When you bring a PSD into AE and want to get some depth between the layers, it's my understanding that you have to move the position for each layer so that they are further or closer in 3D space. So if you move your background layer further away, it gets smaller in the frame. Bringing the scale up can compensate for this but seems like a waste of time. I have the image set the way I want it and I don't understand why I have to move things in 3D space, THEN adjust the scale of the layer just to get the image back to normal.
Seems like there should be a hot key or something so that when you drag the layer away from you, the image size does not change within the frame. We should be able to move the layers and After Effects should adjust the scale automatically to compensate. Does such a thing exist? Am I right that everyone using a camera with PSDs has to move the position AND the scale for every single layer?

That's the way perspective works (the farther away an object, the smaller it appears).

Yeah, but that's the whole purpose of depth of field and perception...

In many cases, people don't want to scale to fill the frame...
The only time your scenario is true is when a stationary background is being created..But that's not always the case..

The other option would be to have the problemed PSD layer oversized to compensate for this..3d space doesn't have x and y limits, so auto resize would be infinite.

The other option would be to use a different camera setting, and don't move the layers as far back...

I hope i understood your problem...

Hi Aric. Depending on what you are doing but you can leave the background layer as a 2d layer - though of course if your camera moves it won't compensate.

In many cases, people don't want to scale to fill the frame...
The only time your scenario is true is when a stationary background is being created..But that's not always the case..


If you make hand drawn animations, the background is typically created in a layered PSD. The SIZE is right for the layers it's just the z space that needs to be changed. How would guys suggest animating something like that?

Here in this animation test I made some years ago I had to do exactly that:
I made a gigantic background file, however in this one it was a 2D background layer which never scaled. Only the planets and space gases scaled with the movement forward. If you look at the composition from the top its loooong. So thats what you gotta do, push those items back and experiment with blur to get that feeling of depth.

YouTube - Visible From Space (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Aq049bBkLY)

This too was created with layered PSD files in After Effects. What a pain in the arse these 2 projects were to put together though haha.

YouTube - Alice (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viHxEr89HLE)