[Maya] 3D and Video footage compositing

[JudicatorMX]

Hey, guys.

I have a situation here.
I need to place a video footage into 3D room and make it look as realistic as possible. Even more realistic than that :)
Basically I have to create a 3D room in Maya (I don't know how to work with video in 3DS Max). Room has to be simple: a box with one light inside and a door. It has to be lit and textured very realistically.
And I have a video footage - people, moving in front of a green screen, and a table (also in front of a green screen).
What I need to do is to make people move inside that room, but it has to look like the room is real and it belongs there. Camera in the footage is moving, so the camera in the room must move accordingly. It would be good if people and the table would cast some shadows.
Any tips? Or maybe you have a link for some kind of tutorial on this matter?
I've seen tutorials on compositing 3D into video, but I need to do the other way. The process doesn't look the same to me.

[Nukie]

Well you have to composite everything together in a compositor. I don't know what program you use or are intended to use?

You should match the lighting of the room as close as possible to the studio lighting that has been used to light the people in front of the green screen. Watch closely from what angle the light comes and how much etc. The colors doesn't have to be perfect, just close. You prolly want to tweak it afterwards in the compositor anyway.

For the shadows. I don't know if the real footage already has shadow in it or not. I think with studio lighting the changes are they aren't there.
What you could do is in mayais to create a dummy for the table and the walking people. you should create an animated dummy person for that. Doesn't have to be perfect or high res. You're going to use if for shadow casting only anyway, without really rendering them.

Another (maybe faster) solution would be to create "fake" shadows inside the compositor itself.

Not sure if that is the correct way for shadows, but thats how I should do it. Maybe someone else has a better idea.

The process you describe is the same. You have real footage and you want to mix it with 3D.
If you are going to work with After Effects, you can find a lot (I mean, A LOT) really good tutorials here: http://www.videocopilot.net/

Good luck

[JudicatorMX]

Thanks, Nukie.
I am planning to use AfterEffects, Maya and Bouju. I know the site you've mentioned. I'll use one of their tutorials for a clear green screen removing.
One thing though... Should I first remove the green screen and then merge the footage with 3D, or first adjust 3D cameras and then remove a green screen and merge everything together? Which would give a more precise result?

[Nukie]

I think you best first remove the green and then place your 3D room behind your people (well dah, otherwise you won't see anything now would you?). I would then link those two layers together so you keep a good angle and then create your 3D camera.

I am not a master compositor tho.