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Spread a force field over a mask
I’ve got a scene where one character uses super powers to freeze another in place. At first I just used the clean image and SFX, but my prof says it’s not working.
What I want to do is send a beam from the hand to his body, and have it spread out real quick then reveal a masked layer with a glow and a fractal displacement. I’ve got the glow and displacement part figured out, and I’m sure I can figure out how to make the beam, but I’m having a hell of a time with making the force field effect spread out from where the beam hits his chest to the rest of the body.
Tried iris transition, and that didn’t do it. Also playing around with simple particles (just learned about bounce) and trying stick and slide to alpha (the mask), but that’s not working either. Any suggestion?
Thanks
David Bark
Lightshine Productions -
3 Replies
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I would use a 3d displaced shape that outlines the body of the one being surrounded by the force field and animate the field texture to go around him starting at the center. You can use Free Form to create the 3d displaced shape.
Here’s a tutorial that can help with that:
https://library.creativecow.net/jelescu_tudor/3D-from-2D-image_AE/1
And here’s a good tutorial that may help you with the look of the force field:
https://allbetsareoff.com/tutorials/after-effects-force-field/If you have the cash, you may want to look into FreeForm Pro:
https://library.creativecow.net/jelescu_tudor/FreeForm-Pro-review/1Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist -
Thanks. Good tutorial. Not sure how to animate the thing from center, though.
David Bark
Lightshine Productions -
I would create a force field texture first. Once I am happy with the result I would draw a shape around the man and create my depth map for displacement. Using the same shape I would mask out the force field texture layer. I would then create a second mask (intersect with the first mask) that animates from the point where the ray hits the man to the outside with a feathered edge. This way you will get a 3d shape with a texture that “fills” it so to speak.
Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist
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