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As soon as the program has finished rendering, we need to select at least 3 most successful points that are on the plane we need, that is, on the surface where the 3D graphics will be located. If you hold the mouse cursor over all points, you will notice that the program will automatically offer various combinations of three adjacent “markers”. Select one of the options by clicking on the space between the points, after which they should be highlighted in yellow. Then we right-click on the same plane and click Create empty and camera (My layer is signed as Track empty 1 ).

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Now to the newly created Empty object ( Track empty 1) you can attach 3D graphics that will clearly follow the plane, densely “nailed” points to the surface we need. To work with 3D graphics, we will use the Element 3D plugin, thanks to which you can import the model you need into After Effects.

Create a continuous layer. Right-click on an empty space in the timeline window, select Create> Solid Fill ...> approx .

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Apply the effect of Element 3D on a continuous layer. In the Effects and Templates tab , search for Element and drag it onto the Solid Layer .

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Click on the continuous layer. In the Effect Controls window, clickElement> Scene Intreface> Scene Setup .

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In the window that appears, select the model we need.

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Next, we need to bind the 3D model to the Empty object previously created by us . But for starters, create an Empty object for the 3D model too. We open the Group 1 tab in the Effect Controls window , since in our case the 3D model is in this group. Then, under the Create Group Null tab , click Create (My layer is signed as Group 1 Null ).

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Next we need to bind the Empty model object to the Empty objectvideo. Hold Shift and left-click on the spiral icon next to the layer just created for the 3D model ( Group 1 Null ) onto the layer with the Video object empty ( Track empty 1 ).

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Most likely, the object will decrease after this procedure. Just increase it and move it to the desired location using the parameters located in the Group 1 tab . In the Group 1 tab, expand Particle Replicator > Rotation . By changing the parameters there, you can move and rotate your object to the desired position. Then open the Particle Look tab to resize the 3D object.

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Done. We added a 3D model to our video, while it is completely “nailed” to the plane it needs and throughout the whole composition the object is in the same position relative to the surface to which we attached our graphics. So, when moving the camera, the 3D model will be stationary.

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