Align Layer to 3D camera
by Brian Lynn
on
May 20, 2008 at 9:49:25 pm
I have a project with a very complex camera path and I would like to be able to have some layers come into frame and square up perfectly to the camera's view...
I'd like to be able to run the camera on its path, pick a point to stop the camera move for a moment, and then drop in a 3d layer and square it up to camera... at that point I will let the camera run its path and the layers should come in and out in 3d space as the camera follows it path/starts/stops.
I can do it manually, but it tedious!!
I thought I had seen a plugin to do this for you very quicky. Set your 3d camera, and then use the tool to line up a 3d layer flat to the camera's current view... Is this tool still around? Or still needed? Is there a quick method of squaring a 3d layer up to the camera view??
Re: Align Layer to 3D camera by Dave LaRonde on May 20, 2008 at 10:40:31 pm
[Brian Lynn]"Is there a quick method of squaring a 3d layer up to the camera view?? "
You can try copying the camera's motion path, then pasting it to a null object, which in turn is the parent of the 3D layer in question. Then, use the Orient Layer to Motion Path command on the null... I think that's what it's called. It should be under Layer on AE's very top menu.
Move the camera to the point in time where you want it to stop. The null will move exactly the same as the camera: it's the same motion path. Happy where the camera is? Get rid of the keyframes on the null, and it will stay at that location. Now you can adjust the 3D layer's position, and it should move relative to the null.
Dave LaRonde
Sr. Promotion Producer
KCRG-TV (ABC) Cedar Rapids, IA
Re: Align Layer to 3D camera by Brian Lynn on May 20, 2008 at 10:47:09 pm
Yeah I had thought about using this method... I had done the tutorial on how to make a ring of Cow logos, evenly spaced in 3d, its here on CC and this is just a more complex version of that tutorial.
The problem is my client wants a few things in specific spots with very specific camera moves... the Null would work, and very well, except I am going to have to tweak this thing over and over (I just know it!) so it would be much faster to be able to just delete layers and then drop them back in again from the camera view and have them already square to camera.
You would think there would be a quick way to do this!!
Re: Align Layer to 3D camera by Dave LaRonde on May 20, 2008 at 10:58:42 pm
Well, all you REALLY have to do is have the client buy into the camera motion path. Then you'd be golden!
And besides, it isn't all THAT hard to change the null's motion path: paste in the new camera motion path, put it at the right point in time, and lose the keyframes on null. Done.
I've done worse client-imposed contortions in AE.
Dave LaRonde
Sr. Promotion Producer
KCRG-TV (ABC) Cedar Rapids, IA
Re: Align Layer to 3D camera by Brian Lynn on May 22, 2008 at 4:25:57 pm
Hey I found it!
Its a tool that's part of Zaxwerks Layer Tools package! Too bad the whole package is $150... Depending on how my day with client goes I might just have to invest.
