The VFX Artists Podcast

The Importance of Matchmove within the VFX pipeline | TVAP EP54

March 06, 2023 Matt Merkovich of The Matchmoving Company Episode 54
The VFX Artists Podcast
The Importance of Matchmove within the VFX pipeline | TVAP EP54
Show Notes Chapter Markers

In this episode with Matt Merkovich of The Matchmoving Company, we talk about the importance of 3D tracking/matchmove in the VFX industry and what it means to be a matchmove artist.

Matt is an expert user of Syntheyes and has been a great influencer in getting it where it is today.  He also uses it for almost all of his work, spiralling almost three decades in the VFX industry.

Matt believes #Syntheyes is by far the best 3D tracking software out there and has by far "the best 2D tracking system in the world!", so in this episode, I sit him down to find out why he believes so.

Being a Matchmove artist myself, having been a user of PFTrack in the past and an ongoing user of  3DEqualizer I was very curious to hear why Matt thinks so.

3D tracking or Matchmove as you may call it, ties perfectly with all the other departments in the VFX pipeline, to complete VFX shots in the biggest visual effects movies out there, making this episode an important one, to gain insights from an industry veteran like Matt.

Matt's filmography spars from Minority Report, Star Trek Voyager, Doctor Dolittle 2, The Amazing Spider-Man and more. Here's Matt's IMDB.

Matt's company The Matchmoving Company provides 3D tracking services globally and can currently be reached through https://www.mattmerk.com/

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Watch our other videos
πŸ“£The Importance of Matchmove within the VFX pipeline | TVAP EP54 (P-1)
πŸ“£Inside VFX Recruitment with Melissa Blakey, Global Head of Talent at Crafty Apes | TVAP EP53 (P-1)
πŸ“£Inside VFX Recruitment with Melissa Blakey, Global Head of Talent at Crafty Apes | TVAP EP53 (P-2)
πŸ“£Behind The Desk with Hugo Guerra | TVAP EP47

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Chapters
00:00:00 Coming Up  
00:02:19 Introductions  
00:03:54 Who is Matt Merkovich  
00:07:17 Where my interest for film originated  
00:14:59 From Lightwave to Matchmoving on Minority Report  
00:23:28 Minority Report Matchmoving Pipeline in the 2000's  
00:26:24 Evolution of Aspect Ratios
00:30:18 Comparing Syntheyes, 3dequalizer, Boujou, PFTrack and more  
00:35:13 Good & Bad Tracking Markers  
00:38:54 Staying relevant in an evolving industry  
00:44:36 Being a VFX artist in the mid 90's  
00:46:45 Shot talk - Challenges  
00:48:38 The future of 3D tracking  
00:53:41 Comparing 3dequalizer and Syntheyes  
01:01:01 Matchmove Artists - The underappreciated department  
01:03:53 About The Matchmoving Company  
01:04:11 Unionize the VFX industry  
01:04:11 Conclusion 

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Coming Up
Introductions
Who is Matt Merkovich
Where my interest for film originated
From Lightwave to Matchmoving on Minority Report
Minority Report Matchmoving Pipeline in the 2000's
Evolution of Aspect Ratios
Comparing Syntheyes, 3dequalizer, Boujou, PFTrack and more
Good & Bad Tracking Markers
Staying relevant in an evolving industry
Being a VFX artist in the mid 90's
Shot talk - Challenges
The future of 3D tracking
Comparing 3dequalizer and Syntheyes
Matchmove Artists - The underappreciated department
About The Matchmoving Company
Unionize the VFX industry
Conclusion