Changing Backgrounds whilst Character is still on screen

Creator's Corner Directing Help & Tips
1

Hey guys,

I hoping you can help as I’ve tried looking on the forum and online but couldn’t seem find the solution.

How do you change the background whilst the character is still on screen? For example; I’ve created my own animated background and I would like for the background to change whilst my character is still on the screen so the background animation is happening behind them.

So far I’ve been able to successfully add and save the animated background and this is how it appears in my story:

INT.01
@pause for 0.09
INT.02
@pause for 0.09
INT.03
@pause for 0.09
@CHARACTER stands screen center AND CHARACTER is idle_happy
INT.04
@pause for 0.09
INT.05
@pause for 0.09
INT.06
@pause for 0.09
INT.07
@pause for 0.09
INT.08
@pause for 0.09
INT.09
@pause for 0.09
INT.10
@pause for 0.09
INT.11
@pause for 0.09
INT.12
@pause for 0.09
INT.13
@pause for 0.09
INT.14
@pause for 0.09
INT.15
@pause for 0.09
INT.16
@pause for 0.09
INT.17
@pause for 0.09
INT.18
@pause for 0.09
INT.19
@pause for a beat

I’ve tried adding my character into the scene, however the character doesn’t appear when I use ‘&’ but when I use ‘@’ the character appears for a split second but disappears again when the next background appears (it also slows down the animated background which stops it ‘flowing’)

I’m now wondering if this is even possible and if it is, how would I go about it?

If it’s not possible, I thought about either creating the backgrounds as overlays but I’m unsure how to add them to my story in a way that it looks like the background is animated.

Thank you

1 Like
2

You have to place the character before the pause commands, and it’s best to use &. And you’ll need to keep placing the character each time the background changes.

INT.01
&CHARACTER stands screen center AND CHARACTER is idle_happy
@pause for 0.09
INT.02
&CHARACTER stands screen center AND CHARACTER is idle_happy
@pause for 0.09
INT.03
&CHARACTER stands screen center AND CHARACTER is idle_happy
@pause for 0.09
INT.04
&CHARACTER stands screen center AND CHARACTER is idle_happy
@pause for 0.09
3 Likes
3

Thank you so much for getting back to me, I really appreciate it!

I’ve placed the characters using the ‘&’ before the @pause commands and it worked, however it slowed down the background animation and made it appear ‘laggy’. I thought maybe I could change the pause to 0.05 (or less) but sadly, it still appeared ‘laggy’ and slow.

Although, your advice has still helped me with another issue I had, so thank you!

1 Like
4

Closing due to one month of inactivity :slight_smile: