Motion Graphics and Compositing | Task 2 - Compositing AE Exercises
|| Tee Zi Tong, 0366165
|| Motion Graphics and Compositing | Task 2 - Compositing AE Exercises
|| Week 4 - Week 9
INSTRUCTION
EXERCISE 4: ROTOSCOPING & MOTION TRACKING
This exercise introduced the fundamentals of combining different visual elements through rotoscoping and motion tracking techniques in After Effects. The objective was to separate a moving subject from its original footage and attach another graphic element that could interact with the movement naturally.
Using the provided footage and graphic assets, I began by creating a clean subject cutout with the Roto Brush Tool. Since the subject was moving throughout the scene, I had to carefully check and refine the mask across multiple frames to maintain consistency. After completing the rotoscoping process, I used motion tracking to analyse the movement of the footage and applied the tracking data to the graphic layer. This allowed the added element to move together with the subject and appear more integrated into the scene.
Through this exercise, I gained a better understanding of how precise masking and tracking are important when creating believable visual effects.
FINAL OUTCOME:
EXERCISE 5: 3D COMPOSITING WITH AFTER EFFECTS & BLENDER
For this exercise, I explored the workflow of combining 3D elements with live-action footage to create a VFX shot. The main goal was to place a 3D robot into an existing environment while making it appear as if it was physically present in the scene.
The process started in After Effects, where I analyzed the camera movement of the footage through 3D camera tracking. The tracking information was then transferred into Blender so that the virtual camera could match the original footage. Since both software use different systems and file formats, preparing the tracking data required several adjustments before everything could work properly.
Once the tracking setup was completed in Blender, I imported the robot model and positioned it according to the tracked environment. I focused on matching the robot’s size, placement, and perspective with the scene to make the integration look convincing. Lighting and shadow adjustments were also done to improve the connection between the 3D object and the real footage.
After setting up the robot, I created simple animations by adjusting the movement of different parts, including the body and legs, to make the robot’s actions feel more natural. The completed render was then brought back into After Effects for additional compositing work.
The final stage involved enhancing the shot with extra effects in After Effects. I added environmental effects such as smoke, impact details, ground damage, and movement vibration to strengthen the feeling of the robot landing and leaving the scene. These additional effects helped create more depth and realism in the final composition.
FINAL OUTCOME:
LINK TO GOOGLE DRIVE
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mWszKcYmYcEqosJtu8cWemUg4du7YJuK?usp=drive_link
This exercise gave me a different experience compared to previous projects because it required both compositing skills and 3D workflow knowledge. Managing the connection between After Effects and Blender was one of the biggest challenges, as each software required different settings and methods to achieve the desired result.
During the process, I faced difficulties especially when working with Blender, as I was still learning how to navigate the software and understand its workflow. Setting up materials, lighting, and rendering took a lot of trial and error. One of the major problems I encountered was an incorrect render output where the robot did not appear properly, which required me to investigate the causes and adjust the settings before getting the expected result.
Despite the technical challenges, this exercise helped me become more comfortable with using Blender and improved my understanding of how 3D objects can be combined with real footage. I also learned that small details such as shadows, lighting, and additional effects play an important role in making a composite scene feel realistic. Overall, this was a challenging but valuable learning experience that expanded my skills beyond traditional After Effects compositing.
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