Create camera
This week we learn to create camera and import into maya. First thing is to denoise the plate. I use the lake plate here.
With the information from the original plate we can change the settings for the project and the camera.
Before exporting the camera, we need to undistort the lens, because virtual camera has no distortion. We can also keep using this node later to redistort the CG asset before compositing.
However, this week, we do not need to worry too much about the LensDistortion node, just use the node to deal with the Lens Grid card to see the difference.
If using LensDistortion, we may need transform node to cut out the black regions.
Then we just track the camera as normal, put it in the scene and scanlineRender it.
If we know the position where the asset should be put, we can create an axis on the tracking point. (Reference for the asset in the node graph)
We then use WriteGeo node to export .fbx file including camera. We can use ReadGeo node to inport the .fbx file as well for CG compositing in nuke.
Compositing the Beauty AOV
The RGBA beauty AOV can be split into smaller AOVs where each contains part of the lighting. In compositing, these AOVs can then be individually modified and added together to get the full beauty AOV.
More AOVs give more control in compositing, but also extra work to handle, and they take up more memory and disk space, especially combined with light groups.
We can create material ID pass and turn it into alpha when necessary.
We use shuffle node to swap between RGBA channels and grade node to manipulate each pass.
In this node graph, Diffuse is used as the base, highlight stuffs on the right, others on the left.
We are recommended to start with the diffuse direct and then indirect; when we merge shadows or ambient occlution, we use multiply operation; when merging hightlights, we use screen operation.
Then we merge them and write out.
We will talk about Distortion and z-depth next week. Finally, apply the noise to match the original plate and merge on it.