How to see my Z-direction offset layers when viewed on 3D Camera Custom View?

[persyst]

Greetings,

I have this problem where I cannot see my background layer that is offset in the Z-direction, when viewed on Custom View 1, 2, 3. The red circle shows how my background layer is NOT visible when viewed through Custom View 1 in this case. Is there a way for me to reveal the background layer?

Also, how can I change the Custom view 1, 2, and 3 camera positions? Thanks for any help on these 🙂

[Rick Gerard]

Custom View 1, 2, and 3, and Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front and Back will not show 2D layers. 

Custom View1, 2, and 3 respond to the camera tool. You can orbit around the views to see how things are lined up with the camera. Only the Active Camera view will render.

Cropped screenshots are useless for diagnosing problems. We need to see your entire timeline with the modified properties of all problem layers revealed as well as the comp window. You either have a 2D layer as a background, or you have moved the comp camera and lined up the 3D background layer to the comp, and it is out of position for any of the custom views. 

[persyst]

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the reply. I have a 3D forground layer and a 3D background layer, but I moved the background layer very far into the screen (+Z-direction), for parallax purposes, with my foreground pretty close to zero in the Z-direction. I can clearly see my Foreground 3D layer, but it looks like the Z of my Background 3D puts it beyond the viewing limits of my 4096x2160 comp when viewe at the default Custom Views. I can see the outline of the background but it's just way beyond the comp checkerboard.

I think orbiting the Custom Views is what I want to do to get the background to show up within the checkerboard, but how do I orbit the Custom View 1,2, or 3? Thanks for your insight!

[Rick Gerard · Accepted solution]

Use the Camera tool to move around the frame. It's late, but here is how that works with all of the isometric views (Top, Front, Bottom, Back, Right, Left, and Custom 1, 2, and 3.

It took less time to make the video than it would have to try and explain it with screenshots.

My After Effects Quick Tips

[persyst]

Hi Rick,

Perfect thank you for this video! I'll try this later today, this is exactly what I was looking to know how to do.