3D camera following a stroke?

[Giulia33565346l0q3]

Hi there, I have a 3D camera that's moving forward and it has a rollercoaster-like movement, it goes up, down and rotates and does all sort of things. I'm trying to visualize its motion path, kind of like the camera following a trail, and this trail needs to bend anticipating the camera motion.

I've tried with a regular shape layer stroke with the script "nulls from paths" and Trapcode 3D stroke but I can't seem to make them work. I think the easiest way to explain it is that I'd like to make visible the position path of the camera. 

Thanks in advance.

[Kevin-Monahan · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Thanks for the post. Welcome to the forum. I can see what you're trying to do, but I've not tried it yet.

I have heard that you can download and install the Path Visualizer script from https://adobe.ly/3FyWM4w (search for “Path Visualizer”). Once installed, restart After Effects. Generate a path in the custom panel. Let me know if that helps you get your path looking right.

I read that this expression might help when added to a null in anticipating a camera's movement:

thisComp.layer("Camera 1").transform.position.valueAtTime(time + 0.5)

I hope the advice works for you, or gets you pointed in the right direction. Otherwise, I hope a team member or user will assist you here shortly.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Giulia33565346l0q3]

Thanks a lot! I hadn't thought of the expression and it really helped, I managed to get pretty close to what I wanted with a null and a particular. I'll keep on perfecting it but I think that's the way to go!

[ShiveringCactus]

I know Kevin has answered your question directly, but just in case this helps, I made a tutorial a few years back for flying down a wormhole and wanted similar camera movement:

https://youtu.be/0oz62W7LuK8

[Giulia33565346l0q3]

Thank you, I ended up using Kevin's expression but I'll definitely keep this tutorial in mind for similar situations!