FilmmakerIQ.com » Digital Effects

3d Transforming Text in After Effects

John P. Hess — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:43:22 +0000

In this tutorial, VinhSon Nguyen will be taking a look at how to build this 3D transforming text animation using Mettle’s ShapeShifter AE plug-in. He’ll also be enhancing some of the elements using 3rd party plug-ins such as Trapcode Shine (CC Light Burst alternative), Frischluft’s Out of Focus (Lens Blur alternative), and RE:Vision RSMB (CC Force Motion Blur alternative).

Create an Compass Gimbal in After Effects

John P. Hess — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:21:51 +0000

This tutorial by ShortFormVidoes demonstrates how to create a Compass Gimbal that you would find in an aircraft using After Effect’s built in effects.

Tracking and Rotoscoping in Mocha Pro

John P. Hess — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:33:39 +0000

Vimeo user Peter Bohush demonstrates how he uses the Pro version of Mocha to track and rotoscope an actor for a special effects shot in his film, Broken Spirits.

Create Fireworks in After Effects without Plugins

John P. Hess — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:07:47 +0000

Using only stock effects in After Effects, Vimeo user Flomotion shows you how to create a fireworks effect with a fractal noise and a dash of CC Flo Motion.

What is Motion Design?

John P. Hess — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:37:03 +0000

This video from Motion Design Plus takes a look at the growth of Motion Design throughout the century with the ultimate aim of creating the first exhibition center dedicated solely to Motion Design in Paris, France.

Making of “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” credit sequence

John P. Hess — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:01:45 +0000

The title sequence to David Fincher’s “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is an amazing mix of dark forms and stylized violence. This sequence which houses over 250 shots alone was created by visual effects house, Blue Studios.

An “under the hood” look

Our first task was to pull together an enormous bag of reference. Videos, stills, fine art — anything that could apply to the “tell the story of all three books in 2.5 minutes” concept. From that grab-bag, certain things began to catch David’s interest and ours. People covered with paint or liquids was particularly interesting. There’s some great black-on-black photos and fine art installation. At some point, all of this came together and David said, “I want everything to be black, none blacker and covered in dream-ooze.”

—Motiongrapher.com | Read the Full Article

The Art of the Title: Rubicon

John P. Hess — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:00:53 +0000

Rubicon is AMC’s Original Series that follows a beleaguered and brilliant government analyst who, after being faced with a shocking tragedy, begins to uncover clues that could point to a complex and sinister consipiracy. To portray that paranoia, Creative Director Karin Fong studied infrastructure, battle graphs, and 70s psycho movies to craft the final version of the opening title animation.

The final result:

The initial meeting was in Los Angeles with Rubicon’s EPs, Henry Bromell and Jason Horwitch. Then when they actually shot it, they finished shooting in New York. After the initial meeting, I met mostly with Henry. I’d go visit him in his office when they set up shop here, and then later we would meet at AMC.

From the very beginning, there was the idea of this government, this agency basically, and a main character whose life revolves around pattern recognition. In the pilot, he finds a clue in a crossword puzzle and it becomes very indicative to him of a wider theme. So, one could imagine that people all throughout our environment are embedding messages or signs in want ads or something which would seem mundane to the rest of us – like hiding in plain sight. The idea that if you could just recognize the right pattern you would see signs of a secret organization.

— Art of the Title | Read The Full Article

Making Dubstep Eyebrows

John P. Hess — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:20:31 +0000

Don’t have this amazing funny talent to make your eyebrows dance?

Worry not. The folks at VFXbro and Final Cut Kings show you how a little bit of After Effects Trickery can have your eyebrows Dubstepping in no time. (Getting 22 million YouTube hits not included in the tutorial).

The Effect:

The Tutorial:

Making a 3d Logo with Cinema 4d and After Effects

John P. Hess — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:10:14 +0000

Nick Campbell demonstrates how to create a 3d logo inside Cinema 4d and composite it with real life footage in After Effects.

The Final Result:

Full Vimeo Write-up

Creating the Impossible Mirror Shot from CONTACT

Dennis — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:20:55 +0000

In this DVD audio commentary for the movie Contact, Robert Zemeckis discusses how they created the impossible mirror effects shot.