Basic 3D Animation using Blender
SKANI102x
Camera animation
Dr. Sameer Sahasrabudhe
Nitin Ayer and Sneha Sanglikar
IIT Bombay
Outline
Camera basics (recap)
Types of camera motion
• Pan, Tilt, Zoom
• Track, Dolly
Camera animation
• Key frame animation
• 360 degree camera animation
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World and camera
Camera provides the option to select the contents of the frame
It also facilitates to eliminate other contents, which are NOT required
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Camera
3D world inside Blender is infinite
Cannot take entire 3D world as output
Camera is used to define the portion
(of the world) to be captured
Blender has multiple cameras, lenses
and options to choose
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Blender camera view
Note: Shortcut numpad 0 is a toggle to go into camera view
and to come out of camera view
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Which camera motion is typically
used to lend emphasis?
Pan | Zoom | Tilt
Discussion
Zoom is most commonly used
camera motion to emphasize.
Pan and tilt can get the attention of the
audience to the place where action is
happening, but Zoom offers a closer view.
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Types of camera motion
Object is static/moving, Camera is static
• Pan, Tilt, Zoom
Object and Camera, both are moving
• Track, Dolly
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Object is static/moving, Camera is static
Pan
• Move the camera horizontally left or right.
Tilt
• Camera rotates in vertical plane.
Zoom
• Camera feature to show enlarged view,
without physically moving closer.
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Object and Camera both are moving
Track
• Moving camera follows the moving object.
Dolly
• Camera moves in vertical/horizontal planes
towards/away from the object which is at a
fixed location.
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Camera Animation Process
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Camera animation process
Same as animating any other object
Set current frame
Apply transformations to camera
Insert key frame
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Animation activity file
Open Animation
activity blend file
Select the Camera
(Right click)
Here, we have animated
the car.
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Set camera
Set the camera in such a
way that you can see the
car model.
Select camera
(right click)
Camera as active view
(Ctrl + Alt + 0)
Fine adjustment (G and
R + mouse movement)
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Set current frame
Animation will start
from frame 1.
Set current frame as
frame 1 (Enter 1 in
current frame box)
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Add Keyframe
Lock position of the
Camera.
Add key frame in
location and scale (I).
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Change current frame
Set current frame as
frame 30 (Enter 30 in
current frame box).
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Move camera
Car will move in forward
direction and with that
camera should also move.
Move camera forward
(G + X).
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Add key frame
Lock position of
the Camera.
Add key frame in
location and scale (I)
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Play animation
Review animation
Move time cursor back
to the first frame
Play the animation
(Alt + A OR Play button
in the Timeline window)
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360 Degree Camera Animation
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Set up the scene
Start a new Blender file
Select and delete the
cube
(Right click > X or Delete)
Add a Plane as base
(Shift + A)
Scale the Plane (S)
Add Suzanne object
(Shift + A)
Add Subsurf modifier
(Ctrl + 2)
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Curves
Curves and Surfaces are particular types of Blender Objects.
They are expressed by mathematical functions rather than a series of points.
Blender offers both Bézier Curves and NURBS, both curves are named after
their mathematical definitions.
Bézier curves are the most commonly used curves for designing vector based
graphics such as letters or logos and they are also widely used in animation
to move object along path.
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Add Bezier Circle
Bezier curve will be the
path along which the
camera will move.
Add Bezier Circle
(Shift + A > Curves >
Circle)
Tip: Check if the 3D
cursor is at the center,
use shortcut Shift + C to
move 3D cursor to center.
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Modify Bezier Circle
Scale Bezier circle as per
the length at which the
camera needs
to be placed.
Scale Bezier circle (S)
Move the curve along
Z - axis to be on top of
the object (G + Z)
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Follow path
To move the Camera
along this circular path,
the process is called
‘Follow path’.
Select the Camera first
and then select the
Bezier circle
(Shift + Right click)
Press ‘Ctrl + P’ and select
‘Follow path’ option
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Set camera
Set the camera in such a way
that you can see the entire
model.
Select camera (Right click)
Use mouse actions and
numpad shortcuts
• zoom in, zoom out,
• pan, rotate
Set your 3D view window
at the desired position
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Set camera
Camera as active view
(Ctrl + Alt + 0)
Fine adjustment (G and R +
mouse movement)
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Play animation
Review animation
Move time cursor back
to the first frame.
Play the animation
(Alt + A OR Play button in
the Timeline window).
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Change default duration
The default duration in ‘Follow path’
animation is 100 frames.
To change this duration go to
Properties window.
Select the Bezier curve
(Right click)
Go to Properties panel > Path
Animation
Change the value in ‘Frames’ field
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Thank you
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