AR Content Production Tutorial

This tutorial guides creative owners through creating custom Augmented Reality content from scratch, divided into three parts: content creation, post-production, and software integration.

1. Creating Content

Essential Equipment

• Green/Blue Screen Backdrop
• Lighting Kit
• Video capture device (Webcam, DSLR, Arri Alexa)

Step One: Set

Position a blue or green screen backdrop to fill the frame. Mark the exact camera position and lock it. In this example, a webcam was mounted at eye level on the booth side in vertical position. Test framing with the actor at the position where end-users will stand.

Step Two: Lights

Lighting conditions must match between production and live experience for the illusion to work believably. Light the backdrop evenly using a small continuous LED kit with two lights positioned on either side of the backdrop between subject and backdrop, set to middle height.

Step Three: Action

Capture video using software capable of controlling camera settings like exposure, white balance, and focus. Timing matters — plan for actors entering frame, positioning themselves, posing for two seconds, then exiting. Film entrance and exit separately as "In" and "Out" video files.

2. Post-Production

Required Tools

• Powerful computer
• Adobe After Effects
• Adobe After Effects CS6
• FLVmeta software

a. After Effects Workflow

1. Import selected footage into After Effects
2. Right-click footage and select "New comp from selection"
3. Go to Composition → Composition settings
4. Change video ratio: Width: 1080 Height: 1920
5. Press arrow on footage layer; go to Transform → Rotation and set to 90°
6. Adjust 4K footage to fit composition
7. Use rectangle or pen tool to create mask around non-green/blue screen areas
8. Change mask mode from "Add" to "Subtract"
9. Search "key" in effects panel; drag "keylight + key cleaner + advanced spill suppressor" preset onto footage layer
10. Use Keylight 1.2 eyedropper tool to select green/blue area
11. Change "View" mode to "Screen Matte"; open "Screen Matte" tab
12. Refine using parameters like clip black, clip white
13. Change "view" mode to "intermediate result"
14. Turn on "Advanced Spill Suppressor" to eliminate green reflection
15. Check result for cleanliness; perform color correction using lumetri color effect if needed
16. When composition selected, press Ctrl+M
17. In render queue, open "output module"; select:
    • Format: AVI
    • Channels: RGB+Alpha
    • Press OK
18. Go to "output to"; select folder and rename file
19. Press Render

b. After Effects CS6 Workflow

1. Create new composition: Width: 1920 Height: 1080
2. Import AVI file
3. Double-click footage; find "IN" point (actor before entering, during pose, before leaving) and mark "IN" and "OUT" poses
4. Drag to composition; rotate to -90° and position subject
5. Duplicate composition (Ctrl + D)
6. Rename to "subject_in" and "subject_out" (no spaces)
7. In "subject_in" composition: adjust clip so start is before actor enters, finish when posing for photo
8. In "subject_out" composition: adjust clip so start when actor moves again, finish when completely exiting frame. Leave blank seconds; total ~4 seconds
9. When composition selected, press Ctrl+M
10. In render queue, open "output module"; select:
    • Format: FLV
    • Channels: RGB+Alpha
    • Press OK
11. Go to "output to"; select folder, rename file without spaces (use underline)
12. Press Render

c. FLVmeta Rotation Process

To rotate file for vertical appearance in Fotomaster software:

1. Open folder
2. On C: drive, create new folder called "flvmeta"
3. Copy flvmeta.exe into new folder
4. Copy folder path
5. Go to Windows search bar; write "path" and open "Edit the system environment variables"
6. In popup, click "Environment Variables"; under "User variables" click "Path" then "Edit"
7. A new screen appears; click "New" and paste folder path to new line
8. Click OK
9. Copy FLV files to C: drive folder
10. Open Command Prompt
11. Copy folder path
12. Type cd and paste copied path; hit Enter
13. Enter the following command and press Enter:

    flvmeta.exe -U FileName.flv -a rotation=90 FileName_1.flv
    

The second filename (with slight change) creates a new file for use in Foto Master software.

Repeat for "in" and "out" files. Place resulting files in the Animations folder: This PC → C drive → MirrorMeBooth → Animations (use existing or create custom folder).

3. Software Integration

1. Stop snapshot animation and live view (add Live View Stop and Snapshot Animation Stop features) before taking photo using DSLR camera or webcam
2. In the Layout tab, add snapshot animation's "in" frame capture and position accordingly
3. Continue configuration steps as needed for your specific booth workflow