-
Creating 70s/80s-style stargate/warp-speed effect
Hello,
I’m trying to create a vintage-ish warp-speed/hyperspace/stargate effect — similar to the one in this video (which should autoload at the right spot of 24 seconds).
Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!This happens because the functionality/content marked as “Google Youtube” uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.
I’ve been using Trapcode Particular and the results have been so-so — the general construction of, and movement through the stargate are fine, but the look of the beams of light are off. They’re too “harsh” and defined — looking more like neon tubes than streaks of light. I’ve tried altering the particle type and nothing really seems to work.
I’m wondering if there’s an alternative method I could use to get that softer look of streaking light from the late-70s/early-80s. I’ve done text effects with echo, glow, and 3D zooming to achieve something like the credit sequence from Superman: The Movie, and thought those techniques might be useful. But, not sure how that would work in this scenario, given the need for random lifespans/coloring of the star streaks. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Brandon -
11 Replies
-
You could use CC Particle World, create a 3D camera, and play with your physics until they do what you want (or use Particular, for that matter). Then pre-compose it, and overlay a copy or two with varying levels of Fast Box Blur to create a softer glow. There’s no reason, if you want it to look that soft, that you couldn’t just box blur the comp, right?
-
You can also jack the motion blur up to streak farther than the actual motion would normally allow. Just because a film camera can only go to (theoretically) 360 degrees doesn’t mean us converted digital guys have to. We’ve done projects with 6000 degrees of shutter angle.
As one who actually did the titles on some of those mentioned, this brings back terrible memories of the Slit Screen effect. Soooo many camera runs on the rostrum to get that effect.
Now where did I put that Kodalith I had a minute ago? I love the smell of Fix in the morning! -
@Blaise and @Steve — Thanks! These are both good ideas (particularly because it may mean being able to use the stargate I’ve already created with Particular). I’ll give them a whirl.
@Steve — I had previously checked out Slit Screen and saw how painstaking the process was. I always romanticize those pre-CG days, but I’ve never had to do the work by hand.
-
You might want to try Polar Coordinates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU6stByUsFU
Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!This happens because the functionality/content marked as “Google Youtube” uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.
-
Stupid spell check! That should be “Slit Scan” if you want to research how we used to do it.
-
@Jacob — Thanks for the link! It’s very useful.
Using an Optics Compensation effect (reversing the lens distortion and stretching the field of view) coupled with a small amount of Fast Box Blur is getting me very close to what I’m looking for in terms of the softness.
I may have to mess with Particular a bit to get the shape of the streaks more in line with what I want. The light rays in that original video have a nice taper to them on both ends, whereas mine are straight rays. That tapering adds to the sense of the beams streaking by.
-
If you have particular perhaps you have 3D stroke? You can add a taper to either end of the the strokes generated and as they recede they will “perspectively” taper to the vanishing point because they are 2.5D.
-
Ha! That’s what I meant to say, as well. I’ve fully familiarized myself with the process over the past week or so — particularly because of the 2001 anniversary and all the articles popping up about the effects.
-
@Steve — I do have 3D Stroke. Thanks for the heads-up. I’m going to look into it.
-
And 3D stroke has a repeater so you can make clones of a single stroke and offset them
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up