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camera expressions
Hey guys Im new to the forums here and ive been through almost all the tuts I could (which are very good and helpfull, thank you) but I still cant get a grasp on expressions 🙁
What im trying to do is have my comp camera rotate 360* around a object. Ive tried to do it with keyframes and it doestn create a round path. Ive messed with point of focus as well and it seems that the only way Im going to be able to do this is with an expression. Can anyone help me out or point me in the right direction as to how to do this.
I do realize i could just rotate the single objectt…but I really cant because there is alot more going on in my project than a single object.
Thank you in advance
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8 Replies
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Since I am not very good at expressions, I will tell you how I do this.
Leave the point of interest pointed at the object. Now create two keyframes, a begginning and ending for the poistion of the camera. Next, change to top view, control click the keyframes in the comp window….this will change them to auto bezier keyframes, now adjust the bezier handles to create the arc that you desire. The camera will keep looking at your object, so naturally as it moves, the head of the camera will move to look at your object.
Hope this helps
Mark
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I never thought of that, thank you Mark, that should defianlty end my frustations.
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The easiest way to do a perfect 360 degree camera rotation around an object is to create a null, position the camera the distance you want from the object, then parent the camera to the null, then rotate the null 360 degrees, making the camera circle around the object. The null’s position must be that same as the objects position, copy paste or Alt clcick the Null’s “Position” stopwatch, then pickwhip to the objects “position”.
Like Mark said keep the POI aimed at the object (moot if the object not moved from the center of the comp) by linking cameras POI to object’s position (same expression principal as above, just POI to objects position).
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Thank you guys really appreciated….the warp is easy to do yet harder to refine. Im going to try using the null since I want to learn expression controlls any way. Thank you again
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I’ve been trying to work on something similar to this.
Tried yikesmikes approach but am confused by which property of each layer to parent to what . Also, should the null and the object be a 3d layer?
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Yes, everyone’s a 3D Layer, and you parent the camera to the null.
But it will look like the original layer is just rotating, so it’s easier to see if there’s two or more layers to give it a little perspective.
Step-by-step from scratch.
New Comp(Ctrl N)
New solid (Ctrl Y) make it small say 50×50.Make it 3D (check the cube, next to the layer name). Dup the layer (Ctrl D), then separate the two layers (position). Two views is best to see what’s happening (Workspace>Two Comp Views).
Add a null (Layer>New>Null Object) and make it 3D.
Add a camera (Layer> New> Camera).
Position the camera to get the starting shot you want (“C” changes camera controls, dolly in/out, rotate, pan).
Now parent the camera to the null, the parent column and pickwhip to the null (or use the dropdown).Now rotate the null, y rotation for around the solids, x rotation for over the top.
If the second window is at the default “custom view 1” you can see the camera rotating around the solids.
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Thanks… Mixed up expressions and parenting. Duh…..
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“Mixed up” is my middle name.
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