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carolgunn
carolgunn
Inspiring
August 28, 2012
Question

Interacting 3D elements - CC Sphere and 3D Rotate Around Circle Animation Preset

  • August 28, 2012
  • 4 replies
  • 25142 views

OK, one problem solved, on to the next problem — make that the next two problems! I have finally gotten my orbiting text (live text with 3D Rotate Around Circle Animation Preset) to go behind the planet (photo with CC Sphere effect).

1.  Now, i want to fly around those two interacting 3D objects with a camera. That works just fine with the text, but the planet appears to flatten out to a circular disc rather than a sphere. (See attached screen shot.) I could animate the planet seperately on the poistion time line, but i'd really like to know how to make this work, if possible.

2. I set up an environment layer that the front side is reflecting correctly, but why are the back and sides of the text reflecting the planet? 

After Effects CS6, iMac, OSX7.4.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

--Carol Gunn

Gunn Graphics

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    4 replies

    J
    jhlacy
    Participating Frequently
    December 29, 2013

    Easiest way to do it would be to simply make the CC Sphered earth Auto-Orient itself to the camera.   Right click on your earth layer > Transform > Auto Orient > Auto Orient Toward Camera.  Tadaa!  You can move your camera all around and the earth will always look like a 3d object.  Hope this helps

    R
    rashseag
    Participant
    September 9, 2013

    I know this is an old thread, but am looking to do something similar to the orbiting text that you have created, but with an object or image rather than with text. I have been working with after effects for a little while now, but mostly motion tracking and compositing. So creating an animation complete from scratch is new to me. Any help is appreciated!

    Szalam
    Community Expert
    SzalamCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 9, 2013

    Since you have a new problem, it would be best to make a new thread but link to this old one if it has relevant information.

    What, exactly, are you trying to do?

    carolgunn
    carolgunnAuthor
    Inspiring
    August 28, 2012

    Oh, silly me, i had "Appear in Reflections" checked for the sphere. I thought that could only happen with an environment map. I unchecked it. Was kinda cool the way it reflected on the back of the text. . . think I'll turn it back on!

    lasvideo
    lasvideo
    Inspiring
    August 28, 2012

    CC Sphere is not a 3D object when viewed from the side in AE space.

    The only true 3D objects in AE these days that I am aware of are in Video Copilot Element and Zaxwerks Invigorator. And they really exist in their own 3D space within AEs (if that makes any sense }.

    Check this out..

    http://vimeo.com/47007644#

    http://www.videocopilot.net/blog/

    UPDATE

    I know you can have several 3D objects in Element. Im pretty sure you can make a Text Ring . You should be able to use that Earth preset I sent you the link to. AND you can assign the Earth image to an Environment Map that can be reflected in the text. I think there is a 14 free trial if you want to explore it in depth.

    carolgunn
    carolgunnAuthor
    Inspiring
    August 28, 2012

    Holy moley--that looks fantastic! But me, i am just taking baby steps here after two months of self-education (but a very intensive 2 months!)

    So, you are saying there aren't any "true 3D" objects in AE? The text with the 3D Rotate Around Circle Animation Preset acts like 3D well enough for me, in terms of flying the camera around it and interacting with (disappearing behind) the planet. Well, then, i guess i will just have to animate the planet seperately.

    thanks!

    --c.

    A
    Anonymous
    August 31, 2012

    Thanks, Fuzzy! Yes, that is what I was beginning to suspect afer rotating the environment layer itself, so thanks for that confirmation and the spot light suggestion.

    While I've got ya, I was trying to figure out how to get a spot light to affect the layer beneath it only (in this case the text). I saw in the Help Files to make the spot light an adjustment layer--that seemed to have no effect. Is there more to it than that, am I doing someting wrong?

    Oh, and here's another one. On a previous version of that text, where I was using the CC Cylinder Effect, I was able to add a Generate: CC Light Burst 2.5 effect. (Nothing is too flashy for this client!) but now, with the text + 3D Rotate Around Circle, I cannot. I apply the effect, it appears to be turned on, and even when I put huge numbers in its parameters, I see nothing! Any ideas?

    thanks!

    --Carol.


    No, that black & white circle does definitely affect layers in the way it is designed, i.e. affect only layers beneath when it is turned on. If you want a light would affect just one layer, precompose them.

    CC Light Burst 2.5 effect also definitely works in classic 3D render (can't check 3D ray-traced render, 'cos I'm on CS5.5), but ruins the effect of hiding characters behind the planet as well. Didn't figure out yet how to cheat rendering pipeline...

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