Some students really go above and beyond. VFX student Siemen Lens is one of them.
Siemen created AutoTrack: a free and open-source Blender add-on that automates camera tracking. The project even took him to the stage at the Blender Conference 2026 in Amsterdam. Next to that, he also published the book Procedural 3D Modeling Using Geometry Nodes in Blender.
We asked Siemen the story behind AutoTrack, what role DAE played, and what’s coming next.
For people who are not familiar with AutoTrack: what does it do?
AutoTrack allows the user to input a moving video in Blender, it analyzes the movement of the camera and creates a 3D scene of it. AutoTrack essentially automates this process which used to consist of manually placing markers, filtering, and solving your camera with different settings. It hugely reduces the workload of the users.
How does AutoTrack connect to what you’re learning at DAE
AutoTrack originally started as an exam assignment for the Programming for Artists 3 course. The assignment was to create a Blender add-on that simplifies a series of steps. I chose to code an algorithm for tracking a video. In my free time it quickly grew into a widely compatible Blender add-on. When I published it to the Blender Extensions page, it didn’t take long to get approved.
I always thought that camera tracking in Blender could be automated, but I never had the knowledge to actually start the coding for the add-on. Programming for Artists 3 allowed me to turn this idea into reality.
You also published books about Blender. How did that happen?
I didn’t plan on becoming an author. This all happened thank to a friend of mine, Mihir Roy. He commended me to someone at Packt Publishing. The publishing company was looking for someone to write a book about Geometry Nodes. I wrote this book while still in high school. It was first published in March 2023 when I was 19 years old. The book was a massive succes, even achieving #1 bestseller in the category 3D Graphics.
A couple of years later, Packt and I decided to write a follow-up book about the current state of Geometry Nodes, along with new exercises and new content. This one was published in November of 2025.
Are there any milestones you’re particularly proud of?
Presenting at Blender Con 2026 was a huge milestone. The presentation was received very well, probably due to the fact that this add-on is free and open-source which is a first for an automatic Blender camera tracker.
What’s next? Are there any other tools or projects you’re currently working on?
Yes, I am working on a new Blender tool. Virtual Production using LED walls typically relies on Unreal Engine. For my graduation work, I’m developing a tool that makes it possible to use this type of workflow in Blender instead, with Eevee handling the real-time rendering.
Thank you, Siemen!
From AutoTrack, to books, and now his graduation work. Siemen keeps finding new ways to combine Python programming with Blender and turn ideas into tools that others can actually use.
DAE students, you can find Siemen’s book Procedural 3D Modeling Using Geometry Nodes in Blender at the Mediahub in the Penta.
And watch Siemen’s presentation at Blender Con 2026 on YouTube: