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In this tutorial we will create a spaceship flying through a 3d space... a "low polygon" spaceship, if you will. Are you familiar with those real-time 3D games? That's what we're going to do. You are probably asking yourself "why would I do that in After Effects?", well now that AE5 has some 3D features, let's use them.

Instructions

1. Open the file "carro topo.psd" as a comp. In this comp we have a top view of our car - or spaceship. In this file we have 5 layers. Change the settings of our comp to something wider - 1438 x 500. Now, turn all 2d layers into 3d. To do that, check that cube icon in the timeline. Now we can move and rotate the layers in all axes.
2. Let's rotate the layers. Link all the layers to layer 5 using the parent option. Change the view port to top and rotate layer 5:
   rotation: 90, 0, 0
3. Change the view point to front. Select layer 1 and link to layer 2. Enter these values for layer 2:
   position: 499.5, 329, 0 (x,y,z)
   rotation: 0. -40.5, 0
4. When moving and rotating the layers, try changing the axis to local and world.
   Layer1:
   position: 419, 438, 0
   rotation: 0, 68, 0
5. Uncheck "parent" for all layers. Select layer 5 and link to layer 4 and enter these values for layer 4:
   position: 942.5, 330, 0
   rotation: 0, 69, 0
6. Layer 5:
   position: 192.5, 150, -310.5
   rotation: 90, 55, 0
7. Uncheck "parent" for all layers. Import the file "lado esquerdo.psd" - layer 7 - not merged and drag it to your comp. Check 3d layer option. Change the view port to left and enter these values:
   position: 690, 360, -149
8. Import "lado direito.psd" - again, as merged layer - and drag it to your comp. Check 3d layer option. Change the view port to front and rotate the layer:
   rotation: 180, 0, 0
9. Change the view port to left and enter these values:
   position: 688, 360, 149
10. Now adjust the position and create a null object - Alt + Shift + Crtl + Y. A null is an object we're going to use as a reference object. It will act as our spaceship. Link all the layer to the null object.
11. That's it. Our spaceship is done. Now whenever you want to move, scale or rotate your ship, use the null. Don't forget to check 3D for the null. Adjust it's anchor point and rotate 90° (y). Everything is looks fine now.
12. Make your comp wider, add a plane, turn it into 3d and move to your own taste. Animate your spaceship through the plane - using the null, add a camera - Alt + Shift + Ctrl + C and create an expression for point of interest and link it to the null. To link use the pick whip. The camera's point of interest will follow the spaceship. (Thanks to Brian Maffitt for this tip).
13. You can also add lights Alt + Shift + Ctrl + L, others objects... let your imagination guide you...