[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Here’s a simpler way that may work: duplicate video layer, cut a tight mask around the cable on the top layer, feather the edges, shift the layer underneath a few pixels (you may need to resize a bit too. Play with the mask edge and feather. I have used this technique several times and it worked great.

Tudor \”Ted\” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

You can do this by animating masks on a solid or shapes. See in Animation Presets/Transition Wipe/Band Wipe – the presets are for PAL or NTSC, but you can load one and see how it’s done.
You can also try this plugin:
https://aescripts.com/chrome-bar-wipes/

Tudor \”Ted\” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

To get a realistic feel in your composite shots you have to blend the CG elements with the live action ones using light, reflection, color, space and so on. Videocopilot has quite a few tutorials where you can pick up tips from.
To answer your first question – it all depends on your workflow. If you want to have the possibility to change things to the very end, use 3d objects. If you are set on a look and can work out a workflow that does not need tweaks on the 3d objects until the very end, you can choose to render the background and piano and then composite all with the live action.

Definitely camera move – you do not want to loose resolution.

You can maybe add energy/lightning discharges on the piano using Saber (Videocopilot). Whichever way you go, you will need to take in account the reflections from the fire/energy on the piano and on the environment and actor. So for the 3d elements you will need to create those reflection in compositing and by adding animated lights in the 3d model. For the actor you need to plan practical effects (led lights that move around reflected from metal foil that move on the actor for example).

Hope this helps

Tudor \”Ted\” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

You need to use AE’s own 3d space and bend the pages in 3d, then build the pop-up part on top of that.
You could also use C4D to do it.

Tudor \”Ted\” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

AE offers integration with 3d plugins and programs. C4D has a tight AE integration. Element 3D, the Mettle plugins, Zaxwerks are some of the major 3D plugins you can use with AE.
You should read the documentation on the Adobe site for in depth information.

Tudor \”Ted\” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

I did a similar project a few years back. I animated elements “growing” by using masks as well as setting the anchor point at the base of the elements (branch or leaf) and then animating the size. I also used a Mesh Warp animation on top of separate elements to give it a more organic look. At the end I combined all elements together, offset the timing of the animations to make it grow sequentially. Because I had the goal to create a somewhat realistic looking tree I re-used elements to make the structure more complex.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCHFw6ocSG8

Tudor \”Ted\” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!

This happens because the functionality/content marked as “Google Youtube” uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

You should always think as compositing 3d elements in the live action footage, even if in the shot the live action element is one actor/object and the rest is 3d. You need to export your 3d elements matching the camera move, space arrangement and lighting and then comp them around the keyed out live action element. Plenty of tutorials for that.

Tudor \”Ted\” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Why not apply the change color directly on the text layer? Or if the text is already rendered on the white background, use that as a track matte (luminance) on a colored solid to separate the text and then apply Hue/Saturation on that solid layer.

Tudor \”Ted\” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

You can use Radio Waves for the base animation. You can then use Mosaic, masks and various other plugins to affect the base animation.

Tudor \”Ted\” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

You can try using a Matte Choker (using the fill layer as it’s own mask) and animate the choke in steps to get the feeling that you’re after. A more complex way of doing it is to use the Matte choker and create 3 separate fill layers (thin lines fill, medium and then full) and the use a simple transition wipe on each layer to gradually fill in the letters.

Tudor \”Ted\” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist