Hi all, Im new to this field and would like some advice on software selection please,
I would like to mix computer generated output with real video footage eg.

a computer 3d image with a backdrop of real footage.

What terms would I use to refer to this and which software would anyone here recomend for this purpose?

by computer 3D what do you mean exaclty? - game stuff or 3D generated stuff?

if its generated then i would say check out 3d studio max... very complex prog but give shit hot results once you know your way round it.... and as for putting that over real video you can either chromakey it or (as far as i am aware) you can create the 3D video with a trasparent background..

im afraid im not up on the mixing of the 2, but i hope i have helped you a little.

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K0mat0ast

K0mat0ast on myspace

3d Studio does seem to be the industry standard for generating your computer graphics. As to overlaying them on your real-life video footage, the term you are looking for is 'compositing'. Most non-linear editors (i.e. Adobe Premiere Elements) allow some compositing to be done through the use of keying as komatoast says and then colour correction to make it look right.

However, to get 'serious' about it all and for absolutle best results you will need a true compositing tool like Adobe After Effects. but this is serious money and an even more serious learning curve.

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I'm not young enough to know everything!

3D Studio Max will certainly do all your 3D modelling for you and a hell of a lot more. I would prefer to use the Alpha Channel method of removing the background instead of colour keying, and 3D Studio Max will do this no problem. What kind of 3D models are you going to use, still, animated, logos, characters or set extensions? There's a very good article about The DaVinci Code in the July issue of 3D World, the one with the model of the lightbulb and moths on the front cover, eight pages in fact.

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Better than a poke in the eye with a pointy stick any day...

I forgot to add - those eight pages are more interesting than what the film was.

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Better than a poke in the eye with a pointy stick any day...