Programs needed to add text with depth?

[illegalprelude]

Hey everyone, I have another question, this time in regards to creating specific sequences. I just recently learned how to create 3D text within Motion 5 and take it to FCPX. After the experiment was done, it didn't quite have what I was looking for. At first, I want 3D text that you might see within a show like FRINGE. Here is an example of someone making their own version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN5WRFMMYsI

But that might even be more advanced then what I want at the moment. A lot of the videos I do are on static. One or two stationary camera shots. I would love to add text to them but have them be further back in the room. Obviously, you can make the text smaller but that doesn't really add depth to the shot. Can anyone point me to the right direction?

Programs I have are Motion 5 and FCPX

 

[simsaladimbamba]

You probably need to employ DoF (Depth of Field), like shown here: Depth of Field in After Effects and Motion

 

[hsilver]

In the example you gave there was camera movement (not a zoom) in the shot. The title was tracked to remain aligned with the background. You may be able to do this in Motion by using Motion Tracking. if you have a stationery background you might apply a shake cam filter to give it some movement and track it. It's hard to make it work in Motion. In AfterEffects there is a Mocha plug-in that does the tracking quite well. For various reasons motion tracking doesn't work with an ordinary zoom that well.

 

[illegalprelude]

I've been digging through YouTube tutorials all day and unless I'm missing something, I can't seem to figure out how to do add a 3D text and have the camera move around or past it.

I've been able to do motion tracking but so far, that seems to work around panning only. I can also separately create 3D text. But when I add 3D Text and have a shot where I say move around a coffee table and want the text to be stationary while the shot revolves around it, it doesn't work.

All the tutorials given with 3D motion tracking all incorporate Boujou 5, Cinema 4D, and After Effects...

That's about $10k I don't have

 

[thirdpurple]

Have a look at PFHOE, or alternativly MOCHA.

 

[mBox]

All the tutorials given with 3D motion tracking all incorporate Boujou 5, Cinema 4D, and After Effects...

That's about $10k I don't have

Anytime you move the camera and incorporate 3D, you will always get "kaching!!"

 

[floh]

All the tutorials given with 3D motion tracking all incorporate Boujou 5, Cinema 4D, and After Effects...

A while ago, I bought PFHoe for a similar situation. It is very basic but can track 3D camera movement. The disadvantage is that if it doesn't work for your footage, there is hardly anything you can individually adapt. The advantages are that is not as pricy as the pro alternatives and that it is very self-explanatory.

It can export to Motion 3 and will leave you with a 3D project that you can use nicely, even in Motion 5. I recorded a very quick example, just now and for you (wow...) and maybe some people in the future who might be interested. Calling it a "tutorial" might be too fancy, it is just me quickly talking you through what I am doing in PFHoe and Motion 5:
3D Match Moving with PFHoe and Motion 5

Maybe it will help you, at least to see that what you want to do will probably work with PFHoe. My Motion version is in German, but I don't think there's a lot of text showing up anyways...

 

[handsome pete]

Have a look at PFHOE, or alternativly MOCHA.

Mocha is a 2D tracker.

 

[floh]

... But that might even be more advanced then what I want at the moment. A lot of the videos I do are on static. One or two stationary camera shots. I would love to add text to them but have them be further back in the room. Obviously, you can make the text smaller but that doesn't really add depth to the shot. Can anyone point me to the right direction?

Well, I guess this thread went a little into the wrong direction with all the 3D tracking and stuff...

So, for 3D text on a stationary camera, you will probably already be very satisfied when using the 3D transformation tool in Motion. Just create ordinary text and use the tool right next to the transform-arrow, which translates to something like "adjust 3D transformation" from my German Motion version and has the 3D turning values in it. You can make the text look way better integrated into your footage that way.

If you want your text to not be flat but have some width, the easiest way to do so is with a replicator. The idea is nicely explained for example here:
Create extruded 3D text in Apple Motion

And as I said before, if you really want camera motion, you have to do 3D match moving. The only software that can do this and is affordable for a hobbyist like me is PFHoe, which is at 79 euros in Europe.

 

[JustinePaula]

Blender?

Why not try Blender? It is not expensive and it is not that complex to learn and there are plenty of free tutorials??

Just a thought..

Justine-Paula
[Newbie]

 

[floh]

Why not try Blender? It is not expensive and it is not that complex to learn and there are plenty of free tutorials??

Blender is awesome! I've played around with it quite a bit and e.g. its fire- and smoke-simulation is very impressive (although not very fast). You can do almost anything you want with Blender.

However, it has two drawbacks: First, I don't think it is not complex to learn. Its learning curve is far steeper than Motion's and if you know nothing about animation or simulation up front, you can get lost pretty easily. Second, it does not provide the aforementioned 3D match moving capabilities. It can, in its newest version, track objects in 2D, but for matching camera motion, you will need another program in addition.

Last and not least, while Blender does a very good job in 3D animation and visual effects, adding text is where Motion can play out its strength. Text in Apple Motion is just very natural.

That being said, you can of course give Blender a try. If you need the 3D camera match moving, PFHoe will also export to a python script that can be imported to Blender. Worked fine for me a while ago.