United3dArtists Archive

I'm a movie camera floating stationary in space, and off in the distance I'm filming a big rock, heading towards me. I stay put and keep it in frame as it approaches, but as it gets close, I move back a little to get out of the way and to keep the rock in my viewfinder, and I keep filming it as it passes and continues on away from me.

Okay, who can direct me to a page in the Manual where I can find the info that will help me do something like that? I can already animate the rock, but I can't move my viewpoint while it's moving. Like a film camera dolly or tracking shot, you know.

Thanks in advance, guys. I know someone will have the answer.

If i understand you correctly then you want to have all the time the rock in focus of the cam. In this case i would use the "Look At" Feature for the cam.

Kurt could you just stick to one thread for help on a project. It makes it easier for us to follow.

Please tell me whether you are using model or workspace to do your project. It does make a difference in specific instructions.

The quick explanation is to go to frame 0, set your camera position and create a keyframe/press the keyframe button. Move your frame counter to frame "nn", locate your camera in the new position and press the keyframe button.

What should happen is that your animation track will interpolate the camera position between the 2 points.

After you have done this you can/should be able to edit the camera path using the animation tools. At least in the modelside. I have not tried animation in workspace yet so I cannot help you there.

I strongly suggest you start a Work In Progress thread and then we can work through each iteration with you.

Good luck.

v3rd3 wrote:Kurt could you just stick to one thread for help on a project. It makes it easier for us to follow.

Yes, sorry, v3rd3. I'm going at this bit by bit and keep thinking of different things to ask about.

Please tell me whether you are using model or workspace to do your project. It does make a difference in specific instructions.

I'm still using Workspace.

The quick explanation is to go to frame 0, set your camera position and create a keyframe/press the keyframe button. Move your frame counter to frame "nn", locate your camera in the new position and press the keyframe button.

What should happen is that your animation track will interpolate the camera position between the 2 points.

After you have done this you can/should be able to edit the camera path using the animation tools. At least in the modelside. I have not tried animation in workspace yet so I cannot help you there.

I strongly suggest you start a Work In Progress thread and then we can work through each iteration with you.

Good luck.

Thanks for that, v3rd3. Henceforth I'll stick to the WIP forum. Although it's nothing so grand as a work in progress - more like a test animation simply for learning. I have a piecemeal way of studying. Suits me, but irritating for others.

And the thread will probably get pretty long....!

Cheers,
Kurt

I don't think we measure the threads Kurt.... this is 3d artistry not tapestry .....

You should consider downloading some of TOMG's bitesize tutorials from the califorums while there is still time......

http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/s ... php?t=6193

The ones in the last post on this thread will likely be most helpful.

Thanks again, v3d3! I thought I had every tutorial and manual in Christendom, but they keep coming up.

Thanks for the link. Those will certainly help.

Cheers,
Kurt.

DesignDevil wrote:If i understand you correctly then you want to have all the time the rock in focus of the cam. In this case i would use the "Look At" Feature for the cam.

That's right, DD.

That "look at" feature... how exactly do I call that up? I've managed to somehow fluke it by clicking madly all over the place, but I have no idea how to select it all will. What's the trick?

Kurt.

Don't Panik, is quite easy.

1. choose your camera
2. click on the "look at" icon, your mouse cursor will change into a "fillbottle"
3. with the "fillbottle" click on the object on which the camera should "look at"
4. press the record button (in the case that autorecord is off, otherwise the key is automaticly set thrue TS)

DesignDevil wrote:Don't Panik, is quite easy.

1. choose your camera
2. click on the "look at" icon, your mouse cursor will change into a "fillbottle"
3. with the "fillbottle" click on the object on which the camera should "look at"
4. press the record button (in the case that autorecord is off, otherwise the key is automaticly set thrue TS)

Thanks, DD. I already figured there must be a "look at" button hiding somewhere, but I couldn't find it.

Cheers,
Kurt

Hi Kurt,

I had another idea that might be useful: Remember how the original Star Wars movie was filmed? The space fighters didn't move past the camera---rather, the camera moved past stationary models of the space fighters to simulate the flyby. From the viewer's perspective, the fighter flew by.

If this idea sounds interesting to you, then check out Thomas Grimes' (TomG) tutorials at the Caligari website. There are three; the first two show you how it's done and the third shows the results. He uses the Workspace Side of trueSpace 7.6 and did an excellent job with them.

Best regards, First Light

First Light wrote:Hi Kurt,

I had another idea that might be useful: Remember how the original Star Wars movie was filmed? The space fighters didn't move past the camera---rather, the camera moved past stationary models of the space fighters to simulate the flyby. From the viewer's perspective, the fighter flew by.

If this idea sounds interesting to you, then check out Thomas Grimes' (TomG) tutorials at the Caligari website. There are three; the first two show you how it's done and the third shows the results. He uses the Workspace Side of trueSpace 7.6 and did an excellent job with them.

Best regards, First Light

Great minds think alike, First Light. I thought of that, (on the basis that it's all relative, as Uncle Albert said.) The only thing that stopped me trying that was that I thought the background would also move with the camera, and thus give the game away.

But no doubt Tom's Tuts have got that covered too. I've already downloaded them, but haven't got around to scrutinising them yet. I'll do that right now.

Thanks, First Light.

Cheers,
Kurt

Kurt wrote:... The only thing that stopped me trying that was that I thought the background would also move with the camera, and thus give the game away. ...

Hi Kurt,

That would definitely be a "show stopper". I believe the starry background was rotoscoped in after the Star Wars fighters had been filmed. The technique wouldn't work if the background were already there because the viewer would rightly perceive that his/her point of view was moving---not the object.

To "sell" the illusion, you would have to record the animation in layers, with the flying rock being recorded separately without the background and other scene elements.

Oh well....

In TomG's videos, he built a model of a Microsoft store and flies the camera down the various aisles of the store. It looks impressive---a "first person" perspective like an architectural walk-through. But it is obvious that the camera is moving---not the store.

Best regards, First Light

First Light wrote: Hi Kurt,

That would definitely be a "show stopper". I believe the starry background was rotoscoped in after the Star Wars fighters had been filmed. The technique wouldn't work if the background were already there because the viewer would rightly perceive that his/her point of view was moving---not the object.

To "sell" the illusion, you would have to record the animation in layers, with the flying rock being recorded separately without the background and other scene elements.

Oh well....

In TomG's videos, he built a model of a Microsoft store and flies the camera down the various aisles of the store. It looks impressive---a "first person" perspective like an architectural walk-through. But it is obvious that the camera is moving---not the store.

Best regards, First Light

Yes, it looks great, First Light. That's basically what I wanted to do.

I actually managed to create a little flythrough and converted it to .avi, then imported it into my eMac iMovie. The results were worth the effort of climbing this steep TS learning curve over the past week or so.

But, boy, I have to admit it's kept me glued to the computer night and day. My wife is getting a little ... er, concerned.

I'm thinking of recommending that my fellow-members at the iMovie forum get Truespace, so they can do what I'm doing. They're always up for anything that will make their movie projects better.

And having got Truespace, they'll need to join up here to learn it. So I'm doing my bit to gather new members. It's the least I can do, (and I always do the least I can do! )