Simple Object Removal
Posted on 27. Jul, 2007 by Jerzy Drozda Jr in After Effects, Photoshop
Check this out if you’ve ever had to shoot everything again because you didn’t see that big Britney Spears poster hanging on the wall.
Click here to watch the video tutorial
In this tutorial you will learn basic techniques for removing unwanted objects from your footage. The idea for this tutorial came to me when I was working on a movie called “Wywiad” (The Interview) by Bartek Siemierzewicz and Konrad Wasilewski. In fact, the footage that I’m using comes from this movie, so this time no project file. Sorry.
This tutorial involves working in After Effects and Photoshop, and I’ve found a free plug-in, that makes that much more easier. You don’t have to use it, but I really recommend it. I’ve used it in this tutorial, so you can see it in action before trying it out.
Download ObviouFX CopyImage plug-in from the ObviousFX website.
I also recommend trying out ObviousFX Erodilation plug-in.
28 Responses to “Simple Object Removal”
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marra182
28. Jul, 2007
I’m glad you’re back. I was missing your tutorials :D
peter
28. Jul, 2007
Thanks for another great tutorial, great to see you are back!
I just wanted to note that there is a little trick in Photoshop when cloning if you want to to align the images: You don’t have to hold the Alt-key, you can just activate Caps Lock on your keyboard to get a crosshair cursor instead. If you want the circle shape again, just deactivate Caps Lock. The great thing about this is that it works with all brush tools (Eraser, Healing Brush, Paint Brush etc.), not just the Clone Stamp.
The other way to do an aligned clone is to duplicate the layer, align the images exactly as you want them to be using the differenc
Maltaannon
28. Jul, 2007
Thanks for the tip. I forgot to mention that. In healing and cloning I prefer using the Alt-key, because unlike the CapsLock, it turns on the “aiming” temporarily, and to turn it off I just have to let go the Alt-key.
Steffen
01. Aug, 2007
Thanks for this, I really find it quite extraordinary that you (and some others) take the time to do this for us rookies!
I’d like to suggest one thing on which I have not found much on the web yet (but this may well be something that is not within the scope of this site): a guide for what hardware is best for AE, Premiere (compositing/editing). Do we need a dual or quadcore, do we need a super-fast graphics card, what kind of monitor is best (e.g. can normal monitors provide sufficient color-management – also for the occasional Photoshop session – or do we all need to buy Eizos). Do we need a raid (is a raid of any advantage for DV or do we only need it for High Definition; is it absolutely necessary for High Definition) etc… These questions are very difficult to figure out for people like me.
Mr T.
04. Aug, 2007
Wow this is one good tutorial Jerzy. I never had to remove anything out of a shot, but now i know what to do iff it ever happends…
First tutorial i ever saw off you btw and im looking here and in ccow to watch your others.
Pretty good english too, being from Poland!
Keep up the good work.
Mr T.
MegaMe
05. Aug, 2007
Wow! I just stumbled on to your site and you have awesome tutorials. I’ve seen your name at creative cow but I only visit the forums to look for answers when I have a problem. I obviously need to pay a little more attention. I’ve learned more from watching this tutorial than from the AE books I’ve read. Thanks a lot and keep up the awesome work!
Geoge
05. Aug, 2007
I agree with all those people. This site, and tutorials are very good.
I’m working on TV for many years, but I’m still not quite sure what hardware configuration is the best for video editing and post production. I mean – what is the optimum for comfortable work? Yes, this is the site determent to nice tutorials, but let’s talk about more stuff, related to video.
And Jerzy, keep up this nice nice work!
