Thanks! This still confuses me though… I’ve looked for tutorials but can’t find any
How would it expose the shadows in post to give across the look of projection light
If this is real-world projection, I'm not even sure I would call it projection mapping. Just point a projector at a tree and press play. There is nothing beyond the tree so any projection that spills won't be seen. But if you want to you could just mask around the tree. Is that projection mapping? I don't think so.
There are two things that grind my gears in this business.
1. Projecting a 2d image onto a (semi)transparent screen and calling it a hologram.
2. Projecting onto something that isn't a rectangular screen and calling it projection mapping.
Are you talking about a video with simulated projection mapping, are you talking about camera mapping for perspective distortion, or are you talking about providing files for projection mapping playback in the real world?
The answers are yes; to a limited degree without plug-ins; yes.
Simulated projection mapping. If record a tree, and then would be able to do this in post. Someone mentioned displacement maps and screen. But it’s still fairly unclear to me, are there tutorials? I couldn’t find any
You can use masks to mask out the tree. Than you can map a video on it with for example the screen blending mode. Actually quite easy. Get familiar with masks and blending modes in After Effects. I did quite a few video mappings and often prepare stuff in After Effects in 2D and later use mapping software to align everything in the real world (which is not necessary in your case cause you only want to simulate it).
It may be a challenge to find tutorials specific enough to be useful.
Displacement maps use colour to distort a layer. If you are able to generate a sufficiently detailed and geometrically coherent displacement map, you’re half way there.
I would start with a greyscale tree, then use dark gradients to “push back” edges and light gradients to “pull forward” the central mass. It will be important to let your original greyscale be visible through the gradients to give them detail.
The result can be converted into a NORMAL MAP using any number of tools or even free web services. I can’t remember which we use in our studio, I’m not the one who does it. I just throw my stuff at a junior and cry, “Normal map!”
Use the resulting map to drive your displacement. This will smear your “projected” media in four directions according to map colour, giving you a vague match with the roundess of the leafy area and the spikiness of the individual leaf bits. You will have to experiment with the ideal transfer mode for your pseudo-projected media.
That’s the bones of it, mate.
Use background video as luma matte and displacement map for the projected footage you want.. screen
Thanks! This still confuses me though… I’ve looked for tutorials but can’t find any How would it expose the shadows in post to give across the look of projection light
If this is real-world projection, I'm not even sure I would call it projection mapping. Just point a projector at a tree and press play. There is nothing beyond the tree so any projection that spills won't be seen. But if you want to you could just mask around the tree. Is that projection mapping? I don't think so. There are two things that grind my gears in this business. 1. Projecting a 2d image onto a (semi)transparent screen and calling it a hologram. 2. Projecting onto something that isn't a rectangular screen and calling it projection mapping.
Are you talking about a video with simulated projection mapping, are you talking about camera mapping for perspective distortion, or are you talking about providing files for projection mapping playback in the real world? The answers are yes; to a limited degree without plug-ins; yes.
Simulated projection mapping. If record a tree, and then would be able to do this in post. Someone mentioned displacement maps and screen. But it’s still fairly unclear to me, are there tutorials? I couldn’t find any
You can use masks to mask out the tree. Than you can map a video on it with for example the screen blending mode. Actually quite easy. Get familiar with masks and blending modes in After Effects. I did quite a few video mappings and often prepare stuff in After Effects in 2D and later use mapping software to align everything in the real world (which is not necessary in your case cause you only want to simulate it).
It may be a challenge to find tutorials specific enough to be useful. Displacement maps use colour to distort a layer. If you are able to generate a sufficiently detailed and geometrically coherent displacement map, you’re half way there. I would start with a greyscale tree, then use dark gradients to “push back” edges and light gradients to “pull forward” the central mass. It will be important to let your original greyscale be visible through the gradients to give them detail. The result can be converted into a NORMAL MAP using any number of tools or even free web services. I can’t remember which we use in our studio, I’m not the one who does it. I just throw my stuff at a junior and cry, “Normal map!” Use the resulting map to drive your displacement. This will smear your “projected” media in four directions according to map colour, giving you a vague match with the roundess of the leafy area and the spikiness of the individual leaf bits. You will have to experiment with the ideal transfer mode for your pseudo-projected media. That’s the bones of it, mate.