Previously-set-up camera zoom and pan (using null object) doesnt apply to newly imported illustrator files

Adobe After Effects

Previously-set-up camera zoom and pan (using null object) doesnt apply to newly imported illustrator files

Posted by Patrick Mustain on January 14, 2014 at 3:47 am

Please help.

I’m newish to both illustrator and After Effects.

I’m trying to animate a graphic of a world map that will highlight a group of countries, then zoom to the U.S. coast, as a line depicting the Exclusive Economic Zone appears and starts to run along the coast line. The camera then follows the line as it continues along the coast for a few seconds then zooms back out to reveal similar lines running along the coasts of all of the previously highlighted countries.

Problem is, I already set up the camera, connected to a null object as per this tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP9LyCYhv-w

I’ve created two new compositions that will depict the specific countries I want to highlight, but when I import them into my main composition, they just sit statically in the frame, regardless of what the camera is doing, regardless of the layer order,

Is there a way to “attach” these new compositons to what I already have created? or do I have to import and create all of my assets before messing around with any camera stuff? It seems like a pain if in the future I get things roughly how I want set up with the camera and then if I think of something else I want to add, to have to start from scratch instead of just adding it to what’s already there.

I’ve attached a couple of screen shots.
I’m working with CS6, version 11.0.2.11
Mac OS X 10.8.5
2.9 GHz Intel Core i5

This is the starting camera view, after the highlighted countries have appeared:

This is a few seconds later, after the camera has zoomed in

If I have to start over, so be it, but I don’t see why the camera action doesn’t apply to assets that you bring in after it’s set up. I couldn’t find anything on line about this.

Thanks in advance!

Patrick

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Tudor “ted” jelescu replied 12 years, 4 months ago 3 Members · 5 Replies
5 Replies

Matthew Keane
January 14, 2014 at 9:18 am

The compositions you’ve added are 2D layers and so don’t react to 3D elements like the camera. Check the 3D checkbox in the layers panel and things should work as expected.

Matthew Keane

Freelancer based in Paris, France
– Motion Graphics, Video Editing & Effects, Watchout Programming & Live Operation.
Tudor “ted” jelescu
January 14, 2014 at 11:43 am

I found it best to Precomp the layers I initially use to design the camera move over. This way I can just replace inside the Precomp whatever elements I need. As Matthew mentioned allready your layers need to be 3d to respond to a camera moving.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist
Patrick Mustain
January 14, 2014 at 2:18 pm

*smacks forehead*

As silly as it makes me feel, it’s always nice when it’s just one simple thing I’ve overlooked.

Thanks Matthew, I appreciate it! That worked. Easy as pie.
Patrick Mustain
January 14, 2014 at 2:20 pm

HI Ted,

Thanks for the suggestion.

I’m completely unfamiliar with precomping, but will certainly look into it. Do you recommend any good tutorials?

Cheers!
Tudor “ted” jelescu
January 15, 2014 at 8:09 am

Nothing too fancy- I would recommend starting here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/en/after-effects/using/precomposing-nesting-pre-rendering.html

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

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