hi guys, i got the same issue, a boom mic shadow is killing my work and i have to use this particular footage,
i cant find the actor to re shoot. can u give me some clue how to do it in after effect or if u know any tutorial pls. thanks.
You can find plenty of masking tutorials on Youtube, but here is a simple flow of how to remove a shadow, like in the following pic:
1) Open After Effects and import your shot.
2) Create a new Composition with it and bring your shot into the Timeline and DUPLICATE it. (Or use another background, if that works better than duplicating the same image. If the shadow is moving a lot, you can also capture a single frame when it is clear, and use that for background.)
Now, the shot on the top line or track is the layer that "covers" the shot on line 2 (layer 2).
3) Select the PEN tool and draw dots that form a MASK around the microphone shadow. This will allow the duplicate image on line 2 to show through. But, it won't look any different, until you slide that image up or down, or left or right. I slid my image down, so that the duplicate shadow reveals the bricks above it.
After putting a mask around the mic shadow, it allows that shadow, along with the image on line 2 to show through. The rest of the image on line 1 is masked out. Now, I have 2 shadows, because I slid one image down!
No worries. Check the box that says INVERTED. This inverts the mask and brings back the top layer. Only the bricks in the mask area (layer 2) come through. Since I slid down layer 2, you can't see the shadow anymore. You can see my yellow mask outline in this shot.
There is a white line across two layers of bricks. If I bring layer 2 down too far, that line enters the mask...
I slide layer 2 up just enough to avoid that white line of bricks.
You can use any part of that image you want. If the bricks on the right side of the girl work better, you can use those instead. You can scale the layer larger/smaller. You can motion track it to the mask, if your camera is moving (handheld, etc.) Another simple trick is to darken layer 2 and use masks to create shadows, which can cover up mistake areas of the frame.
If the mask edges are too riggid, use FEATHER to blend the edges.
Let's show and tell. I love seeing workarounds and fixes...fx shots...you name it.
