AM • SHOWCASE CAMERA - Blender add-on (Animation Made suite)
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(Version francaise plus bas)

One-click animated cameras to show off your animation or your model.
Cinematic moves with a smooth start and end, and a constant-speed
orbit for perfect turntable loops.
No internet connection, no AI: everything runs locally inside Blender.


INSTALLATION (once)
-------------------
1. Open Blender (3.0 or newer).
2. Edit > Preferences > Add-ons.
3. Install the file  am_showcase_camera.zip  (do not unzip it):
   - Blender 4.2 and newer: arrow at the top right > Install from Disk...
   - Blender 3.x to 4.1: "Install..." button
4. Tick the box next to "AM • Showcase Camera".
5. In the 3D Viewport, press  N  and open the "Animation Made" tab.


QUICK START
-----------
1. "Target": pick the object or character to film (empty = the selected
   object, otherwise the scene origin). The camera aims at the CENTER of
   the subject, even on a rigged character.
2. "Settings": Distance / Height / Duration / Start frame / Orbit angle,
   and "Background blur" (0 = everything sharp, 10 = very blurry).
3. "Presets": click a move. The viewport switches to camera view.


THE CAMERA (one, shared)
------------------------
"Camera" section: pick ONE camera, used by the moves AND the follow cam.
   - Pick an existing camera to animate it (it keeps its focal length).
   - The "+" button creates a camera in front of the subject and selects it.
   - Empty = a dedicated camera "AM_Showcase_Camera" is created.


PRESETS (THE MOVES)
-------------------
   - Orbit      : circles around the subject at constant speed, like a
                  turntable. A 360 orbit loops seamlessly (play the
                  range Start frame -> Start frame + Duration - 1).
   - Crane      : starts low (low angle) and rises while turning. The
                  camera never goes below the subject's feet.
   - Pan        : the camera stays in place and TURNS to sweep the scene
                  (the subject crosses the frame). A real pan.
   - Zoom       : subtle push-in, the camera slowly moves closer.
   - Follow cam : follows the subject with a slight delay (see below).

IMPORTANT: moves do NOT stack. A new move REPLACES the previous animation
of the camera. To keep one move and try another, use ANOTHER camera.

The timeline (Start / End / playhead) is NEVER changed: keys start at
"Start frame" and last "Duration" frames.


FOLLOW CAM (TIKTOK STYLE)
-------------------------
A camera that FOLLOWS the subject with a slight delay, like a camera
operator. The delay gives a lively feel instead of a rigid camera.
   - Bone: if the subject is an armature, pick a bone (e.g. the head).
     That bone is followed AND kept sharp. Tip: pick the head bone for a
     sharp face.
   - Delay (frames): how many frames the camera lags behind.
   - Smoothness: 0 = tight and reactive, 1 = very floaty (handheld feel).
Click "Follow cam". It is animated over the WHOLE timeline (Start -> End).


BACKGROUND BLUR (DEPTH OF FIELD)
--------------------------------
   - 0 = no blur (everything sharp), 2 (default) = soft blur,
     10 = very blurry background.
The subject stays sharp automatically. With no subject, a sphere
"AM_Showcase_Camera_Focus" is created: move it onto what must be sharp.
Switch the viewport to Rendered mode to see the blur.


CLEAR ALL
---------
"Clear all" deletes the cameras created by the add-on. Your own cameras
are never deleted (a move applied to them stays until you apply another).


TIPS
----
- The camera aims at an empty "AM_Showcase_Camera_Target". Move it to
  reframe.
- "Orbit angle": 360 = full turn, negative = other direction.


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VERSION FRANCAISE
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Cameras animees en un clic pour mettre en valeur ton animation ou ton
modele. Mouvements cinematiques avec depart et fin en douceur. Sans IA,
sans connexion, tout tourne dans Blender. L'interface est en anglais,
voici la correspondance des termes.

INSTALLATION (une seule fois)
1. Ouvrir Blender (3.0 ou plus recent).
2. Edit > Preferences > Add-ons.
3. Installer  am_showcase_camera.zip  (sans le decompresser) :
   - Blender 4.2 et plus : fleche en haut a droite > Install from Disk...
   - Blender 3.x a 4.1 : bouton "Install..."
4. Cocher "AM • Showcase Camera".
5. Viewport 3D, touche  N , onglet "Animation Made".

DEMARRAGE RAPIDE
1. "Target" (cible) : l'objet ou le perso a filmer (vide = l'objet
   selectionne). La camera vise le CENTRE du sujet, meme rigge.
2. "Settings" (reglages) : Distance, Height (hauteur), Duration (duree),
   Start frame (image de depart), Orbit angle, Background blur (flou
   d'arriere-plan).
3. "Presets" : clique un mouvement, le viewport passe en vue camera.

LA CAMERA
Section "Camera" : une seule camera, utilisee par les mouvements ET la
follow cam. Le bouton "+" en cree une devant le sujet. Vide = une camera
"AM_Showcase_Camera" est creee.

LES MOUVEMENTS
   - Orbit      : tour autour du sujet a vitesse constante (turntable,
                  boucle sans a-coup).
   - Crane      : part d'en bas et s'eleve en tournant (facon grue),
                  sans jamais passer sous le sol.
   - Pan        : la camera pivote sur place (vrai panoramique).
   - Zoom       : la camera se rapproche doucement.
   - Follow cam : suit le sujet avec un leger retard.
Les mouvements ne s'additionnent pas : un nouveau mouvement remplace le
precedent. La timeline n'est jamais modifiee.

FOLLOW CAM
   - Bone (os) : sur une armature, l'os a suivre ET a garder net
     (astuce : l'os de la tete pour un visage net).
   - Delay (retard) : nombre d'images de decalage.
   - Smoothness (souplesse) : 0 = sec, 1 = tres flottant.

FLOU (BACKGROUND BLUR)
0 = tout net, 10 = arriere-plan tres flou. Le sujet reste net. Mode
Rendered pour voir le flou.

CLEAR ALL (TOUT EFFACER)
Supprime les cameras de l'add-on. Tes propres cameras ne sont jamais
supprimees.


LICENSE / LICENCE
-----------------
Copyright (C) 2026 Marie Dewulf - www.animation-made.com
GNU GPL v3 or later (see the LICENSE file / voir le fichier LICENSE).


Animation Made - AM • Showcase Camera v1.7
www.animation-made.com
