After Effects - Camera Focus Techniques
After Effects Camera Focus Techniques.
You can find more notes on my blog.
First Example -Focus Basics:
1. Create a composition with three layersBack CircleMiddle CircleFront Text
2. Turn on the 3D symbol so all layers have 3D controls
3. Move the Back CircleIn Position put 1000 in Z
4. Move the Middle CircleIn Position put 500in Z
5. The Text will stay where it is
6. Create a Camera –ONE NODE, 50mm,Change the units to PIXELS and theFOCUS DISTANCE to 1000.
7. Switch your view to CUSTOM VIEW #1, Notice where the camera is.
8. Switch back to ACTIVE CAMERA and..
9. Open the Camera Layer Increase the BLUR LEVEL to 500 or above. Be careful not to go to far or it will blur too much.
10. Open the Camera layer and a key frame in the FOCUS DISTANCE.
11. Now move your time line ahead and change the FOCUS DISTANCE setting to match the Z POSITION of the Middle Circle.
12. *In this case since we moved the Back Circle to 1000 in Z and since the Camera Distance was 1000, the total FOCUS DISTANCE will be 2000 (1000+1000).
13. Then repeat these steps for the Back Circle (adjust your math for FOCUS DISTANCE).
14. Experiment!
2nd Example- Link Focus:TWO NODE CAMERA
This one makes the camera stay in focus on and LINKED on an object *it can get a bit glitchy if you go too far with your Z axis
1. Make a Stroked Shape- a colorful Ring
2. Make a TYPE LAYER
3. Make the layers 3D enabled
4. Move the Stroked Shape in POSITION to 1000 in Z
5. Create a TWO-NODE Camera, Increase the Blur
6. Select the CAMERA LAYER and your TYPE LAYER
7. Go to LAYER- CAMERA- LINK FOCUS DISTANCE TO LAYER
8. Experiment with moving your TEXT Layer and see how other objects will stay blurry as you move it.
9. PROBLEM – if you’re TEXT (Linked) Layer moves beyond the Distance of Camera’s Original Zoom/Focus Distance it will stop working.
3rd Example- Null Control: Best and easiest way to control your camera
1. Create a new composition.Add a TYPE LAYERCreate 3 Circles with No Fill
2. Turn on the 3D Button for each
3. Adjust each Circle and change its color and its ORIENTATION So that they are offset and surround the TYPE
4. Create a One-Node CAMERA
5. Create a NULL LAYER
6. Change the PARENT setting on your CAMERA to the NULL LAYER
7. Experiment with Rotation and Movement in the NULl LAYER! It will control the Camera!
4th Example - Auto Orient: In this case you can make Objects Auto-Orient to always face the camera*Same steps as above but one final change
1. Create a new composition.Add a TYPE LAYERCreate 3 Circles with No Fill
2. Turn on the 3D Button for each
3. Adjust each Circle and change its color and its ORIENTATION So that they are offset and surround the TYPE
4. Create a One-Node CAMERA
5. Create a NULL LAYER
6. Change the PARENT setting on your CAMERA to the NULL LAYER
7. Experiment with Rotation and Movement in the NULl LAYER! It will control the Camera!
8. Now click on your TEXT LAYER. Right-Click and go to TRANSFORM-AUTO ORIENT-ORIENT TOWARDS CAMERA
9. The object will stay oriented towards the camera!
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THANKS!
-Santos
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