concave text in 3D space?

[rook]

Hey guys, I'm having a bit of a problem with something that seems simple enough on paper.

Here's the skinny:

I need to warp a line of text so it starts on screen left and then bends into the frame before swooping back and finishing on the edge of screen right.

Imagine that you too the letter "C" layed it flat and then faced the open side toward you. That's the shape I need to make.

I need this to work in 3D space so I can add DOF.

I haven't had any luck with the bend or warp effects and am starting to get confused.

Any ideas are appreciated.

Thanks,
rook

[Matt Grunau]

I know exactly what you mean rook. It would be as simple as creating a mask/path with three points, and then aligning the text to the path and pulling the center point backwards in z space. Problem is, you cant manipulate mask points on the Z axis.

And warping effects wont do, since there is no real depth there, and therefore, no DOF.

Damnit! Why cant you move a mask point in along the z axis? This would be a HUGE benefit, and not just for text.

EDIT: How long exactly does this part of the animation have to be? When would you want the bending to begin, when to end? And can you provide me with the text via photoshop doc? I have an idea outside of AE.

EDIT EDIT: Nevermind, didn't work.

[rook]

Yeah, it's a bit of a pain. I've been futzing for the last few hours and getting nothing useable.

Right now I've split the text and I'm tring to bend the deep edge to create a fake warp. And it looks stupid.


Again, any ideas are great. Thanks.

-rook

[Matt Grunau]

The only thing I can think of would be to use something like Liquify or Mesh warp, in conjunction with Compound Blur via radial gradient.

That may get you close.



EDIT: Something like this, but better?

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/6995/1180658890.jpg

[Arson]

try CC Cylinder. And precomp the text and apply the comp to cc cylindar.
Then use a 3d camera to put actual perspective in.
35mm camera should give you more of a 3d feel. If its too much perspective distortion you can try a more wide angle les like a 55mm.

[rook]

Matt, thanks. I gave the liquify a ty and I got the shape all right but I wasn't able to really get a believable look. On it's own it may not be so bad but I have other shots with similar things happening so it would stand out and be distracting.

Arson, I did mess around with the cylinder but the dials ar a bit limiting. Is there a way that I'm missing to halfmoon the text instead of doing a full...shit...I just had an idea, hang on.......

[rook]

I thought I could fake the cylinder with blank spaces but didn't have much luck. I gotta pack up for the night now but will try again in the morning.

There has got to be a way to make this work....

Again, thanks for the imput. BAck soon,
rook

[Matt Grunau]

A quick test, something more along the lines of what you are wanting I think, but not nearly enough of the letters becoming larger at the sides when it bends. 1 second long, so loop it:

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/6995/1180669369.mov


I had to go outside AE and brush up some long forgotten skills to get that to work.

[rook]

Matt, that looks pretty cool. I need something a bit deeper into space but I'm curious what you did there.

I have been forced to drop the warped text and go with two separate text layers on angles. Not as sexy but it's working.

Now just fixing the roto...hell....

I'll try to post what I end up with.

Thanks a bunch for the help guys I really appreciate it.

And Matt double thanks. Above and beyond bro. Super nice. Thanks.

-rook

[Matt Grunau]

Yer welcome. I always enjoy a challenge.


That's as deep as I could get it. That is a 3d object UV textured with the words, and that was started flat, and bent into a complete half circle, with the camera as close as I could get it. And it still didn't look right.

Maybe if I changed the camera properties to something like 14 mm focal length and got damn near inside the thing it would look right.

Maybe adding a rudimentary bone system would allow for more distortion. hmmm.


Anyway, I'de be interested to see what you come up with. This one has me a little baffled, and I hate being baffled.

[milksac]

Of course your project will be long finished by the time CS3 is availble (July).
But it appears that CS3 addresses 3D text.
http://people.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=116205-2
Is it… "A day late and a dollar short" or "Better late than never" ?