Boujou

Boujou is a commercial 3D camera tracking and matchmoving application developed by the software company 2d3. It is used in film, television, and advertising to integrate computer-generated imagery with live-action footage. The program analyzes a sequence of video frames to automatically detect features, solves for the camera motion, and reconstructs a virtual 3D scene that corresponds to the real shot. The output typically includes a virtual camera path and a set of reference 3D points that can be imported into a 3D application for CG placement and rendering.

Key features of Boujou include automated tracking, manual track refinement, and lens distortion correction. It supports workflows for handheld and motion-controlled footage and provides tools to edit and optimize tracks to improve solve accuracy. Boujou can export camera data and scene geometry to common 3D and compositing packages, enabling artists to place CG elements, lights, and effects within the correct perspective and parallax in the shot. Some versions also offer stereo workflow support for stereoscopic productions.

Typical usage involves importing the footage, configuring shot settings, running the automatic tracker, performing track cleanups as needed, solving the camera motion, and exporting the data to a preferred 3D or compositing environment. In the receiving application, the solved camera and tracked points guide the integration of CG assets with the live-action footage.

History and versions: Boujou was released in the early 2000s by 2d3 and has since undergone several major updates. Each new version generally focused on improving tracking reliability, speed, and interoperability with other VFX tools, maintaining Boujou’s role as a standard matchmoving solution in many production pipelines.