360º Viewer Effect in Alight Motion: A Simple Guide

The 360º Viewer effect in Alight Motion allows you to project a 360º image or video onto a flat surface as if you’re viewing it from within the 360º sphere. This effect is useful for adjusting and animating your 360º content, allowing you to simulate different points of view and perspectives within a 3D space.

Key Properties of the 360 Viewer Effect

1. Orientation
   • Adjusts the orientation difference from the original camera position.
   • Default: 0.000000, -0.000000, 0.000000
2. Rotation
   • Alters the rotation of the content from the original camera viewpoint.
   • Default: 0, 0, 0
3. Distance
   • Controls how far the surface of the 360º sphere is from the viewer.
   • Range: 0.2 to 2 (Default: 1)
   • Increasing this value expands the field of view.
4. Aspect Ratio
   • Sets the output aspect ratio of the effect. You can choose from several formats, including 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 4:5, and 9:16.
   • Default: 16:9
5. Scale
   • Scales the size of the layer after the projection is calculated.
   • Range: 0.1 to 2 (Default: 1)
   • Use this to adjust the size of your final rendered image without losing resolution.

How to Use the 360º Viewer Effect

For best quality results, follow these steps:

1. Start with 360º Media: Begin with a 360º photo or video in equirectangular projection format.
2. Add the Layer: Add your 360º image or video to your project and resize it so it fits within the project without going beyond the edges.
3. Apply the Effect: Apply the 360º Reorient Sphere effect to the layer.
4. Adjust the Aspect Ratio: Set the aspect ratio to match your project format (16:9, 4:3, etc.).
5. Set the Scale: Adjust the scale to fit the layer to your desired size.
6. Control Viewing Angle: Use Orientation or Rotation to adjust the view angle. You can animate the viewing angle dynamically using keyframes.

Moving the Layer

If you need to move the layer off center, it’s best to precomposed the layer before moving it. To do this, place it in a group by itself. This way, the edges of the media won’t be cut off when projected onto the 360º sphere.

Use Cases for the 360º Viewer Effect

• Animating Camera POV in 360 Viewer Effect: Simulate a camera point of view within a 360º video.
• Interview Editing: Use 360º video to cut back and forth between two people recorded with a single 360º camera.
• Background or Environment Creation: Use an equirectangular image as a background or environment for a scene.

See Also

• 360º Reorient Sphere: A similar effect used to change the orientation and rotation of 360º media.

The 360 Viewer effect in Alight Motion is perfect for enhancing and controlling the viewing angles of your 360º content. Whether you’re animating a 360º video or creating an interactive scene, this effect opens up many creative possibilities.