Video Projector

Create a Video Projector

The video projectors needs to be created inside of the Stage 3D modeling of the real-world video setup Read More tab.


When creating a video projector, you can adjust it's luminosity / throw ratio etc. inside of it's parameters. Then go inside the video projectors tab for advanced masking / warping and configuration :
By default, a VideoProjector will see every 3D stage elements (as it contain a Processor This section describes how to configure Smode processors in order to configure your output(s) and also make some nice and smooth stage pre-visualisations Read More with Pipeline Layer Use pipeline steps to inject them inside a Processor Read More of every 3D projection surface present is the Stage 3D modeling of the real-world video setup Read More ) :

Adjusting soft edges and overlap

There is different way to do masking in Smode, either using the full VP or advanced 3D masks.
Inside a video projector tab, you'll see that the VP is constituted of a Processor This section describes how to configure Smode processors in order to configure your output(s) and also make some nice and smooth stage pre-visualisations Read More containing 3d stage objects. Theses objects are basically what the VP is seeing. In the example below, I deactivated the left totem on the left VP and the result is the left totem being black :


To add or remove a projected element inside a VP, make a right click over the processor and go inside the pipeline layers menu to add an element :


3D objects can also be displayed in black, this technique allow to create fine and precise overlap:


In order to create Soft Edges, you can put new mask over the processor of the VP to do a global soft edge. Else you can mask any 3D element inside of the processor which will result to mask the element accordingly to it's UV map.

VP warping for fine mapping

There is several techniques you can use, like adding a Warp Manual distort, perspective mapping tool Read More over the VP processor :


But the simpler way would be to put every element inside a Compo Composite 2D Layer, Shape layer and 3D Layer together. [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [N] to create a new composition after opening Smode Read More (ctrl+shift+C) and then modify the image with the full power of Smode using Layers 2D Placement Define a placement in 2D space Read More .


Although using this method, the VP deformation will be calculated every frame. The best way to do efficient deformations in that context would be to use a Mapper Item Renderer Pre-calculate transformations Read More . To do so, first turn the renderer type of the composition into a Mapper Item Renderer Pre-calculate transformations Read More (1), then add a Full Mapper Item Full Mapper Item Renderer Read More (2):


Once it's done, the mapper will act as a 2D Renderer Allow to actually display a 2D Layer Read More but adapted to the sole purpose of mapping, as it will calculate the image deformation only once and so is costless in terms of performances. Just turn the mapper into Bezier Patch / perspective or whatever and place it through the edition mode (you can use keys to make smooth changes on every points):


The mapper thought should not be used if animated, in this case, use a regular 2D Placement Define a placement in 2D space Read More because more adapted to that purpose.

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