[Graham Quince]

There are still issues using After Effects to create Flash animations. Flash can only accept one mask bringing in AE swfs, for instance. In the past I’ve used a Flash reduction program, Flash Optimiizer, it saves about 20% of the file size.

I’ve knuckled down and learnt how to use Flash though. It’s well worth it, although if you’re still not happy, then SWiSH Max is a cheap standalone Flash program that creates easy animations and even has guided scripting. Might be worth checking out.

Graham

https://www.qcit.co.uk – web design
——–
https://www.shiveringcactus.bravehost.com – Free FX for amateur films

[Graham Quince]

Creating this is pretty easy. Quickest way would be to use CC Ball action I think it’s called and have it break up the display into lots of tiny balls. You can set the scattering to 0, so that they don’t go anywhere.

Hope that helps

Graham

https://www.qcit.co.uk – web design
——–
https://www.shiveringcactus.bravehost.com – Free FX for amateur films

[Graham Quince]

Unfortunately, our airline tickets are non-changeable, non-refundable. We havetravel insurance, but somehow I don’t think they’d allow a claim based on wanting to stay a couple of extras days. 🙂

Oh well. Is anyone in Vegas on Thutsday 20th, the day before. Maybe we could meet for a coffee?

Graham

https://www.qcit.co.uk – web design
——–
https://www.shiveringcactus.bravehost.com – Free FX for amateur films

[Graham Quince]

I’ve never had any problems using Subtitle Workshop. not exactly what you want to hear 🙂

What software are you using once you’ve written the subtitles. I export a text file for Encore. The program you drop the subtitles into should have the various settings for you to adjust, including alpha channel etc…

This probably hasn’t helped…but fingers are crossed for your project.

Graham

https://www.qcit.co.uk – web design
——–
https://www.shiveringcactus.bravehost.com – Free FX for amateur films

[Graham Quince]

Have you tired Radio waves.

You can tweak the frequency to produce a single circular wave with faded back end. Pre-comp this effect on a solid and use it as your displacement map for you ripple.

Hope the helps

Graham

https://www.qcit.co.uk – web design
——–
https://www.shiveringcactus.bravehost.com – Free FX for amateur films

[Graham Quince]

It sounds like your computer doesn’t have enough RAM to produce the shot.

I used to have this problem too, until I bought some more.

Basically, Fractal Noise is a number cruncher. When After Effects needs to do something, but can’t handle the load, it produces a black screen.

There is a solution however, (apart from parting with your hard-earned cash that is). Take just your fractal noise layer and render it out as a video file. Bring that back into After Effects and swap it for the original. Now the number crunching is done and AE can get back to compositiing.

Hope that helps

Graham

https://www.qcit.co.uk – web design
——–
https://www.shiveringcactus.bravehost.com – Free FX for amateur films

[Graham Quince]

I bought a CD from VCE.com a few years back for $49. Great value then and still is. I got a couple of explosions, some fire, smoke etc…

One of the best buys I made.

Graham

https://www.qcit.co.uk – web design
——–
https://www.shiveringcactus.bravehost.com – Free FX for amateur films

[Graham Quince]

Redgiant offer the free plugin, Knoll Unmult – it’s much cleaner than AE’s luma key and produces the fire with an alpha channel.

Graham

https://www.qcit.co.uk – web design
——–
https://www.shiveringcactus.bravehost.com – Free FX for amateur films

[Graham Quince]

I hate to post this because I think pratical effects produce way better results. But….

You could do this simply by creating bezier masks on a coloured solid. Keyframing the Mask Expansion, from a negative amount to 100% over a couple of frames will give up a splatt. And of coure, you won’t get covered in paint splashes.

Not as much fun, but no clearing up to do.

Graham

https://www.qcit.co.uk – web design
——–
https://www.shiveringcactus.bravehost.com – Free FX for amateur films

[Graham Quince]

Oh boy!

Shine would do this very nicely, but I’m guessing you don’t have this plugin.

So another way to do it is this:

Take a still of the ‘leaping moment’. And in either photoshop or After Effects masks, cut out the actor from the background – I’ll call it the Sam layer from here on in.

Back in the timeline, have your Sam layer above the original background timeline, so that the video runs until the point the leap occurs, then goes over to the still.

Duplicate your Sam layer and apply Hue/Saturation to the duplicate, which should be underneath your original Sam. Using colorize, change Sam to be light blue. I seem to remember Sam changing colour as he leapt.

Now use Gradient Wipe to fade from Regular Sam to Blue Sam. Change Blue Sam’s tranfer mode to Add to give it more energy.

Keyframing Blue Sam’s Hue/Saturation should also get him to turn completely white too.

Now underneath Blue Sam (or above if it works better) duplicate Sam once more and this time apply Fractal Noise. Set the contrast really high and the brightness low-ish and use Add tranfer mode again so we can still see the background.

Now the clever bit. Ish. Add Optics Compensation to this layer, reverse the lens distortion and really ramp up the Field of View. Voila, lines of light.

So, now you can go back and animate the Fractal Noise evolution, you can play around with the settings for the Optics Compensation, (maybe colorize that layer too) and generally improve on this basic technique.

I also seem to remember little bits of electricity coursing over Sam as he turned blue. The lightning effect should take care of that.

Phew…hope that helps.

Graham

https://www.qcit.co.uk – web design
——–
https://www.shiveringcactus.bravehost.com – Free FX for amateur films