2D Animation | Computer Animation Software

Creating a Rack Focus

With Toon Boom Digital Pro, you have so many options. Since it is possible to translate elements on three axes: X, Y and Z, you can create beautiful multiplane setups and impressive camera moves. By placing your elements at different distances from the camera, perspective and ease will be calculated automatically when you move the camera around. This also leads to another possibility- adjusting the focus.

There is a depth in a multiplane setup, so you can easily create a depth of field effect using the Focus module. You can attach the focus to the camera motion so that it changes along with it or you can create a rack focus effect.

In this article, you will learn how to create a rack focus.

What Do You Need to Create a Rack Focus?

You need a few elements:

Multiplane Setup
Focus Module
Peg Module

Multiplane Setup

Before using the Focus module, you must create a multiplane setup with your elements. If all the elements are at the same distance from the camera, everything will have the same amount of blur.

To create a multiplane setup, use the Top or Side view and the Maintain Size tool to keep the scale ratio as you translate images on the Z- axis.

If you move the scenes or the palette’s master directory to another location, the link between the two will be broken. Toon Boom Digital Pro has some features which are used to avoid a complete colour and palette loss. These will be explained later in this section.

Focus Module:

To calculate the amount of blur on each layer, you will simply need a Focus module. The focus module calculates the blur radius of an element by its distance from the set focus point. You will find the Focus module in the Module Library view.

Peg Module:

To animate your Focus module and create your rack focus, you will need a Peg module. The only way to move the focus point from the scene’s centre is by connecting it to a Peg module, even if you are not planning to animate it. You will find the Peg module in the Module Library view.

Creating Your Rack Focus

You are now ready to create a rack focus. Simply follow these steps and you will be set!

To create a rack focus:

Position your background and layers in a multiplane setup.
From the Module Library view, drag a Focus module in the Network view. There is no need to connect the module anywhere.
Open a Side view
In the Network view, select the Focus module.
In the Side view, right-click and select Show Control Parameters or press [C]. In the Side view, the focus curve appears.

The central point indicates the area where the elements will be in focus and the extremities indicates where the elements and everything beyond this point will be out of focus. Anything between the centre and the extremities will progressively be out of focus.
In the Camera view, press the Render View button and the Render button to see the modifications.
In the Network view, click on the Focus module’s yellow button to open the Editor window.
In the editor, increase or decrease the Mirror Front/Back Ratio value if you want the image to have varying degrees of blur.
Click on the Edit Curve button.
Edit the curve if you want to adjust the ease of the radius or if you want to extend the focus depth. You can also add keyframes on the curve to change its shape.
In the Camera view, press the Render View button and the Render button to see the modifications.
From the Module Library, drag a Peg module into the Network view and connect it to the Focus module’s input port.
In the Timeline view, go to the first frame.
In the Animation Tools toolbar, select the Keyframe mode and the Translate tool
In the Network view, select the Focus’s Peg module.
In the Side view, move the Focus centre point to the location you want it to be on the first frame.
In the Timeline view, go to the last frame where you want to hold that focus position and insert a motion keyframe on the Focus’s Peg layer.
In the Timeline view, go to the last frame of your focus motion to set the second position. It does not have to be the last frame in the scene.
In the Network or Timeline view, select the Focus’s Peg module.
In the Side view, move the focus centre to its second position.
In the Playback view, create a temporary render from your Display module to see your rack focus effect.