Return-Path: Received: from nk11p04mm-asmtp002.mac.com ([17.158.236.237] verified) by media-motion.tv (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2.10) with ESMTP id 4951374 for AE-List@media-motion.tv; Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:26:12 +0100 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: multipart/alternative; boundary="Boundary_(ID_QkMWqEp9qubRfh7aR6p34A)" Received: from 66.49.40.101.nw.nuvox.net (66.49.40.101.nw.nuvox.net [66.49.40.101]) by nk11p04mm-asmtp002.mac.com (Oracle Communications Messaging Server 7u4-26.01(7.0.4.26.0) 64bit (built Jul 13 2012)) with ESMTPSA id <0MGO004Z1RSBHI20@nk11p04mm-asmtp002.mac.com> for AE-List@media-motion.tv; Tue, 15 Jan 2013 21:31:26 +0000 (GMT) X-Proofpoint-Virus-Version: vendor=fsecure engine=2.50.10432:5.9.8327,1.0.431,0.0.0000 definitions=2013-01-15_07:2013-01-15,2013-01-15,1970-01-01 signatures=0 X-Proofpoint-Spam-Details: rule=notspam policy=default score=0 spamscore=0 ipscore=0 suspectscore=0 phishscore=0 bulkscore=0 adultscore=0 classifier=spam adjust=0 reason=mlx scancount=1 engine=6.0.2-1203120001 definitions=main-1301150204 From: Benny Christensen Subject: Re: [AE] Animate object to path/Object flexes and bends as it follows path Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:31:23 -0600 In-reply-to: To: After Effects Mail List References: Message-id: X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.1283) --Boundary_(ID_QkMWqEp9qubRfh7aR6p34A) Content-type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable You need to watch this tutorial. Thanks to Aharon Rabinowitz for making = it and Part 2. = http://tv.adobe.com/watch/creative-cow-after-effects-tutorials/animating-a= -signature-part-1/ It saved me hours on a couple of logos I have been working on. Use the Stroke effect and Roughen Edges to taste. Benny Christensen Producers Playhouse Oklahoma City 405-858-0700 "Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to = the town gossip." - Will Rogers On Jan 15, 2013, at 3:06 PM, John Morgan wrote: > I do have Stroke and Particular. Would take a bit of work to further = learn to use them in this way. At this point, just knowing how things = came together is the goal. Once a project gets put in motion, I can = usually slug through it and figure out how to set up the effect. = Probably takes me 3 times longer than you pros. J > =20 > Since you mention the =91write on=92 effect, if a person wanted to = create the effect of writing handwritten chalk text on a chalkboard, = would you create the entire drawing using some sort of chalk-like brush = style in photoshop, then bring that layer into Ae and animate mask = points to reveal the chalk layer? Or is there an actual chalk-like brush = available within the write-on effect itself? > =20 > =20 > John > =20 > From: After Effects Mail List [mailto:AE-List@media-motion.tv] On = Behalf Of Byron Nash > Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 1:58 PM > To: After Effects Mail List > Subject: Re: [AE] Animate object to path/Object flexes and bends as it = follows path > =20 > Yes, you are correct on the 3D stroke taper. Although, 3D Stroke needs = masks to work and sometimes that can be trick getting it to line up with = the arrow. I normally use the Write on effect since I can link it to a = null. Also, for a thin tapering line, you could use a dense stream of = particles from Particular.=20 > =20 >=20 > On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 3:16 PM, John Morgan = wrote: > Wouldn=92t Trapcode 3D stroke allow a taper on the back end? Thanks = for the tip. > John > =20 > From: After Effects Mail List [mailto:AE-List@media-motion.tv] On = Behalf Of Byron Nash > Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 1:03 PM >=20 > To: After Effects Mail List > Subject: Re: [AE] Animate object to path/Object flexes and bends as it = follows path > =20 > You may need more than this, but here is a quick tip. For arrows you = can usually combine an arrowhead attached to a null with a stroke of = some kind hooked to the same null. This only works with uniform width = shapes that you can separate the tip into a different layer. When = combined they appear as one element.=20 > =20 >=20 > On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 2:07 PM, John Morgan = wrote: > Teddy that response was priceless! Fwded to boss...who is somewhat = savy but sorta thinks that stuff looks easy. > J > =20 > Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID >=20 >=20 > Teddy Gage wrote: >=20 > Definitely a good piece, but obviously not easy to emulate. It's = like learning how to cook by eating an 11 course meal. Difficult, unless = you have the recipes. I have a hard time believing it was "only" $10k = and two weeks for that piece.They must have paid their team of animators = and editors next to nothing. And I say team because there's no way one = or two people pulled that off in two weeks. I've seen 30 second pieces = with less involved graphics and no video footage for double that budget = produced in twice the time.