Animating a garbage matte

Hi there,

So far I've had crash problems with Mocha Pro ofx, and I realize that I've been using Mocha (ofx and standalone) so often these 2 past years that I can't even make a choice about what I may use instead...

I just want to animate garbage mattes which cover unwanted objects on a green screen key, the main job is already done inside a Primatte 5 node (just the garbage matte operation lacks).
Therefore, given that the operation will occur on 40 clips in this project, I prefer asking about best practices.

Up to now, lost and scared in the Mocha-less jungle, I've tried stuffs and questions popped-up :
- Fu tracker : works ok, but how to connect it to Primatte 5 garbage matte input, or how to connect a polygon or spline to the tracker results and also to the garbage matte input of Primatte ?

- I've manually keyframed the polygon mask (pfff, am I in 2017 ?) to be sure I'll get at least one clip to export... Ok, why not so far, but how does the automatic keyframing work please ? Because I manually right clicked the center parameter of the polygon to choose "set key", but that's not bearable more than half an hour

- Anyone using Mocha Pro 5 ofx in Fusion around ?

Any comment highly appreciated, thx in advance

automatic keyframing works just like it sounds: it set automatic keyframes as you change something
you set the first key and the you go to a different frame, change the parameter and there is a new keyframe. shape animations are set to keyframed by default. if you change the position of a point of a shape a keyframe will be generated

also there are lots of threads about how to attach a tracker to a mask.
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=56956&hilit=tracking+mask
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=55762&hilit=tracking+mask

this may also help:

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=55292&hilit=attach+mask


also old but concept is still the same:

Hey Michael, thx a lot, I really appreciate... I will check all this and report here what was wrong in my workflow.
A bit new to Fusion, I rushed in it because I'm not new (at all) to Primatte I could find again in Fusion; but actually, what I experienced so far is that I'm not so comfortable with the different properties of nodes inputs. I'm pretty sure it's the bad side of what I did : therefore, your links will help sorting things in my head....

In Resolve and its tracker, it would have been a piece of cake...

In Resolve and its tracker, it would have been a piece of cake...

Maybe it would've been a piece of cake in Fusion as well, if you'd known what you were doing.
Is there any chance you could share a piece of the problematic footage, so I could make a QnD-tutorial about it? Sometimes showing how something is done is easier than trying to explain it in text.

Hi Sander,

Not really any chance unfortunately, what i signed for doesn't allow me to, but anyway I will have a serious look now, before any more comment, and I'll report here. It shouldn't be complex (at all) and I'm quite confident. And I think it's not problematic, I'm the only one responsible of that, I totally admit.
Thx a lot so far, I appreciate you wrote here anyway, I'm sure we'll chat again about that...

About the supposed "piece of cake" I talked about , it was just a quick opinion about tools accessibility/usability, easiness for some users and i'd say "general look and feel".
I don't think there's really anything to argue (except if you'd like to) because it's obvious, i.e. take the tracker : besides results which are not at stake, setting a basic power windows and click track (2" max.) is surely quicker than taking care of 4 corner points, or even more attaching any polygon before, doesn't it ?
Then when afterwards you decide "inside this very mask should be blablabla", you don't add any other node or whatever, you see ?

But again, I don't want to write too much now, I have to look at your links and video before, thx again and let's talk again in few moments.

Ok, here I am again... Still around Sander ?

I fixed almost everything, my mistakes were based on wrong inputs use, and also misuse of matte controls. Thx again to both of you, the Sander's video about tracking immediately lit a light to me about these mistakes... I"m "strong" again with my beloved Primatte, but also with garbage mattes in other node types.

2 issues remain though, for which you may help again, if you still have time enough for me :

- Track made successfully. When I attach a matte to a tracker's path, the controls on the viewer show me a weird immediate drift it's hard to explain... What's the best workflow for a basic garbage mask attached to a tracker path which would start on the current position of this mask (instead of rocketing it wherever ). BTW isn't it the very topic addressed by Michael's code on stuckunderwater ?

- This should be fixed by a bit more reading and tests I admit. What's the more basic ever to draw a polygon that defines the only zone where a effect is applied (let's say Primatte again, or any keyer), or the contrary by inverting matte ?
I think Resolve's use of its "outside node" gave me bad habits for Fusion in this field.

Thx in advance, you saved a lot of time so far.

2 issues remain though, for which you may help again, if you still have time enough for me :

- Track made successfully. When I attach a matte to a tracker's path, the controls on the viewer show me a weird immediate drift it's hard to explain... What's the best workflow for a basic garbage mask attached to a tracker path which would start on the current position of this mask (instead of rocketing it wherever ). BTW isn't it the very topic addressed by Michael's code on stuckunderwater ?

You can find the script to help you with this over here:

https://www.steakunderwater.com/wesuckl ... f=6&t=1133

This should be fixed by a bit more reading and tests I admit. What's the more basic ever to draw a polygon that defines the only zone where a effect is applied (let's say Primatte again, or any keyer), or the contrary by inverting matte ?

I don't understand your 2nd question, can you elaborate?

Whaouu, still there Sander, quite impressive (and I appreciate)

Ok, I've wasted so much time on that stuff that I'm glad you're confirming the script will help. I'll have a look soon.

EDIT : Hahahahaha, if this ultra basic way fix the whole problem I have, I can accept being a better user : "One way to work around this is by attaching first and then painting, but not everyone knows this." Now I know too (but more seriously of course, I will mainly keep the code). Resolve doesn't behave like that, what put me on the wrong tracks.

Sorry if my crappy english messed up the second point : I'm looking for a basic way to put limits to (to restrict) a node effect. In case of a keyer for example, I'd simply like to draw a polygon to decide "the BG color is to be found in this area only; the matte sponge will be applied here only, and so on", you see ?
And if I clicked "Invert", I guess the keyer may leave this zone alone to apply my decisions anywhere on the image BUT inside the polygon.
EDIT : ok, unlike other options in Resolve for example, an inverted garbage matte is the thing to do. I'll remember it.
Fixed.