Vanishing Point, like After Effects

Question

Vanishing Point, like After Effects

I'm already assuming the answer is no, but I'm going to ask anyway. Does Motion have a Vanishing Point feature like After Effects? If no, is there a way to export your Vanishing Point image under that filter menu so that you can use it in Motion. I.E. exporting every plane or part of the image so that it can be rebuilt in Motion and add a 3D camera to get some cool effects. Probably a lot of work, but thats cool. I love that sweeping camera movement through images. Taking a 2D image and simulating 3D with it. Like the view master look or effect. I have 2D images that I want to create that look for in a concept for TV. Can it be done in Motion? If so, how?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I would like to get into After Effects, but its a bit intimidating. Motion seems very easy to learn and use.

Mac Pro 2 x 3GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon, Mac OS X (10.4.11), 9 Gb RAM

Posted on Jul 10, 2008 2:38 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 10, 2008 6:03 PM in response to Matt Campbell1

Yes. Motion has a 3D camera you can sweep thru 2D images...

Patrick

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Answer 2

Jul 11, 2008 6:49 AM in response to Patrick Sheffield

I'm sorry Patrick, maybe I wasn't clear enough. I know Motion has a 3D camera and have used it before. Its great. My question is, with Photoshop's Vanishing Point filter, is there a way to save that out for Motion, like you would for After Effects? I don't think Motion can work with those .vpe files, but is there a work around to get the same effect into Motion? Possibly saving out each panel from the vanishing point to a layer and re-assembling the image in Motion.

I've been researching After Effects and came across this link. A workshop on Adobe's website.

http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/video_workshop/

Once there, click on After Effects CS3 and locate below the tutorial called "Working with Vanishing Point filter in Photoshop and After Effects." Is there a way to do this in Motion?

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Answer 3

Jul 11, 2008 7:32 AM in response to Matt Campbell1

No, Motion can not read .vpe. However, you can do the same thing easily in Motion by setting up your Photoshop picture using Channel Masks. Each of your Photoshop layers can be manipulated in 3D in Motion.

In the video "Motion Fast Foward"

http://www.rippletraining.com/engine/motion_training.html

They teach an example of what you want to do.

Ed

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Answer 4

Jul 11, 2008 7:49 AM in response to Hudson Valley Media Solutions

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a million. Probaby a dumb question, but both of those are exactly the same right, one is just for download and the other a physical copy. I've seen downloads before that don't have the same stuff as the actual DVD. Just want to make sure. thx

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Answer 5

Jul 11, 2008 8:26 AM in response to Hudson Valley Media Solutions

Ed, do you mean layer masks?

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Answer 6

Jul 11, 2008 11:22 AM in response to Mark Spencer4

Hi Mark.

Yes layer masks. I use channels to get my alphas and then load them in to seperate layers.

Matt;

I bought the DVD so I can not say anything about the downloaded version. I will say that I have bought several items from Ripple Training and they seem like a solid company to me.

Ed

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Answer 7

Jul 11, 2008 11:27 AM in response to Hudson Valley Media Solutions

Ed, thanks man. I'll check them bad boys out. You all have been helpful. thx

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Answer 8

Jul 11, 2008 1:43 PM in response to Hudson Valley Media Solutions

The only problem is that Motion won't recognize layer masks. You'll need to apply the layer mask (render it) before importing into Motion.

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Answer 9

Jul 11, 2008 1:54 PM in response to Mark Spencer4

Mmmmm. Maybe I stated the wrong technical wording. Forgive me I am self taught. This is what I did to achieve 3D from a 2D picture.

I viewed the photo in channels, selected each section with the magic wand and created masks.
I then loaded each mask in a separate layer, inverted the mask to see only the area I wanted in the layer. Then I used the clone tool to expand the layers out a bit.

After arranging and naming the layers in Photoshop I imported them into Motion 3.

To me, I call it channel masking, but I guess it's not really masking when you think about it.

Ed

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Answer 10

Jul 11, 2008 3:37 PM in response to EGlasheen

Ah, I see. Layer masks are a very specific thing in Photoshop, very useful for non-destructive masking, but they need to be "applied" before using the file in Motion.

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Answer 11

Jul 12, 2008 9:50 PM in response to Mark Spencer4

Mark: If you take a Photoshop layer(s) with layer masks (or vector masks, or layer styles, or smart fiters or potentially any non-destructive tool in PS) and convert it to a Smart Object, Motion will get the end result of the operation perfectly and you keep the ability to further edit it non-destructively in Photoshop. Essentially, a Smart Object has to offer a baked result of the operations nested inside of it. Nice trick? 🙂

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Answer 12

Jul 13, 2008 6:27 AM in response to Adolfo Rozenfeld

EXCELLENT trick, Adolfo!!!

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