Using REALVIZ MatchMover Professional, UK-based visual effects and animation company Clear Ltd. has completed key effects for the music video projects Jamiroquais "Corner of the Earth" and Sugababes' "Round Round." Steve Garrad, producer on both projects, explains how the different elements came together. "For 'Corner of the Earth,' the aim was to create a photo-real representation of the solar system revolving around [lead singer] Jay Kay. Jay Kay particularly liked this part of the treatment, so the sequence had to look believable in terms of the look of the planets within the solar system, and sit believably into the environment as shot." To accomplish this, Clear artists conformed the live-action plates in Discreet Inferno and exported them into MatchMover Professional for tracking. Then the "solar system," including planets, a star field and a comet, were all modelled, animated and textured in SOFTIMAGE|XSI and the final compositing completed in Inferno. "All the moving live-action plates that needed the CGI solar system were tracked using REALVIZ MatchMover Professional," said Garrad. "MatchMover Professional produced excellent results. The turnaround was quick yet completely accurate." The Clear team also completed key effects scenes for all-girl band Sugababes latest video "Round Round." In the middle of a performance in front of their fans, the girls quite literally whip up a tornado. "We like to call it a promo tornado," said Garrad. "The Sugababes are visible throughout the piece, yet encircled by objects and dust." The moving live-action plates were conformed in Inferno, exported into REALVIZ MatchMover Professional for tracking, then the debris and dust clouds were all modelled, animated and textured in SOFTIMAGE|XSI. Inferno was used for the final compositing. REALVIZ recently announced MatchMover 2.5 Professional at SIGGRAPH 2002 in San Antonio, Texas (shipping September 2002), and Clear have been actively involved in the beta testing of the latest version. "REALVIZ MatchMover 2.5 Professional is an excellent package. We were able to track shots manually for the Jamiroquai music video, and this aspect is a definite bonus over any other automated tracking software," explained John Harvey, head of 3D, Clear Ltd. REALVIZ's applications have been used to create effects in various feature film and television projects, including the Hallmark Entertainment mini-series DINOTOPIA, HARTS WAR, SWORDFISH and MONKEY BONE.
