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3D objects and layers.
Is there a way to put something in a 3D object and then have it be revealed with camera move. Example. 3D coffee cup. Having something inside the coffee cup and not be able to see it from outside of the cup , but then the camera pans over the top of cup and reveals what is inside the cup. Is this some kind of masking trick that I can not think of?
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3 Replies
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Well, yes and now. Depends on the 3D model you’re using. USDZ (may I say the least used and hardest to find of all 3D model formats) is the only 3D model format supported by Motion which makes it super limited, and you can’t adjust texture or anything. It is what it is. If you’re using a real 3D model, you can do it. Just animate the camera movement, or animate the movement of the Group that cup is in.
I’d test this out, but I can’t find a free empty cup model in USDZ format that Motion will accept. Seems there’s several variation on USDZ and Apple went with a confusing format.
There was a plugin from MotionVFX called mO2 that allowed full 3D model support in a variety of the most popular 3D model formats, but Apple killed it with some updates. They are now working on mO3 that will work with the newer Apple macOS and Apple silicon. I used mO2 all the time, and miss it now. Can’t wait to get my hands on mO3 if it is ever released.
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Having tested this, 3D USDZ objects interact with each other and can do this.
2D objects and text do NOT interact with 3D objects and you’d not be able to do this.
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Yes, you can achieve that reveal effect using masking techniques combined with the right scene setup.
Here are some approaches:
Layered Geometry
Model the cup as two separate objects: an outer shell and the inner content.
Keep the outer shell hiding the content until the camera angle changes and the rim comes into view.
Clipping Plane / Boolean Mask
Use a clipping plane that moves with the camera to hide the inside until the right moment.
Once the camera passes over the rim, the inside becomes visible.
Shader-Based View Mask
Some engines allow shaders to reveal objects only at certain view angles or distances.
I’ve used a similar principle when building perspective-based reveals for Height Comparison Chart, where certain elements are only visible after the “viewer” moves past a certain point. The concept is almost identical—you’re just doing it in 3D space.
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