[Steve Roberts]

It’s possible to create custom transitions in FCP using its native effects or plugins that work within FCP:
https://www.lafcpug.org/basic_custom_transition.html
You can also make movies with alpha channels that don’t technically get applied as transitions in FCP, but can be placed over a wipe:
https://www.bosfcpug.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=58
You can also make custom wipes by making a grayscale image (in AE or PS, whatever) then using that image in FCP:
https://www.geniusdv.com/weblog/archives/utilizing_gradient_wipes_in_final_cut_pro.php

Now … as for making something that will show up under the FCP transitions menu, I don’t think that’s possible in AE. FCP has an FXBuilder script thing, but it might not be our cup of tea.

Anybody else?

[Steve Roberts]

James’ original post indicated that RAM might be the cause of slow renders. Dave and I indicated that using HDV, not low RAM, might be the cause of slow renders.

The HDV codec is interframe, and AE takes more time to decompress it and look across the frames to render each frame. An intraframe codec would be faster.

Again, we did not say that avoiding HDV will affect the amount of RAM used. Please re-read the posts before giving advice that may sound harsh.

[Steve Roberts]

A VOB file is compressed to MPEG-2. You must convert it to something like Quicktime before working with it in AE. It’s not high-quality — it’s designed to be played on a DVD player right out of the camera, so its quality is sacrificed for playability. It’s not designed to be further processed in post-production. Converting it won’t increase its quality, though — it will just make it possible to use the clip in AE.

Don’t use AE as an editor. It’s very slow, and your project will suffer, even if you have infinite time to do this. Premere might accept VOBs, I don’t know. You might have to convert the file for premiere anyway.

But at any rate, camcorders that record directly to DVD are low-grade consumer. Make some money, buy something in the DV, HDV or P2 formats (for example), then dump the other camcorder.

[Steve Roberts]

Not normally, no. It needs to be converted. MPEG Streamclip is a mac solution, as Dave wrote.

If you’re on Windows, you might want to Google “VOB to Quicktime” or something like that.

[Steve Roberts]

I don’t think it’s a good idea for AE to try to use all the RAM you have. What about the OS?

Yes, your render problem is most likely due to using HDV footage. Convert the source to Photo-JPEG or Animation Quicktimes in QT Player, then use Replace Footage in AE to replace the HDV with the converted footage.

You should also get more RAM. But you knew I’d say that. 🙂

Anybody else?

[Steve Roberts]

Googling “piston” and “after effects” led to this:
https://library.creativecow.net/articles/ebberts_dan/expressions.php

[Steve Roberts]

Try this:

1. The logo has to be a layer with transparency around the letters. Add it to the comp. Make it 3D.
2. Add a camera.
3. Add a solid to the comp and apply Particular. Leave it as 2D, of course.
4. In Particular, set the emitter to the logo layer, set the direction to Directional, and set the particle type to Glow Sphere. Add a bit of gravity.
5. Maybe apply stylize>glow to the Particular layer.

That’s it. After that, you’ll want to tweak it for the look.

Now that’s the best that I can do here, but if you Google “trapcode”, “particular” and “fireworks”, you’ll get more info, including some presets and projects. You might also check the Trapcode COW forum.

[Steve Roberts]

Yeh, that would be in the web page’s HTML code, so you don’t need to go to a Flash coder.

[Steve Roberts]

Ugh. They might have to grade it again, if the footage is YUV, and AE works in RGB. I can’t help much on that, since I haven’t delved into CS3’s color space features. If the colour changes when going through AE, try searching the COW for “YUV”, and check the Help on that soprt of thing. Can anybody else help on that?

1. Maybe, maybe not. Import the footage, and make sure it is interpreted “no fields”, or “field separation off”. Double-click on it. If you see interlacing, it’s interlaced. If you see no interlacing, it’s progressive, or already separated, and this whole thread has been unnecessary. 🙂

2. Hmm . Maybe this will help:
https://www.burnyourbonus.info/hdtv-faq/faq2.html

[Steve Roberts]

I’d hand-draw (again) the continents based on a NASA-type map of the world (long and rectangular), then apply CC Sphere to that and rotate its Y-axis to get a real, yet-hand-drawn sphere.