=20 >=20 > - the text could easily be AE, with a solid and some precomp mask / = matte layers, the circle / gear stuff moves like it's controlled with = some nice expressions, the motion and flow is nice overall. lots of = easing (ease and whizz script maybe? or hand-drawn animation curves more = likely). The hand-drawn stuff looks - hand drawn with a tablet in = illustrator, paths animated and moved on and off with shape layers = controls. Much of it looks like it's a combination of shape layers from = AI and AE >=20 > - the "3D" stuff may be faked using AE planes and well drawn vectors. = You'd be surprised what you can do with some tricks. The train may be = completely 2D but moving in 3d space with some hand drawn warps, like = you thought >=20 > - I see some possible use of plexus plugin and / or trapcode = particular, for the triangle breakdown, small explosions and orbiting = planetoids >=20 > - definitely use of some stock vectors I recognize, like houses and = buildings etc. good to save time >=20 > good luck. >=20 > On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 1:15 PM, John Morgan = wrote: > Brian, Scott and Jim, Thank You. > I=92m in an in-house college marketing shop, wearing many hats as = videographer and all things related including motion graphics. Am not an = Ae power user=85.yet. Still, I have 9 years of Ae use under my belt. A = short stint with Combustion before that. And a brief amount of Softimage = 3D before that. > =20 > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DfqoJEtM4jX0 >=20 > =20 > My boss had seen the above clip from Simon Faser University and had = read a report about it in some college-related national magazine. She = wants me to push my envelope and incorporate more motion graphics such = as those used in the clip. The story in the magazine was a write-up = about how SFU had =93pulled off this incredible thing in just two = weeks.=94 Ha! I thought. She handed me the article and I read between = the lines and interpreted the language of the article. A marketing = director and the college pres had written the script, but =93a = Toronto-based graphics facilitator=94 had helped. Likely a boutique post = house, unnamed in the article. Cost $10,000.00. Right. I informed my = boss that the project hadn=92t been done in house at all!....other than = script. $10k for 4-mins of finished video is obviously heavy with AE and = 3D animator time, not to mention the creative concepting and story = boarding time. Possible ad agency involvement, but not mentioned in the = article. > =20 > Motion graphics interspersed throughout the project. > =20 > That very first scene where the SFU logo follows a spline is what I = was trying to achieve in Ae. Much of the other red-white animation = looked like it could be done inside Ae, except for some of the objects = that are 3D (maybe models imported to Ae.) Towards the end, there=92s a = train that=92s obviously not 2D. > =20 > I pulled the video off youtube and have been going through the = animations a frame at a time to see their progression=85..as learning = experience. The text animations seem like they came from somewhere else, = or 3rd party plugin. Or, they=92re complex multi-comp projects with = stroke animated. Not sure how the cross-hatching was applied. Complex. = Not that I=92m trying to duplicate, but I=92d like to learn some of the = steps so as to have the ability. > =20 > Any thoughts about how some of these motion effects were created, or = whether within Ae or plugin would be appreciated. > =20 > John > =20 > From: After Effects Mail List [mailto:AE-List@media-motion.tv] On = Behalf Of Brian Maffitt > Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 10:42 AM > To: After Effects Mail List > Subject: Re: [AE] Animate object to path/Object flexes and bends as it = follows path > =20 > If you use Freeform Pro applied to a large precomp, you should be able = to Distort the layer/comp in any way you like, for example, following an = s-shaped path. Then if you animate your layer inside the precomp, it = will follow the distortions contained in the parent comp. Does this make = sense? > =20 > Brian > =20 > =20 > 16 years ago I messed a bit with Softimage 3D. Animating objects to = path and having their orientation follow the path was pretty easy. = Applying a lattice so the object could bend and flex as it follows the = path was not too difficult either. > =20 > Now in Ae I=92m trying to relearn that technique. I have a solid layer = (a rectangle box) following a path with =91auto-orient=92 turned on, so = the path animation is done. What is the trick to making the layer flex = as it rounds the corners? The path is an s-curve shape where the S = elongates on Z axis. Can Mesh Warp be applied in a way that it will = interact with the curves in a path? > =20 > Trying to expand my knowledge. Any links to tutorials are appreciated. > =20 > John >=20 > This message, and any attachments, is intended only for the use of the = addressee and may contain information that is privileged and = confidential or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law. = If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient, you are = hereby notified that any unauthorized use, dissemination, distribution = or reproduction of this message is prohibited. If you have received this = communication in error, please notify the sender by return e-mail and = delete this e-mail and any attachments from your system. =AD=AD =20 > =20 >=20 >=20 >=20 > --=20 > Animator & Editor > www.teddygage.com > Brooklyn >=20 > This message, and any attachments, is intended only for the use of the = addressee and may contain information that is privileged and = confidential or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law. = If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient, you are = hereby notified that any unauthorized use, dissemination, distribution = or reproduction of this message is prohibited. If you have received this = communication in error, please notify the sender by return e-mail and = delete this e-mail and any attachments from your system. =AD=AD =20 > =20 > =20 --Boundary_(ID_QkMWqEp9qubRfh7aR6p34A) Content-type: text/html; charset=windows-1252 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable You need to watch this tutorial. Thanks = to Aharon Rabinowitz for making = it and Part 2.


