Animating the Camera
Storyboard Pro contains a camera that can move along the X, Y, and Z axes. Having the camera move on the Z-axis offers the possibility to create truck in and truck outs, as well as multiplane camera moves. The default camera position is centred and backed up to 12 fields.
It is important to understand the coordinate values in Storyboard Pro, which is based on the origins of animation. In traditional animation, a scene's size and camera motion are calculated in fields. A field has a 4:3 ratio and measures 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) in width. A specific grid has been created for this purpose known as a field chart. Storyboard Pro uses this unit of measurement as its coordinate system.
A field chart uses the cardinal directions. The X axis is the east-west (left-right) direction, the Y axis is the north-south (up-down) direction and the Z axis is the forward-backward direction.
Using the Camera tool, a scene's camera can be positioned and animated just like the Layer Transform tool can be used to animate layers in a scene.
- In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, select the panel with the layer you want to animate.
- In the Timeline view, move the playhead to the frame on which you want the camera move to start.
- In the Stage or Camera view, select a layer to animate and click its Animate button.
- In the Tools toolbar, click the Camera button.
- In the Camera, Side or Top view, select the camera (the large V-shaped cone) and move it to the desired position. In the Camera view, the camera is represented by a thin black, rectangular frame. You need to click directly on one of the edges.
- In the Tool Properties view, click the Add Keyframe button.
- In the Timeline view, move the playhead to the next frame and move the camera to its next position and set a keyframe.
A second keyframe appears and a line is created between the two frames to indicate that the subsequent motion between the frames will be calculated and rendered by the program.
- Repeat step 7 until your animation is complete.
- Play back your animation.
- In the layer track of the Timeline view, click a layer keyframe. To select all layer keyframes, double-click on a layer keyframe.
The keyframe(s) turn(s) blue.
- Drag the keyframe(s) left or right within the same panel.