[Kevin Camin]

Check out Video Copilot’s Optical Flare Plug-in:

https://www.videocopilot.net/products/opticalflares/

Video Copilot guy is buddies with JJ Abrams and despite what Abrams says about the flares being natural I don’t think they are. They are too stylized and choreographed. He more than likely used that plug-in or something like it.

For this plug-in, you need Adobe After Effects though.

Best regards,

Kevin Camin

[Kevin Camin]

When I do an audio preview with the ‘.’ key on the numeric keypad, why does it seem to think extremely hard about it and often limit me to a very short preview. I understand the variables involved with a clean running machine, but REALLY, audio? Just audio? As far as I can see, it has no reason to render video to RAM or anything complicated.

Any explanation will be soothing.

Best regards,

Kevin

Best regards,

Kevin Camin

[Kevin Camin]

Everyone has good advice. I’ll add that when engaged in a creative endeavor, you need to explore to exhaustion, the ‘why’. You need to be able to justify every decision you make.

The ‘why’ is the deep understanding of narrative, design, communication. The gear, hardware, software, techniques, effects are just the means to an end. The end is the expression. Many people in the industry don’t get it. Look at a Micheal Bay film.

The other thing is that you need to meet the right people. This is true of anything. People use the same people more often than not. Get yourself out there, be open to everything, be enthusiastic (don’t whine and bit#h about things in professional environments), go the extra mile and find a way to make this all sincere. Take yoga.

My two cents.

Best regards,

Kevin Camin

[Kevin Camin]

Very helpful. Thanks!

Best regards,

Kevin Camin

[Kevin Camin]

I don’t know if this is the most elegant way, but I would create that grid overlay with the grid effect on a solid. Once I got that aligned I would export the frame where the line animation should start from AE. I would bring that frame into illustrator and make my lines there and get them lined up. While I’m there in AI, I would possibly create a matte shape for the outside squares that will contain the darkened images. Put everything on its own layer.

Import that AI into AE. Animate a mask on the lines.

There are a million ways to make those outside images darker, but in my impromptu way, I would make an adjustment layer with a levels or curves to darken. Put the matte shape I created in AI above it. Set the Track Matte of the adjustment layer to Alpha Matte and then use the matte shape layer’s opacity to animate the darkening.

hth

Best regards,

Kevin Camin

[Kevin Camin]

I think most people outside the industry don’t know what ‘motion graphics’ is. I’ve met maybe one lay person who knows what motion graphics are and what that encompasses.

But I think your motion graphic work samples should be strong enough to elicit a ‘wow’ from clients, and make them intuitively understand this stuff takes a lot of time and skill to pull off.

Keep it up and keep learning. I do some editing but am not a guru. But I feel the tool kit for editing is dwarfed by the tool kit for motion design (design, animation, vfx, color grading, etc). Plus you need to deal with design’s quickly evolving trends and technologies. I spend about 33% of my freelance time learning new techniques, doing tests, learning new software, etc.

It’s a fantastic ride!

Best regards,

Kevin Camin

[Kevin Camin]

Thanks Matt! Makes perfect sense.

Best regards,

Kevin Camin

[Kevin Camin]

Thank you very much!!!

Best regards,

Kevin Camin

[Kevin Camin]

Thanks Gregg. Truly appreciate the info!

Best regards,

Kevin Camin

[Kevin Camin]

Why do you want to help people but be rude at the same time?

You’ve replied to some of my inquiries recently in a similar way. I can’t believe you are a representative of Adobe and that they let you solicit yourself as such.

Best regards,

Kevin Camin