It saved me hours on a couple of logos I = have been working on.

Use the Stroke = effect and Roughen Edges to taste.

<= br>


On Jan 15, 2013, at 3:06 PM, John Morgan wrote:

I do have Stroke and Particular. Would take a bit of = work to further learn to use them in this way. At this point, just = knowing how things came together is the goal. Once a project gets put in = motion, I can usually slug through it and figure out how to set up the = effect. Probably takes me 3 times longer than you pros. J
Since you mention the =91write on=92 effect, if a = person wanted to create the effect of writing handwritten chalk text on = a chalkboard, would you create the entire drawing using some sort of = chalk-like brush style in photoshop, then bring that layer into Ae and = animate mask points to reveal the chalk layer? Or is there an actual = chalk-like brush available within the write-on effect = itself?
 
John
 After = Effects Mail List [mailto:AE-List@media-motion.tv] On Behalf Of Byron = Nash
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 = 1:58 PM
To: After Effects Mail = List
Subject: Re: [AE] Animate object to = path/Object flexes and bends as it follows = path
Yes, you are correct = on the 3D stroke taper. Although, 3D Stroke needs masks to work and = sometimes that can be trick getting it to line up with the arrow. I = normally use the Write on effect since I can link it to a null. Also, = for a thin tapering line, you could use a dense stream of particles from = Particular. 

 



Teddy Gage <teddygage@gmail.com> = wrote:

    = Definitely a good piece, but obviously not easy to emulate. It's like = learning how to cook by eating an 11 course meal. Difficult, unless you = have the recipes. I have a hard time believing it was "only" $10k and = two weeks for that piece.They must have paid their team of animators and = editors next to nothing. And I say team because there's no way one or = two people pulled that off in two weeks. I've seen 30 second pieces with = less involved graphics and no video footage for double that budget = produced in twice the time. 

- the text could = easily be AE, with a solid and some precomp mask / matte layers, the = circle / gear stuff moves like it's controlled with some nice = expressions, the motion and flow is nice overall. lots of easing (ease = and whizz script maybe? or hand-drawn animation curves more likely). The = hand-drawn stuff looks - hand drawn with a tablet in illustrator, paths = animated and moved on and off with shape layers controls. Much of it = looks like it's a combination of shape layers from AI and AE

- = the "3D" stuff may be faked using AE planes and well drawn vectors. = You'd be surprised what you can do with some tricks. The train may be = completely 2D but moving in 3d space with some hand drawn warps, like = you thought

- I see some possible use of plexus plugin and / or = trapcode particular, for the triangle breakdown, small explosions and = orbiting planetoids

- definitely use of some stock vectors I = recognize, like houses and buildings etc. good to save time

good = luck.

On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 1:15 PM, John = Morgan <Brian, Scott and Jim, Thank = You.

My boss had seen the above clip from Simon Faser = University and had read a report about it in some college-related = national magazine. She wants me to push my envelope and incorporate more = motion graphics such as those used in the clip. The story in the = magazine was a write-up about how SFU had =93pulled off this incredible = thing in just two weeks.=94 Ha! I thought. She handed me the article and = I read between the lines and interpreted the language of the article. A = marketing director and the college pres had written the script, but =93a = Toronto-based graphics facilitator=94 had helped. Likely a boutique post = house, unnamed in the article. Cost $10,000.00. Right. I informed my = boss that the project hadn=92t been done in house at all!....other than = script. $10k for 4-mins of finished video is obviously heavy with AE and = 3D animator time, not to mention the creative concepting and story = boarding time. Possible ad agency involvement, but not mentioned in the = article.


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