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Hawk Teflon

Hawk Teflon

Veteran
Ok, so I've been animating my camera as I build the project. I need text / pictures in 3d space, but when I click the 3d button for the layer, it defaults back to the beginning of the comp. It's always done that, and I understand that's just what it does. HOWEVER, is there a quick way to make it default to right in front of the camera after being "3d'ed" so I don't have to "top view" / scroll out / find layer / scroll in / grab z / dolly out / etc etc etc? If there is, that would be fantastic. Have I just missed an easy thing all these years?
 
I have no good answer for you, and as such, am wondering about an easier way as well.

BTW, thanks for getting the MK theme song stuck in my head!
 
I'm not 100% sure I'm following what you are talking about, so this may not work or even make sense, but if your issue is following the camera, couldn't you parent the camera to a null object, and do all of your camera movement by moving the null? If the issue is getting the layer to line up, you could take the position of the null object at the frame where you want the comp to come in, and copy and paste that into the layer you want to look at. It's not automatic, but it might be easier. Or maybe I totally missed what you were doing, in which case, just pretend like I was never here...
 
This doesn't answer your question but an alternative workflow maybe is to set up your objects first then use videocoplit free plug in Sure Target to animate your camera.
 
@mark: No, that's not the issue. I already have the camera parented. My problem is later in the comp. My camera is way out in xyz space, and when I add a text layer, I want it to be right in front of the camera when I click the "make 3d layer" button. But it's not. That layer appears back at the default xyz position.

@lhdor: I want more control over my camera than that gives me. Great, great plug in, but not what I need for the project, you know?
 
Workaround:

1. Add the new layer and set the layer to 3D.
2. Copy the point of interest from the camera and paste it to the position attributes of the new layer.
2. Tweak the position as needed.

*Note - This assumes the camera is already parked on the proper frame.
 
If you parent your camera to a null object, you can always copy the position of the null and paste it to your 3D layer. I've found this always works a little neater than just copying the point of interest of the camera.

Not to mention, moving your camera using a null is a better way to go all around.
 
ikander said:
If you parent your camera to a null object, you can always copy the position of the null and paste it to your 3D layer. I've found this always works a little neater than just copying the point of interest of the camera.

Not to mention, moving your camera using a null is a better way to go all around.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm already doing that. I'm not worried about moving that camera. I have that part down.

So, here's something I just figured that might help you guys. If you've got a camera way the crap out in z-space, and you have a slate of just 2 dimensional objects in frame, and no 3d objects at all for at least one frame, you can create a new camera and everything will be back to the origins without having to send your next set of layers 15,000 out in z space.
 
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