ESPN type motion graphics

[Scott Novasic]

well talk about choosing the toughest of broadcast graphics to try and imitate! The amazing amount of depth and complex layering calls for a really organized apporoach. Its heavily 3d so your going to at the very least need to use AE’s 3d space. It would help if you had invigerator 3d from zaxwerks to get some of the shapes down. All I can say is study the sportcenter animation very carefully and take notes on a number of the effects and layers and create them individually in their own comps… then composite them independently until you get the complexity you want. Trapcode red giant plugs are great to have, but again… this is such a challenging graphic that one paragraph is never gonna be enough to get you where youll need to be. I would not attempt it outside of a true 3d app… but thats me…

good luck

SuperNova
Animation & Visual Effects
Scott Novasic
Los Angeles Ca
web:https://web.mac.com/finaleffects

[Michael Szalapski]

Good luck. As someone approaching a decade of experience with Adobe software I would like to warn you about what you’re attempting. It would take one person with years of experience in AE weeks, if not months, of work to recreate that look.
However, if you want to just emulate the look without recreating it exactly, it is certainly possible. As Scott said, pick one motion graphic and look very carefully at it. Analyze it frame by frame. Isolate all the different layers and elements. Find what sets it apart from other graphics. Then set about trying to build something similar layer by layer.

You will need some 3d to make it work. Thankfully the COW has some tutorials for that. Here’s one.

If you’re new to AE, I would not suggest this as a first project. ESPN’s graphics are some of the best in the industry and teams of people work on them.

Here’s a great place to start in AE. A foundation in the basics is essential for working in AE without frustration.

– The Great Szalam
(The ‘Great’ stands for ‘Not So Great, in fact, Extremely Humble’)

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[Marc Stephen]

Thanks for your comments Scott and Michael, and I now realize it is probably way out of my league at this point, to replicate (I might have gotten carried away with my ideas ;). I think I will try something similar, but really stripped down and with very minimal 3D layers.

Thanks for the links also! It should come in handy.