AE Lava Lamp

[David Bogie]

Try google for “lava lamp after effects.”
You can also search here, we tried this a few months ago. IRCC, the recommendation was to hire an experienced 3D animtor who knew how to do this in Maya or some such app.

The issue is faking it to your satisfaction in AE. You can build the bubble forms in Foam, Particle World, Mr Mercury but AE has no built-in clustering or flocking effects for the various particle systems. Given the right video clip and running it backwards, MrMercury can sort of do it for you.

bogiesan

[Steve Roberts]

A 3D app with metaballs should do it. Or shooting a Lava Lamp.

I’ve found that Mr. Mercury, though blobby, doesn’t offer transparency and refraction. Some of its prsets offer joining of blobs, but I would find it hard to control in a Lava Lamp situation.

However.
Try these settings on a red solid:
– velocity 1.5
– birth rate .4
– longevity 5
– gravity .3
– resistance .16
– animation: fire
– blob influence: 2.2%
– Birth size/death size .9
– ambient 36
– diffuse 0

It’s cheesy, but it might get you by. Your mileage may vary.