Get Started

This page contains easy-to-follow steps for initializing your virtual production journey with CameraTwin.

Installation

If you haven't installed both the Mobile Application (iOS or Android) and the Unreal Engine Plugin please follow our instructions here:

Installation

Open our Composition Example Level

Make sure that Unreal Engine is set to show the plugin's Contents. If you don't know how to do it, please follow the steps here.

In your Content Browser, navigate to All -> Plugins -> CameraTwin Content -> Examples and open the "Composition Example" Level or any other example level you want.

Open the CameraTwin mobile App

Open the CameraTwin mobile app and select the name of your device, it will be included to your Source name as well. You can leave it to default which is your smartphone's model.

iPhone's Entry screen with device name edit box

In case you are using an Android device, enable the "Tracking" toggle. in order to also stream the camera pose.

Connect CameraTwin LiveLink Source

After the mobile application is started you can connect to its stream by using the Live Link window.

Steps:

1. Open the LiveLink window, by searching for it under the Window menu of the Unreal Engine’s top bar (video)

2. Inside the Live Link window (video)

   1. Click the button
   2. Hover over the CameraTwin option

   3. Select your desired CameraTwin Source as CameraTwin source

3. Setup your LiveLink Controllers to listen to the newly created LiveLink subjects of your CameraTwin Source (Step 3 of CameraTwin LiveLink Setup)

Here you can find detailed steps regarding CameraTwin LiveLink Source Setup:

CameraTwin LiveLink Setup

Stage Setup

If you want, you can set up your stage by tapping on specific points to create the outline of your stage area. The outline will be presented in your Unreal Engine Level in order to make it easier for you to select your shooting location inside the Virtual setting. To change the

Steps:

1. Enter stage setup mode from the main screen by pressing the button in the main drawer.
2. [Optional] Move the device around until surfaces are recognized and displayed.

3. Point the target marker at the center of the screen over the location of the first point to be placed.

4. Tap anywhere on the screen to place the point.

5. Repeat steps 3-4 until at least 3 points have been added.

6. Press the button to accept the current stage.

At any point, the button can be used to remove the last placed point. Additionally, the button can be pressed to cancel the input and return to the previously set stage (if any). Finally, pressing the button with fewer than 3 points placed will clear the stage entirely.

Stage Options in Unreal Engine

After the stage setup in the mobile application, the parameters of the stage are transmitted to Unreal Engine and the BP_CT_CameraActor renders the stage outline in a bright green color.

In the CameraTwinStage component there are the following parameters:

• Snap Parent to Ground

• Ground Level

Here you can find details steps regarding Stage Setup:

Stage Setup

Start Streaming

If you haven't already started streaming from the phone, you can do it now. To start streaming you can press the streaming button to toggle it to streaming state . Make sure the LIveLink subjects turn from yellow to green (all but the stage Subject), that means that the phone successfully streams video, pose and camera parameters information to the Unreal Engine.

LiveLink Subjects indicated with green, meaning they receive data regularly (@ 30fps)

If anything is wrong about the stream follow the troubleshooting options found here.

Record

Tap the record button on the Phone and film your shot. According to the Recording Settings and the enabled Recording Events of your project the record button will trigger whichever event is enabled.

You can adjust most of those settings in the Control Panel.

All set for your first Shot

Now that you have a better understanding of CameraTwin's capabilities, you can keep on using the example level and try different shots or you can load the rest of the examples and follow our Tutorials.