I saw somewhere that Andrew Kramer said that some tutorial is very good. Hey! When he said that, than it must be good! (No hard feelings, but I think that Andrew is a BIG name)
rekzkarz
28. Oct, 2007
Amazing tutorial. I’m excited to try and apply this to my videos now. It’s incredible the way you so easily ‘fake out’ reality. I didn’t know that kind of effect was so easy in AE. NICE
THANKS!
supercoin
13. Nov, 2007
To akurat mój pierwszy tutorial, który miałem okazję oglądnąć z całego zbioru. Jak człowiek obejrzał, wszystko się wydało tak oczywiste. Natomiast nie wiedziałem akurat nic o tym zastosowaniu Patch Tool’a. Dzięki, J. – świetne tutoriale ;)
This was actually my first tutorial, I had an occasion to watch frome whole collection. After taking a look, everything appeared to be so obvious. All in all, I didn’t know a s*** about using this Patch Tool. Thanks J. – great tutorials ;)
Rev. Benjamin
20. Nov, 2007
Keep doing what you’re doing. This is great stuff man, especially for those of us beginning in the mograph industry. I’ll be sure to link you to stuff I use your teachings in. Keep making stuff for the cow too, that’s how I found you.
And great color scheme for the site too.
-Rev. Benjamin
Dale ANthony Smith
04. Dec, 2007
To the people asking the hardware questions… Please take them to another “equipment geek” forum… We have a master of technique here and it’s not about the processing tools, but rather the skillset tools of the program… It reminds me of photographers talking about “what camera did you use for that chot?”…. it’s the EYE… not the camera.
GREAT TUTORIAL! many thanks for sharing your work with us.
Maltaannon
04. Dec, 2007
Always a pleasure. Cheers!
Treehouse
18. Dec, 2007
I think the simple answer to any hardware question would be “the best you can reasonably afford”. Anyway, looking forward to using these tutorials, thanks for putting them up!
TGD
26. May, 2008
[...] Simple Object Removal [...]
Shavkat
25. Jul, 2008
That’s nice keep it up
CristalCube
04. Aug, 2008
Pretty cool tutorial, thanks for share it!!
Greetings.
masluch
11. Sep, 2008
very nice tutorial but i have a problem to use it becouse my footage isn’ as that simple. A rendered frame fixed in photoshop doesn’t work becouse the light and color is changing so that the fixed image doesn’t fit to the other frames. Applying track motion to the fixed image and moving it doesn’t give good enough results. Any ideas ? For example How can i remove some letters form a footage when the camera is sliding from one side of the book to another. There must be a more advanced way of object removal. any sugesstions ? please help please.
Maltaannon
11. Sep, 2008
sure there are more advanced ways. thats why this tutorial is called Simple object removal. write me on my skype and get the footage ready so I could take a look at it.
masluch
12. Sep, 2008
Big thanks for help. I’ve made it by combining masks with the Re:Fill plugin. It’s really a great tool. But I wouldn’t done without your help maltaannon so again big thanks for your time and info. Take care !
Sandy Scott
21. Dec, 2008
Good morning. I’m very new to Adobe After Effects and have a movie I’m editing and was given this tutorial to help in taking out a boom mic from a scene. I’ve watched the tutorial, but you didn’t explain the steps on how to import the video footage. I’ve looked through all of Adobe After Effects and can’t seem to figure this step out to follow your tutorial step by step. My email is scottactor@yahoo.com and really need your help from step 1.
ken
08. Jan, 2009
How can i remove obvious plugin from CS3 folder?
thnx
Amoxicillin.
16. Jan, 2009
Amoxicillin….
Amoxicillin rx655 syphilis. Amoxicillin….
john
14. Feb, 2009
..your beautiful tutorial makes me realize that I’m going to have to hire you and Polygon to work on my projects and not try do them on my own…thanks much maltaannon…john
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[...] Object Removal In this tutorial you will learn techniques for removing unwanted objects from the footage. [...]
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25. Jul, 2009
[...] Object Removal In this tutorial you will learn techniques for removing unwanted objects from the footage. [...]
Farhan
31. Jul, 2009
First of all I thank you for your great efforts to teach us these techniques and effects.
I just wanted to know I made an image using droste filter and export it as jpg/psd but neither the image is share nor the twisted droste circle. Can you please tell how do we export hi quality and sharp images from AE.
Thank you.
MHOГOTOЧИE
27. Nov, 2009
Большое спасибо. Давно такое искал :)
Xимeнa
26. Dec, 2009
Да уж, такие положительные результаты :)