[Edward Wu]

Hi Dave,

If you are working with After Effects, you can use ProAnimator as a plug-in and go into ProAnimator to time the animation to the audio. If you are working with ProAnimator as a standalone, you can open up the audio in a media player, and listen to the specific points where you want the animation to react and change the animation accordingly.

Hope this helps.

Best,
Edward

[Edward Wu]

Hi Mark,

In Illustrator, you have to select both the outline of the text and the hole of the text and use the “Pathfinder > Subtract” tool. This will cut the hole and make the letter into one shape.

Best,
Edward

[Edward Wu]

Hi Drew,

The best way to do this is to keep all your texture maps in the “Documents > Zaxwerks > ProAnimator/3D Invigorator > Zaxwerks Maps” folder. Then, when you transfer the project file, you can just copy and paste the ProAnimator/3D Invigorator folder, and replace the existing one in the “Documents > Zaxwerks” folder.

To reset your swatches, delete the “Documents > Zaxwerks > ProAnimator/3D Invigorator” folder. The swatches will be rebuilt the next time you launch ProAnimator/3D Invigorator. Keep in mind that you will want to reset your swatches before you create all the new swatches, or save the texture maps into the “Zaxwerks Maps” folder. Otherwise, when you reset your swatches, you will lose all the new swatches you created, and all the texture maps that you’ve saved.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Best,
Edward

[Edward Wu]

Great to hear!

Best,
Edward

[Edward Wu]

Hi Jennifer,

When working with a Clipping Mask, this makes it look like the vector shape has been cut, but in reality, the vector object is not really being clipped. If you go into Outline Mode, you will be able to see that the objects are not really cut, but instead, just being masked. In regards to colors, ProAnimator accepts flat colors. So if you are using gradient colors, this may be why you are not seeing the colors within ProAnimator. In addition, if all your objects are coming in as one single object, the object will only have one color.

Check out one of our video tutorials on how to prepare an Illustrator logo so you can import it into ProAnimator. The tutorial covers a lot of issues that you can run into when working with Illustrator projects. Below is the link to the tutorial:

https://zaxwerks.com/training/?p=468

If you are still having issues with the Illustrator file, please e-mail me at ed@zaxwerks.com and I will take a look at the project file for you.

Best,
Edward

[Edward Wu]

Hi Stephen,

Motion’s 3D space works independently from our 3D space, so unfortunately that’s why it is affected by the layer ordering as you observed. However, if you created Planes within ProAnimator FX, and applied your Motion layers as layer maps onto your Planes, this will allow you to have your ProAnimator FX objects interact with your Motion elements.

Best,
Edward

[Edward Wu]

Hi Stephen,

Be sure you’re keeping the Layer and Group as 2D layers. If you switch the Layer or Group as a 3D layer, then the objects will appear flat if you try moving the project camera around. If you keep the layer 2D, your 3D objects will change in perspective as you move your project camera around.

Hope this helps.

Best,
Edward

[Edward Wu]

Hi Adam,

Keep the Zaxwerks layer a “2D” layer at all times. Use the rotation controls in the Effect Controls Window (when selecting the 3D Invigorator Pro layer) to animate the rotation. This will keep the look of your objects in 3D even though the effects are applied onto a 2D layer.

Best,
Edward

[Edward Wu]

Hi Adam,

Yes, this is possible. To do this, animate the keyframes for Position X/Y/Z or Rotation X/Y/Z. At the same time, also animate the keyframes for your Comp Camera. This will give you the ability to create both an object animation as well as the camera animation.

Best,
Edward

[Edward Wu]

Hi Nelson,

To use ProAnimator in Motion and Final Cut Pro, you will need to side-grade to ProAnimator FX. ProAnimator FX has an installer that will install the plug-ins directly for Motion and Final Cut Pro.

Best,
Edward