DARA’S TEMPLATE: Looping a 3-zone Background with Speeds

Please visit my website for more templates and guides!
https://www.dara-amarie.com/

Finding ways to loop your own background gets pretty complicated and frustrating.

I know some of you have already found a “way” to loop backgrounds by using the &overlay OL shifts to — in T THEN overlay OL shifts to — in 0 loop INFINITE times code, but the thing with using that coding is that the background doesn’t really loop around smoothly. It makes the image just go back to the first spot which looks a bit weird and glitchy.

This is an example of what I’m talking about “looking glitchy”

Lucky for all of you, I have finally figured out a way to have a smooth looping background without that weird glitchiness, and I am here to share the coding with everyone!

This is what it looks like to truly loop all the way around smoothly.

If you haven’t figured by now, to loop your own background you have to upload the background as an overlay and animate the overlay.

The coding I use to loop backgrounds uses 3-zone backgrounds only, and the overlay image size must be 1183 (width) x 700 (length) in order for the templates down below to work correctly.

Background Overlay Placement

Placement Coding
EXT. BLUE - DAY with LOOP_OVERLAY to 1.625 0 0 in zone 1 at layer -5
&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 create from LOOP_OVERLAY and overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 opacity 1 in 0
&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 scales to 1.625 1.625 in 0 and overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 and overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 to layer -6

  • Copy and paste the placement coding (above) first in your script.
  • Choose a speed down below, then copy and paste that coding into your script.
  • Change LOOP_OVERLAY to your own overlay’s name in all capitals:
    1- Highlight just LOOP_OVERLAY in your script. DO NOT highlight LOOP_OVERLAY_2
    2- Press Ctrl + F on your keyboard (Cmd + F for Macs)
    3- A small grey box will pop up, click on ALL first!
    4- Type in your overlay name in all caps.

These are the speeds

Speed 0.5

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPEED 0.5

&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -640 0 in 10 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -960 0 in 5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 10 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 0 loop INFINITE times
&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 10 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -640 0 in 10 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -960 0 in 5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 loop INFINITE times
Speed 1

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPEED 1

&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -640 0 in 8 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -960 0 in 4 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 8 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 4 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 0 loop INFINITE times
&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 8 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 4 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -640 0 in 8 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -960 0 in 4 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 loop INFINITE times
Speed 2

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPEED 2

&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -640 0 in 6 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -960 0 in 3 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 6 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 3 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 0 loop INFINITE times
&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 6 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 3 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -640 0 in 6 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -960 0 in 3 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 loop INFINITE times
Speed 3

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPEED 3

&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -640 0 in 5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -960 0 in 2.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 2.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 0 loop INFINITE times
&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 2.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -640 0 in 5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -960 0 in 2.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 loop INFINITE times
Speed 4

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPEED 4

&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -640 0 in 4 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -960 0 in 2 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 4 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 2 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 0 loop INFINITE times
&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 4 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 2 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -640 0 in 4 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -960 0 in 2 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 loop INFINITE times
Speed 5

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPEED 5

&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -640 0 in 3 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -960 0 in 1.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 3 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 1.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 0 loop INFINITE times
&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 3 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 1.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -640 0 in 3 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -960 0 in 1.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 loop INFINITE times
Speed 6

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPEED 6

&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -640 0 in 2 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -960 0 in 1 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 2 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 1 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 0 loop INFINITE times
&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 2 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 1 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -640 0 in 2 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -960 0 in 1 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 loop INFINITE times
Speed 7

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPEED 7

&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -640 0 in 1 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -960 0 in 0.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 1 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 0.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 0 loop INFINITE times
&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 1 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 0.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -640 0 in 1 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -960 0 in 0.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 loop INFINITE times
Speed 8

