Jedi Council Forums - **Icarus Video Tutorial Series**

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Author	Topic: Icarus Video Tutorial Series
effstops Registered: Feb '03	Date Posted: 11/25/04 11:01am Subject: Icarus Video Tutorial Series - Date Edited: 11/25/04 11:21am (3 edits total) Edited By: effstops
	Ok, this past weekend I spent a great deal of time making a tutorial for Icarus, the motion tracking application which is fairly well-known on this board. I have received a LOT of questions about Icarus, how to use it, how to fix certain problems. And when I was starting out in motion tracking, a lot of processes seemed more difficult than they should be. So I packed most of what I know in these tutorials, which cover: •Tracking •Matting •Calibrating •Setting the origin and orienting 3D space •Bundle Adjusting... •Importing tracking data into Blender •Importing tracking data into After Effects Now, something to remember is: I am NOT an expert. I may be doing a number of things wrong. In fact, there's a good chance that I have no idea what I'm talking about (in some sections, at least). Tell me if you see something that isn't right-- ESPECIALLY in the importing to AE section... you'll see why when you get there. (I KNOW I did that wrong.) ---------------------------------------------------------- So first, a little introduction to motion tracking (not really covered in the tutorials): A lot of people don't understand what motion tracking is. It's used in basically every movie which mixes cg with live action. Many people on this forum (myself included) have released movies or fx tests which use some form of motion-tracking. Motion tracking should be invisible. It's not an especially creative process, but it is necessary any time you need to matchmove a cg element to a moving background plate. Motion tracking is the REVERSE ENGINEERING of the CAMERA MOVEMENT of any shot, based on nothing but pixel luminance and RGB information, and how it changes from frame to frame. There are different methods to tracking: you can track a small area of pixels (in After Effects, for example) and match a cg object into that one location. (2D tracking) You can track the entire frame, using areas of pixels scattered throughout, and can place one or more cg objects in 3D space. This is 3D tracking, which allows for parallax and complex camera movement. What I will be demonstrating is basically 2D tracking, because it was shot on a tripod (there is no parallax). However, the same method applies to full-fledged 3D tracking. ---------------------------------------------------------- **DOWNLOADS**: The tutorial is split up into 6 sections. You can download each section individually, in different formats, or you can download a zip file of the series. The Divx format I used is called 3ivx D4... Individual Downloads 1. Intro & Tracking.......................... [Divx--24.3 mb]- - - -[QuickTime--72.6 mb] 2. Calibration................................. [Divx--9 mb]- - - - - -[QuickTime--19.5 mb] 3. Bundle Adjust............................. [Divx--14.5 mb]- - - - [QuickTime--24.9 mb] 4. Exporting................................... [Divx--6.6 mb]- - - - -[QuickTime--12.7 mb] 5. Import to Blender....................... [Divx--3.6 mb]- - - - - [QuickTime--8.4 mb] 6. Import to After Effects................. [Divx--11.1 mb]- - - -[QuickTime--29.7 mb] Zip Downloads (same as above) Divx: Icarus Video Tutorial Series-- 64.2 mb QuickTime: Icarus Video Tutorial Series-- 137 mb DV File Downloads (this is the video file I tracked and stuff in the tutorial, if you wanna follow along) Stream_Encounter.zip-- 19 mb Blender Import Script (what I used to import tracking data to Icarus) Icarus_Import.zip --9 k (credit goes to Alfredo de Greef) If you don't have Icarus and you want it, please PM me! ---------------------------------------------------------- PHEWF! Sorry for all the links...and the large filesizes. I hope my server doesn't die... This is my first video tutorial(s), so I'd definitely like your input. Is it too slow? Were my mistakes and pauses distracting? (Do I need a script? ) Sorry about being so repetitive in the beginning of the first tutorial. Editing these things is hard. Anywho, enjoy! I hope some of you find this useful. Please post questions and comments here. --Colin -----signature----- http://www.peerlessproductions.com/
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DMPjedi Registered: Mar '03	Date Posted: 11/25/04 11:20am Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series
	Dude, you rock! I've been beatin the crap out of myself trying to figure this damn program out. Thanks for the tutorials, downloading the QT Zip now -----signature----- Nate Caauwe - VFX Supervisor, Movie Spoof 2 & 3 http://PixelCorps.com DMPjedi is not here right now, please leave a message with NateCaauwe after the beep. Beep.
