| The MultiPlane node has many capabilities, but its two primary uses are: To arrange multiple layers within a 3D space for easy simulation of perspective, parallax, and other depth effects. To composite background or foreground elements with a moving background using 3D camera tracking data, imported from a variety of third-party tracking software.
The MultiPlane node also provides transform controls such as panning, rotation, and scaling for each layer. In this lesson, we will learn how to arrange multiple layers within a 3D space; in the next lesson, we will concentrate on importing 3D camera tracking data to composite elements over a moving background. Using the Multiple Pane View A multiple pane view is helpful when arranging layers in 3D space. 1. | Highlight the woman clip, right-click the MultiPlane node from the Layer tab, and choose Branch. The Viewer switches to a multipane interface.
Each pane can be set to display any camera or angle in the 3D space, to help you position and transform objects from any angle. | 2. | Click the Viewer Layout button below the Viewer. Keep clicking to cycle through all the available layouts. The size and orientation of each pane in all layouts are fixed, although you can zoom and pan within any pane using the standard methods. | 3. | Leave the Viewer layout on a single pane when done. |
Changing Angles Within a Pane Although the multipane layouts are fixed, you can change the angle each pane displays. The preset angles appear in white text at the bottom-left corner of each pane. Each pane can display the currently selected camera, front, top, side, or perspective angle. So many choices, so little time. You can change the displayed angle by doing one of the following: Right-click in a pane and select an angle from the shortcut menu, or Place your pointer in the pane you want to switch and press one of the numeric keypad keyboard shortcuts listed on the next page to switch layouts.
The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that are available for changing angles in a pane. These shortcuts work only with the numeric keypad. Keyboard Shortcuts |
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(Numeric keypad only) | 0 | cycles through every angle | 1 | displays the currently selected camera angle | 2 | displays the currently selected front angle | 3 | displays the currently selected top angle | 4 | displays the currently selected side angle | 5 | displays the currently selected perspective angle |
The various angles are meant to help you position layers and the camera within 3D space. Each angle is actually an invisible camera. Using the Perspective Angle The perspective angle (Persp) is the only view in which you can transform a layer's X, Y, and Z parameters simultaneously. In addition to panning and zooming, the perspective angle can be orbited. 1. | Set the single pane to the Persp view. | 2. | To orbit, click the pointer in the pane displaying the perspective view, press X, and drag with the middle mouse button held down. The perspective view rotates around the perspective's orbit point.
Are you dizzy yet? | 3. | To center the perspective on a selected object, place the cursor in the perspective view and press Shift-B. The perspective view's orbit point is centered on the selected object, and the view is set to its default position. |
Hardware Acceleration The MultiPlane node supports the OpenGL hardware acceleration of images displayed in the Viewer. At the expense of rendering quality, Hardware rendering provides a quick way of positioning layers and the camera in space. Hardware mode doesn't provide an accurate representation of the final output, but it is the fastest method for arranging layers. In Hardware rendering mode, every layer is composited with an Over operation, regardless of that layer's selected composite type. Fast is good. Hardware/Software On Release mode sets the Viewer to use Hardware rendering while you're making adjustments, but it goes into Software rendering mode to show the image at its best quality. To turn this setting on, click and hold the Render Mode button and choose the icon below from the pop-up menu that appears. Software mode displays the selected camera at the highest quality with all composite types displayed properly.
The render mode affects only the display in the Viewer. The output of the MultiPlane node to other nodes in the tree is always at the highest quality, as are MultiPlane images that are rendered to disk. Manipulating the Camera The camera can be positioned or animated manually, like any other layer, or positioned and animated by importing 3D tracking or camera data from a Maya (.ma) file. Relax, you will import 3D tracking data in the next lesson. Using 3D Transform Controls 1. | Set the render mode to Hardware for faster interaction. | 2. | Press the spacebar while the cursor is in the Viewer to zoom it up to full-screen mode. | 3. | Press the F key with the cursor in the Viewer to fit the image. | 4. | Click the camera icon to display the image's 3D transform controls. You can control the camera itself and the camera's target. The camera and target controls are connected so that they always face each othermoving one rotates the other to match its position. | 5. | Drag the camera. |
Using Camera Controls Similar to layer controls, the camera has rotate XYZ controls and translate (move) XYZ controls to limit the movement of the camera in one of those directions. Dragging the camera icon moves the camera within the Viewer. 1. | Use the + key to zoom in to the camera. | 2. | Experiment with the onscreen controls. | 3. | When you're done playing around, right-click in the Viewer and choose Camera1. | 4. | Press the F key with the cursor in the Viewer to fit the image to the Viewer. A special group of keyboard shortcuts lets you move the camera by dragging anywhere within the camera view, without selecting the camera itself. | 5. | Try out the keyboard shortcuts listed below. Note These keyboard shortcuts work only in the camera view. Keyboard Shortcuts |
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V-drag | rotates the camera around its z-axis | S-drag | rotates the camera around the x- and y-axes, around the camera's own center point, changing the position of the camera target | Z-drag | pans the camera in and out along the z-axis | D-drag | pans the camera and camera target together along the x- and y-axes | X-drag | pivots the camera around the camera target's orbit point |
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Using Layer Controls When you select a layer, that layer's onscreen controls are superimposed over it. 1. | Click the woman image directly to select the layer. The global axis pan controls pan a layer relative to the overall 3D space, even if the layer has been rotated. The local axis pan controls pan the layer relative to its own orientation. If a layer has been rotated using the angle controls, using the local pan controls moves it along the axis of its own rotation. | 2. | Try both the local and global axis controls. The following table shows Shake's dedicated keyboard shortcuts for panning, rotating, and scaling layers in 3D space, so you don't have to use the onscreen controls. Keyboard Shortcuts |
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Q or P | pans | W or O | rotates | E or I | scales |
The method for using any of these shortcuts is the same. Let's try W or O to rotate the layer. | 3. | Make sure the woman layer is still selected. | 4. | Press W or O and click in the Viewer. | 5. | When the dimension (multi-arrowed) pointer appears, move it in the direction in which you want to rotate the layer. The colors in the pointer correspond to the angle controls. When you move the pointer, the axis in which you first moved is indicated by a single axis arrow, and the layer rotates in that dimension. If you ever get tired of looking at the XYZ controls or if they get in your way, you can hide them by clicking the XYZ icon under the Viewer. | 6. | Press the spacebar to return the Viewer to normal size. | 7. | Right-click in the Parameters tab and choose Reset All Values. | 8. | Activate Hardware rendering mode for faster interaction. |
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