The first part we going to do will be an introduction to After Effects, as we are quite new to this subject, the best is we follow through the tutorials through some of the websites given in the microsoft word in olive. Following the tutorials, we will touch on the basics of After Effects, where we will create some basic texts in After Effects.
After watching the first tutorial video, I learnt about some of the key components in After Effects, composition, layers, animation, keyframes, they are the most basic and important principles and techniques in After Effects.
I have render out the video that I have done after following the tutorial which is shown below, by changing the text "Earth pictures" to "3DSFX", as well as making the text move slowly when reaching the middle part to create sort of a drift effect in the movement of the texts.
Below is the video I have done and render out after following the tutorial.
Lab 1 - Part 2
For the second part of the lab, we will move on and watch the second tutorial video which is a continuation from the first tutorial video. the second tutorial is sort of similar to that of the first part, where we will be also creating a text and moving it in the video.
However, the differences is that we will be touching more specific in the keyframing part, as well as moving the text vertically upwards and downwards creating something similar like squash and stretch effect, as well as the final touch up of using motion blur to make the texts move much more cooler with the effect. I have also make the light bulb vertically following the tutorial and also the text appear on the side which is on par with "rule of thirds" principle.
Below is the render of my video example after following the tutorial given.
Lab 2
The second Lab we will be doing something that is more advance and tedious. By following the tutorial blood splatter given in the website, using the files that is provided in the tutorial page, we need to create our own blood splatter effect when the scenen of indiana jones get shot in the video.
The tutorial is pretty straight forward actually, where it clearly shows all the steps that is necessary to create the blood splatter. I have learnt how to use motion tracking as well as creating a null object that is essential for masking. With the masking, we will be able to cover up the blood when indiana jones fell over the blood splatter on the tree so that the blood will not overlaped with indiana jones. At the end, the tutorial teaches us to use the circle tool where we apply it on the blood so that the splatter effect is shown where when indiana jones get shot, the blood splat out in an area.
Due to the fact that I am using Abode After Effects CS4, there is some part where is a little bit hard to follow as some of the components in After Effects CS4 is different compared to CS5. One of the example is that I couldn't find the mode to darken the colour of the blood where some part of the blood is black in colour. Thus, I try to find some other effects to replace it, where I found the cell pattern effects which I find it pretty cool. Using the cell pattern effect that I applied on the blood, it gives a look that the blood is absorb in the tree bark and looks dry out. I also added gunshot sound to make the whole scene more realistic.
Below is a render of my video that I have done. Enjoy!
Lab 3
For this lab exercise, we need to replace some of the video or picture in the scene depending which video you have selected. There are some of the tutorials given in the microsft word to teach us more about motion tracking and replacement techniques which are very useful when applied into After Effects after I have watch them.
As for me, I have selected the Kick-Ass short clip and choose to replace the short tv news that they are watching with my own video clip. The track motion is the main part in this exercise. First, we need to change the settings of the track motion to perspective corner pin and track the 4 corners of the tv screen, after that we play the track motion and apply it with the target as my own video. I have use the blood splatter video that I have done to replace it with the tv news. Pretty easy and straight foward exercise.
I have render out the video that I have completed for this exercise which is shown below.
Reflection:
Another fun and interesting subject! After Effects is indeed like a moving photoshop, where actually some of the tools are quite similar to that of photoshop. The first lab is actually a very simple introduction to After Effects, where it teaches the different tools and function of After Effects. Since I am totally new to this new program, I should start from scratch and really work hard in order to score well for the subject. By following the tutorials given in the website, it is really helpful for me to understand more about the subject, as well as the exercise we do in the lab. I personally like the Lab 2 exercise, blood splatter. I find it really interesting and cool, although my video is not very well done and there's a lot more to improve on. But it is really interesting to create some effects in the video and makes it look like it is real, but in fact it doesn't even really happen in the video, like the sky replacement tutorials which are totally awesome! I will continue to work hard and try my best to master this subject in no time!
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