-
Best way to set someone on fire using after effects?
I was playing with SOny Vegas Pro 10 and it turned out pretty decent but want to set someone on fire in one of our films using after effects. Was told by a adobe after effects veteran to use FumeFX for 3DS max but I don’t think I would be able to do that. Can someone lead me into some tutorials on this? I am shooting about 10 seconds of him burning and getting paid really good for this and don’t want to miss this opportunity. Thank you
Note: The script shows the person pouring fluid on himself , pulls a lighter out and lights himself on fire.
Green Screen? any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you -
3 Replies
-
Hi Joe
There are a few options in AE for this.
You will need to Key (if shot with green screen) or roto the footage to define the actor. Then I would animate a number of null objects (the more the better) to follow points of interest on the actor which will be areas of fire emission.You can then use CC particle world or better: Trapcode particular (if you have it) to generate a flame who’s emitter follows a null (repeat for each null)
If using CC particle world you will probably find best results with the bubble particle shape in combination with a CC vector blur and a little extra vertical blur however I find this result only marginally acceptable. You can augment this with an Alpha track matted precomp (with particle effect above) containing a few multiplied layers of animated fractal noise. Add a bit of CC toner and you could end up with something half decent with some tweaking.
Trapcode particular will be capable of a much more convincing fire effect with added ability to have the flames avoid a user defined spherical field which you might be able to use to make it look like the particles are rolling around arms/legs etc…
FumeFX or any 3D package based particle/fluid software will do a much better job however you will need to create some sort of 3D character for the particles to react to which also has to be animated to copy the movement of the actor.
Personally I would try a quick Trapcode particular test to see the quality of the result and if not satisfactory I would move over to Particleflow and Afterburn in 3D studio Max or use the new PhoenixFD simulator.Graham Macfarlane
3D animator and VFX specialist
London UK -
Colorama can transform the colors of the keyed actor to only yellows and oranges.
Detonation films website has some great free fire footage – (or you should film your own).
You can then composite the fire on top of your graded actor.Check out you tube for Human Torch Effect.
-
Get a MacBook Pro. Set up a really long, complex composition rendering in After Effects. Get someone to hold the MacBook Pro. It will get so hot, they will probably burst into flames. Film them in their agony, and voilà! There’s your finished piece!
…sorry…
How about I just say “Merry Christmas” instead!
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up