[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

If you do not need the audio just un-check the audio (speaker box) on the layer in the Timeline panel

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

If you have just one layer that is a still image (a jpg in your case) all you need to do is go at the end of that layer in the Timeline panel (the 1 sec mark in your case), position the mouse cursor over it and drag the length of the layer to the end of your extended comp.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Cool stuff indeed- I agree that a lot of younger folks should take a look at these.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Use the Scale Composition Script (comes with AE)- work at the lower size, scaling down your layers and for the final just apply the script- it will scale up all the pieces. So if your footage has been scaled down to half size (for example) and you work at half the final compo, then after using the script your footage will be scaled back to full size.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Mocha should be able to do the trick. However it may be that a camera solve from Camera Tracker may give you a easier solution.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

CoSA After Effects- haven’t heard that name in a while Paul… I started on a Flame and wished I could do some cool stuff on my G3 Mac at home (first gen- no rounded corners funky box yet). I actually read the manual and got excited about that day far in the future when I could do on a desktop what I did on the Silicon Graphics monsters… Now I’m all AE and the package has become so powerful as a standalone, but even more with the 3rd party plugins and as part of the Creative Suite. Looking back at other promising software that started great, got bought out and then faded in the darkness, all I can say is great job Adobe!

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

With Trapcode Particular you can create the light streaks – only it will take you some time to track all the lights on the cars and animate AE Lights as Emitters for the particles.
You may try to key out the lights, comp them on black, precomp and then time remap the precomp to get more frames. Render and import that in a higher frame rate comp- 48-60 and try Echo or posterize time to see if you get better results. You will have to time remap again to match the length and frame rate of your final and comp the result on top of the original footage using Unmult or a transfer mode like Add.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Here’s a couple of posts with links that deal with techniques using Card Dance and others:

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/2/1005424

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/2/985148

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

If it’s a matter of the “look” only and you need to get the same results in a 10bit or even 8bit file for final delivery most of the issues come from having linearize workspace “On” for 32 bit in your project settings. Turn that off and the “look” should be preserved in the final render(eg no more washed out colors or banding in glows or blurs).

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

One more thing- with a desktop you’ll most likely get more for the money than with a laptop.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist