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Constraining Cameras and Lights using Locators

Description When setting up a scene you may need to move the camera and lights around quite a bit until you get it just right, but you don't want to have to continually re-focus them. So by creating a locator that is parented to the subject object, you can keep manually adjusting the camera and it will always stay in focus.
Step-by-Step

    Create Cameras

    • In the Item List, select the Camera, right-click and duplicate
    • Rename the duplicate camera - Hero Camera
    • Rename the other camera - Free Camera
    • Under the Shader Tree, select Render at the top of the list, and then under > Properties > Frame, set the Hero camera as the one you'll be rendering
    • Place the Hero camera roughly in the position where you want your final shot to be.

    Create Locator

    • Create a Locator and rename it Focus
    • Place it where you want to focus the camera and lights
    • Select the Hero camera and then Ctrl-select the Focus Locator - under the Camera View tab under Properties, select Set Target
    • Select each Light, and Ctrl-select the Focus Locator - under the Light's property side-tab, select Set Target
    • Set the camera Projection and Effects properties the way you want
    • The Hero camera and lights will always stay pointed at the Locator no matter where you move them within the scene
    • You can then use the Free camera to move about the scene without messing things up
  Beluga Whale
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