Replacing C4D lights with images in AE

[LucentDreams]

Its an old tutorial anyways using a track instead of the proper way now available. In cinema instead of adding lights to use as 3D position markers, you can actually add an external compositing tag (don't confuse this with the regular compositing tag its a differeant tag with EXTERNAL in the name)

this acutally generates 3D layes in AE that you can then layers to. Now I'm not a big AE guy so maybe others no a better way, but what I've done in demos is basically add my layer, set it to 3D (very important) and then child (constrain? the little swirly icon I don't remember what its called) it to the 3D null layers.




Hopefully that helps but i think I've also sufficiently shown my lack of AE knowledge ;)

[chalkman]

The little gizmo is called a "Pick Whip" you can be forgiven for not remembering that! :thumbsup:

Cheers,

David

[joeski4d]

Thanks Kai, that helps a lot and clarifies things.

When I "pick whip" the image to the 3d null layer, the image will take on the movement and rotation of the null layer but does not inherit it's location (XYZ).

What do I need to do to have an image inherit the 3d null's location XZY?

I obviously have a lot to learn when it comes to AE.... ;-)

thanks for you help!

-Joe

[Scott_Spengler]

Joe,

It sounds like you're doing things right. One thing to remember with nulls is that they default to 0% opacity in AE. If you're just alt/option + dragging onto the null layer, the footage is probably there... it's just inheiriting the Null's 0% opacity. Set the layer's opacity to 100% after alt+ dragging.

Also, be aware that AE will default the top left corner of the footage to your null's position, almost never what you want. You may have to reposition the anchor point in AE's footage window.

Good luck and HTH.

Scott Spengler

[Scott_Spengler]

Joe,

Oh yeah... it also sounds like you're pickwhiping from the Parent column which will just Parent the layer to your light. Try this:

On your footage layer twirl down the Position parameter.

Now alt+click on the Postion parameter stopwatch.
This makes a postion expression and will give you a new little pickwhip for just the position parameter.

Pickwhip from the layer expression to the "position" parameter of your light.

Press enter on your extended keypad.

Smile at your ability to follow hastily-typed directions.

Scott Spengler

[LucentDreams]

hehe feel like the blind leading the deaf a bit but we'll see what we figure out.

After you "pick whip" you also need to make sure the layer is set to a 3D layer, there should be an icon that is a little isometric cube that you can activate just like the motionblur, and adjustment etc.

[LucentDreams]

yes you usually have to center the image out.

[joeski4d]

Hi Guys, thanks again for all your help... I was away this weekend but was able to get this to work this morning.

I was puzzled once I finally got the image to inherit the null's position... because of how AE sets the opacity to 0% by default... but thanks to this thread, was able to quickly fix it!

thanks,

Joe

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