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how is this effect done?
I’ve seen this effect on a lot of commercial spots and I’m curious how it is done. The USA Network logo ID uses it for example. It basically looks like you’re following a line that is being drawn out, following along it’s path with various 3d camera moves. The stroke is just a simple line with some shading. I know you can render strokes using 3d stroke and stroke in AE but they both have a round edge on the end, does anyone have any idea? if not i can post some examples of if need be.
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7 Replies
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That would be done in a 3D app. Although 3D Stroke is very useful, it has its limitations. You can’t have that (AT&T) degree of control and flexibility with 3D Stroke in After Effects.
3D stroke is applied to a 2D mask on a 2D plane. If you want it to bend in Z-space, you can do it, but without that degree of control.
Note that nowadays, 3D apps are being used to create clean, graphic designs because of the flexibility afforded by such apps in 3D space.
Cinema4D is well-suited to tubes, ribbons and such.
Steve
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It’s interesting how these types of effects (ribbons, tubes, etc.) have become so popular relatively recently, yet 3D applications have been around for a much longer time. I wonder who first popularized them.
Just an observation.
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A lot of the big agencies have been doing it for quite some time. Those AT&T spots were some of the first I remember.
steve
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is there a kind of industry recognized ‘name’ for this type of effect?
Rene
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“faux 3d pain in my ass ribbon following effect” hehehe, might be a name for it. I could do this in my 3d program(Lightwave) but Lightwave has yet to support exporting camera data into AFX so I’m kinda torn between doing everything in Lightwave or everything in AFX unless I want to matchmove on my own which just seems like a major ordeal.
steve
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LW does support that, but you need a Transmotion LW plugin from Al Street. It has its own idiosyncrasies, covered in one of the Meyers’ books.
Steve
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