Active After Effects Posts
How To: Use the Falloff Lighting tutorial in After Effects to illuminate a corner
So you've mastered the basics of using the Falloff Lighting plugin for Adobe After Effects, and now you're ready for some of the more advanced concepts. This tutorial shows you how to illuminate an object in a corner using this plugin.
How To: Use the Camera Mapper function in After Effects
Camera mapper is a function in Adobe After Effects that lets you take a static, 2-D image and turn into a dynamic 3-D shot. Create a zoom feature and make it look like you have a camera panning through the picture!
How To: Use the Aged Film plugin for After Effects to give an antique feel to film
You can take a piece of completely modern digital footage and give it an aged, antique feel! You will need the Aged Film plugin for Adobe After Effects, which lets you create the sepia tone and flickering, variable speed look of antique film clips.
How To: Use the Depth Cue in Adobe After Effects
Upload your footage to Adobe After Effects (make sure it has been set to 3-D), and then apply the effects you want, such as fog. Then, you can use the Depth Cue setting to change the depth of your picture to really make it look 3-D.
How To: Make your film look like it was taken using a Super 8 in After Effects
Take a thoroughly modern clip of digital film, and then send it back in time! This tutorial shows you how to use the Aged Film plugin for Adobe After Effects to make your clip look like it comes stright from the 1970s.
How To: Use the FreeForm plugin for Adobe After Effects to create a liquid pour effect
You can simulate the look of fluids using the FreeForm plugin for Adobe After Effects. Play around with the color, viscosity and opacity of your liquid, and animate a container filling up as well. This tutorial covers everything you'll need to know!
How To: Use displacement maps to create a staircase in Adobe After Effecs
This tutorial shows you how to take a 2-D image of a Persian rug and turn it into a fully 3-D staircase using the displacement mapper in Adobe After Effects. Displacement mapping is a versatile, helpful tool for any 3-D animator.
How To: Create a freeform terrain to fly over in Adobe After Effects
This tutorial shows you first how to create some basic outdoor terrain in Adobe After Effects. Then, create a camera effect which makes it look like your camera is slowly flying over the terrain using the FreeForm plugin for After Effects.
How To: Simulate handwriting in After Effects
Learn to animate text in Adobe After Effects CS3 with this video tutorial so that it looks like it is being handwritten. This video tutorial from Matthew Butler shows three different methods of animating in After Effects CS3, the techniques can also be used in CS4 and CS5.
How To: Track a simple object in After Effects
Learn the fundamentals of position tracking in After Effects in this informative 5 minute tutorial from Patrick Carter. This video lesson involves attaching a text object to a moving cowboy on screen to demonstrate the basic transform tracking function.
How To: Take B&W snapshots with the Hold & Resume Spy Photo preset in After Effects
Create an effect in your video where the video footage is converted to black & white, pauses, and resumes playback in regular color. This effect is demonstrated by Aharon Rabinowitz with Spy Photo, a brand new set of free presets for Adobe After Effects.
How To: Simulate snapshots in After Effects with free Spy Photo presets
Simulate the look of snapshots in your After Effects video footage with Spy Photo, a free set of presets that dynamically automate and generate the effect. This 17-minute tutorial from Aharon Rabinowitz of All Bets Are Off demonstrates the features of this cool new addition, which includes camera sound effects and viewfinder overlays.
How To: Create realistic 3D cloud motion using a single cloud photo in After Effects
Use a 2D image of clouds to generate realistic video footage of 3D cloud motion. In this tutorial from All Bets Are Off, Aharon Rabinowitz demonstrates how to create this effect using a single 2D image of clouds and a few simple clicks.
How To: Create Poltergeist-style audio with Adobe Audition & After Effects
Recreate the scary effect in Poltergeist when the girl gets trapped inside the television using Adobe Audition, Adobe After Effects or any similar editing software. Harry Frank and Aharon Rabinowitz take you through the detailed tutorials step by step using a couple of different software methods.
How To: Fake 3D and slow time in After Effects
Use After Effects to simulate a 3D stereoscopic effect, and remap time to speed up and slow down footage (a popular video effect used throughout the 2007 movie '300'). This tutorial from motion graphics designer James Zanoni shows you how.
How To: Create a beautifully layered 3D composition with After Effects
Using a layered photograph, chroma key footage and depth of field, prolific Italian designer Juri Ciana demonstrates precisely how to create a stunningly beautiful 3D composition with After Effects. In this informative video-only tutorial, depth of field and focus is utlized as critical elements that provide the various components of this video composition with a living vibrancy and dynamism.
How To: Animate a logo in After Effects
Learn to animate a logo in this rather casual (and occasionally cryptic) video demonstration that combines After Effects with audio portions in Sony Vegas. Much of the final product has already been rendered so this tutorial is essentially a walkthrough of the various parts of the project.
How To: Add realistic camera movement and color correction with After Effects
Increase the realism of your video footage with camera movement and color correction. In this video tutorial, Adobe After Effects is used to add realistic camera wiggle and shake to video footage from Call of Duty: Black Ops, simulating a handheld camera. In addition, the video tutorial also goes over some basic curve adjustment for color correction to give the video footage a unique look.
