3d Camera Movement Training?

rook

rook

Veteran
Hey guys,

I'm pulling my hair out here.

I need some info on controlling cameras in 3D space. I've taken endless tutorials and fiddled endlessly with parenting to Nulls, separating XYZ, easing key frames and what-not and yet I'll still get jumpy camera moves for what seems NO REASON!!!!!

Is there a resource (book, video, anything!!!) that will explain EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING about controlling a 3D cameras in aftereffects?

I'm about to beat up my machine here.

Thanks

-rook
 
I'm not familiar with controlling camera's in after effects, but I know a lot of people control them in 3D programs such as Maya and export the camera settings and import them into After Effects. Seems much easier IMO but I don't even know how to do this.. Good luck
 
easy ease keyframes work sometimes but only for simple moves. i like what they do for starts and stops but not for keyframed directional changes. have you tried editing the bezier curves by hand? just click on the keyframe edit button and there you should see your jumpy moves illustrated. adjust those curves for nice smooth arcs.

oh, and use a null and parent the cam to it for this. the camera itself is a funny beast to conquer.
 
timegates said:
Or you can just get this:
http://www.videocopilot.net/the_bullet/

It has what you are looking for. :)
Click to expand...

Which has nothing to do with the 3d camera in AE.

Rook, I would suggest what cheezweezl said, click on your camera and you can adjust the bezier handles in the comp widow. I'll usually use a split view with one side being the top and the other being the camera view. That way I can see the path and adjust as needed while watching the camera comp.

Some other tips, start with only 2 keyframes. Adjust your path and velocity to get the desired effect. THe more keys the harder it'll be.

Also, turn off auto-orient, this helps a lot of people.

EDIT: check this thread
 
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Thanks guys, I've done and tried all the things I've read here.

The best luck I have had is separating positions on a null and parenting the cam to that. Then faking moves with a combo of camera moves and element moves at the same time.

Using easy ease and ease in key frames helps but in the end I find my moves are not what I originally planned.

I often get some good moves but t feels like I'm still relying on some luck to get things to work.

I need to be able to control the camera as if it were in my hand.
 
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