This tutorial is specifically geared toward motion matching a USB port to a arm. However, this tutorial can be manipulated in any way to fit your needs because the basic concepts will be the same.

Step 1 -- Modeling your USB Port

When modeling your USB port, make a bevel that surrounds the port. This will act as the pucker caused when pressure is put on the skin. Extend the bevel down to form a wall around the USB port. Illustration A

NOTE: When dividing the surfaces, be sure to make the bevel, USB port, and the wall around the USB port separate surfaces. Refer back to Illustration A

Draw a box on the arm that will serve as a marker when matching your object to the arm. Illustration B

NOTE: Use a marker that can't be mistaken for a shadow and will show up well on the skin.

Use a tripod to keep the camera steady because any movement on the part of the camera will just add that much more work to the motion matching. Not only that, but be aware of your lighting. The skin is somewhat reflective so at times the hot spots of the lighting can wash out the marker. Illustration C

NOTE: You can try either altering your lighting or using some makeup to help tone the reflective quality of the skin.

If necessary, use whatever means you have available to digitize the footage and export it as a Quicktime file (or some other compatible file type).

In order to view the footage in the background so that you can motion match to it, you must complete two steps. First, go to the Window drop down and select Backdrop Options. Illustration D

Under the Compositing tab select an image for the Background. NOTE: If you can't see your footage in the list, change the Files of Type drop down so that is says All Files. Illustration E

Secondly, in order to be able to view the footage while in the camera view you must then go to the Edit drop down and select Display Options. Ilustration F

Take a frame from the footage into Photoshop so that you can get the RGB number for the skin tone. Use this color for the bevel's surface.

For the wall around the USB port, go to the Color's Texture Editor and set the footage that you used as the background image as a Frontal Projection. Illustration H

Try to match the lighting in Layout to match the lighting used to film the footage so that the object fits better into the environment.

Also, when matching the object to the footage, I would suggest breaking the movements into parts to make your job simpler. Try doing the movement first, then breaking the rotation into three separate parts. Then do whatever tweaking you need to do to smooth out the motion.