[Kim Segel]

Try using 2 layers of SHATTER and one layer of PIXEL POLLY.

Set the size of one of the shatter layers to big chunks, one of the shatter layers to medium size fragments, and the PP layer to make a fine spray of dust.

Kim

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

–Emo Philips

[Kim Segel]

You may want to try the new Roto tool in AE CS5.

Kim

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

–Emo Philips

[Kim Segel]

Well, I don’t know how they did it… but here’s how I would have done it:

I would take a high-rez still of the street and store-front (probably a back lot) clean background into Photoshop, and break it out into 3-D with the VANISHING POINT filter. Export it as a vanishing point file.

I would shoot the guy with the cup, the guy on the car, and the scooter as green screen plates.

Open AE, import the vanishing point file into it (that’s your comp now) and import the guy with the cup, the guy on the car, and the scooter. Key the greens and hand position the plates in your comp in 3-D. Light to taste.

The 3-D letters you could do with a frozen (0 force, 0 gravity) SHATTER effect.

Then build a camera move through the comp.

Kim S

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

–Emo Philips

[Kim Segel]

Thanks for reminding me about Stan Freeberg. He is an undisputed master of the funny, absurd and effective, ad.

He writes, directs and often voices his ads.
His ability to use absurdity, like in this “futuristic” prune commercial: https://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-311642644540325910#
…and what sells frozen foods better than this strange mix of horror movie/award show?:
https://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5629977749775801286#

He even made what was the most expensive commercial of it’s time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jU2pl7bqKg

Like an absurd company name, it’s the sheer absurdity of his ads that makes them so memorable.

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[Kim Segel]

I’ve found one of the best ways to work in a non-standard format, or in a unique venue, working with non-tech people is:

Ask them to send you media that was previously, successfully run in that venue.

So if they send you a Digi-Beta, or an XD-cam, or a Quicktime, in whatever format, you can ingest it, and “reverse engineer” it, or better still, drag it into AE as a comp, and never, NEVER change those comp settings. Just keep their media on the bottom layer, muted.

(A lot of times NO ONE at the venue knows the correct delivery specs. The system was installed by a third party, and there isn’t really an on-site expert.)

Good luck!

Kim

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

–Emo Philips

[Kim Segel]

Shoot your kid playing an instrument over green screen. Then import that footage and scale it down and position it over the lower third.

Then use Keylight to remove the green.

Good luck!

Kim

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

–Emo Philips

[Kim Segel]

One way would be to add a light and a camera, set the light and your footage to “cast shadows only” (onto the bars) set the bars to accepts shadows (but NOT lights) and ‘throw’ the image onto the bars/solids.

You could have different images falling onto the two surfaces of the bars if you like, too.

Good luck!

Kim

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

–Emo Philips

[Kim Segel]

I’m running CS4 on Win-7 RC and it’s pretty stable. I haven’t had any problems with AE or PS.

I can only imagine that the Win-7 RTM will be just as good.

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

–Emo Philips

[Kim Segel]

You are right – head for “time remapping”.

Set your first keyframes and then just copy and paste them ([CTL] C; [CTL] V) down the time line to make the repeated stutter.

Good luck…

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

–Emo Philips

[Kim Segel]

Same here.. my PC at home (4 cores) blows the doors off my 8-core Mac at work.

When I do a RAM preview on the PC, it screams through the render and then plays back in real time.
When I do a RAM preview on the Mac, it slogs through the render and then plays back in real time. Weird.

Also, the PC was $9,000.00 cheaper.

Maybe Adobe’s Mac code isn’t as tight..?

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

–Emo Philips