To launch Create VR Environment, select Composition > VR > Create VR Environment.
After Effects offers native support for editing your 360/VR videos. You can use a host of dynamic transitions, effects, and titles to edit and enhance the immersive video experience. You can experiment with the different 360/VR tools in After Effects for a seamless post-production workflow.
When you work with VR, you could run into memory limitations indicated by a banner that states - Requires GPU Acceleration. By default, Adobe video applications require approximately 1GB of memory for every 1K of horizontal resolution when working in VR. In After Effects 2018, you can reduce the requirements, called Aggressive Memory Management. To enable the setting, select Preferences > Previews > GPU Information > Aggressive GPU memory use (for VR).
The following are tools in After Effects you can use to edit your 360/VR videos:
The 360/VR tools in After Effects automate complex compositions and workflows for a seamless 360 production. These tools provide accurate results and reduce editing time.
Create VR Environment automates the process of comp creation and camera relationship setup. You can use it to automate aspects of VR authoring environment in After Effects.
Work with Create VR Environment using the following steps:
To launch Create VR Environment, select Composition > VR > Create VR Environment.
In the Create VR Environment dialog, if you want to create a VR master from scratch, choose the Size of your master (1024x1024 works for most of the VR compositions). Set the Frame Rate and Duration of your VR Master, and click Create VR Master.
In the Composition window, change the view to Custom View 1 and create your immersive video. You can select from the various immersive video and other effects in the Effects & Presets panel.
Once you are ready with your composition, open the Create VR Environment dialog and click Generate VR Output. After Effects creates all the compositions, expressions, and adds cameras and distortions required to create a Cubic Map.
To modify your VR Master and apply the changes to your VR comp, click Refresh VR Output in the Create VR Environment dialog. After Effects deletes all comps and recreates them based on the modifications, you made to your VR master.
Extract Cubemap removes equirectangular distortion from 360-degree footage and extracts six separate camera views. The six camera views are positioned in a cube formation. You can do motion-tracking, object removal, add motion graphics, and vfx to the composition.
Work with Extract Cubemap using the following steps:
To launch VR Extract Cubemap, select Composition > VR > Extract Cubemap.
In the VR Extract Cubemap dialog, select a composition from the drop-down list, choose Conversion Resolution, and click Extract Cubemap.
After Effects generates a cubemap output for your VR composition. Extract Cubemap adds a VR Master Camera along with six more camera views that are attached to the master camera. Six camera faces are also generated that strategically form a cube.
The Adobe Immersive Environment in After Effects allows you to preview how your 360 and 180 degree footage looks like in a VR head-mount display (HMD).
After Effects supports the following VR headsets:
To use your VR headsets, ensure that your system meets the VR system requirements, and install SteamVR application. SteamVR is a virtual reality system that you need whether you are using the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift. For more information, visit the SteamVR support page, and refer to the documentation that came with your headset.
To install Steam, use the following steps:
Go to store.steampowered.com/about, and click Install Steam Now. To install, follow the installer instructions.
In Steam, create an account, or log into an existing one.
From within Steam, download and install SteamVR.
If you are using a Windows Mixed Reality HMD, within Steam, download and install Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR.
From within Steam, click Run Room Setup to set up your room.
For more information, see the Steam documentation: Room Setup and SteamVR Tutorial.
To install:
Before you enable Adobe Immersive Environment, ensure that your headsets and controllers are working fine in SteamVR.
In After Effects, select Preferences > Video Preview.
Click the Adobe Immersive Environment menu in the Composition panel and choose the viewing option from the following options:
The Video Preview Preferences options allows you to configure your preferences. To turn off preview to your HMD, disable Adobe Immersive Environment in Preferences > Video Preview.
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