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Ephisus Registered: Mar '03	Date Posted: 11/25/04 11:30am Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series
	wow! -----signature----- LOL, you really are our favorite fan, Ephisus. -SZier http://www.loukusfilm.com http://ephisus.deviantart.com/ Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis: http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g234/Ephisus/poster_old2copy.jpg
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fireresq7 Registered: Oct '02	Date Posted: 11/25/04 12:39pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series
	dling now!!! Can't wait to watch this! Thanks dude! The should be added to the TFN archive!!! ~Rory -----signature----- Click here to view The Jedi Saga Website http://www.solid-roc.com Right Click here to see film http://www.solid-roc.com/movie/TheJediSaga.mov
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qui-gundi_15 Registered: Jan '03	Date Posted: 11/25/04 12:43pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series
	FINALLY, after all that time of pushing you you got it done -----signature----- *rogue 4*
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effstops Registered: Feb '03	Date Posted: 11/25/04 1:00pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series - Date Edited: 11/25/04 1:07pm (2 edits total) Edited By: effstops
	Ehh.. save your enthusiastic replies till after you've watched it... you may just change your tune. I'm not the best speaker... I could have edited this somehow... I haven't even watched the whole thing, and I'm somewhat hard to understand. But anyway, you're welcome! This wasn't really designed to cover everything, but it should get you started. Hopefully. --Colin -----signature----- http://www.peerlessproductions.com/
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JoeyH Registered: Aug '04	Date Posted: 11/25/04 1:05pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series
	A script or detailed outline of what to say would have been nice, but this is really cool nonetheless. I can't wait to utilize it. Thanks alot, eff! -----signature----- ...And that's why they call me Jesus.
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Zelmo Registered: Oct '02	Date Posted: 11/25/04 1:17pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series
	This is the best news I've heard in a while. I turned on my computer today thinking I'm gonna give Icarus another go and, well, what can I say. Here's my chance. Thanks in advance! -Z -----signature----- Don't be smart or funny, and don't win fights, and they won't kick you. -obvioussock(SilverFox) You don't need to see my lunch money. -The Formula Tell Blockbuster I've got the money. -Crapisode 1 If Sonny Corleone had EZ-pass, he'd still be alive today.
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Ryan_W Title: Fan Films: Emmy-Winning Lightsaber Geek Registered: Aug '01	Date Posted: 11/25/04 2:14pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series
	Good work, Colin! Inspiring. One theory as to the sliding "T" in After Effects may be related to what AE considers the origin. When you change the zoom to counteract it, it may work for the particular shot you're working on in the tutorial, but for other shots it may just make things worse. One thing to consider is that the problem may be occuring when you first change the position of the T. Posision on 3D layers in AE is relative to the anchor point (or origin, in 3D terms) of the layer. And so if the origin is too "close" or "far" to the "camera", changing the position of the layer will still cause it to behave improperly, as the anchor point does. So one thing to try might be to change the anchor point, potentially in conjunction witht he position, and see if it gets you anywhere. It's probably just as likely to have the same problem, but it's worth a try. -----signature----- http://www.RyanVsDorkman.com http://www.twitter.com/RyanWieber
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PixelMagic Registered: Oct '01	Date Posted: 11/25/04 2:38pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series
	Awesome, I can't wait to try these out. -----signature----- http://danielbroadway.blogspot.com "A wise man tastes good, but a dumb man is easier to catch" -Codepoet
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frodoandsam69 Registered: May '04	Date Posted: 11/25/04 4:08pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series - Date Edited: 11/25/04 5:06pm (1 edits total) Edited By: frodoandsam69
	Thanks very much for this! I think the only thing you could of done to make it better is make some notes first just to cover all the points. But I'm happy to have it. Thanks very much! BTW: Would it be worth sticking ping pong balls to the place your filming and then after all the tracking is done etc rotoscoping them out? -----signature----- http://www.evildonkeydigital.tk/
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Zelmo Registered: Oct '02	Date Posted: 11/25/04 4:17pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series
	Just wanted to say. I've gone through the first two parts of the tut and Icarus has never seemed friendlier to me in my entire life. Thanks again. -Z -----signature----- Don't be smart or funny, and don't win fights, and they won't kick you. -obvioussock(SilverFox) You don't need to see my lunch money. -The Formula Tell Blockbuster I've got the money. -Crapisode 1 If Sonny Corleone had EZ-pass, he'd still be alive today.
