Tips on doing a 3d camera fly-by

[John Cuevas]

For doing this, I use null controlled camera rig based off of this tutorial: Simple Camera Rig

Andrew Davis also has a good 3 part series on the subject of AE cameras and creating a very similar rig: Animating a Camera 1

Both of those tutorials explain some of the issues you will encounter when using AE cameras.

Another option is to use Video Copilot Sure Target, it won’t really teach you about why cameras behave the way they do, bit it’s a pretty nifty little plugin that will automatically get you from 1 video to the other. It’s a lot more limiting than if you keyframed everything with a regular camera.

Johnny Cuevas, Editor
Thinkck.com

“I have not failed 700 times. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
—THOMAS EDISON on inventing the light bulb.

[Vishesh Arora]

Larry

Another vote for Video Copilot’s Sure Target. It is quick and easy to use for the kind of animation you are going to make.

Vishesh Arora
3D and Motion Graphics Artist
Films Rajendra

Blog:
https://digieffects.wordpress.com

2011 3D Demo Reel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHPgIJU_BR8

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

For your type of project I found it easier to use a series of Nulls.
Lets say you have three targets. You create three 3d Nulls. Link the camera to the bottom one. The bottom Null to the middle Null and this one to the top null (top/middle/bottom refers to the layer order). Start animating the move to the first target by moving the top Null in position. This will move the other two Nulls and the Camera. Once you get to your first target, start animating the second Null (after whatever number of frames you need the Camera to be stationary in that point). Go to your second target. From here pick up the animation using the third Null. This way each movement is easy to control since you get only two keyframes for it, the camera does not go wacky on you and you can easily adjust the timing.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Kevin Camp]

if you have a lot of time for this, dan ebbert’s has an old tutorial to ‘build the worlds best cameraman’ that could work well here:

https://library.creativecow.net/articles/ebberts_dan/expression_cont.php

Kevin Camp
Senior Designer
KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW

[Larry Fish]

Thanks! I checked out “shure target” – Its perfect. Been tweaking and playing for a few hours. Again – thanks to all for the advice!

https://www.larryfish.me

Peace,

elFish

(The creative cow way of saying Larry Fish)