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Auto rotated layers.

Posted: August 17th, 2004, 8:37 am
by jonz
hi,
i would like to know if an expression could fake a simple 3D effect. It's a bit complicated to explain but let's try.

I worked with 3dsmax and I realised that a kind of texture mapping (texture projection) allow to have a texture facing the camera all the time.
If you used to work with 3D software you know it, screen projection mapping.
I would like to use this kind of technique in After Effects, but it's not exactly the same.

In fact I would like to arrange several layers in a 3D comp, and all should face the camera. So when you move the camera, you won't see a layer with perspectives, the layers don't move but automaticly rotate, so they are 90° rotated from the camera.

You could use it in many features like neat explosions effects ... and many more. The basis is simple, but how about the expression?

Image
A simple camera movement. The layers are in a 3D workspace.

Image
The rotations as been made with keys, it's not really precise and very painful to setup, further more with a complicated camera movement

Does expressions can make this job easier?

Posted: August 23rd, 2004, 1:56 pm
by Disciple
Hmm, isn't this a job for auto-orient towards camera?

Posted: August 25th, 2004, 5:22 pm
by jonz
true, and it's quite perfect.

Sorry for the post :)