MECHWALKER
Modeling, Texturing, Rigging, Motion Tracking, Animating, Lighting, Compositing. This brief shot was completed with the help of LiDAR environment scanning (Polycam) to create a light-interactive, shadow catching environment. Advanced motion tracking software (PFTrack) was used to create a virtual camera to match the movement of the footage shot on iPhone.
Hand Crafted
The organic, yet mechanically functional design of this model was achieved with the ergonomic and intuitive process of Virtual Reality sculpting. The model was then brought into Maya for retopologizing, UV mapping, and rigging. The simple IK rig was designed to allow the pieces to move in a way that respects the physical limits of the hinges and joints in the legs.
Environment Capture
After filming the clean plate footage of a broken brick fence, I used Polycam's LiDAR scanning on my phone to capture the environment in 3D. The geometry of the scan was then brought into a Maya scene with the rig to animate the steps of the walk. The clean plate was tracked in PFTrack to create an accurately animated digital camera in the scene.
Final Touches
The mech is textured in Substance painter, and the scene is rendered in VRay. The clean plate, shadow pass, and a masked render of the mech are layered in Nuke. Slight lens distortion and color correction are applied to the layers as needed to achieve believable shot integration.