Everything Else
How To: Create custom particles in After Effects
Are you getting better at using After Effects and finding that you want to create your own custom particles instead of using the default ones? Then this video is for you. It will show you how to create custom animated particles which can be used to create all manner of cool effects like the one created as an example for this video. Don't keep using clublets of particles, make them do what you want them to do.
How To: Create an audio particle spray effect in After Effects
Very few effects can be considered standard in After Effects, many are unique creations made by combining After Effects many tools. This video will show you how to create one such effect, an audio particle spray that will looks very cool in either titles or ending credits for a film. It is pretty easy to make and looks very, very cool.
How To: Make a cool quick text effect in After Effects
After Effects contains all manner of cool tools that you can use to create really appealing title effects for your films. This video will show you how to create one quick easy text effect in this powerful software suite by using a camera, null object, 3D text layers, and a particular background, all keyed to the music levels. The result is very cool and sure to impress your audiences.
How To: Use the Camera in After Effects to make cool effects
The Camera tool in After Effects can be used to create or help create all sorts of cool effects. This video will show you how to use it to create some simple 3D text effects for titles. You'll be some other effects and particles as well.
How To: Make a pulse or pulsating wave effect in After Effects
Making really attractive titles for your films is just one of the way that you can dramatically improve them using After Effects. This video will help you make them by showing you how to create a pulse or pulsating wave effect from whence your titles can emerge. They look great, and will make your movie (especially horror or sci-fi movie) look much more professional right from the beginning.
How To: Make abstract waves in After Effects with the Trapcode Form plug-in
Creating an abstract wave effect in After Effects will allow you to make graphics like those in the thumbnail, basically clouds of particles with that smokey / silky effect like they used in James Bond titles. This video will show you how to make this effect yourself in After Effects in two parts. Apply this technique to your titles and they should be much, much sexier.
How To: Make a twisting particle field effect in After Effects
Particles are very useful for digital artists who want to create liquids, gasses, or clouds of small solids that react naturally. This video tutorial will show you how to use the twisting particle field effect to create a very cool title shown at the beginning of the first video. This particular particle effect is especially great for making galaxies and other fantastic images.
How To: Do node-based compositing as an After Effects user
In this tutorial, we take an introductory look at node based compositing from the perspective of an After Effects user. If you are someone who has lots of experience with After Effects, and wants to get into using a program like Shake, Nuke, or Fusion, this will help you get on the right track. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular compositing application or are just looking to get better acquainted with AE and its various features and functions, you're sure to enjoy this free video software ...
How To: Create a simple scrolling LED display in After Effects
This simple After Effects tutorial from Laurence Grayson will show you how to use CC Ball Action effect in AE to create a realistic scrolling LED signboard effect, like the ones you see at conference centers and football stadiums. Then end result can be altered to suit your project, and corner-pinned into a scene. There are no plug-ins required, and this method uses the standard toolset in CS3, CS4, and CS5.
How To: Simulate camera movement in After Effects
Shooting good footage with handheld cameras that wiggle, bounce, and fall onto rocks on a regular basis is tough. Sometimes, though, you may want to make it appear as if film that you've shot with tripods and such was actually shot with a handheld, like in some horror films. This video will show you how to create a fake camera movement effect in After Effects, giving your professionally-shot film just enough of that vérité quality.
How To: Create a color isolation effect in After Effects
If you've seen Sin City, what you probably remember most is the way color isolation was used throughout the film to reveal single colors in otherwise black-and-white scenes. This video will show you how to create the same effect for your own film in After Effects. Using this beautiful bunch of roses an an example, you will learn how to apply color isolation to film and maybe, just maybe, give Robert Rodriguez a run for his money.
How To: Create a portal in After Effects
If you've ever played through Valve's amazing first-person puzzle game Portal, you probably have dreams and nightmares about orange and blue portals appearing in the walls around you. Do you want to recreate the effect in a film? This video will show you how to create your very own colored wall portals on film using After Effects.
How To: Create an X-Ray vision effect in After Effects
X-Ray vision is one of the most memorable of Superman's many distinctive powers (he was so unfairly strong wasn't he?) and one that would be very useful to modern spies and voyeurs. This video will show you how to create an X-Ray vision special effect for your movie using After Effects. Whether your characters are looking into a girls' locker room or a secret Soviet meeting, the effect at least will be very cool.
How To: Make a flying effect with sonic boom in After Effects
If you've ever wanted to make an even slightly fantasy-flavored film, you've probably wanted to make one of your characters fly. Unless you're working with a bird or some really crazy rigging, you're going to need to make this special effect happen in After Effects, or whatever compositing software you use. This video will show you how to create a flying effect with a sonic boom on takeoff in After Effects, and following it's instructions will help you learn a lot about how to use After Effec...
How To: Create the iPod commercial effect in After Effects
Apple's iconic silhouette people-dancing-against-colored-background iPod commercials may not rule the airwaves anymore, but they still look really cool. This video will show you how to recreate the effect of these commercials in After Effects using greenscreens. Now all you have to do is learn how to dance and you can film your own little iPod commercial!
How To: Create the Jumper disappearing effect in After Effects
The film Jumper may not have been critically acclaimed, but few can argue with how awesome the special effects that allowed the characters to teleport at will are. They looked great and were applied with great aplomb. This video will show you how to mimic that effect in After Effects, allowing you to make your own teleportation-happy films. I bet you can make one better than Jumper!
How To: Create the Half-Life 2 Portal storm in After Effects
Half-Life 2 and it's brilliantly creative baby Portal refuse to die, offering the same great gameplay today that they did when they were released in 2004. This video will show you how to mimic, in After Effects, a very cool effect from the game called a portal storm. It basically looks like lightning on steroids, and will give any movie that you are compositing in After Effects some really legit sci-fi flair.
