Jon Okerstrom
Forum Replies Created
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Hi Chris,
Some more details would be helpful.
Do you plan to map just a portion of the video to each of the pie pieces?
Do you want to map the video only to the front face and not the edges? (a whole lot easier.)
If the answers are yes, I would suggest the following:
To avoid distortinng the movie, you’ll make the aspect ratio of the movie the same as the aspect ratio of each piece. This is probably best done by putting the full-sized movie into a smaller precomp, set up to be the correct size and aspect ratio for the designated piece of the pie. The precomp essentially crops the movie, but gives you the flexibility to move it around and make adjustments.
You would have to do this for each piece, but once you figure out the first one, it shouldn’t be too bad.
Mapping the movie to edges is a whole different matter… and no matter how you do it, the edges won’t look line up like they’re simply wrapped around from the front. It’s best to avoid this if possible.
Does this help?
Jon
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Serge,
Great minds think alike. 😉
Jon
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Hi Kidney,
I’ve never seen that error. Tell us about the version and system you’re using.
Be sure to use the latest version of Invig and the latest video drivers – it’s generally a good thing.
Jon
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Hi Joe,
Expressions linking the y,y and z position keyframes of the respective sets in the normal and reflection layers would certainly be helpful when you have lots of sets and lots of keyframes.
Give it a try and let us know if you run into any snags. Glad you liked the tutorial.
Jon Okerstrom
Zaxwerks COW forum host -
Hi Joe,
Expressions linking the y,y and z position keyframes of the respective sets in the normal and reflection layers would certainly be helpful when you have lots of sets and lots of keyframes.
Give it a try and let us know if you run into any snags. Glad you liked the tutorial.
Jon Okerstrom
Zaxwerks COW forum host -
Dotan,
Glad you enjoyed it. If you have ideas for something you would like to see, let us know.
Jon
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Hi Roland,
I think I’m starting to get it.
As for the creating the solid to be used as a matte…why not avoid the expression issue entirely. You could simply replace the 3D frame you’ve created in Invigorator with a plane primitive of the correct size, and use matte color to generate a matte for the movie. The movement of the plane would match the movement of the 3D frame.
Once you have that, you would have to pin the corners of the movie to the matte shape so it maintains the right aspect ratio as the rotation happens. Put the Invigorator movie over the top and it should work.
This might be a different way to get it done.
jon
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Hi Roland,
I’m not 100 percent sure I get what you’re asking, but will give it a shot.
When you check the use comp camera box in Invigorator, this causes the invigorator camera and the AE camera to be linked by what amounts to an expression which you can’t see. It allows you to make it look like 3D objects in the Invigorator layer exist in AE’s 3D space when they really don’t. You might want to take a look at my just-posted tutorial on reflections, in which I have Invigorator objects appear to be sitting on an After Effects 3D plane, and maintain the relationship even with an AE camera move.
If you uncheck the “use comp camera” box, the Invigorator camera behaves independently from the comp camera. You can animate the Invigorator camera if you want. Regardless, the Invigorator layer behaves like any other 2D layer in After Effects.
There may be some circumstances when you make the Invigorator layer a 3D AE layer without the “use comp camera” option. The trick is to keep the layer oriented toward the comp camera. I think you could use an expression to do that. Many years ago, Chris and Trish Meyer wrote an article about it, if I recall correctly. I believe this may have been published before the “use comp camera” option even existed. If you don’t keep the layer oriented toward the camera, the illusion of 3D breaks down pretty quickly.
Does this help?
Jon
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Hi Jon,
I really think assigning all of your light stand objects into one set number in the set-up window, then moving that set in the scene preview window is the way to go, even if you never move that set during the animation.
If you want to select a lot of objects in the set-up window, you don’t have to select them in the window. You can select one of the objects in the object pop-up menu, then hold down the shift key. Now you can continue to select objects one at a time until all the ones you want are selected.
Does this help?
jon
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Jon,
First, you need to be clear about whether you’re trying to move things in the set-up window (where you set the objects initial position) or in the scene preview window, where you’re actually manipulating sets of objects rather than objects.
The simplest thing would be to assign all of the light objects to one set number. Manipulate all of the parts into position using the object tools and set-up window. You can then move the whole light anywhere you want, using the set selection tools in the scene preview window, whether you animate its position or not.
Does this help?
Jon O