Cameras

FirstStage provides a powerful camera system. Cameras can be easily created with the Viewfinder and then animated with complex motion paths. Cameras can automatically look at targets and follow targets (the two targets do not need to be the same).

You can create cameras by going to the Asset Library and choosing the Basic Camera but the best way to create cameras is usually to use the Viewfinder:

Viewfinder

Attaching a Camera

You can attach a camera by using the Attach handle available on the Inspect Menu. This is suitable for a security camera attached to a moving bus or if you want a shot from the POV of a moving car, etc.

Follow Behaviour

Instead of a rigid attachment, a camera can follow its target as a human camera operator would when instructed to follow a target. The camera attempts to move as little as possible to maintain the same distance from the target; the direction of the camera with regard to the target does not matter. Regardless of the orientation of the target, the camera tries to preserve the same distance and height from it.

By default, a camera will follow its target rigidly: for example a security camera attached to a moving bus. But it does not need to: you can choose from a behaviours from rigid lock to a simple follow. You can also set the damping time on the motion to get a smoother camera path.

Look Behaviour

When a camera has a look target and that target moves, the camera will track the target if the target moves too far from the original position in the field of view. When the target moves a little too far, the camera will track softly as if on a spring. But when the target tries to move outside the camera’s field of view, the camera will track hard to ensure the target remains visible.

You can set how tightly the camera tracks its target.

The look target is recorded with a look keyframe allowing a shot that doesn’t start tracking until a given time or a shot that stops tracking at a certain point. You can also have shots that hand over from one target to another.

Note that if the camera has a look target, it is applied after the body follow behaviour.

Cameras on the Wristpad

Go to Cameras on the Wristpad to view all the cameras in the scene.

All the cameras in the scene are shown in a column on the left. Click on a camera to show it in the main panel.

You can click on the main panel to enter the TTL space for that camera.

If you click the Inspect button on a camera, it will take you to the Cameras panel with that camera selected.