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my new “paired” camera layer is moving everything!? (not just the layer i want it to)
Hi –
I have a quick question: I’ve been trying to do the ever popular, “still images become 3D as the camera moves through them” animation (a beautiful example is shown here: https://digitalvideoartistslounge.blogspot.com/2007/09/after-effects-camera-layer-effect.html ).
My composition has several still layers, and I’ve changed them to 3D, and placed a camera layer over all of them. My question is, I’m trying to apply a NEW camera to a SPECIFIC layer (so one of the layers will move a little differently than the rest) I’ve created a new camera, placed it over the layer I want to effect differently, and then “paired” it with that layer by stretching that little snail-looking icon from the camera layer to the layer i’d like to effect. However, when I manipulate my NEW camera, it moves everything else in the composition, and not JUST the SPECIFIC layer I’d like it to…
I’m going to assume for now that I have to create a pre-comp with just the NEW camera and the SPECIFIC layer I’d like to effect, and manipulate it that way, but if I’m wrong, I’d love to know!
Hopefully this makes sense to everyone, and thanks in advance for you help with this…
– Jennifer
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4 Replies
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The upper most camera layer in the composition should be treated as the active camera. You cannot have more than 1 active camera at a time in a given composition. When you say “paired” I think you mean to say “parented,” what that does is move the child layer relative to the parent layer. I think you should read up on this here:
https://livedocs.adobe.com/en_US/AfterEffects/8.0/WS3878526689cb91655866c1103906c6dea-7da0.html
Darby Edelen
Designer
Left Coast Digital
Santa Cruz, CA -
Hm.
Note: correct terminology is important when using a program as complex as AE.AE cameras behave like real cameras, sort of. If you look through a camera, and move the camera, the things it sees will appear to move.
By the way, AE will only render the Active Camera, which is the uppermost camera in the timeline, or the only one visible.
You don’t apply cameras to layers. There’s no such thing. However, if you want a camera to move when you move a layer, you open the Parenting column, and drag the Pickwhip from the camera to the layer. This way, when you look through this camera, and move the parent layer, the layer will appear static to the camera — the camera will not see it move, in other words. However, when you move this camera while you’re looking through it, all the other layers will appear to move … because nothing is affected by its motion. It is the child, not the parent.
Parenting works like this: when you move the Parent, the child(ren) move. When you move the child(ren), the parent *does not* move. They are not paired equally — there is a hierarchy. And no, you can’t parent A to B and B to A. Maybe you should read the Help on Parenting.
Does that help?
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Ah, okay. This makes sense. Thanks for the response and the article… 🙂
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Yes, this makes perfect sense – I think I grasp the concept of the Camera now, thanks to you guys. Thanks again! (and, I learned a new word today: “Pickwhip”) 😉
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