How To: Use motion tracking in After Effects
Motion tracking a movie scene in After Effects is a royal pain in the butt. It takes a long time, depends largely on the suitability of the footage you are working with, and is rather confusing. This video is here to shed some light on the subject, offering many tips and tricks for basic motion tracking in After Effects. If you're having trouble getting your own scum-sucking monster to wander the desert realistically, watch this video!
How To: Make a talking animals effect using After Effects
A LOT of movies have featured talking animals. Especially now that the technology is readily available to even low-budget filmmakers to make animals appear to be talking very realistically. If you've wanted to make your own talking-animal film, this video is here to help. It wills show you how to make animals talk using After Effects, creating and syncing mouth movements to fit your sound and leaving you with one charismatic cat, dog, fish, or marmoset.
How To: Create and use blur effects in Adobe After Effects
This clip presents quick introduction to using blurs in After Effects and Fusion 5. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, 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: Export a normals pass from Cinema 4D to After Effects
In this tutorial, you'll see how to export a normals pass from Cinema 4D and how to use it to re-light objects in 2D inside of After effects and Fusion 5. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this ...
How To: Create light wrapping and edge blurs in After Effects
This quick AE user's guide presents a lesson in light wrapping and edge blurs in After Effects. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, 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: Work with 32-bit floating images in After Effects
In this tutorial, you'll learn how to work with 32 bit float images in 32 bpc mode in After Effects. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, 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: Save and use animation presets in Adobe After Effects
In this clip, learn how to save and work with animation presets within Adobe After Effects. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, 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 animated cartoon arrows in Adobe After Effects
In this After Effects tutorial, you'll see how to use Trapcode 3D Stroke to create animated arrows and lines. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, 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: Import footage into PFTrack and export it to Cinema 4D
In this tutorial, you'll see how easy it is to bring your footage into PFTrack and then quickly take that data into Cinema 4D to begin to add your elements. Whether you're new to MAXON's popular 3D modeling application or are just looking to get better acquainted with Cinema 4D and its various features and functions, you're sure to enjoy this free video software tutorial. For more information, including complete instructions, watch this 3D modeler's guide.
How To: Create a character walk cycle in Adobe After Effects
In this Adobe After Effects user's guide, you'll learn how to create a simple walk cycle within AE. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, 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: Key footage with Keylight in Adobe After Effects
This tutorial takes a look at the basics of keying footage in After Effects using the plugin Keylight. This tutorial doesn't go over all the buttons and switches of the plugin but gives you enough to get started and understanding how it works. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video t...
How To: Do basic rotoscoping with Adobe After Effects
This clip presents and introductory lesson on the process of rotoscoping in Adobe After Effects. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, 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 wipe with a mask animation in After Effects
In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create a wipe by animating masks in After Effects. This tutorial is for beginners and should give you an idea of how to animate a mask and what alpha channels are. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including d...
How To: Use the loopOut(); & Wiggle(2,2); expressions in AE
In this After Effects video tutorial, you'll learn how to work with th loopOut() and Wiggle(2,2) expressions. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, 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: Add and work with expressions in Adobe After Effects
This tutorial goes through the basics of how to add an expression in After Effects. It focuses on setting up a simple counter expression using the slider control effect. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructio...
How To: Create mod-style 3D title text within MAXON Cinema 4D
This video tutorial offers a lesson in creating mod-style title text and logos within MAXON C4D. Whether you're new to MAXON's popular 3D modeling application or are just looking to get better acquainted with Cinema 4D and its various features and functions, you're sure to enjoy this free video software tutorial. For more information, including complete instructions, watch this 3D modeler's guide.
How To: Export a camera from Cinema 4D to Adobe After Effects
This clip presents a lesson in how to export a camera from MAXON C4D to Adobe After Effects. Whether you're new to MAXON's popular 3D modeling application or are just looking to get better acquainted with Cinema 4D and its various features and functions, you're sure to enjoy this free video software tutorial. For more information, including complete instructions, watch this 3D modeler's guide.
How To: Create a flaming face of fire in After Effects
In order to be taken seriously in the world of motion graphics tutorials, one needs to teach something that everyone will remember… some kind of face distortion technique. Jerzy Drozda Jr has his "Form Face" and Andrew Kramer has his "Demon Face Warp," so the only thing that can possibly match those terrific After Effects tutorials is… FIRE.
How To: Create a demon face warp effect in After Effects
To bring demons back from the dead is tricky business, and what you need to do is get some candles, a blanket, and a book of spells. Also, possibly some snacks in case you do bring those demons into the living world, because they're going to be hungry, and you don't want them to eat you, do you? And where you need to go is a graveyard, and you have to go at night. Also, bring a friend, because dying alone is horrible, if it comes to that.
How To: Animate 3D text from Cinema 4D in Adobe After Effects
This clip covers how to use Adobe After Effects to animate 3D text generated in MAXON C4D. Whether you're new to MAXON's popular 3D modeling application or are just looking to get better acquainted with Cinema 4D and its various features and functions, you're sure to enjoy this free video software tutorial. For more information, and to get started using this trick in your own Cinema 4D projects, watch this 3D modeler's guide.
How To: Create organic transitions within After Effects & FCP
In this tutorial, learn how to use textures and track mattes to create an organic transition with After Effects and Final Cut Pro. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, 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: Animate text along the x axis in Adobe After Effects
Want to create simple animated text within Adobe After Effects but aren't quite sure how to go about doing it? You're in luck. This clip will show you how to animate text along the x position. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, ...
How To: Animate 3D text from Blender in Adobe After Effects
In this tutorial, you'll learn how to take text from a Blender .3ds file, import it into Photoshop and saving as .PSD, and then bring it into After Effects for animation. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructi...