DK wrote:What happens/will happen to the camera after the end of the desired frame range? Will it stay in the same spot if there are more frames to go in the project? Would it be hard to target multiple objects, ie, after the end of one desired frame range is reached have the camera point at another layer?
Cheers
D.K
Yes to all your questions.
Before the range the camera tilt and pan will be unchanged. Afterward it will remain at the same setting as the last frame in the range. Of course, if you set a keyframe for pan/tilt at the frame just after the range (and do so before you apply the script) then everything afterward will remain unchanged.
Maybe once I get the basics working I can add a check box that automatically sets the keyframe after the range first so it only affects the range in question! So your question has given me an idea for a possible cool additional feature! Thanks!
As for 'chaining' these... ABSOLUTELY! That's the whole point. I'm trying to set it up so the camera is more 'Hollywood'-like. That is, you follow one character, then immediately cut to look and follow another character. Obviously only one can be pointed to at time. You just select the desired layer from one character, set the range, apply the script... then select the desired layer from another character, reposition the frame range after the first range, and apply the script. Now it follows the first character in the first range, the second character in the second range. Put space between the two ranges, and the camera will tween the pan/tilt to go from one to the other (that is, pan from one character to the other regardless of their motion and the cameras motion).
I also thought of this. One could create an invisible layer called 'focus point'. If Point Camera is applied to this Layer, then in the frame range where ever you move this layer the camera follows. You have an object that becomes the point you want to focus on!
Now imagine attaching this to a character. Then during the animation. move the focus point up the character. Now you are following the character where ever it goes, and you are panning up the body!
And you can even put the camera on a path and then put the focus point layer on a different path, they both can do complex moves, and the camera will always have the focus point dead center of screen a all times.
It is important to realize Point Camera does NOT change the LOCATION of the camera at all, just the pan and tilt.
Also there are some degenerate cases I might have to eventually handle. Like, if the layer passes directly overhead it is a discontinuity point, since one can now pan and it is equivalent to rolling. Also if the layer and camera are at the exact same location, of course there is no direction that works.
Finally, FYI, the Layer's location will be defined as the Origin of the Layer, and the 'current Layer' will be the one selected in the Layers area. If more than one Layer is selected, nothing will happen.
