Camera Tracked 3D Animations

Uses for tracked 3D animations

It is likely you have seen camera tracked 3D animations many times, you just haven't known it. The technique started where all cool 3D techniques come from - Hollywood. The use of 3D has grown so much and the need for virtual sets has also grown. But virtual sets cant always be perfect and the need to blend reality became overwhelming.

For example, imagine you want a scene of travelers on camels riding to the pyramids of egypt but set in BC times. You could build it all in 3D but to get it perfect and have your actors in the scene gets hard and expensive. Camera tracking allows you to use real actors, real camels and real desert, fly over in a helicopter and then add the pyramids, city and people in 3D. You now have a perfect scene that can have your actor somewhere that is real but thousands of years ago.

Archiform 3D has used the technique for new buildings and features. We fly over in a helicopter and then add in the new work so the viewer sees it as though it was complete. If the property has some kind of unique or attractive feature, like a beach, lake, park or great location, then this technique is quite valuable.

Samples of movies with tracked 3D animations

The Temenos project has superb camera tracked 3D animation along the beach as well as some cool shots from in the water looking up. Very few people can actually tell in these shots that they have any 3D in them at all.

3D Animation of Temenos >

Key Biscayne is a mass modeling study to show how new building shapes affect an existing site.

Key Biscayne >

The Atlantis project has footage from out in the water looking into the site.

Atlantis >

Part 3 of 3

< Back Tracking the video, Adding the 3D animation