Cascadeur video capture guide

Cascadeur works out your pose from a flat video, so a clearer picture gives cleaner animation. Use the 3D figure to see how filming choices change what the software can find.

2nd person Legs out of shot
Not in T-pose

What the camera can see

The figure has a real rig with fixed bone lengths. Square handles move the whole body with the feet planted. Ringed handles are IK: drag a hand or foot and the elbow or knee bends to follow. Plain dots are FK and swing that bone. The neck and shoulders lean the spine. Press Show bone weights to see which bone owns each part of the body.

Camera view: front, the way Cascadeur sees you
Framing
Clothing
Colours
Background
Movement
Camera
Joints the software can find100%

    Green dots are tracked confidently and red dots are guesses. This is an illustration of the idea, not a real Cascadeur score.

    The person

    • Only one person in the videoA second person, even far behind, can confuse the tracking.
    • Whole body in shot, head to feet, the whole timeLeave a gap above the head and below the feet.
    • Start in a T-pose and hold it for a second or twoFace the camera with arms straight out to the sides.
    • Avoid tiny, very small movementsFine twitches and finger movements get lost or look jittery. Make actions big and clear.

    Clothing

    • Fitted clothingBaggy sleeves and trousers hide where elbows, knees and hips really are.
    • Contrasting colours on each body partMake top, trousers and shoes clearly different.
    • Black shoes on black trousersThe camera cannot see where leg ends and foot begins. Try light shoes with dark trousers.
    • Skirts, long coats, hatsAnything hiding legs, hips or head outline makes tracking harder. Tie long hair back.

    The video file

    • Save as MP4Cascadeur's help pages list .mp4 as the supported video format for importing reference video.
    • 2 minutes or less per clipShorter takes are quicker to process and to fix.
    • Avoid stitching clips togetherFilm one continuous take. Joins break the T-pose start and cause jumps.
    • Keep an untouched originalTrim a copy, so you can always go back.

    Camera

    • Tripod or propped up, and not touched once recording startsNo panning, zooming or walking with it. A moving camera makes the character slide through the floor.
    • Chest to waist height, facing you straight onExtreme high or low angles distort the body.
    • Step back rather than using a wide lens up closeWide lenses at close range stretch the limbs nearest the camera.
    • Lock focus and exposure, and turn off filters and beauty modesSettings that keep changing make the picture change mid-take.

    Space and light

    • A plain wall or sheet behind youDark clothes on a light wall, or light clothes on a dark one, work best.
    • Bright, even light from the frontNo window behind you and no harsh shadows. Dim light causes blur.
    • A floor that contrasts with your shoesMark a start spot with tape so every take begins in the same place.
    • Clear the floorLeave enough room to move so nothing leaves the frame.

    Performing

    • Face the camera for most of the takeTurning your back for long gives the software less to go on.
    • Keep arms and props away from the bodyCrossed arms, hands in pockets and big props hide limbs. Video mocap cannot see what is hidden.
    • Film at 1080p, 30fps or higherUse 60fps for quick actions to reduce blur.
    • Do a 5 second test firstRun it through Cascadeur before the full take, then film two or three takes.

    1. Prepare the clip

    Check the T-pose start, trim dead time from a copy, and export as MP4.

    2. Import it

    Use File, then Import, then Reference video. Pick the clip. The From and To values let you load only part of it.

    3. Choose the frames

    On the timeline, select the frames you want. You get one pose per selected frame, so start with a short range to test.

    4. Run Mocap

    Click the Mocap button on the toolbar. The first run downloads an extra package of about 700 MB, so do it on good wifi before class.

    5. Clean it up

    Treat the result as a draft. Check the feet, the hands and any limb that was hidden. Cascadeur's tutorial library at cascadeur.com/tutor has video mocap cleanup lessons.

    Good habits

    Keep a short clean take for each action. Compare your result with the original video. Save your project before and after cleanup.

    Cascadeur's video Mocap was labelled Alpha in its documentation when this guide was written, so menus, limits and supported formats may change. Check cascadeur.com/help for your version.

    Feet slide or sink into the floor

    Most likely the camera moved, or the shoes blend into the trousers or floor.

    Fix: lock the camera off and use contrasting shoes.

    Arms twitch or flip

    A hand or elbow was in front of the body or hidden by loose sleeves.

    Fix: keep limbs clear of the torso and wear fitted tops.

    Legs look wrong or missing

    Feet or knees left the frame, or dark trousers merged with dark shoes.

    Fix: frame head to toe with a gap and add colour contrast.

    Jittery, noisy motion

    Movements were very small, or the picture was blurry or dark.

    Fix: perform larger actions and add more light.

    Skeleton jumps at the start

    There was no clear T-pose, or two clips were joined together.

    Fix: hold a T-pose for 1 to 2 seconds and film one take.

    Tracking follows the wrong person

    A second person was somewhere in the shot.

    Fix: clear everyone else out of the frame.

    Before you press record

    0 of 10 ready