Opinions, please - 3D People w/ image texture?

[LGO]

I'm doing a small documentary for a specialized library. The house where the library is located was donated by a wealthy couple years ago.

I have an image of the front entry of the library and an image of the couple walking down the front walk. I've erased all the background of the image with the couple and I'd like to fade them in and fade them out in front of the entry to end the video.

No problem in doing this with Video Studio 10+ using the image of the couple in the overlay track. HOWEVER, they look too much two dimensional (obviously) and I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to do the following . . .

I'd like to give the couple some depth - more of a 3D look. Since I have the 2D image of them I was wondering what you pros with C3DPS think would be the best way to go about achieving this? I suppose there are two options;

1.) Find some 3D male and 3D female models, import them, and try to wrap the models with the texture of the couple from the 2D image. This sounds like frustration waiting to happen.

2.) Import the 2D graphic into the Path Editor, trace the outline of the couple, and apply the image as a texture. I have no earhtly idea how to give them depth for this since it would all be one big object.

I can see huge problems trying both methods, but I'm partial to the second option. Any thoughts or ideas? Another way to achieve this that I haven't thought of?

[rwernyei]

LGO,
COOL3D is a great for modeling but not for character animation. Take a look at this site and play the montage. This is a very effective sample of how one can simulate 3D with 2D source material. With careful forethought , layering and keyframing, one can create the moving camera and apply both image and video textures to models in COOL3D as well.

http://www.davidrobinfilms.com/services ... .php?p11=1

Hope this helps.

[LGO]

Thanks, rwernyei, for the reply and the web site reference.

That site gives one a lot to think about. The montage effect would be great to open the video, but I'm looking for something simpler for the closing.

I did notice, because of your note, the 2D images used in the montage at that site and I would have thought them to be 3D without knowing to look for them as 2D.

Ugh, how to make a simple 2D effect look 3D?

Thanks for the response. Back to the drawing board.

[tsha222]

Your photo montage is awesome. I'm not trying to get you to divulge your trade secrets or anything, BUT, I would like to be able to do similar effects. I am of the school of "figure it out yourself" so with that being said, I have the following software: WINDOWS- Video Studio 11+, Cool 3D Prod Studio, PhotoImpact12, Sony Vegas 7+DVD, FXHome's EffectsLab Pro and Pinnacle Studio. Forget the knowledge, do I have the tools to achieve similar results? The knowledge will have to come with experimentation, that's the fun stuff! Thanks for any input . (I also have a Dual G4 Mac with a 48-Track Pro Tools setup but no video editing capabilities aside from iMovie.)