3D Text Orbit

[Filip Vandueren]

are all the letters on seperate layers, or is it one TXT-layer ?

[Mike Clasby]

Great to see Filip!

For letters on a single layer that you want it an arc, thinking the “Universal” Studio text rotating around the world intro, try CC Cylinder or CC Sphere. Andrew uses it with 3D cameras in his tut here:

https://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials.html?id=13

and the 3D camera tie in here:

https://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials.html?id=19

But if the letters are on their own layer and you character is AE-3D here is a link to two ways of setting up a cylinder of text. Very simple, very fast, select the layers and run the script, creates a Null to rotate all, and expressions so they orient inwards:

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/2/915391

I used to use this, “sphereoscarus”, then Alt-Drag letters onto the blue ovals, but I use the above so much more:

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/2/915236

[Filip Vandueren]

Hi Mike et.al.,
It’s been a long time indeed.

I’ve worked out an easy method for orbiting an actual text-layer in AECS3:

1. create your text
2. add a mask by double clicking on the mask icon
3. Hit Command-Shift-M to numerically edit the mask shape
   It’s easier to quickly make sure the mask is round, and centered in the mask shape dialog.
   I entered these values: top & left: -200px / bottom & right: 200px / Shape: Ellipse
   hit OK
4. hit the M-key twice to reveal the mask, set it’s mode to NONE, so the circle doesn’t cut a hole in your text.
5. In the Timeline, twirl open the layer to Text→Path Options→Path
   Choose your Mask here.
   You’ll see the text in 2d, wrapped around a circle
6. you may want to enable “Force Alignment” if you want the text to go ‘full circle’
7. Enable “per character 3D”
8. now turn the entire layer around it’s Y-axis:
   Hit R, and change the Layer’s X-rotation to -90 degrees.
   You’ll see the letters laying in the same plane as the circle itself: almost there
9. add an animator for Rotation
10. set the X-rotation of the animator to +90 degrees
    You”l see the letters rising up
11. You can now tweak the scale of the layer and the size of your letters
    If you enabled “Force Alignment”, you might want to go back to Path Options, and tweak the first- or last Margin

You can now simply rotate the Layer around it’s Y-axis for Universal Logo effects.

The benefit of this is that the Text stays Vector: so you can zoom into it: a huge drawback of the CC cylinder method.

[Mike Clasby]

Another reason to upgrade!

[Davide Fogli]

Hi Filip, thanks for posting this tip. Unfortuntely I’m still using AE7 and when I get to point # 9 and 10, I add a Rotation to the text layer but I have no way of controlling the X and Y axis separately. Would you know how to get around this problem? Cheers davide