After Effects vs Blender

3D Camera Mapping

For this test, I wanted to familiarise myself with 3D camera mapping within after effects and blender while comparing the results with one another. This will help me understand which software will be ideal for me to use for certain tasks which will therefore allow me to save valuable time to work on other aspects of this project.

After effects

When using after effects, the tools and mechanics are already familiar to me so workflow is not an issue in this regard. But when it comes to learning how to 3D camera map is surprisingly simple then is thought. However the quality  of the outcome is somewhat mediocre in terms of how convincing it looks as when the camera pans downwards, the illusion of 3D camera mapping becomes incredibly noticeable. On the upper hand, rendering the film is quick to export and edit which is essentially ideal to use for secondary elements.

By using the projection tool in after effects, allows me to use a picture I have chosen to and project it on a white plane which makes to the walls, the floor and the ceiling. as the camera flies through the environment, tricks the viewer that this is a 3D environment and not a 2D picture.

Blender

Blender on the other hand takes an entirely different approach which involves Photoshop to chop up the picture that I will be using and apply them in their respectful plane. So much like after effects, it doesn’t necessarily projects the image on the plane, but reconstructs the environment using simple shapes.

 Although this method requires more time to create compared to after effects, the outcome is significantly  better in as blender takes into account the perspective and the focal lens that were used to create a realistic 3D render of the environment. The lighting is also considered in this scene to further create the illusion of a 3D environment so as the camera moves from side to side, the lighting will adjust accordingly to where the camera is positioned.

 In terms of complexity, blender is also capable of creating realistic environments that might have obstructions in the scene like rocks on the floor or walls that might affect how the 3D environment looks as the camera pans across. This capability may be useful in my project if I want to create an environment that is the main focus as blender can seamlessly create a realistic 3D environment up close even when the camera is panning from one side to another.

In conclusion, when developing my dystopian environment I will be using blender to render the main focus of the film where necessary as between the two software, blender is evidently better in terms of how realistic the 3D scene looks. However, the draw backs that blender has is that fact that it requires more time to create, render and export the final outcome. After effects on the other hand lack in quality and capability when creating a 3D environment but in return, the time taken to create the 3D render is significantly less compared to blender. Therefore, after effects will be ideal to create secondary scenes that doesn’t attract much attention.