Yes, yes, I have to give credit where credit is due. Aharon Rabinowitz back in, I think 2006, had a tutorial that makes your keying duties MUCH easier… it was entitled Super-Tight Junk Mattes. I have to admit, it works really well, but like almost any other task in After Effects, there was another way to do it. I was talking to Maltaannon a few months back and he had told me about his technique that he uses on this, and I have been using it ever since. Not only is there fewer steps, but it also takes a lot less time. I asked him if he wouldn’t mind me making a tutorial on it, since we all know how extensive his tutorials can get, and he told me to go for it, and here is the result… Super Tight Junk Mattes v2.0!
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The last couple of week have been loaded with some amazing content! I had a roundup or two, one of which features a ton of VFX breakdowns, and there were some amazing tutorials like, Understanding Linear Work flow, and the Club Tuts AE Plus tutorial! As it gets closer to Christmas, expect a ton more awesome stuff from the contributors over at AEtuts+, and some amazing roundups (if I do say so myself).
Every couple weeks we will showcase the tutorials from the past weeks so you can brush up and hone your After Effects skills to learn some new tricks and broaden your horizons when it comes to our favorite application.
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Since the iPhone 3GS came out, video recording has been the thing to utlilize lately, what with all the custom camera mounts like the iPhone Gorillapod and Zacuto’s custom rigs, you might feel a little left out if you don’t have the 3GS yet. Not to fear! There are three new apps out that actually allow you to take video using your normal ol’ 3G iPhone!.
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There are always essentials that you need to know, no matter what program you are working in. We are going to check out some of the must-see, most awesome tutorials out there for Cinema 4D, whether they are making-of’s, case studies, or full on tutorials, you should probably check all of them out. If not, well you are missing out my friend, now behold…
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So I was watching a movie called Minghags the other day (highly not recommended, I don’t know how I survived through the entire thing), but once I got to the credit roll, it intrigued me. I liked how it put focus into the middle of the credits, and had a cool 3d look to it. I decided to give it a go, and it was surprisingly easy to create in After Effects.
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Yeah, I know I am a little late this week… what can I say? The holiday season is taking it’s toll on me. This week we are going to take a look at a feature in After Effects that surprisingly, a lot of beginners and intermediate users alike don’t seem to utilize enough. The Animation Presets that come bundles with After Effects are highly useful, and an invaluable tool when you actually get around to exploring their uses. Also, most people don’t use Adobe Bridge enough, so I am going to combine the two to show you some ways you can utilize both in your work flow.
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Hey all… chances are your significant other doesn’t read Inside The Hive, so it is your duty to nonchalantly forward this article over to them… do it NOW! It’s okay I’ll wait…
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Okay, done? Good Now we can get down to business. Now as for you, significant other, whatever your name may be… you want to get your video geek of a love interest something really good for Christmas, but you aren’t a nerd yourself. Hmmm how to think like a nerd… it’s hard trust me, you aren’t alone (I am partially writing this so my wife gets some clues as well). I am going to show you some of the cooler gadgets, tools, and overall gear that you probably would never think about getting as a Christmas gift, but are actually pretty rad. I am here to help you and guide your way through our realm of the web… hold tight, you don’t wanna get lost!
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First I saw it on Motionographer, then I saw it on Postfolio, and low and behold there was a making of. Tim Nakashi’s video for OK Go’ “WTF?” is pretty visually amazing, and makes you feel like you are on a hardcore acid trip (which I think is what he was going for). After the jump, check out their video and the making of, but one thing I realized, there really wasn’t an explanation as to how they did the effect. I mean, they explain what props they used and why, but how did it work on the back end? Well it’s actually pretty simple… the Echo effect in After Effects. Check out my tutorial on how to make this effect, and how easy it really is.
There are many different reasons to use stock footage… perhaps you don’t have a camera, your budget is up for your production, or you might just need one extra pickup shot to finish off a piece. Sometimes, it just doesn’t seem feasible to rent a camera, put your time into something, go on location, set up lights, and everything else that goes along with getting that shot. That is where stock footage comes into play. We’re going to discuss some situations where you might use stock footage over shooting it yourself, and what the benefits might possibly be.
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To combat the competition on the horizon that is Video Copilot’s Optical Flares plugin, Red Giant Software is developing their newest extension to Knoll Light Factory, called Knoll 3D Flare. Now 3D lens flares and positioning has always been possible with Knoll, you just needed a little jerry-rigging, but with the new extension, it is going to make it super easy, as well as adding a bunch of attributes that will make using your lens flares a lot easier, and hopefully (for RGS) keep you with Knoll over Optical Flares. (more…)
