Creating Perfect Orbit Path for Camera (iClone 3.1)

With the current camera system, it's very hard to create a perfect camera orbit path which keeps the camera looking at a target, as it orbits it in a perfect circle. Here is the tip to create a perfect orbit shot by linking a camera to a rotating dummy object:

  1. Apply one 3D block into the origin of the scene.

  2. Add rotation keys in frame 0, 30, 60, 90 with the Rotation Z values of 0, 120, 240 and 359 degrees.

    This step ensures the block to rotate a single round in 90 frames.

  1. Add one new camera and adjust it to the desired position.

  2. In the Modify/Linkage section, press the Pick Parent button and click on the 3D block.

    3. Play the project and the camera now is driven to move in an orbit path.

    Camera is driven to move around the 3D block

  3. Select the 3D block.

  4. In the Modify/Linkage section, press the Pick Parent button and click on the target object as the center of the orbit.

  5. Press the button and check the Align to Parent box in the dialog. Click OK.

  6. Select the camera again, in the Modify/Transform section, and click the Pick Target button of the Look At feature and click on the target object.

Play back the project and the camera now films surrounding the target object with an orbit path.

The camera is moving around the actor while looking at her when filming.