Shot Viewer: build shot cameras with Add Camera Rigs

New shot cameras come from bpy.ops.object.build_camera_rig: a crane rig
when "3D Camera" is ticked, a 2D rig otherwise (SHOT_CAMERA_RIG_MODES).
The camera and its rig are named for the sequence and shot
(SHOT_CAMERA_RIG_NAME_FORMAT). Camera rigs are left out of the rig
quick-select. Requires the Add Camera Rigs extension.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

README.md

@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ Most values the tools rely on (prefixes, shot naming, frame rate…) live in `co
 
 Tested on **Blender 5.2**.
 
+The Shot Viewer builds its cameras with the **Add Camera Rigs** extension (*Edit > Preferences > Get Extensions*, search "Add Camera Rigs"). Install and enable it next to Melvile Tools.
+
 **As an extension (artists):** build the package, then in Blender go to *Edit > Preferences > Get Extensions > Install from Disk…* and pick the `.zip`.
 
 ```bash
@@ -279,11 +281,12 @@ Click **+** next to the shot list:
 |---|---|
 | **Name** | Pre-filled with the next free shot number (`sh0010`, `sh0020`…). This is the marker name. |
 | **Duration** | Length of the shot in frames. |
-| **New Camera** | On: creates the camera `CAM_<sequence>_<shot>` (its name is shown in the dialog), copying the lens and position of the current camera, so you start from the current framing. Off: pick an existing camera of the scene. |
+| **New Camera** | On: builds a camera rig with the **Add Camera Rigs** add-on. The camera is named `CAM_<sequence>_<shot>` (shown in the dialog) and its rig `RIG_<sequence>_<shot>`. Off: pick an existing camera of the scene. |
+| **3D Camera** | On: a 3D **crane** rig. Off: a **2D** camera rig. |
 
 The shot is added at the end of the sequence and the scene's **End** frame grows to include it. The first shot starts at frame 1001, and the scene **Start** moves there too. The playhead and the 3D view then jump to the new shot.
 
-New cameras go in the scene's top collection: move them into your camera collection if you have one.
+The rig is built at the **3D cursor**, in the active collection: place the cursor and pick the collection first if you have a camera collection. The add-on keeps the rig's bone shapes in a hidden **Widgets** collection. If the add-on is not enabled, the dialog says so and no shot is added.
 
 ### Deleting a shot
 
@@ -304,7 +307,7 @@ The bottom of the panel lists the armatures of the scene, grouped into **Charact
 - **Shift+click**: adds it to the selection, to pose several rigs at once.
 - The rig(s) currently selected are highlighted.
 
-A rig counts as a character or a prop when its name, one of its collections, or the library file it comes from starts with `chr_` / `prp_` (see `SHOT_VIEWER_RIG_GROUPS` in [Configuration](#configuration)). Hidden rigs cannot be selected.
+A rig counts as a character or a prop when its name, one of its collections, or the library file it comes from starts with `chr_` / `prp_` (see `SHOT_VIEWER_RIG_GROUPS` in [Configuration](#configuration)). Hidden rigs cannot be selected. Camera rigs (armatures carrying a camera) are not listed.
 
 ---
 
@@ -329,7 +332,7 @@ To change them **without editing the code**, write a JSON file with the keys to
 
 Unknown keys are ignored and reported in the system console.
 
-Name formats use Python's `str.format`: `"sq{:04d}"` turns `10` into `sq0010`. `SHOT_CAMERA_NAME_FORMAT` takes the named tokens `{prefix}` (the camera prefix of `OBJECT_PREFIXES`, `CAM_`), `{sequence}` and `{shot}`. The default `"{prefix}{sequence}_{shot}"` gives `CAM_sq0010_sh0030`.
