Best Tools for Interaction/Product Design Video?

Inspired by this (microsofts future interfaces video) I am looking to make a similar - if less intensive video for my upcoming project - which is going to be a camera with newly designed interface - (think iPhone like functionality/smoothness)

I was wondering if anyone knew what software/techniques were used to make this sort of thing? Are there any tutorials on the internet that might help me out?

What I know:

  • I’ve heard of Mocha for After Effects being good for 4 point tracking - pasting a screen to a model for example.
  • I have some limited experience of Flash animation.

Initial thoughts
I was thinking of using a Flash movie layered over a video of someone ‘using’ my physical model (yes I’m going to make a REAL model!) using After Effects? Is that easy/hard? anyone tried this?

PS I’m a student - so I have access to the design schools resources (cameras/computers/standard Adobe software etc) but beyond that it’s all on the cheap!

I haven’t done this sort of thing for a while…last time I used 3D studio max…as I was overlaying a 3d model in to some video and in max you can do the tracking.

Google around for multi point motion tracking & compositing techniques…I remember it helps to have some good makers in your video to track from. As you want to pin the four corners of your 2D video to the 4 corners of you model in the video footage. Putting a white piece of card with some black dots in the corners on your model should be a good start.

Also do a short test say of 10 secs before doing the real thing. You should try and keep your model in short as it makes things easier.

here is a good tutorial to start you off.

http://aftereffects.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=19392