Cameras

[orlandop98057891]

Hello my favorite People,
You guys have kept me moving along with my project. I now have to learn how to use cameras. I created six characters and I have each one walk out separately while being introduced. I animated each character in separate scenes and put them together in after effects. I now want to use cameras to zoom and pan on characters to make it more exciting to watch. I am trying to use the camera in after effect to do this. I have been playing with the null object and camera but am having a lot of trouble getting what I want. I have searched this forum and after effecst forum and you tube but cannot use this camera correctly. Maybe I am not searching correctly. If anyone can point me to an effective tutorial it would help me greatly. Any advice would help me greatly. I know we can do it. HELP!!!

[Rick Gerard · Accepted solution]

It takes a lot of practice and there are different techniques for different camera moves. Generally, it is like working on a set. Leave the camera alone and move the actors = easiest. Move the camera while panning and booming up and down with the actors (layers) staying still a lot more difficult. Move the camera, boom the camera, zoom the camera, dolly the camera, pan the camera, move the actors and change focus = a bunch of rehearsals and multiple takes to get it right. 

I would start here: User guide tutorials: Learn AE and take a look at a couple of the advanced tutorials involving cameras.

Plan simple moves, don't try and edit using After Effects but instead create a series of shots that you can edit together later and you'll have a much better chance of a successful project. I have been using After Effects for a little about 25 years and I would not even think of creating a minute long single shot movie with six animated characters, or even worse, creating a 1-minute movie in AE that contained seven or eight shots in a single comp when making 7 or 8 comps that were seven seconds long could more effectively tell the story. Then I would render the shots and edit the final piece in Premiere Pro, just like the folks at Disney and Pixar do with their projects. Almost all shots in any movie are very simple. The big complex shots with all the camera moves and effects are usually less than 7 seconds long. 

I hope this helps. Practice with simple moves that contribute to the story and with a few of them under your belt you'll be able to tackle the more complex shots. 

[orlandop98057891]

This is what I love about the community. Thank you for taking the time to answer. I appreciate your knowledgable advice. Thank you for the link as well.