Auto Switch Camera Angles Using Macros
Photo Moment - March 11, 2021
Have you ever wanted your ATEM Mini to change camera angles automatically? It's a common question, so I created this ATEM (mini) Tip to show you how!
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What this tip is about…
Operating an ATEM Mini is pretty easy, but what if you want the camera angles to change for you? You easily do that using the built-in macros capability! All you need to do is start recording a macro, switch to one input (for example, CAM 1), then insert a pause of however long you want — a few seconds, a minute, whatever! — then switch to CAM 2 (or any other), add another pause, and repeat. That's it!
When you run the macro, it'll switch, pause, switch, pause, etc. And if you want this to continuously switch, you can simply set the macro to repeat! Just don't forget to add a pause at the end of the macro, so that it takes time after the final camera switch, before it starts all over again.
If you want the switches to feel more random, then build multiple rounds of switching into a single macro, each with different timings between inputs, and repeat that. For example, switch to CAM 1, pause 3 seconds… CAM 2, 5 seconds… CAM 3, 4 seconds… CAM 4, 7 seconds… CAM 1, 6 seconds… CAM 2, 3 seconds… CAM 3, 9 seconds… and so-on. You can even change the order that the camera angles switch! Just build a random “pattern” into the sequence, and make it long enough so no one notices that it's repeating. Pretty cool, right?
📄 Full Video Transcript
Past Shows
Titles, Transparent Lower Thirds Graphics from Photoshop to ATEM
To create an accurate transparent graphic with drop shadows and gradients for your ATEM switcher, exporting a PNG file is not enough! Learn how to do it.
Duplicating & Editing Macros in XML
If you need to create multiple similar macros, it's far more efficient (and less error prone) to copy and paste and edit macros in the XML file!
Auto Load Graphic with Camera Angle Switch
If you want a different graphic to come up with each camera angle automatically, you'll need to build a Macro to do that. And I'll show you how!
Auto Switch Camera Angles Using Macros
Have you ever wanted your ATEM Mini to change camera angles automatically? It's a common question, so I created this ATEM (mini) Tip to show you how!
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Here’s what we are trying to achieve:
We want to create a scene that zooms in and out slowly for our drum cam on the stage. We found a video that shows us how to do that.
But we now want to make it so that every time we select that camera angle on the switcher it automatically jumps to that scene in ATEM.
And then when we choose another camera angle (one with a camera operator) it goes back to the normal scene automatically which doesn’t have the zoom in /zoom out setting assigned to it.
Is this possible??
I am trying to, very very simply, do live musical performance videos. I want to use four stationary cameras and have the switcher just randomly switch between each view camera by using a dissolve, then take the video and sync it to the multitrack audio that I record separately during the performance.
(Don't need help with the audio or the video editing software–have that down.)
My questions are:
Do you think the Atem Mini Pro is the best/simplest/cheapest product for that?
What really inexpensive, security type, cameras might work with the system?
And last, how should I record/store the video? In other words, do I just plug a hard drive into the switcher?
Sorry to be such a newbie. Any help or insight would be appreciated.
I do have one question however, can I do the same for multiple actions? Or multiple macros auto switch instead of cams? Reason I’m asking it’s because I want a different overlay for each cam that’s all.
Thanks
I do have one question however, can I do the same for multiple actions? Or multiple macros auto switch instead of cams? Reason I’m asking it’s because I want a different overlay for each cam that’s all.
Thanks
Is there a way to start that script from the ATEM itself once it's programmed?
To answer your questions, I was using the large camera switch buttons and the AUTO button to change sources. . The USK would switch off when I did so.
I just watched your second ATEM mini tip video (nice series so far!) where you partially touched on macro setup details that I was not familiar with. I’m wondering if that is my solution and will give that a shot.
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