Follow a character along a route
Choose between relative follow, trail follow and a fixed camera tracking a subject.
On this page
What this helps you do
Choose between relative follow, trail follow and a fixed camera tracking a subject.
When to use it
The subject keeps moving and the camera needs to trail its route or maintain its framing.
Before you begin
Use the desktop app and check the edition requirement: Pro / active trial. The current published version is shown above. Confirm the selected item and playhead before changing anything. This audit does not verify a physical Windows device.
Step by step
Screenshots: Mac v1.7.0 Follow each step with the real app interface below. Select an image to enlarge the marked area.
- First arrange and apply the actor’s Blocking & performance route. Check starting, stopping, speed and facing during playback.
- 1Blue existing route, yellow draft
Figure 1 A loaded three-mark example route: 1 is the start, 2 the corner and 3 the end. The gray point is a scene reference. - Select the actual camera and choose the follow target. Confirm whether it is an individual or group, then choose the mode.
Figure 2 Follow settings show the target, mode, distance and height. This example uses absolute following. - In Absolute follow, behind, ahead, left and right maintain smooth fixed relative directions around the subject. Along traveled path is the separate distance-along-3D-route option. Adjust distance, height, lateral offset and screen position; the default aim follows the subject.
Figure 3 Follow settings show the target, mode, distance and height. This example uses absolute following. - Inspect departure, corners, changes of level and stopping. Select path-facing explicitly to look ahead along the route. Preview framing or focal changes, apply and verify after reopening. Following does not automatically avoid obstacles.
Figure 4 A camera image midway along the example route, used to check whether the subject stays in frame.
Fixed-relative Absolute follow and Along traveled path are different shots. Check both subject framing and camera smoothness through corners.
Settings and edit scope
| Control or concept | Meaning and boundary |
|---|---|
| Relative follow | Adds target translation to camera arrangement, allowing relative moves or overtaking. |
| Check the actual interface against the 1.6.0 steps on this page. | |
| Aim lock | Keeps the camera position fixed while aiming at the moving target. |
Check the result
The subject occupies the chosen part of the frame at a sensible distance, including after saving and reopening.
Troubleshooting and recovery
Following is not obstacle avoidance. Some combinations pause independent orbit or handheld shake; read the panel feedback.
If the result is unexpected, stop playback, check the selected item and time, and use Undo before making another change. Keep a backup rather than repeatedly overwriting the project.
Keep learning
Include your app version, operating system and the error message. Never include your license or API key.