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(I'm a blender beginner but know a handful of techniques with other similar programs/systems)

I've created a NURBS to make a tracking shot. Creating a follow path object constraint on the camera lets the camera follow the track in terms of translation, however the rotation of the camera is fixed this way. In other words the camera should look to the exact way the path currently points.

I'm pretty sure this is possible with blender (everything should be possible with blender :), I just don't know which object constraints I have to use in order for the camera to do this.

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    $\begingroup$ What if you enable Follow Curve in the constraint? $\endgroup$
    – gandalf3
    Commented Apr 6, 2014 at 1:08
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    $\begingroup$ Just so you know Dom0, I didn't know the answer either, but I went to YouTube and did a search on "Blender Tutorial camera follow path". You can find many really good tutorials on YouTube by searching on "Blender Tutorial ...." :) $\endgroup$
    – Thom Blair III
    Commented Apr 6, 2014 at 3:00
  • $\begingroup$ @Gandalf Did you get that method to work? I couldn't. If you did, can you show how? :) $\endgroup$
    – Thom Blair III
    Commented Apr 6, 2014 at 3:16
  • $\begingroup$ @ThomBlairIII I did, but I don't have any time to post an answer atm.. $\endgroup$
    – gandalf3
    Commented Apr 6, 2014 at 4:49

1 Answer 1

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Set Parent To -> Follow Path

This effect can be achieved with the following method:

  1. Add a curve for your path: SHIFTA -> Curve -> select a curve

  2. Edit your curve to be your desired camera path

  3. Make sure you have the green frame cursor set to the frame on the Timeline you want to begin having the camera follow the path

  4. Select the curve and in Edit mode, select the point of the curve you want to be the first place you want the camera to be

  5. Then snap the 3D cursor to that point: SHIFTS -> Cursor to Selected:

    enter image description here

  6. Now select the camera, then snap it to the 3D cursor: SHIFTS -> Selection to Cursor:

    enter image description here

  7. Adjust the rotation of your camera so that it looks forward along the path

  8. Now first select the camera, then hold down SHIFT while selecting the path, then make the path the parent of the camera with the Follow Path option: CTRLP -> Follow Path:

    enter image description here

    (NOTE: The order you select the two objects is very important when setting parent/child relationships: first select the child, then the parent)

  9. Now when you play your animation, the camera will follow the path and stay oriented to the direction of the path:

    enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ This is one of the most helpful answers I've read on a stackexchange site, ever... I'd upvote it a few dozen times if I could :) $\endgroup$
    – dom0
    Commented Apr 6, 2014 at 12:31
  • $\begingroup$ Great! I'm glad I could help! :) $\endgroup$
    – Thom Blair III
    Commented Apr 6, 2014 at 16:17

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