FAQ

If you have questions about the contents of our packages or how you can use them take a look through our FAQ section here. 

Why Backplate Pro?

Our stock footage is designed to be the perfect background for any piece of motion work. We are a stock footage library creating content specifically for 3D designers and VFX artists.

What is included in a Backplate Pro package?

All our packages include a 2K video backplate, a 360 HDRI map captured on location, camera and lens information, and a licence for commercial use. 

What is a backplate?

In visual effects, a 'backplate' or 'plate' simply refers to the photographed or filmed background which any animated effects, characters and objects will be placed on top of. Examples of backplates include actors on greenscreen, and real world film sets where effects, characters, set extensions or artwork will be added digitally in post-production.

What is a HDRI?

A high dynamic range image, or HDRI map, is a 360 degree photograph that is captured on location at different exposures and then combined into one file. This accurately records the lighting in an environment. This spherical map can be used in your 3D software package of choice to get lighting and reflections from the film set on to your 3D model. This helps integrate the 3D object seamlessly into the corresponding backplate video. 

Who are Backplate Pro's products for?

Our products are video backgrounds primarily designed for visual effects artists and motion graphic designers, but any producer, director or filmmaker may be interested in our stock footage for their production.

How do I use the content in the packages?

The video backplates can be 2D or 3D camera tracked with your software of choice to embed your artwork or animation into the scene. The camera and lens information we provide can help your tracking software get more accurate results. The lens distortion grid can be used by some software to calculate the optical distortion of the camera lens used in the shot. If you are creating a 3D object you can use the HDRI map in your 3D software to get accurate lighting and reflections from the film set. Once your scene is complete, you'll want to remove or cover the tracking markers and grade your footage.

How do I remove the tracking markers?

There are various ways to remove tracking markers. This is usually done in the 2D compositing stage of production by cloning a small section of the backplate and tracking it onto the marker. The native point trackers in both Adobe After Effects and The Foundry's Nuke can produce very good results, as can the planar tracker Mocha by Imagineer Systems which ships free with After Effects. There are many other applications and techniques capable of removing tracking markers, we recommend researching your particular compositing software of choice. 

What are the technical specifications of the packages?

  • The backplates are 8 bit TIFF image sequences. These are progressive scan with a frame rate of 25 FPS. 
  • The HDRI map is 5376 x 2688 pixels with 12 stops of dynamic range. 
  • The durations vary, as do the file sizes of each download. You can find this information on each product page.

What if my project has different frame rate?

We recommend tracking and finishing the shot at the default frame rate, rendering, and converting the final render to your project's frame rate. 

Can I use Backplate Pro products for both personal and commercial use?

Yes. The Content License grants you usage for many applications, including; TV adverts and idents, corporate videos, web and mobile advertising, short and feature films, personal work and more. 

Each download is a licence for one commercial use. This includes multiple people working on the same project, multiple applications of the project for an entire campaign (web, mobile, print and TV etc.), and unlimited reversions of the original project worldwide. 

If you wish to use the Backplate Pro content on a different project a new licence must be obtained by purchasing the package again from backplatepro.com. 

You may use the packages an unlimited amount of time for personal use. 

Our Content License explains exactly what you are permitted to do, please take time to read this carefully. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your usage.

How does the licensing work?

By purchasing a product from Backplate Pro you are being granted the rights to use it for your own purposes subject to the terms of the Content Licence. This is similar to other stock footage websites. The licence isn't a physical item or a serial code that you need to input anywhere, it is an agreement you enter into by using a Backplate Pro product. Your unique ID to verify you have a licence is the order number of your purchase - you should keep this for your records, and may wish to pass it on to the client you are working for or colleagues working on the same project.

Do I have to create an account to buy a product?

No, you can purchase any product as a guest. By creating an account you'll be able to keep track of your purchases - including your order number which is also your licence ID. You can create an account after checkout if you wish, or at any time by clicking 'Log In' at the top of any web page, where you'll find an option to create an account.

Is my download available instantly?

Yes. Once you have successfully checked out you will be able to download your product straight away.

Who is the download licensed to?

The download is licensed to the person listed on the 'Customer Information' page at checkout. You can enter into this on behalf of your company or client. 

Can I share my Backplate Pro download?

Commercially, you may only share the product with those working on the same project, or by those reversioning or amending the original project. 

If you use the same product in a new project commercially you must purchase a new license by re-downloading the product.

For personal use you must not share your download with anyone else. 

Details of the Backplate Pro Content License can be found in our Content License.

What software can I use to camera track the backplate?

You can use any 2D or 3D tracker depending on the type of graphics or artwork you want to composite, including; Mocha, After Effects, Nuke, Synth Eyes, PF Track, Boujou, Autodesk Matchmover, Blender, 3D Equalizer and many more.

Why is my downloaded backplate dark/desaturated?

To give you complete control over your grading and compositing the backplates we provide in the packages may have less colour correction than the previews displayed on the website. 

I can't camera track my backplate, what should I do?

We are unable to provide specific help on camera tracking, but all of our products are tested to ensure they can be effectively solved. It is advisable to always use the latest version, or in some cases modernising, your camera tracking software - the newest releases are incredibly agile and can work with much smaller features than their older counterparts. We'd recommend approaching a forum specific to your software.