+Name formats use Python's `str.format`: `"sq{:04d}"` turns `10` into `sq0010`. `SHOT_CAMERA_NAME_FORMAT` takes the named tokens `{prefix}` (the camera prefix of `OBJECT_PREFIXES`, `CAM_`), `{sequence}` and `{shot}`. The default `"{prefix}{sequence}_{shot}"` gives `CAM_sq0010_sh0030`. `SHOT_CAMERA_RIG_NAME_FORMAT` names the rig the same way, with `{prefix}` = `RIG_`. `SHOT_CAMERA_RIG_MODES` picks the Add Camera Rigs mode for 3D and 2D cameras (`CRANE` and `2D`; `DOLLY` is also available).
 
 ### Keys by tool
 
@@ -343,7 +346,7 @@ Name formats use Python's `str.format`: `"sq{:04d}"` turns `10` into `sq0010`. `
 | Sanity Check: layout | `SET_COLLECTION_PATTERN` |
 | Sanity Check: panel | `CATEGORY_ORDER`, `MAX_ISSUES_DRAWN` |
 | Rename | `RENAME_SEPARATOR`, `RENAME_PADDING`, `RENAME_SIDES`, `RENAME_TYPE_SUFFIXES` (plus `OBJECT_PREFIXES` / `DATABLOCK_PREFIXES` for *By Type* prefixes) |
-| Shot Viewer | `SHOT_VIEWER_RIG_GROUPS`, `SHOT_NAME_FORMAT`, `SHOT_NUMBER_STEP`, `SHOT_FRAME_START`, `SHOT_DEFAULT_DURATION`, `SEQUENCE_NAME_FORMAT`, `SHOT_CAMERA_NAME_FORMAT` |
+| Shot Viewer | `SHOT_VIEWER_RIG_GROUPS`, `SHOT_NAME_FORMAT`, `SHOT_NUMBER_STEP`, `SHOT_FRAME_START`, `SHOT_DEFAULT_DURATION`, `SEQUENCE_NAME_FORMAT`, `SHOT_CAMERA_NAME_FORMAT`, `SHOT_CAMERA_RIG_NAME_FORMAT`, `SHOT_CAMERA_RIG_MODES` |
 
 ---
 

config.py

@@ -251,6 +251,10 @@ SEQUENCE_NAME_FORMAT = "sq{:04d}"
 # Cameras added by the shot viewer. Tokens: {prefix} (OBJECT_PREFIXES["CAMERA"]),
 # {sequence} (SEQUENCE_NAME_FORMAT) and {shot} (the shot name).
 SHOT_CAMERA_NAME_FORMAT = "{prefix}{sequence}_{shot}"
+# Their rig, same tokens with {prefix} = OBJECT_PREFIXES["ARMATURE"].
+SHOT_CAMERA_RIG_NAME_FORMAT = "{prefix}{sequence}_{shot}"
+# Mode of bpy.ops.object.build_camera_rig (Add Camera Rigs add-on) for 3D and 2D cameras.
+SHOT_CAMERA_RIG_MODES = {"3D": "CRANE", "2D": "2D"}
 SHOT_NUMBER_STEP = 10
 SHOT_FRAME_START = 1001
 SHOT_DEFAULT_DURATION = 48

shot_viewer.py

@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import re
 import bpy
 from bpy.app.handlers import persistent
 from bpy.props import BoolProperty, IntProperty, PointerProperty, StringProperty
-from mathutils import Euler, Vector
 
 from . import config
 
@@ -121,22 +120,30 @@ def camera_name(scene, shot):
     )
 
 
-def _new_camera(scene, shot, source=None):
-    """New camera in the scene collection, copying ``source`` (lens and placement) when given."""
-    name = camera_name(scene, shot)
-    if source is not None and source.type == "CAMERA":
-        data = source.data.copy()
-        data.name = name
-    else:
-        source = None
-        data = bpy.data.cameras.new(name)
-    camera = bpy.data.objects.new(name, data)
-    if source is not None:
-        camera.matrix_world = source.matrix_world.copy()
-    else:
-        camera.location = Vector((0.0, -10.0, 1.6))
-        camera.rotation_euler = Euler((1.5708, 0.0, 0.0))
-    scene.collection.objects.link(camera)
+def camera_rig_available():
+    """True when the Add Camera Rigs add-on (bpy.ops.object.build_camera_rig) is enabled."""
+    return hasattr(bpy.types, "OBJECT_OT_build_camera_rig")
+
+
+def _new_camera_rig(context, shot, is_3d):
+    """Camera rig built by the Add Camera Rigs add-on at the 3D cursor, named for the shot.
+    Returns the camera object."""
+    scene = context.scene
+    if context.mode != "OBJECT":
+        bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode="OBJECT")
+    before = {ob.as_pointer() for ob in bpy.data.objects}
