Mocha Pro is cherished by Navid Bagherzadeh, a compositor, due to its exceptional features.
In the dynamic world of visual effects (VFX), tools like Mocha Pro, Nuke, Blender, Cinema 4D, and Photoshop play a pivotal role in creating seamless integration of 2D/3D effects into live-action footage.
One such artist who leverages these tools to produce photorealistic or stylistically coherent final images is Navid Bagherzadeh, a Hoboken-based lead compositor and visual effects artist currently working at Framestore NY. Bagherzadeh's impressive portfolio includes features such as In the Heights, Hostiles, Logan Lucky, and shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, City On a Hill, The Deuce, and The Knick.
Bagherzadeh's favourite project to date has been Scott Cooper's Hostiles with Christian Bale, a film he praises for its creative nature and the quality of the production.
One of the key tasks a compositor like Bagherzadeh undertakes is rotoscoping, a process that involves creating outlines to isolate objects using pen tools or Mocha Pro’s planar tracking. This enables targeted effects or clean frame separation. Another crucial task is 2D/planar tracking, where the artist tracks camera or object movement within footage to align CGI or other elements accurately. Mocha Pro, with its planar tracking capabilities, is often the tool of choice for this task.
Matte extraction and keying, layering and compositing multiple elements, colour grading and correction, rotoscoping fixes and cleanup, adding 2D effects, and integrating 3D elements are among other common VFX tasks handled by compositors using these tools.
Bagherzadeh has found Mocha Pro particularly useful, as it allows for accurate work due to its various tracking tools. He credits the software with significantly changing his workflow by making previously impossible tracking tasks effortless. The PowerMesh feature in Mocha Pro 2021, for instance, has been impressive, particularly for removing creases from moving objects.
One of the most challenging shots Bagherzadeh has ever tracked with Mocha Pro was for the TV show The Knick, involving a series of close-up shots of actor Andre Holland. The shots required the combination of a silicone replica of Holland's head with the live-action plate. Bagherzadeh frequently uses Mocha Pro's spline tracking feature for reverse stabilization, which allows for more fluid shapes to be tracked as opposed to regular corner pins (planar tracks).
Bagherzadeh discovered Mocha Pro about 6 years ago while working on the HBO miniseries Show Me a Hero. Since then, he has found the software to be a valuable addition to his workflow, often using it for its ease and efficiency in handling complex tracking tasks.
In conclusion, tools like Mocha Pro, Nuke, Blender, Cinema 4D, and Photoshop are essential in the VFX industry, streamlining the work of compositors like Navid Bagherzadeh and enabling them to produce high-quality, seamless visual effects. The dope sheet in Mocha Pro, however, still needs UI refinements to further improve the user experience.
Navid Bagherzadeh, a lead compositor, often utilizes Mocha Pro and other technology tools to perform tasks such as rotoscoping and 2D/planar tracking, which are crucial for creating seamless visual effects. The accuracy and efficiency of Mocha Pro, particularly its tracking tools and features like PowerMesh, significantly enhance Bagherzadeh's workflow in creating photorealistic or stylistically coherent final images.
