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From: Teddy Gage <teddygage@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 18:58:43 -0500
Message-ID: <CAPdXPWckG4Q1Sq76VbDMSQGNcPJ-HyQGo5HVHaB65RHMdp9Hrg@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: 3D ribbon with Particular
To: After Effects Mail List <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
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     So I am working for a fashion brand asking for a 3D ribbon effect that
twists through fields of photos and video, going in front of and behind the
images. My first thought was 3D stroke, but it didn't work, as I need it to
have some shading from the comp lights. There's also the issue of painfully
retiming the stroke moves using percentages of completion, and not actually
having full "3D" control. (I can't draw a path that goes in all dimensions,
just postcard transforms on the 2D mask paths, AFAIK.) I may however use it
for some simple bending and repeating elements.

     My next idea is to use a particular 2.0 layer with 0 emit velocity,
and having the emitter tied to a null that I can then fully animate through
3D space. So far this is working pretty well. Comp lights work, it is easy
to control.  However I am having some of the classic issues with Particular
where it crosses other 3D objects in the scene and doesn't respect the
stacking order. The ribbon is either completely in front of or completely
behind the images.

- now I could add 1 or 2 "obscuration layers" but it is not reasonable to
do this for over a hundred layers individually

- Would I need to precomp the entire layout, collapse transformations, and
THEN use the precomp as an obscuring layer? Is this even possible? It would
be a difficult way to work, I'd need to have every element layed out in 3D
first. Doable, but I'd prefer to create both at once.

- is there another solution I'm not thinking of? A good script for
Particular maybe?

Thanks,
-TG



-- 
_____________________________
VFX & Motion Graphic Artist
teddygage dot com

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<div dir=3D"ltr">=A0 =A0 =A0So I am working for a fashion brand asking for =
a 3D ribbon effect that twists through fields of photos and video, going in=
 front of and behind the images. My first thought was 3D stroke, but it did=
n&#39;t work, as I need it to have some shading from the comp lights. There=
&#39;s also the issue of painfully retiming the stroke moves using percenta=
ges of completion, and not actually having full &quot;3D&quot; control. (I =
can&#39;t draw a path that goes in all dimensions, just postcard transforms=
 on the 2D mask paths, AFAIK.) I may however use it for some simple bending=
 and repeating elements.<div>

<br></div><div>=A0 =A0 =A0My next idea is to use a particular 2.0 layer wit=
h 0 emit velocity, and having the emitter tied to a null that I can then fu=
lly animate through 3D space. So far this is working pretty well. Comp ligh=
ts work, it is easy to control. =A0However I am having some of the classic =
issues with Particular where it crosses other 3D objects in the scene and d=
oesn&#39;t respect the stacking order. The ribbon is either completely in f=
ront of or completely behind the images.</div>

<div><br></div><div>- now I could add 1 or 2 &quot;obscuration layers&quot;=
 but it is not reasonable to do this for over a hundred layers individually=
</div><div><br></div><div>- Would I need to precomp the entire layout, coll=
apse transformations, and THEN use the precomp as an obscuring layer? Is th=
is even possible? It would be a difficult way to work, I&#39;d need to have=
 every element layed out in 3D first. Doable, but I&#39;d prefer to create =
both at once.</div>

<div><br></div><div>- is there another solution I&#39;m not thinking of? A =
good script for Particular maybe?</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks,</div><di=
v>-TG</div><div><br></div><div><br clear=3D"all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div=
 dir=3D"ltr">

<div><font size=3D"1">_____________________________</font></div><div><font =
style=3D"background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" color=3D"#6aa84f" size=3D"1" fa=
ce=3D"georgia, serif">VFX &amp; Motion Graphic Artist<br>teddygage dot com<=
/font></div>

</div>
</div></div>

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