[Jeff Mcbride]

Well the reason I want Particular in 3D space is that it will have less interference with other layers. We’re building a full 3D comp (with elements from C4D) so, if we use particular as a 2D layer then we have to restack all the layer orders to get the right look per scene. It’s just a problem that I foresee having and want to see if there is a way to get it.

The problem I”m having now is that Particular and the layer itself are effected by the camera, so I get a double motion track basically. Anyway anyone can think of to correct that? It’s almost perfect haha.

[Jeff Mcbride]

I just tested the second part without the match move and the auto orient to Camera completely works with particular. Having the anchor locked to the emitter seems to yield a better result too. So now I think I just need to figure out the other part.

Jeff McBride
Motion Graphic Designer/Editor
LimeGreen
Chicago, IL

http://www.limegreenproductions.com

[Jeff Mcbride]

I think that’s on the right track. The only problem I can tell right now is that the position of the solid is different than the position of the emitter. So for my test example here are the parameters:

21.7, -1.3, 5.2 Position for Layer
324, 240, 0 Default Position for Particular

So in addition to this script I would need it to balance the difference, any idea how to do that?

Another theory I have (which I can’t really test yet) is that if I can get the emitter to equal the position, then I can adjust the anchor point to the emitter position and set up the layer to auto orient to the camera. But, how will this affect Particular’s interaction with the camera?

Thanks for the help!

Jeff McBride
Motion Graphic Designer/Editor
LimeGreen
Chicago, IL

http://www.limegreenproductions.com

[Jeff Mcbride]

https://www.belief.com/stage/index.php?section=process&project=02.Zoom%20Network%20Launch&id=01.How%20To%20Make%20a%20Crowd.800×600.mov&width=800&height=600

Jeff McBride
Motion Graphic Designer/Editor
LimeGreen
Chicago, IL

http://www.limegreenproductions.com

[Jeff Mcbride]

It’s true, I didn’t read your question in the first place. (Well I did, I just didn’t answer it) I did so intentionally. I was answering your first paragraph problem because your other paragraph problems had been answered so well by moldy and Darby but, though you didn’t directly ask about it, there was an answer to your first paragraph problem.

[Jeff Mcbride]

Hey, I kinda gave you crappy advice haha. Sorry, it’s still applicable you just need to do it differently.

Create a null object. Parent the ship to the null. Delete the position keyframes from the ship and move them to the null. This should work. If not you can scale and position the null as needed until its position path and the map mask line up. Then adjust the position and scale of the ship to match.

[Jeff Mcbride]

Haha. I’m going to agree. It’s best to be nice, especially when you’re new to the forum.

[Jeff Mcbride]

Highlight the file in the Comp window, then option-drag(Mac) or alt-drag (PC) the new file on top of the old file.

[Jeff Mcbride]

On a Mac click After Effects at the top, on PC it’s probably under File and go to Preferences–> Import. The top allows you to define the still image length as comp length of a predefined set.

[Jeff Mcbride]

You can move a mask as you can anything else with that mask shape property. Draw your mask with the pen tool using curves. Set the Mask Shape stopwatch and move down the timeline. Click the layer (not the mask) and the mask points should turn from squares to circles. These are editable and have the bezier curves attached to them. You can add vertices, remove vertices, and of course move them, scale them etc.