Re: light streaks

[Brendan Maghran] "If I put reflective tape on the sticks how well can motion track it? I've never used the tracker in it. In terms of renting a higher speed camera, I'm doing this at school, so I really can't. The song is a dance club type of song, and the band is going for a very colorful image. I want neon light streaks to look like they're coming from the drumsticks and guitar as they move.

Tracking depends on clarity of the image, the pixels must be easily discerned by the software. That requires contrast or distinct hue differences. Drum sticks are moving really fast so they appear blurred if shooting at 1/30 or 1/60 second. You must figure out a way to freeze them by shooting with more frames per second, faster shutter speeds like 1/250 (which demands MUCH more light), or you simply cope with the problems caused by your limited gear and skills. But you cannot blame After Effects or Motion for their shortcomings if you are unable to supply minimum image quality required for basic tracking.

[Brendan Maghran] After using the tracker in motion or AE how would I connect the tracker to the light streak effect? I'm pretty amateur in AE, but little better in motion so some of this stuff is relatively new. Any help is very, very appreciated.

Using the Trackers in AE or Motion is not easy but you're not alone. Open the manuals, find some online tutorials and prepare yourself for several practice sessions. You will quickly realize tracking for image stabilization is different form tracking for the application of effects. You will quickly realize how fragile the tacking systems are and you will be totally confused by the endless options in the tracker controls. Once your video has been successfully analyzed, you will "simply" apply the tracking information to the effects controls. Not difficult. The hard part is manually correcting all of the frames where the tracking slips.

Mocha is a comprehensive tracking tool supplied with AE. I have never opened it.

[Brendan Maghran] And when you say you'd mask the sticks do you mean you'd rotoscope the sticks? Sorry if I sound confused. "

Reflective media will create a distinct hot spot in your video and that can easily be luma keyed IF YOU UNDERSTAND LIGHTING FOR VIDEO. Your set will have a different lighting ration than your on-camer alight. If you have no control over the set's lighting, you're screwed anyway. You could use an intense blue light on the camera and use a simple chromakey to pull the mattes from the sticks. But these are effects based on the assumption that adjacent pixels have unique values and your sticks are going to be all blurry unless you figure out a way to freeze them. If you cannot apply an automated matte, you must rotoscope them. Up for that? i don't think so.

bogiesan