Models walking behind walls

[Rothicol]

Hello there.

I have a question.

I've seen in some movies, that people can make models from WoWModelViewer walk behind walls from in.game footage. I'd just like to know how to do it, without adding new layers.

Thanks in advance.

-Roth

[soosisti]

I guess it is done by masking, but (at least in Vegas) it needs additional layers. Alternatively Photoshop can be used just to make a fake wall to hide the charachters - but once again extra layers are needed.

[Rothicol]

Was actually my thoughts, Baron. But had hoped for an easier alternative.

Thanks for you answer anyhow.

[Dopefish]

I really doubt there is any easier way.

[Rothicol]

Oh, right. What do I know. Thank you

[Wello]

You could use the Cookie Cutter.

[X-Booze]

Rothicol

Editing takes time masking it is your best shot here mate
There is no easyer way. If your background is animated prepare for a long making procedure. Wello cookie cutter is useless imo
Just stick with masking.
You don't need photoshop because you'll spend more work animating it with swapping trough Photoshop and savind than masking it

Grtz X-Booze

[dwparty]

Great Question! *Mods* Delete this reply if it's not ok to put a link in, but we are starting to answer questions from the forums on our machinima podcast, so thought i'd just post on the topics we answered.

Here's a link to the podcast: http://worldofwarcraftthemovie.com/podcast/?p=32

[Rothicol]

Heya, DWP Listened to your podcast, and I'd like to say thank you for the great answers. If I come up with any more questions, feel free to answer them.

-Rothicol

[deadmurloc]

I was looking for the answer to this as well. In vegas they way to do it is to add a Bezier Curve mask to the video clip of your model, but draw the mask on the clip containing the foreground elements.

Set the preview window to show your model overlapping the foreground element, then Pan/Crop the clip of the foreground. Select the Mask row in the Keyframe editor. You should get some extra controls appear on the left edge of the pan/crop window (pen nibs/arrows/pointers etc). Using the tools there, trace out the leading edge of the object doing the obscuring and balloon out a space to the side of it for your model to appear in. Allow plenty of room for the model animation.

For example, the backdrop video clip is a room with a crate in the foreground, bottom right corner. Your bezier mask should go to the other three corners of the screen, and then trace round the edges of the crate, so you essentially have a big square with one corner cut out of it. Set the mode (unde path in properties, just next to the tools) to positive or negative to set whether you see everything inside the mask, or outside dependent on what you are blocking. Save this mask as a preset (click the save button!) and then untick it. That's right, untick, at this point your preview window should still be showing horrible ovelapping models.

The clever bit:
Now go to the Pan/crop clicky on the video clip of your model. Tick mask, select your saved Bezier Curve mask (from the saved presets drop down list) and it should overlap your model now. Play with the positioning of the model/curve mask and voila! The model anim can play with the mask providing a permanent block to all the bits that should be hidden behind your tree or crate or whatever.

This only really works with models behind static objects.

Theoretically, you could mask one model animation with another one. I haven't tried yet but i imagine it gets awfully complicated, making a copy of model A to be obscured/visible, making a transparency mask of it, laying that mask on the model B clip and playing with sliders so that elements of Model B are either always visible over model A or vice versa. Alternatively, many green screen layers for each figure in the shot, render the composite tracks into a new one and play with effects rather than setting the effects on each layer, i guess.
-dm

Hope this helps someone.