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPEED 8

&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -640 0 in 0.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to -960 0 in 0.25 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 0.25 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY shifts to 0 0 in 0 loop INFINITE times
&overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 0.25 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in 0 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -640 0 in 0.5 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to -960 0 in 0.25 THEN overlay LOOP_OVERLAY_2 shifts to 0 0 in zone 2 in 0 loop INFINITE times

Here are some looping backgrounds as PNG images already in their correct sizes

OUTDOOR STREET LOOP - DAY

OUTDOOR STREET LOOP - NIGHT

FOREST - DAY

FOREST - NIGHT

SCHOOL HALLWAY

SKY - DAY

SKY - SUNSET

FAST CITY HIGHWAY - NIGHT

PALM TREE STREET - DAY

PALM TREE STREET - NIGHT

BEACH - DAY

OCEAN - DAY

OCEAN - NIGHT

WATERFALL FOREST - DAY

DOWNTOWN STREET - DAY

DOWNTOWN STREET - NIGHT

OLD STREET - DAY

OLD STREET - NIGHT

Using your own 3-zone background

If you want to use your own 3-zone background to loop, make sure that the side ends of the image match each other so that the image can loop smoothly.

This is what it will look like if the ends of the image do not match.

131 Likes

Dara I’m in love with you :heart_eyes::heart_eyes:, we really don’t deserve you

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:joy::joy:

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This came in handy, youre a lifesaver thank you, Dara :star_struck:

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Oof Dara the queen!! Back at it again with these amazing tips. I can’t even right now you’re amazing.

4 Likes

HI! Thank you so much. This is super useful!

I’m trying to implement this to using an bush overlay to loop in front of a static train overlay, but I can’t figure out what wrong with my code. Is there one opacity 1 in 0 missing for the created overlay since it doesn’t seem to appear? Also is the created OVERLAY_2 (placement coding) different name than LOOP_OVERLAY_2 (speed coding) on purpose?

I’m also having hard time resizing my overlay to a correct size. I have tried with 1183 x 700 size overlay doesn’t seem to work for me. I didn’t try the code with the png you provided, so I can’t tell if I’m messing up the script myself :smiley:

Thank you for this post tho! I have been trying to wrack my brain around this for hours before reading this.

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Queen of coding. THANK YOU!

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This thread is for looping 3 zoned backgrounds only. If you want to loop an overlay of a bush, please read this thread: A Guide to Using & Animating OVERLAYS

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Thank you! But the other thread doesn’t help to remove the fact that my overlay still “clithes” on the foreground. I thought that using this technique would prevent that from happening and make it smooth. But I’ll look into it. Thanks for the help in anycase :slight_smile:

EDIT: I managed to make it work with modifying this script. Thanks for making it. Will credit you in my story when it comes out :relaxed:

Bump :taco:

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Hi Dara, I just followed this script template. However, when I preview it, the blue background appears, and it doesn’t look like the example showed above. Is there a way I can fix it?

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Okay, it seems to work for everyone but my problem is that my web previewer AND my phone don’t show the second overlay that’s been created… In the directing helper I can see it’s there but I can’t see it, like it’s invisible or something…
I first noticed that when I put the command “&overlay OVERLAY create”. The overlay is there and I can drag it around the screen and all but I cannot see it.

Thank you so much! :laughing:

How would I make it loop the other way (if my characters are walking from right to left)? :slight_smile:

it doesn’t work

Hi Dara, this is super useful thank you!
I’ve copied to code into my script with one of the backgrounds from this thread and the blue background is still appearing? was wondering if there’s a way to fix this.
Cheers.

In the placement coding, there was this bolded part that was just “OVERLAY” instead of “LOOP_OVERLAY”. So when you changed all “LOOP_OVERLAY” to your own overlay’s name, that part didn’t change. All you need to do is just change OVERLAY to your overlay’s name. I’ve already fixed the coding above.

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Hey what do you do with LOOP_OVERLAY_2

Follow these steps to change ALL “LOOP_OVERLAY” to your own overlay’s name. This also changes the LOOP_OVERLAY_2