The Camera Mapper (CM) plug-in from Digieffects is another great time-saving add-on for After Effects (AE).  By simply creating two cameras and some solid 3D planes, I was able to take a flat 2-dimentional illustration and redistribute its elements in 3D space. This allows for a camera move that gives much more than a simple zoom or pan on a flat object. What I created has the effect of a camera dolly moving into and through the scene. It's actually easier just to show than describe.

I started with a flat hi-rez photo of Frank Frazetta's painting, "Thuvia, Maid of Mars." Frazetta has long been one of my favorite fantasy artists. He did covers and illustrations for Edgar Rice Burroughs novels back in the 60's and 70's. In my mind, Frazetta defined the genre for every fantasy artist that followed including every dank and creepy dungeon, cave, castle, dragon, man-monster, multi-headed beast we see today in the best video games. (Sorry... I just can't help myself when it comes to 'ol Frank.)

I pulled the image into Photoshop (PS) and separated the image into 4 separate layers. I could've done this in AE, but I find it easier to work in PS for this type of thing.  Layer 1 contains the Roots in the lower left corner;  layer 2 has the Maid, man, and cat-thing; layer 3 contains the castle and the orange ground behind Maid/man/cat layer ; layer 4 contains the sky with planets.

Then I imported the PSD file directly into AE as a layered composition. This gave me each layer in the PSD as a separate element in the AE timeline. I also created 2 cameras. The Projector Camera that sees all the different layers and does not move, and the Camera at the top of the stack that will be the dolly move camera.

Here I've created a solid layer and duplicated it 4 times. I gave each solid a different name, changed each to a 3D plane, and added the Digieffects Camera Mapper from the effects panel. In a nutshell, CM effectively sets up  5 "movie screens" inside a 3D space, and I can project any of the loaded images onto whichever screen I wish.

This is the CM Control Panel. Here I've selected the "Projector Camera" and told it to project layer "8 tiger man girl" onto this solid plane "movie screen."

This is a view from the right side of the 3D space. I think of it as being in an actual studio. To the left is the camera displayed with its field of view. On the right side is the stage with all the "projector screens" seen here as red lines as if you were looking at the knife-edge of the screens. Each screen contains a different image set at a different depth from the camera. As the camera dollies forward past each screen, a pronounced parallax effect is achieved. Thanks to CM, this technique is what gives the viewer a dramatic 3D effect with a relatively easy set up.

Click to watch the video

CM virtually eliminates the need for multiple key frames to be set for each plane. I set up this effect using only 3 key frames for the camera move!

For just 79 bucks Digieffets' Camera Mapper is a great way to dress up a video presentation if all you have are a bunch of stills. I actually spent more time on this project in Photoshop than I did in After Effects setting up the shot. Don't believe me?  Go ahead and spend your life in "key frame hell" if you like. Me and Thuvia will be out looking for her cat-thing.

Enjoy!