How To: Convert 720p60 video into 24p and 24p slow motion
Evoke a dramatic effect in your 720p60 video by upsampling and converting to 24p and 24p slow motion, and adding a little bit of color grading with Adobe After Effects. This informative video shows the footage before, during and after treatment, showing the difference that this editing process can make in ordinary footage.
How To: Create "Predator"-style video camouflage in After Effects
Replicate the Predator-style video camouflage in After Effects by using displacement maps. This uniquely stunning and groundbreaking visual effect has been seen countless times in film and television to show video camouflage, invisibility, heat distortion, holograms, and static interference, among others. This video shows how to replicate this effect by using green screen footage, Fractal Noise and Displacement Maps, all within Adobe After Effects.
How To: Create visually stunning compositions from 3D renders in After Effects
Compositing and color correction are important and integral steps in processing a 3D render after it is generated in Cinema 4D, 3D Studio Max or any other 3D package. Compositing transforms simple renders and provides them with life, vibrancy and atmosphere. In this demonstration, Greyscale Gorilla breaks down a 5 second project from Rich Hinchcliffe and demonstrates how Rich uses Adobe After Effects, color correction, blurs, ReelSmart Motion BLur, Frischluft Lens Care and Lens Flares to tran...
How To: Lip sync your animations correctly using time remapping
Time Remapping is a feature of Adobe After Effects used for rigging your animated characters, which can be most useful when trying to make your lip syncing look realistic. This is a quick tutorial on how to use this feature for your next project.
How To: Give your architectural renderings a film look in After Effects
This tutorial shows you how to take your architectural renderings in Adobe After Effects and give them a 35mm film look. Even better, this tutorial uses only the basic program - no plugins or extra add ons to worry about.
How To: Use 3-D imaging for anaglyph animation
Here's a useful technique for any animator to be able to pick up - give your anaglyph animations a 3-D look. To replicate this, you will need Flash, After Effects and Photoshop, or programs that can accomplish similar animation tasks.
How To: Create a time lapse video in After Effects
Want to create your own time lapse video, but you don't have the right equipment? You can use Adobe After Effects to fill in the gaps. This is a quick and easy tutorial showing you how to use this program to create your own time lapse video.
How To: Turn a 25 frames per second clip into a 50 frames per second clip
Having a clip filmed at 25p can sometimes make the footage look jerky, which can distract the viewer from the content of your film. This tutorial shows you how to convert a 25p clip to 50p or 25i using Adobe After Effects.
How To: Use a lens flare in your animations with Adobe After Effects
Want to add a lens flare to your current animation or film? You can manipulate the picture using Adobe After Effects, and this tutorial shows you precisely how. Play around with the light, brightness settings and other tools to get a lens flare effect.
How To: Add rolling, 3-D text to your project in Adobe After Effects
Create an image using Adobe After Effects in which 3-D words and numbers roll across the screen, as if they were on a giant wheel. This is not a difficult tutorial, and makes for a great intro clip for any video project.
How To: Create an eyecatching intro for your film or video using Adobe After Effects
Start with Adobe After Effects. Decide what you want your intro to look like. Then follow along with this tutorial, which shows you how to use the various tools in After Effects to create a short yet effective intro clip.
How To: Use Camera Mapper to create a realistic zoom in Adobe After Effects
The Camera Mapper plugin for Adobe After Effects shows you how to create a realistic zoom, where objects in the foreground move faster than objects in the background. Set up a realistic parallax and sell your shot by using Camera Mapper.
How To: Create an animated Christmas greeting in Adobe After Effects
Whether you are using Adobe CS3, CS4 or CS5, this tutorial will still work. This is a very basic holiday greeting, where the phrase 'Merry Christmas' (or whatever else you want to say) is animated to appear slowly over a blue, snow filled background.
How To: Create an ocean scene in After Effects CS5 without third-party plug-ins
Want to create a peaceful ocean scene within a video project? This clip will show you how it's done using only stock After Effects CS5 plug-ins.
How To: Conform footage from 25p to 24p in Adobe After Effects CS5
Want to convert your footage from 25 to 24 frames per second? In After Effects CS5, it's easy!
How To: Create a force field effect in Adobe After Effects CS5
Want to create a force field effect within a video project? This clip will show you how it's done using only stock After Effects CS5 plug-ins.
How To: Remove a green screen with Keylight in Adobe After Effects CS5
Interested in becoming a special effects wizard? Learn how to remove a greenscreen with Keylight in After Effects CS5!
How To: Transform a layer in Adobe After Effects CS5
In this clip, we learn how to transform layers in After Effects CS5. Whether you're entirely new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional, new to AE CS5, or just looking to pick up a few new tips and tricks, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide.
How To: Create a grungy title text sequence in Adobe After Effects CS5
Looking to add some grit to your next digital video production? Try this grungy title effect on for size!
How To: Create a teleportation effect in Adobe After Effects CS5
Ever dreamed of beaming someone up, Star Trek-style? With After Effects CS5, it's easy! And this two-part teleportation tutorial will teach you everything you need to know.
How To: Create animations with the Puppet tool in Adobe After Effects CS5
Learn how to rig a still image with the After Effects CS5 puppet tool!
How To: Use the Fractal Noise effect in Adobe After Effects CS5
Create eye-popping backgrounds with the After Effects CS5 Fractal Noise effect! Learn how with this brief video guide.