I need to make some 3D text…

[Justin Productions]

Hey Fred!

So you’re in a hurry, okay then, let’s do this. Take Zaxwerks Invigorator. This will be pretty simple, don’t worry.

1. Create a new solid.

2. Apply Effect: Zaxwerks > 3D Invigorator.

3. Click: Create 3D Text

4. Type in your text.

5. To animate, twirl down “Camera”, select all the stopwatches except “Camera Eye X”, “Camera Eye Y” and “Camera Eye Z”. Animating is pretty simple (play with the buttons and keyframe the movements just like you do with images, clips etc.)

To personalise your text, just click on the Button where there’s a red ball in it.

Hope this helps.

Justin Productions
Tangerin01@hotmail.com
Adobe After Effects Professional 6.0

[Fred Matthews]

Okay, I can get through step no. 2 but then a window pops up asking for an Illustrator file. I do not have Illustrator on my system so I asked our Marketing guys to make me an Illustrator file with the vector outlines in RGB. The file can be seen once I click on it in that window but it will not import. It tells me that “There were no useable vector paths in this file”.

Is this a normal step? There is no way to click out of it and continue on with Invigorator. If I select something that the Invigorator doesn’t like it cancels it. Can I not take files off of a CD? I can pull in the files from the sample projects but not from anywhere else. What might we be doing wrong?

By the way, I am using the Classic version.

Thanks

[Fred Matthews]

Does Zaxwerks Classic work with Illustrator CS or CS2? Everything that I create in Illustrator CS2 will not import into AE.

[Fred Matthews]

I think I figured this thing out…or at least how to import items. I found on the Zaxwerks site under “Troubleshooting” a line that states:

Problems with opening Illustrator files. The “No useable vector paths” error message.

If you are using Illustrator CS, turn off compression when saving your files.

I was able to import after having done this so hopefully this stage of uncertainty is over and I can start the stage of uncertainty concerning the actual use of the program.