[Dario]

Thanks Jean.
I was kind of hoping that with my fine arts background (who said boom or bust!) I might have a slight leg up, at least as far as design goes.

Like everything in life I guess it all depends on how good you are and who you can prove that to.

Now that just about anyone can pick this stuff up for a couple of thousand dollars the market will probably be flooded soon with so, so wanna be’s. I just hope I get good enough that I float to the top and that I also don’t end up kidding myself that I’m better than I really am.

[Dario]

Now I need Combustion, Invigorator, Knoll Light Factory… Just kidding.

To be honest I chose AE over Combustion. Oh well, learn as I go. I would imagine that what I do have will still allow me to do decent work.

[Dario]

Now I need Combustion, Invigorator, Knoll Light Factory… Just kidding.

To be honest I chose AE over Combustion. Oh well, learn as I go. I would imagine that what I do have will still allow me to do decent work.

[Dario]

Hi Christian, thanks.
Cool reel by the way!

[Dario]

Hi Christian, thanks.
Cool reel by the way!

[Dario]

Great advice gentlemen. I’ll cut, paste and post in the other forums you recommended Steve.

Reading your responses is encouraging and helps me believe I can make a go of this. Until now I hadn’t recognized the distinction between motion graphics and vfx. It was kind of a ‘Doh!’ moment. Of course they’re not the same thing. Still, it seems that all the packages (AE, Combustion, Motion) can do some of both. I would imagine though that the majority of vfx work is done for film and then on a dedicated system at a company with equipment one can only dream of.

So it seems Motion Graphics is the route I’m on. I suppose I can add some simple vfx now and then depending on the job.

I do have the ability to export WMV files through Flip4Mac (I have Sorenson too) and I know Flash pretty well. I’ve put up some vids now and then on my site.

Once I’m past the initial learning and have a reel I’m sure I’ll need a G5 (or 2).

I wonder whether a miniDV cam is in order? I was looking at a 3CCD Panasonic GS400. However, how much video is used in motion graphics work?

Any ‘must have’ plug-in suggestions (I have AE 6.5Pro with all its plugs), plus:
most of the Trapcode plugs
Dissolve Factory
Composite Wizard
Image Lounge
Digital Film Lab 2

-Now I know where all my money went!

[Dario]

This might help:
After Effects and Flash: Part One

[Dario]

Oooooh! 🙂
I forgot about that.

[Dario]

WOW, I didn’t expect such in depth responses.

That really helps. I guess I’d steer away from too much compositing and roto due to the fact that I can’t afford a video camera yet. Spent a MAJOR wad on the software. Plus, it seems to me that I could do the other stuff from the house all on my Mac setup.

I had another thought on the topic and that is to scour the web for others’ reels to see what they’re comprised of. Not to copy of course but to see what the market looks like at the moment.

So, are there any books available that might clue me in to the terminology and the various directions one could go beyond what the Total Training DVD’s will? I think I’m pretty well set with AE specifically, at least regarding reference and training materials.

[Dario]

Thanks, that’s the kind of advice I need (and still need if there’s more out there :).

Given that ILM, et al, are 3000 miles to my left and that I’m hoping to freelance (fingers crossed) I’ll skip the Flame stuff and shoot for local production companies.

Now that I think about it that site I mentioned does seem to veer towards high end Flame type stuff.