Top Down View
Overview
The Top Down View in ACT 3 AI provides a bird’s-eye perspective of your scene. It allows creators to visualize Camera_Angles, character placement, and spatial blocking from above, ensuring precise staging for Shots and Scenes.
1. Purpose
- Plan camera positions relative to actors and environment
- Block out movement paths for Characters and Digital_Actors
- Prevent continuity errors by referencing a spatial map
- Support quick adjustments during storyboarding
2. Features
- Scene Layout Grid: View environment, props, and actor placement
- Camera Icons: Drag-and-drop camera positions with orientation arrows
- Character Tokens: Represent actors with labeled markers for clarity
- Multi-Camera Support: Display overlapping shots for comparison
- Path Tracing: Visualize walking, running, or action sequences
3. How to Use
- Open the Editor and select **Top Down View** from the toolbar
- Place characters on the layout using drag-and-drop tokens
- Add cameras to define shot direction and focal length
- Trace movement paths for Scenes and Shots
- Sync adjustments with Timeline_&_Storyboard for preview
4. Benefits
- Quickly communicate staging to collaborators
- Combine with Lighting and Camera_Movement for full scene planning
- Saves credits by reducing the number of trial renders
- Creates a reference map for consistent visual continuity
5. Roadmap
- Auto-generate camera suggestions based on AI Wizard beats
- Integration with virtual cinematography for AI-assisted blocking
- Export top-down diagrams as PNG for presentations
See also: Storyboard_Panels, Camera_Angles, Camera_Movement, Lighting, Scenes, Shots, Editor