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DaltonBryce
DaltonBryce
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Vectors parented to Null Object will not follow tracking transform

Jul 1, 2012 1:44 AM

Tags: #3d #after_effects #troubleshooting #animation #vector #cs6 #adobe_illustrator #tracking #parenting #motion_tracking #null_object

I have watched countless tutorials on how to make text and other layers "follow" the tracking in video footage, but I can't reproduce it. I have a piece of illustrator art I want to use. I have imported it and converted it to shapes.

 

I apply the cool track camera feature to my video, select markers and create the red bullseye, and create camera and null object all with no problem. The Null object is moving exactly how it should, I can watch the XY values change. Then I parent the Null object to my art work layer but the artwork will not move. I tried the same thing with a solid--same result. My footage is a simple tripod pan. The null object moves from outside of the scene to the centre. I feel like if I wanted to track text it would be no problem because I would just select create camera and text. So it is the parenting that has me.

 

As you can see I am brand new to after effects so please answer as novice-speakly as you can. I am familiar with Adobe and have had no trouble understanding after effects until this. it seems like it should be working but it is not. Help please, should be an easy fix?

1161 Views   4 Replies   Latest reply: DaltonBryce, Jul 3, 2012 5:03 PM
 
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  • Mylenium
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    1. Mylenium,
    Jul 1, 2012 1:53 AM   in reply to DaltonBryce
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    You do not parent the Null to the item, you parent the item to the Null. Property inheritance is downstream, not upstream.

     

    Mylenium

     
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  • DaltonBryce
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    2. DaltonBryce,
    Jul 1, 2012 5:11 AM   in reply to Mylenium
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    Ya I understand the flow, wasn't sure how to phrase it. I made the null object the parent of the image. I know it was correct because I just finished my project without using the 3D camera tracker, but with motion capture instead. I still would like to know why the tracker movement was being translated to the null object but not its children so that I can use it next time.

     
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  • Mylenium
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    3. Mylenium,
    Jul 1, 2012 7:13 AM   in reply to DaltonBryce
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    Did you actually make the layer a 3D layer? If not, the motion may simply not have been sufficient to show up in 2D due to your 3D scene scale being tiny and a 2D motion of 3 or 4 pixels just being barely noticeable, while it might have translated to bigegr 3D movements. and of course any number of otehr things could figure in as well that interfere with 3D rendering and change these behaviors. Anything from layer styles to certain effects to adjustment layers, collapsed transformations and whatnot. in case of doubt, AE stock answer number 1: Pre-compose.

     

    Mylenium

     
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  • DaltonBryce
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    4. DaltonBryce,
    Jul 3, 2012 5:03 PM   in reply to Mylenium
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    I believe I did make the 3D layer, my understand is that the camera tracker does that itself when you select "make camera." It does recognize after analysis that it is just a tripod pan and automatically sets that in the tracker settings. I'm not sure what the "3D layer" is, but I am able to enter the four camera mode which I'm guessing means it is applied... I also don't beleive there is any problem with the movement, as I can watch the Null object follow the exact path which I want it's children to follow and the transform values all make sense. I want those transform values on my artwork which is supposed to happen when I parent but it isn't happening.

     

    Also, I did not use an adjustment layer.

     

    What are collapsed transformations? The artwork was a group of vector objects. But again I doubt this is the issue because again I had the same problem when I parented a solid layer.

     

    I'm guessing Pre-composing is doing the 3D tracking in a nested composition and applying effects after. The only effect I used was the Warp stabilizer. I don't feel like this would interfere, but is this my problem?

     

    I'll try it without the stabilizer next time, but I'm not sure we're at the root of this yet.

     
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