Blender Foundation Training DVD - Track, Match, Blend!

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1

This training DVD has been released. http://www.blender3d.org/e-shop/product_info_n.php?products_id=147
The tutorials I’ve watched so far have been excellent as usual.
Please discuss

By Sebastian Koenig

VFX Basics: Camera-Tracking and Matchmoving in Blender

One of Blender’s strengths is the tight integration of Modelling, Rendering and Compositing. Since Blender 2.61 this integration has become even tighter with the arrival of the new camera tracking module, the MovieClipEditor. Importing footage, tracking and solving the camera-motion, rendering and compositing can now all be done in one smooth workflow, all inside Blender.

(Watch the teaser and an example chapter by clicking on the images below)

This DVD will help you to get started with this powerful new tool, which opens up a whole new area for visual effects work in Blender. We will cover everything from simple 2D-Tracking, image stabilization and setting up a classic 4-corner-pin-shot to advanced camera- and object-tracking, including face-deformation and marker-removal.

You will learn how to use the interface of Blender’s matchmoving module, the MovieClipEditor, how to add and control markers and get smooth and stable tracks. A special focus will be given to the placement of markers for matchmoving, because not every track gives you the information you need to get a decent camera solution. There are several chapters that discuss different types of shots and how to attack them.

Of course just having a finished track is not always that exciting, so the DVD takes care about explaining the compositing part as well. It covers renderlayers and renderpasses with Blender Internal as well as rendering and compositing with the new renderengine Cycles. Apart from integrating passes and layers we will also have a look at marker-removal techniques, keying and UV-projection-mapping to generate clean-plates.

This training requires a little bit of Blender knowledge, but there is a Blender Quickstart tutorial on it too, so that non-Blender-users who just want to take advantage of the tracking module can easily find their way through Blender’s interface. Exporting the tracking data to other applications will be shown as well.

This DVD is using Blender 2.62. Project Mango will add a lot of functionality to the whole tracking and compositing pipeline, so there will most likely be a follow up to this training DVD focusing more on the new features and advanced matchmoving and compositing techniques.

By Purchasing this DVD you support the Blender Foundation projects.

Length: around 8 hours
Size: 1280x720, 30fps
Software: Blender 2.62
Includes models, tracks and Footage
Included Footage: 1920x1088, h264, QuickTime .mov
Cameras used: Canon 550D/T2i, Canon 5D, 4K Footage shot with Red One
View full contents of the DVD here

2

I got it in the mail, will watch it tonight or tomorrow! really looking forward to see all the tutorials.

3

I still haven’t received it yet. :confused:

4

still waiting as well
something to look forward to

Dave

5

I received mine already on friday :slight_smile:

I am now past the 2D Tracking and starting with the camera reconstruction/3D tracking.

I have to say, these videos are very well done. In fact all videos done by Sebastian König I have watched so far are excellent.

The pace and densisty of information in a given timeframe is perfect (at least for me) and I like the approach taken, where you start with simple 1 point tracking and extend that further. So you can easily build upon the knowledge gained so far.

I am really looking forward to the next chapters. So much to learn :slight_smile:

6

I got my copy yesterday, I have only taken a quick glance at it, but so far it looks fantastic. I’m excited to get going with it.

7

got mine today
so much to do and so little time :spin:

8

Still waiting on other side of the world :frowning:

EDIT: Its here!! yay.

Just want to say that this is an awesome training tool. It is really comprehensive and well thought out. I have watched 20 mins before bed time and don’t want to stop! Congratulations to Blender Foundation.

9

Hopefully I will get mine soon then. How did they ship? UPS/FedEx/USPS?

10

I’m still waiting too. Since everyone else seems to be getting theirs, I’m hoping for sometime very soon!

*Edit: looks like my hopes have been fulfilled - it came today. :]

11

I got mine today! Woohooo! Now to find the time to sit down and actually watch it. :smiley:

12

Can anyone tell me what the price is in American dollars?

13

Just click the dropdown at the top where it says currency and change it to USD.

14

Just got mine today, haven’t watched it but I’m amazed at how immaculate the packaging is considering it came from the other side of the planet- it looks as though someone just walked it over from down the street!

15

Found a spelling error on the back cover:
“Open Soure Matchmoving” instead of “Open Source Matchmoving”. :stuck_out_tongue: But I don’t think that will impact the quality of the material.

16

Well the author left his name off too, I think that is the biggest travesty! Great job Sebastian Koenig

17

Lots of great info, money well spent!

18

Everything i ever wanted to know to get well underway with camera tracking in Blender and then some. Awesome work.

19

I’ve burned through about 60% of this DVD. So far it has been very good. While there are a lot of matchmoving tutorials appearing on the web, none of them have really shown how the matchmover actually works and what some of the more obscure buttons do (such as how important setting the proper keyframes is for reconstruction).

The only thing that annoys me is my own matchmoves usually suck compared to Sebastian’s, who’s obviously very experienced with it. :smiley: