Setting the Camera Frame

Each panel in your storyboard will, by default, have a camera frame set to the animation standard of 12 fields. In this section, you will see what the camera frame looks like and how to modify the size and position of the camera.

This section includes the following topics:

Camera Status Bar
Camera Tool
2D Static Camera
Reframe Tool

In the Stage view, the camera is displayed as a frame that matches the aspect ratio of your chosen resolution—see Stage View.

Camera Status Bar

The Camera status bar appears at the bottom of the Stage view and contains shortcuts to tools used most often when at the animatic stage of the storyboarding process.

This status bar is visible by default, but you hide it via the Preferences dialog box under the Camera tab—see Stage View.

Camera Tool

Use the Camera tool when you want to make any changes to the framing of scenes or panels.

You can find the Camera tool in the Tools toolbar or from the top menu (Tools > Camera).

You will use the Camera tool to move the Static Camera and also when you are setting keyframes to animate it over time.

2D Static Camera

The term Static Camera is used to describe the framing of an entire scene, where there are to be no changes over time; when the camera is not moving. In this section, you will learn how to position the Static Camera in a 2D space.

This section includes the following topics:

Setting the Static Camera with the Camera Tool
Setting the Camera Frame
Copying the Static Camera from One Scene to Another
Resetting the Static Camera

You can also set up the Static Camera using the 3D space—see Working in a 3D Space

Setting the Static Camera with the Camera Tool

You do not need to create keyframes when making changes to the Static Camera. Any changes you make to the Static Camera affect the entire scene.

To position the Static Camera using the Camera tool:

  1. In the Timeline view, select a panel within the scene in which you want to adjust the camera.
  1. From the Camera toolbar or the Tools menu, select the Camera tool.

Once the Camera tool is active, your scene’s camera frame will become visible and be represented by a black box. The default camera frame is set to 12 fields.

  1. Do one of the following to modify the Static Camera:
To position the selected keyframe along the Z-axis to create a truck in or truck out movement, drag the top-left corner of the frame when you see the Truck icon. If you want to modify the Zoom level, use the Field of View field in the Tool Properties view.

To rotate the Static Camera, drag the top-left corner of the frame when you see the Rotation icon. Holding the Shift key while rotating the camera frame constrains the rotation to 15 degrees increments.

To move the Static Camera, drag the frame from the centre pivot point or the outer edge of the camera frame when you see the Drag icon. Holding the Shift key while dragging the camera frame constrains the movement either horizontally or vertically.
NOTE: You can also set up the Static Camera position using the Camera Tool Properties—see Camera Tool Properties

Copying the Static Camera from One Scene to Another

If you need to reuse a camera position, you can copy and paste it from one scene to another. It is not necessary to have the Camera tool selected to perform this operation.

To copy the camera position from one scene and paste it into another:

  1. In the Timeline view, select the scene from which you want to copy the Static Camera.
  1. Select Camera> Copy Camerafrom Selected Panels.

  1. Once again, from the Timeline view, select the scene to which you want to paste the copied camera information.

  1. Select Camera > Paste and Fit Cameraon Selected Panels.

Resetting the Static Camera

You can always revert to the original Static Camera.

  1. In the Timeline view, click to select the scene where you want to reset the Static Camera.
  1. Select Camera > Reset Camera or click the Reset Camera button in the Camera Tool Properties view.

Reframe Tool

The Reframe tool allows you to set the position of the content of the panels for the entire scene so it fits the camera frame you define.

NOTE: Note that when setting the camera frame using the Reframe tool, it is not possible to reset it to its former position.

To position the camera frame using the Reframe tool:

  1. In the Timeline view, select a panel within the scene in which you want to adjust the camera.
  1. From the Camera toolbar or the Tools menu, select the Reframe tool.

The camera frame switches to an orange bounding box .

  1. Do one of the following to modify the frame:
To rotate the camera frame, drag the top-left corner of the bounding box when you see the Rotation icon. Hold down the Shift key while rotating the camera frame to constrain the rotation to 15-degree increments.
To move the camera frame, drag the bounding box from the centre pivot point or the outer edge when you see the Drag icon. Hold down the Shift key while dragging the camera frame to constrain the movement horizontally or vertically.

  1. From the Reframe Tool Properties view, click the Apply button to apply the modification or click the Cancel button to cancel the modification.

If you applied the modification, the position of the content of the panels for the entire scene will be set to fit the new camera frame.