Check my throw-togethers page for an example of how to do this from a single image.

I'm not quite sure that I did what you are asking, but this video shows what I've done using 3D. If you already have apparent shadows in your image, mask them off and fly the text behind semi-transparent versions of them. If they're really complex, build an alpha channel.

There are many possible optimizations for speed that could be made (pre-calculating levels and saving a second copy of the image, pre-calculating the transparency in the left tree, etc.).

Still, I wanted to do in in a way that required as little source media as possible. One of my favorite tricks in Vegas is in play in this project. Solo track 27 and composite-indent track 28 and you'll have a perspective view of the composite layout without shadow layers.

that 3D title thing was hot...how did you get all of the letters to match each other movements so precise? Was it just manuel keyframing (the hard part) or did you use something to track each of the movements?

Matthew,
I really liked the 3D Title (titletest.wmv) on your throw-together page. If the veg file for that available?
Rick

I'll see if I have the veg for that one still hanging about. I could also make a simpler version of it and a tutorial. If it's a choice between work on Vegas and a tutorial, though, I generally choose to work on Vegas.

The key to that project is that the letters are layed out in 3D to function for specific views around a sphere. Once the letters are set in space, they are left there permanently. A parent 3D track is then moved about to go betweeen those different views.

The project as a whole was rather expensive to render because of its heavy reliance on generated media and filters. This was intentional, as it was created to be a Network Rendering test project.

If you can find the veg that would be great but please don't create a new one and a tutorial just for me.
Rick

I'd like to see the 3dTitle project too, because i think it's very interesting to learn a creative (and complex) approach to the new 3D compositing in Vegas. IMHO is the best Vegas Graphic project of all the time.

Thanks for sharing!:-)

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Carlo Mazzortocchi

IMHO ??

please do make a veg file on the 3d title thing...the cat compositing was awsome too.

I'm not the best man to explain that (because i'm italian - i live in Rome - and i'm so sorry for my bad english) but IMHO is the abbreviation for "in my humble opinion" :-) (normally used a lot on Usenet)

Anyway i'd like to see the 3DTitles project also without any tutorial, i think it's a cool way to study the 3D advanced features of Vegas in a creative way.

I like this forum:-)

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Carlo Mazzortocchi

Don't say I didn't warn you guys...

I also posted a revised version of the shadowed skyline clip (roughly 10 more minutes invested).

warn?

I think the question blacksheep699 ask here is quite simple. I will do it like this:
1. Duplicate the Picture of city Track
2. Choose the top Picture of city track, use the mask in Event Pan/Crop to cut out the shadow
3. In Media Generators, click on Solid color, you will see color black, use right mouse button to drag it to the top picture of city, and choose "add as takes"
4. Lower the compisite level of the black to about %50.

and that should do the trick.

if the building is moving, then you need to modify the mask in step 2, so the mask will follow the shadow.

Render the project in question and you'll understand what I'm talking about.

Anyway, take a look at philpw99's approach to shadowing the text. Simple 2D compositing should be more than enough for this problem.