Camera affecting both layers. Only want it to affect one.

[Haugen]

I have a clip (layer) which in the end is going to zoom in. The second clip (layer) is overlapping the first layer, but instead of zooming in, I want this layer to zoom in at the same time the first clip is zooming in. The problem is that the camera is zooming in on both of them. The camera is affecting everything in the canvas. So how to I separate this to layers?

I have read about pre-composing, but I don't get it to work. It still affecting both layers. Both clips needs to be in 3D.

[Rick Gerard]

AE's camera acts exactly the same as a camera in the real world. If you move the camera everything in the field of view moves.

You can use expressions to scale layers automatically based on the distance from the camera so if they are facing the camera, perpendicular to the camera, and centered in the field of view they appear not to move. If the layers are not in the exact center of view or perpendicular to the camera then, because perspective is controlled by camera position you can keep the layer the same size with expressions but the perspective will change when you move the camera.

If you pre-compose a  3D layer and do not turn on Collapse Transformations the layer will act like a 2D layer and not move when you move the camera. This is one way to handle layers that you have arranged in 3D space but that you do not want to act like 3D layers.

If this information does not help you solve your problem then we need details and a screenshot with the modified properties of the layers that are giving you problems revealed. Just select the layers and press uu to show everything that was changed on the layer. Don't crop the screenshot and show us everything you can, then give us some details and somebody may be able to solve your problem.

[Haugen]

I'm not sure I completely understood this. I, however did something, so I got to work. What I did was to ad a new camera. I made a new pre-comp with the new camera and the last layer (the one I want to zoom out). I then applied the effect in the pre-comp. But I don't find this ideal, because I didn't know where the first layer ended since I only had camera and clip layer in the pre-comp. So I had to toggle between the main project and the pre-comp. I know I will be making more complex projects later on, and this workaround is not going to be easy.

So, effect needed to be applied in the pre comp, and then I had to tweek the layer in the right position in the main project. Is this the easiest way?

And why is the pre-comp stretching all over the timeline? I thought it would adjust to the length of the clip.

[defaultkts8qfq0r34o]

Thank you!! Pre-comping worked great 🙂

[Roei Tzoref]

Seems to me for this setup you can Lose the Camera and instead move both layers in Z position and be done with it.

[Haugen]

Not sure I did what you said, but I keyframed each clip instead of using the camera. It worked, but using the camera is easier.

This guy can move the camera and only affect one layer: How To Create 3d Camera Move with Photoshop and After Effects Tutorial - YouTube  How is that any different?

[Roei Tzoref · Accepted solution]

It's hard to tell what exactly are you trying to accomplish in terms of composite but by looking at your timeline I see the camera is not affecting more than one layer at a time except a few overlapping frames. It's as almost you are making a slideshow where each layer needs to zoom in - if that's the case, you don't need a camera. A camera is a way to view many 3d layers together and it has options for lens type, DOF, and controls for controlling it's movement. Sometimes all you need is a few layers that zoom in and out or rotate and the camera is not needed. As soon as you toggle the 3D switch for a layer, you are seeing it through Ae's default camera.

The tutorial you linked to shows how to create 3D movement with separate layers composited in a scene and all the layers are moving as the camera pans through.

if this is still unclear you should show us exactly what you are trying to accomplish by posting a full screenshot of your Ae interface and showing us example of what you want to achieve in terms of movement.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi there Haugen!

Saw you had a little trouble there, but Roei and Rick provided some helpful answers for you. Did any of these help you solve your issue? If so, please let us know. A little feedback would be most helpful, so please mark the appropriate answer as the correct one, or add your own correct answer if some other function solved the issue for you!

Cheers,
Kevin

[Haugen]

I'm actually not sure, because I didn't get to test any of the Roei's and Rick's answer. I somehow made it work. And I also forgot the tread, so thank you for reminding me! But Roei is pretty close to what I did, and de answer Roei is providing will fix the problem a got into.