Push and Zoom

Push and Zoom

A camera push moves the camera closer to the subject; a
zoom lengthens the lens while the camera remains stationary.
demonstrates the difference in perspective,
which is just as noticeable with multiple 3D elements in
After Effects as with objects in the real world. The zoom
has a more extreme effect on the foreground/background
composition of the shot and calls more attention to the
camera itself.

Dramatic zooms for the most part had their heyday in
1960’s-era Sergio Leone movies, although they have
recurred any time a fi lmmaker wants the live feel of a camera
operator reaching quickly for a shot. And that’s really
the point; because your eye does not zoom, this move calls.

attention to the camera apparatus itself, and to the camera
operator. Its use is therefore limited.
The push, on the other hand, is a dramatic staple. The
question when creating one in After Effects is, does it
require a 3D camera when you can simply scale 2D layers?
Scaling a 2D layer (or several, parented to a null) works for
a small move; however, to re-create progression through
Z space, the rate of scaling must increase logarithmically,
which complicates things. Not only does a 3D camera move
create this effect naturally, it makes it simple to add eases,
stops, and starts, a little bit of destabilization—whatever
works.
Natural camera motion will contain keyframe eases (Chapter
2), for the human aspect. A little bit of irregularity lends
the feeling of a camera operator’s individual personality
, or even dramatic interest (hesitation, caution,
intrigue, a leap forward—the possibilities are many).


A move in or out of a completely 2D shot can easily look
wrong due to the lack of parallax. Likewise, all but the
subtlest tracking and panning shots, crane-ups, and other
more elaborate camera moves will blow the 2.5D gag, so if
you do them, that had better be your intention.

Certain types of elements—soft, translucent organic
shapes, such as clouds, fog, smoke, and the like—can be
layered together and staggered in 3D space, fooling the eye
into seeing 3D volume. Chapter 13 shows how to do this.