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Orient a 3d layer towards camera (but not auto-orient)
Hi!
Is there a way of quickly orienting a 3d layer so that it faces the camera straight in AE? I know there is the Layer–>transform–>center in view funtion, which brings a layer to the view, but that only solves the position of the layer. If the camera has been rotated, then the layer is not facing it straight.
This becomes tedious to do manually especially if the camera has been rotated with the help of nulls.
Is there maybe a script that could tell a 3d layer to position itself straight in the center of the current camera position and orientation?
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4 Replies
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This would make a great script. I’ll put it on my to-do list, but I won’t have it ready any time soon.
Relatively quick workaround:
1) Hold the shift key while parenting your layer to the camera. This will move the layer to the same position/orientation as the camera layer.
2) Set your layer’s X and Y to zero and Z to the whatever value the camera’s zoom is. For example, [0,0,4266.667]. This will space it out in the comp.
3) Unparent the the layer from the camera.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
I’ve (finally) written this script:
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
Hi,
as far as i understand the question, i do have the same request.
I imported a heavily moving close up camera from C4D and would like to attach text elements on a map where i fly over. This leads to ugly distorted texts.
I tried Walter’s script, but what this does seems to be similar to this: http://www.oneminutevideotutorials.com/2013/08/06/orient-a-new-3d-layer-towards-the-camera-in-ae/. It centers and faces the given layer “straight” towards the camera at a specific time, right?
As i understand the question it’s the idea to have a layer facing the camera orthogonally (without a perspective distortion), although it’s moving around heavily in space. The only way i was able to achieve this, was with the help of the script “Pointers” (https://aescripts.com/pointers/). I kept the text layer 2D and it’s following a 3d-Null in Space.
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After Effects cannot render an orthogonal camera view; it only renders perspective cameras.
Your solution of 2D layers that track the 2D projection of a 3D point is smart, but it will break 3D intersections, lighting, and shadow-casting.
One other possible solution is to reduce the perspective distortion of the camera itself by positioning it very far away from your scene, and zooming it very close in.
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