[Palmer]

Thank you for your assistance. I am really too new at all of this to know how to proceed. In part, I was inspired by the “Aviator” movie which used model aircraft and AE.

While I understand how to use transparent layers to move 2D images across a background using AE, I face a more complex problem here because of the changing perspective on the aircraft as it flys across the scene.

The challenge is that as the aircraft emerges from under the bridge the view will be downward and about 45 degrees off the nose. As the plane is opposite the position of the camera (I was at the edge of cliff at the level of the deck of the bridge when I took the picture), I will need straight on abeam shots, and as the aircraft climbs out (over Puget Sound) I will need shots from beneath and behind the aircraft.

I have been thinking that something like eight different perspectives against a blue background with the camera tripod in a fixed position using a pan head to pan and tilt on the nodal point of a 90mm macro lense. The real plane has a wingspan of 57 feet and at 1/48 that is about 14 inches. The shots would be converted to multiple frames sufficient to “fly” the plane at 400 mpg, and a bit of motion blur might hide the imperfections.

You suggested a 3D application. That is an idea that I would like to explore. Please tell me more. Thanks. Palmer.