Animate a steady camera in xsi
Article needs peer review
Summary
How does one create an effect in SOFTIMAGE|XSI, akin to real-life Steady Camera motion. In other words, how can one make the camera jitter and vibrate.
In SOFTIMAGE|3D, this effect can be created with the help of the Jitter custom effect. In SOFTIMAGE|XSI, one can use the Shape Jitter deformer as the main catalyst behind the camera shaker effect.
Steps
Follow these easy steps to create the desired effect:
First option (easy way):
- Create a 2 point linear curve. Then apply Animation-Deform-Deform-Shape Jitter (Or Model-Modify-Deform -Shape Jitter) to the line. This will move the curve about in a wacky way.
- Create a cluster from one of the curve's points, and Object to Cluster constrain the camera interest to the cluster.
Note: At this stage, you will not be able to make any camera transformations involving the camera interest(e.g. panning), because of the fact that the camera interest is constrained to the cluster.
Second stage (fancier):
- To be a lot more fancy, create the curve and apply the Shape Jitter deformer to the curve.
- Create a cluster as in step 2 above.
- IMPORTANT: Remove the Object to Cluster constraint that was applied to the camera interest (in step 2 above).
- Load a new Null into the scene, and Object to Cluster constrain the Null to curve's cluster.
- Make the Null a child of Camera_Root.
- Make the Camera Interest a child of this Null.
Result: At this stage, you will be able to control any camera transformations (e.g. orbit, zoom, and pan). In this example, the camera interest is affected by Jitter, but is free from any constraint.
Applies To: XSI 1.5 on NT,Win2K,Irix
Posted: 2/21/2001
