Cube Spin like iPhoto

[Michael Szalapski]

If you want the shadows and stuff then you’ll have to use 3d layers and set up lights and everything.
The easiest way to create a cube involves a bit of maths work. (For what you’re talking about it wouldn’t need the top and bottom part, which makes this a lot easier.)
Right.
Let’s assume that your pictures are all 600 px wide. I’m sure they’re not, but that should make the maths easier to get, also the height doesn’t matter because we’re not making the bottom or top.
Plop all your pictures into the composition in the same place and add a null object in the exact same place.
Let’s say that your pictures are called Picture1, Picture2, etc.
Take Picture1 and move it 300 pixels forward in Z space,
Take Picture3 and move it 300 pixels backward in Z space,
Take Picture2 and move it 300 pixels left in x space,
Take Picture4 and move it 300 pixels right in x space,
Rotate Picture2 and Picture4 90 degrees on the y axis.
Parent all 4 pictures to the null.
Now whenever you rotate the null you have 4 evenly rotating pictures!

Now all you have to do is to set up the lights and cameras to make it look pretty.

See? All you need to do is to move the pictures exactly half of their width one way then the other parenting them to a null to get lovely cubic shapes!

If you plan to show more than 4 pictures in total then there are several ways you could do it. I would reccomend importing all your pictures at once and putting them on the same cube then just adjust the in and out points for when you want each one. (I hope that made sense)

– The Great Szalam
(The ‘Great’ stands for ‘Not So Great)

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