CGI

darkshadow

i need to know how exactly you can get some 3d stuff in a home made movie, like some effects etc. , i need to know what progs
could some1 help me on this 1

Steve Schulze

So you're wanting to composite 3d images into live video footage, yeah?

You'll most likely need one of the major apps for that. I wouldn't know how to begin doing something like this in Maya, but Max has a relatively simple to use setup where you can create matte objects to either occlude parts of your mesh or fake shadows cast onto the video using the Matte/Shadow material. I'd assume Maya has a similar system.

Eric Chadwick

2 steps generally... create the 3d objects and render them (need a 3d modeler/renderer for this), then composite the rendered images with the video footage (a video editing tool, ala After Effects or Combustion). Then a lot of tweaking back and forth between the two.

darkshadow

ive got 3dsmax r5.1 and pinnacle studio 9+HFX and prolly after fx too, can i do it with those progs??
if i render a scene in 3dsmax its static, do i need to put some sort of camera paths or something, to make the render "animated".
cause i really need to know how to get an effect like a "flaming fist" ( im trying to make a martial arts movie)
in a movie, so how would i render the fire to be "animated" etc. etc..

seantree

I would read into particles for your flaming fist. Not sure if 5.1 includes PFlow or not, but it would make this a bit easier on you. Check the tuts that come with max, there is some great info in there about how to set your footage up as the viewport background so that you can match movement etc.. good luck.