After Effects Apprentice: 19 Motion Tracking with Cinema 4D Lite

Learn how to track and extract the camera move and ground plane from previously shot footage in After Effects, and add a 3D model—complete with lighting and shadows—to the scene.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Exercise files and software versions

1. Reconstructing the Original Camera Move

• 3D camera tracking
• Setting the ground plane and origin
• Extracting the camera move

2. Preparing the 3D Object

• Setting up CINEMA 4D Lite
• Importing a 3D model
• Merging the AE camera into C4D

3. Creating and Capturing Shadows

• Mimicking the original light source
• Creating a shadow catcher
• Separating the model and shadow onto layers
• Compositing the shadow in After Effects

4. Final Tweaks

• Improving the composite
• Enhancing the light and shadows
• Improving the anti-aliasing