How To FLY Through 3D TEXT With After Effects

How To FLY Through 3D TEXT With After Effects

Introduction

In this guide, we'll explore the easiest way to 3D camera track either text or any image to your footage using Adobe After Effects. We'll start by finding suitable footage, applying the 3D Tracker, and positioning our text to achieve a compelling motion-tracking effect.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Find Suitable Footage

   • Begin by searching for some free stock footage on motionelements.com. For this tutorial, we recommend using drone footage as it tends to work well with 3D tracking effects.

2. Import Footage into After Effects

   • Once you have downloaded your footage, open it in Adobe After Effects.

3. Apply 3D Camera Tracker

   • In After Effects, search for the 3D Camera Tracker effect and apply it to your imported footage. The software will then analyze the footage. This process might take some time depending on the length and complexity of the footage.

4. Create Camera

   • After the analysis is complete, hit the Create Camera button. This action will create a new camera within your composition that mimics the movement within your footage.

5. Add Text

   • Now, create a new text layer by using the Text Tool. Write whatever text you want; for example, “motion tracking.”

6. Enable 3D Layer for Text

   • To make the text follow the movement of the footage, ensure the text layer is enabled as a 3D layer. This can be done by clicking on the 3D Layer switch in the timeline panel.

7. Adjust Position

   • If the text is initially not in the right position, press P to bring up the position properties. You can then adjust the text’s position to fine-tune it to your liking. This might include positioning the text in a manner where the camera appears to fly through the letters.

8. Final Adjustments

   • Review your composition and make any final adjustments to ensure a smooth and realistic motion track.

Keywords

Keywords for this article include:

• After Effects
• 3D Camera Tracker
• Motion Tracking
• Drone Footage
• Text Layer
• Position Properties

FAQs

Q: What is the 3D Camera Tracker in After Effects? A: The 3D Camera Tracker is an effect in After Effects that allows you to track the movement of the camera in your footage and then apply this movement data to other layers, such as text or images.

Q: How do I import footage into After Effects? A: You can import footage into After Effects by going to File > Import > File… and then selecting the footage file from your computer.

Q: Why is my text not tracking with the footage? A: Make sure that the text layer is enabled as a 3D layer. This can be done by clicking the 3D Layer switch in the timeline panel.

Q: How do I adjust the position of the text? A: You can adjust the text's position by selecting the text layer, pressing P to bring up the position properties, and then modifying the X, Y, and Z position values to place the text as needed.

Q: Can I use any footage for this effect? A: While you can use any footage, certain types work better than others. Drone footage is particularly effective due to its dynamic and sweeping camera movements.

By following these steps, you can achieve a stunning 3D text tracking effect that enhances your video projects with professional motion tracking in After Effects.