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Zelmo Registered: Oct '02	Date Posted: 11/25/04 5:05pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series - Date Edited: 11/25/04 5:15pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Zelmo
	Okay, I did everything. The bundle adjustment for some reason didn't work so well, but, whatever. The problem is, when I import it into Blender, the camera does the right rotation, but the actual camera placement is way off. The camera is out in the middle of nowhere. Where did I go wrong? -Z EDIT- I made a feature mesh and placed the object in there, but I still would like to know why it isn't working the regular way. -----signature----- Don't be smart or funny, and don't win fights, and they won't kick you. -obvioussock(SilverFox) You don't need to see my lunch money. -The Formula Tell Blockbuster I've got the money. -Crapisode 1 If Sonny Corleone had EZ-pass, he'd still be alive today.
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qui-gundi_15 Registered: Jan '03	Date Posted: 11/25/04 5:59pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series
	collin, that helped alot thank you. -----signature----- *rogue 4*
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cooljack91 Registered: Aug '04	Date Posted: 11/25/04 7:34pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series - Date Edited: 11/25/04 7:35pm (1 edits total) Edited By: cooljack91
	Awesome Tutorials, Colin! I would of saw it sooner but I forgot to go here again. Again, Awesome tutorials! -----signature----- Blender Rocks! To Infinity and Beyond! - Buzz Lightyear You are a child's play thing! - Woody Bubbles!!!!!!! bubbles, bubbles, bubbles!............ My bubbles - Finding Nemo Are you saying I'm stupid? Do I look stupid to you? Let's just think a
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MasterZap Registered: Aug '02	Date Posted: 11/25/04 7:52pm Subject: RE: Icarus Video Tutorial Series - Date Edited: 11/25/04 7:57pm (1 edits total) Edited By: MasterZap
	Marvellous. To slow and expensive connection to check it out currently. Waiting for my ADSL. SOON. sigh Did you include the funny thing about Icarus making a "zoom" value (field of view) in after effects that is off by the pixel aspect ratio? I.e. you need to divide the zoom values for every frame by 0.9 to get it right. EDIT: I see you did. And Ryan commented on it. Ryan/Colin: That's an Icarus bug. It gives the wrong "zoom" value for AE (or AE has it's "Zoom" affected by pixel aspect ratio, either way, it's wrong). Generally, what I do is this - If it's a non zooming shot, I just look at the fixed value and correct it - If it's a zooming shot, I set up a 2nd camera, copy all keyframes except the zoom. Set the 2nd cameras Zoom to be an expression of the 1st cameras Zoom w. the correction factor. Then I use the 2nd camera in place of the 1st. /Z -----signature----- mental ray Tips blog - http://www.mentalraytips.com ZapTroNic Visuals - http://www.ZapTroNic.com Oldschool Homepage - http://www.Master-Zap.com FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER - http://twitter.com/masterzap
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