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Make a layer 3-D and stay in same spot?
I have a composition that has an animated camera and couple different layer items floating around in it.
I wanted to add another item, so I created it first as a static 2-D layer at a certain point in time in my composition, in the middle of a camera animation. When I activated the 3-D switch for that layer, it changed ‘position’ (relative to camera).
I was designing that layer item specifically for that moment in time, and desigining it from within the Active Camera view, so I need it to be in exactly the same ‘spot’ in 3-D space.
Is there a way to turn a layer into 3-D, and place it into 3-D space relative to where the Time Indicator is within a composition?
phillr.blogspot.com
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4 Replies
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I don’t know if I’m quite understanding what you’re shooting for. A 2D layer stays smack in front of the camera at all times, sort of blocking the view at all times.
But if that what you want to accomplish:
Make the layer 3D
Alt-click the layers Position stopwatch,
then pickwhip (looks like an “@”) to the Camera’s Point of Interest, to get an expression on the layer’s position like this:
thisComp.layer(“Camera 1”).pointOfInterest
Now to get it to always face the camera, select the layer, Right-Click>Transform>Auto-Orient>Orient Toward Camera>OK.
Now the 3D layer acts like a 2D layer with the camera, always moving itself to be centered on the camera’s POI, and Orienting toward the camera.
Is that what you want?
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Let’s say I made a new composition with a 3D camera. The camera would have all default settings and positioning. I place in the 2D element and look at the Active Camera view. The appearance would be exactly the same if I then made that 2D item into a 3D layer.
Now I animate the camera. Add all sorts of pans, rotations, etc…
I jump to 10:00 in the composition. I add another 2D layer element. I like how it looks in the Active Camera view. I turn it into a 3D layer. Now the Active Camera view is different, as my camera is pointing off somewhere else.How can I convert that 2D layer into a 3D layer, while keeping the Active Camera view appearance intact?
phillr.blogspot.com
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The reason it is vanishing from your animated camera view when you turn it 3d is because it goes to the default position… a place your camera no longer is. It’s a quick fix though.
when you make the layer 3d, select the layer and hit P to bring up it’s position coordinates. Then, select your CAMERA and hit A to bring up the camera’s point of interest coordinates. Then all you have to do is CTRL C (copy)the camera’s Point of Interest and CTRL V (paste) it into the 3d layers Position. That should bring it back into camera view for ya. Hope that helps.
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There is also a set of tools by Zaxwerks that includes a way to fill your 3d camera view with a layer as if it was just dropped into your 2d view, but the layer is 3d. It will square up your layer for you, fill your camera view as much as possible at its 3d rotated point, and you can then scale and push around from there for your final look.
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