Cameras and Tags

Having cameras in your animation is very important. You want the camera views to move and not stay focused on one object. The different camera views will help show the audience what is going on. You can add as many cameras as you want. You can change what the camera is focused on and also add tags to it to make is do different things. Such as, the align to spline tag or the target tag. The target tag allows you to have the camera follow a certain object. For example, if you have a bowling ball rolling down the alley, have a camera following it so you can see up close and personal.

When dealing with a camera and how to get it in the correct spot, can be difficult at times. I have problems with my cameras sometimes, but it always works out in the end. You just have to take a little extra time to play with them. Of course, the more cameras you have the slower your render time. You should have at least three to four cameras in each animation, well depending on how long it is. As you start to use cameras, you will see how well they help your animation.

Lighting and Shadows

Lighting is one of the most important parts of an animation. Light is created by you in the digital world. As you are creating light you have to keep one thing in mind, render time. The more lights you have, the slower your rendering process will go. Double check your work to make sure you do not have any unnecessary lighting. You can change so many things about the light, such as: the color, the intensity, the contrast, etc.. There is a long list of things in the Time line that you can add/change on the light.

Shadows are very important to use with light. Using a shadow on an object will help define placement and identity depth. For example, if you have a spotlight on an object, you should turn the shadow on so it does not look as if the object is floating there. Shadows also help increase the realism of the object. All in all, using a light will help the animation extremely by creating special effects, moods and feelings.