+    bpy.ops.object.build_camera_rig(mode=config.SHOT_CAMERA_RIG_MODES["3D" if is_3d else "2D"])
+    # Found by difference: the add-on may also add widget objects for the bone shapes.
+    new = [ob for ob in bpy.data.objects if ob.as_pointer() not in before]
+    camera = next((ob for ob in new if ob.type == "CAMERA"), None)
+    if camera is None:
+        raise RuntimeError("build_camera_rig created no camera")
+    camera.name = camera.data.name = camera_name(scene, shot)
+    rig = camera.parent
+    if rig is not None and rig in new:
+        rig.name = rig.data.name = config.SHOT_CAMERA_RIG_NAME_FORMAT.format(
+            prefix=config.OBJECT_PREFIXES.get("ARMATURE", ""), sequence=sequence_name(scene), shot=shot
+        )
     return camera
 
 
@@ -158,7 +165,15 @@ def rig_groups(view_layer):
     patterns = [(label, re.compile(pattern)) for label, pattern in config.SHOT_VIEWER_RIG_GROUPS.items()]
     groups = {label: [] for label, _pattern in patterns}
     groups[OTHER_GROUP] = []
-    rigs = sorted((ob for ob in view_layer.objects if ob.type == "ARMATURE"), key=lambda ob: ob.name.lower())
+    # Camera rigs (armatures carrying a camera) are left out: one per shot.
+    rigs = sorted(
+        (
+            ob
+            for ob in view_layer.objects
+            if ob.type == "ARMATURE" and not any(child.type == "CAMERA" for child in ob.children)
+        ),
+        key=lambda ob: ob.name.lower(),
+    )
     for ob in rigs:
         names = _rig_names(ob)
         label = next(
@@ -225,9 +240,13 @@ class WTD_OT_shot_viewer_new_shot(bpy.types.Operator):
     duration: IntProperty(name="Duration", description="Length of the shot in frames", min=1, default=48)
     new_camera: BoolProperty(
         name="New Camera",
-        description="Add a camera for this shot, copying the current one. Otherwise pick an existing camera",
+        description="Build a camera rig for this shot (Add Camera Rigs add-on). Otherwise pick an existing camera",
         default=True,
     )
+    camera_3d: BoolProperty(
+        name="3D Camera",
+        description="Build a 3D crane rig. Otherwise a 2D camera rig",
+    )
     camera_name: StringProperty(name="Camera")
 
     def invoke(self, context, event):
@@ -243,8 +262,11 @@ class WTD_OT_shot_viewer_new_shot(bpy.types.Operator):
         layout.prop(self, "duration")
         layout.prop(self, "new_camera")
         if self.new_camera:
+            layout.prop(self, "camera_3d")
             name = self.name.strip() or next_shot_name(context.scene)
             layout.label(text=camera_name(context.scene, name), icon="CAMERA_DATA")
+            if not camera_rig_available():
+                layout.label(text="Enable the Add Camera Rigs add-on", icon="ERROR")
         else:
             layout.prop_search(self, "camera_name", context.scene, "objects", icon="CAMERA_DATA")
 
@@ -252,7 +274,10 @@ class WTD_OT_shot_viewer_new_shot(bpy.types.Operator):
         scene = context.scene
         name = self.name.strip() or next_shot_name(scene)
         if self.new_camera:
-            camera = _new_camera(scene, name, scene.camera)
+            if not camera_rig_available():
+                self.report({"WARNING"}, "Enable the Add Camera Rigs add-on to build the shot camera")
+                return {"CANCELLED"}
+            camera = _new_camera_rig(context, name, self.camera_3d)
         else:
             camera = scene.objects.get(self.camera_name)
             if camera is None or camera.type != "CAMERA":