Skip to main content
Feature · Web · Released 2026-10-12 A camera can now follow one moving part of an imported USD object, such as a character or a car inside a larger file, instead of the whole object.

​
Parenting a camera to a part

An imported USD object can hold parts that move on their own, such as a character or a car inside a larger file. A camera parented to the whole object follows the object’s root, which may not move at all. Parent the camera to the moving part instead.
  1. Select the camera and open the Parent list.
  2. The list shows None (world), then each object. Under an object, its moving parts are indented and marked with ↳. An object whose root does not move is marked (doesn’t move).
  3. Choose the part.
The Parent list in the camera properties, open. It lists None (world), then dinofight (doesn't move), then three indented parts: Game_engine, StegosaurusArmature and TRexArmature. An eyedropper button sits beside the list.
  1. The object. (doesn’t move) means its root stays still, so a camera parented here follows nothing.
  2. The object’s moving parts. Choose one of these.
  3. The eyedropper, for picking the part in the 3D canvas.
You can also pick the part in the 3D canvas. Click the eyedropper beside Parent, then click the part. A hint at the bottom of the canvas reads Click what this camera should follow while it waits. Press Esc to cancel. During playback the camera moves with the part. If the part is a rigged character, the camera follows its position but does not turn when the character turns. The Spark iOS app follows the part the same way, also while recording a take. One Ctrl+Z undoes the change of parent. See select, hide, and transform one part of an imported USD object for the parts themselves.

​
Current guide

This page describes the feature as it was released. For how it works today, see parenting a camera to a part.