Camera projection shines an image onto blank 3D forms that are shaped to match the elements in the image. In this project, six elements from the castle matte painting—the hill, castle walls, turrets, bridge, sky, and water—will have a corresponding 3D shapes created to receive the projected image. You’ll model and carefully line up these shapes with the painting. The magic occurs when the scene is re-photographed using a moving camera while leaving the projector in the same spot. It will look as though the painting has come to life in full 3D.
Doing camera projection in Maya involves multiple steps, and initially it can seem intimidating. Don’t worry—the next three chapters will take a detailed look at the process with corresponding graphics. Make sure you follow the steps in sequence. If you miss a step, you may find that your projection won’t work, and it can be frustrating to figure out exactly where you went wrong.
This demonstration uses Maya 2011, but any version of Maya will work. Also, most other 3D programs, including Cinema 4D, 3D Studio Max, and LightWave, offer similar functionality.