FCP7 Motion 3 VS Color 1.5.3

I'm editing a project.

In this project I have a man on a train, sitting by the window.

Since the train is stationary, we set up a blue screen outside the window.

The issue, The "Blue" got washed out to white during the filming process. That and the actor sitting by the window moves, as does the camera, There's a tassle in the middle of the window as well.

I'm trying to use a mask in both My motion and Color, and as I'm new in both programs, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.

How do I motion track the window/tassle/actor/camera motion to where even when he leans forward with his round hat, or moves his arm up on to rest on the window ledge, only the "white" gets masked out.

How do I apply my background footage to follow the motion of the camera so it "looks" like the outside.

The youtube videos i've found are either too basic or doing advanced manuvers with no directions on how they get there.

Please help

Thank you.

Posted on Dec 23, 2013 10:25 PM

26 replies

RatVega™

Level 4

2,005 points

Jan 2, 2014 3:10 PM in response to FCP WIDESCREEN PROBLEMS

Thing One: I couldn't see any title elements in the clip, just a long pann to a model train.

Thing Two:

FCP WIDESCREEN PROBLEMS wrote:

I'm trying to set up the title to be animated with the pan, i've done everything i know how to do on this. set up group 1 for my clip, group 2 for the title. set it up exactly where and how i want it, highlight group 2 (i have replaced the X in the title with a pic of the X from a rail road CROSSING sign) apply motion tracking, put the crosshairs somewhere and hit analyse and everything goes to ****.

Again, you may be making this unnecessarily complex... I'm pretty sure you want to keep the titles on the screen where they're readable, so any animation will be limited. Create a new sequence for your title clip, make sure to leave spaces for the RR Crossing X when you set the title type, then just toss the image of the X under (or over, whichever gives you the look you want) the title clip steer it to where you want it. Don't analyze anything or track anything, just get the composite the way you like it. Then Select All and Nest the sequence. Now just use that nest as your title clip. If you want/need to animate it a bit, fine, everything in the nest will maintain its relative position.

This is mostly a guess at what you want, so excuse me if I guessed wrong... 🙂

RatVega™

Level 4

2,005 points

Jan 2, 2014 3:26 PM in response to FCP WIDESCREEN PROBLEMS

OOPS!!! I missed your example.

Still, the solution (at least as I see it) is much the same. You'll want a title nest that you can keyframe over the title background. You can't generate a useable track for the title because too the background movement is just too great. I'm guessing that you maybe want the title to dissolve on at the crossing then maybe float up to the center of the frame and then dissolve off? That could be easily done keyframing the nest; just decide where it starts and stops and how it moves for good visibility.

Hope this is working...

Jan 4, 2014 9:12 AM in response to RatVega™

where is "nest" I can't find it in motion.

RatVega™

Level 4

2,005 points

Jan 4, 2014 9:56 AM in response to FCP WIDESCREEN PROBLEMS

Nesting is in FCP. It is a way of "grouping" related material (like a composition) so intricate positioning/timing isn't disturbed.

This is from the manual:

"In Final Cut Pro, you can treat sequences as clips and edit them into other sequences. This is called nesting a sequence, because you put one sequence inside of another. Nesting sequences is a common practice when you work on small, independent sequences for a while and then you want to quickly attach them together in another, master sequence."

If you're working in Motion, the Motion clip is essentially a nest because components of it cannot be accidentally moved or altered.

Jan 4, 2014 10:53 AM in response to RatVega™

AH, i just grab the sequince out of the browser and bring it in that way. still i find that key framing doesn't have that "smooth" motion that motion tracking does... what about the recording device in motion?

Jan 4, 2014 2:10 PM in response to RatVega™

I had a push shot, it started on a lit lamp, and pushed down to the man sitting in front of the window. The window was bluescreen.

I was able to set up the video behind the window, then apply the match move. it worked perfectly as the window came into frame... so why doesn't it work here. why wont it follow the blue sign.

I went and applyed a 4 way color mat over the blue sigh, black/white/yellow/blue in FCP, exported and brought it into Motion... and THAT didn't work. So why won't it follow it?

I've even slowed the whole **** thing down in FCP in hopes that i could speed it back up later... THAT didn't work.

It should work, so why wont it work 😟

Jan 4, 2014 2:23 PM in response to RatVega™

*sigh* not even the record button is working, not matter when i start the red button and end it, it still applyes the key frame to the beginning and end of the track... as in i'm just trying to follow the building with the blue sign, starting it right before the building comes in, and ending right after it leaves frame... but it applyes the clip at the very beginning of the clip all the way to the very end of the clip with the train.

what GIVES man!

RatVega™

Level 4

2,005 points

Jan 5, 2014 10:13 AM in response to FCP WIDESCREEN PROBLEMS

Sorry for the slow reply, I was out shooting production all yesterday,,,

a. "smooth" animation: are you using the handles on the keyframes to smooth your motion path?

b. honestly, I pretty much never use the record button in Motion. Like I've mentioned before, I've found that the "automated" items tend to bring their own problems with the "simplicity." I normally just build a Motion sequence using the basic controls and when it plays back as I want it to, I export a clip. If the sequence is going to have external dependencies, then I'll round-trip while tuning everything, then export a clip. It just breaks less that way.

Re: your push shot, you've got me really confused.

"I was able to set up the video behind the window, then apply the match move. it worked perfectly as the window came into frame. so far, so good... so why doesn't it work here. where? why wont it follow the blue sign. what blue sign? I thought we had a guy and a candle...

And what is a "4 way color mat"? Can you re-explain this scene? and maybe a short clip too...

Jan 6, 2014 11:00 AM in response to RatVega™

http://youtu.be/HnKaKiwpiIY

RatVega™

Level 4

2,005 points

Jan 9, 2014 6:59 AM in response to FCP WIDESCREEN PROBLEMS

OK, I can see what you means and agree that there's apparently a tracking faulure. I can't offer any specific reason based on what I can see. This is exactly the kind of issue that got me good at keyframing moves: I usually give it a go and when it works, fine. When it doesn't, I just set a keyframe at the start and do it by hand. Beats scratching my head for days. It's still not clear to me which way the title wants to go but either way should be easy enough.

Again, I'm sorry for the delay getting back; I have a deadline coming up and I'm currently in the preceding helter-skelter...

Jan 10, 2014 6:22 AM in response to RatVega™

Don't worry about it. Thanks for all your help.

I've basically given up on it by this point.

Outside of that, this is where i'm at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPb2nc_zd9E&lis

Bump it up, and let me know.

I guess my last issue is the **** window moves in a few spots. Outside of that, we are all at a point were we like it.

Thanks again so very much for all your help and your time.

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FCP7 Motion 3 VS Color 1.5.3