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I've got a camera with a follow path constraint:

enter image description here

Throughout the animation, I'd like to be able to make the camera point at something in my scene, rather than forward along the curve. For example, I'd like to make the camera look at Suzanne as it rounds the corner in the top right of the screenshot. This should be a smooth transition from pointing forward along the curve, to point at Suzanne, and back to forward along the curve.

I've tried parenting the camera to an empty, and tracking to the empty. The idea was that the empty would come along for the ride with the camera, but it could be moved off toward Suzanne as it gets close to the corner.

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    $\begingroup$ You could add a driver to the influence of the Track to constraint, whose value would be somehow related to the distance of the camera to the Suzanne. $\endgroup$
    – someonewithpc
    Commented Feb 22, 2015 at 21:24
  • $\begingroup$ Oh cool, I'll give that a try. I'm new to animating, so tricks like that don't come naturally to me yet. $\endgroup$
    – ajwood
    Commented Feb 23, 2015 at 14:09

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With the following constraints the camera follows the path, with the influence of the Track To the camera can be directed to the target object. The influence can be keyframed by hovering and press I.

enter image description here

enter image description here

Demo blend

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  • $\begingroup$ Hmmm... it's a little annoying that there's no -X, -Y or -Z in the "Up" dropdown :/ $\endgroup$
    – ajwood
    Commented Feb 23, 2015 at 1:11
  • $\begingroup$ Any idea why my camera wouldn't rotate directly toward the target of the track to constraint as the influence is dialed up? It's taking a little arc on its way to the target (and still doesn't end up right-side-up for my needs, although it perhaps serves me right for wanting it to be upside-down :P). $\endgroup$
    – ajwood
    Commented Feb 23, 2015 at 14:12
  • $\begingroup$ @ajwood I rotated the camera in the linked files around 180°/Z to make it upside down. This looked better (no awkward moves). $\endgroup$
    – stacker
    Commented Feb 23, 2015 at 14:58

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