Silhouette mode & Nested Composition

original comp with the text mask and universe image:


original comp with mode changed to Silhouette Alpha so that we end up with a transparent black background:


in the nested comp we have the original comp, plus a background image of the sky.


TIP: In order to have a transparent background you may need to use a mode (Silhouette Alpha).

Audio tips

Here are some AV ideas:

File formats supported:
AAC, M4A
AIF, AIFF
MP3
AVI, WAV
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Use Garage Band to create and edit sounds FX.
Share > Save to Disk as AIF files.
Import into AE.
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Drag an audio file from the Project Panel to the Timeline.

View the Waveform
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• SCRUBBING VIDEO
Hold OPTION and drag the CTI to scrub through the video.

• SCRUBBING AUDIO
Hold COMMAND and drag the CTI to scrub through the audio.

• SCRUBBING AUDIO & VIDEO
Hold OPTION & COMMAND and drag the CTI to scrub through the video and audio.
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USE RAM PREVIEW, not SPACEBAR to hear the audio previews

Audio tips:
• you can resize the clip in the Time Graph (changing the length of the bar)
• place the clip in the Time Graph ( Move the bar)
• adjust audio levels ( fade in, fade out music)
• add multiple tracks (FX/foley, narration, music)


I will have a video tutorial up later this week.

Bumper Example in AE

This example features:
• audio ( FX, narration, background music)
• nested comps
• 3D background animation

CS4-AE Text on a path mask

Steps:
1. Type some text.
2. With the layer selected, use the pen tool (with RotoBezier turned on to give a rounded curve), create a path.
3. Attach the mask path to the text: Text / Path Options / Path Mask 1 (from the drop down menu)
4. Click the Stopwatch on First Margin, and set where the text will begin to animate on the path.
5. Move the CTI and Set the First Margin to where the animation will end.

CS4-AE Text Mask in a Nested Comp

Steps:
1. Drag an image into a Timeline layer. This image will be seen through the masked text.
2. Type some text. This will become the mask.
3. Layer > Create Masks From Text
NOTE: A new layer is created holding a mask path for each letter of the word typed.
4. Apply the mode: Silhouette Alpha
5. Create a new comp to nest this text mask comp with another image behind it.

Shape Mask HOW TO video

Stencil Alpha Mode (simulating inverted mask)

Steps used in the creation of this example:
1. Drag supernova.tiff into a layer
NASA has some great images for download: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/universe
2. Rotation, 0s, 0x
3. Rotation, 20s, 2x
4. Layer > New > Shape Layer
5. Drag out a star shape (Q) in the shape layer, and centre it in the layer.
6. Set Mode to Stencil Alpha to see through the star into the super nova image.
7. Create a text layer above the shape layer and the super nova image.
The text will be visible as the shape layer mode is set to Stencil Alpha.

Week#4: Masking

This week we will practice masking:

Often used Hot Keys:

Q: Shape tool
- click the Q to sequence through the 5 shapes
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W: Rotation tool,
- use for rotating shapes.
- hold the OPTION Key to not see the bounding box
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V: Selection tool;
- use for moving objects in the Comp Window
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G: Pen Tool
- use for creating Bezier curves and shapes.
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Y: Pan Behind tool,
- use in setting the anchor point for the shape.


Examples this week:
• Text masking
• Inverted masks
• Shape mask
• Building a path with the Pen tool
• Stencil Mode to simulate a mask effect

Text Mask, with opacity animation

Create a new Comp
1) drag background picture image to layer
2) T: type the word
3) select text layer
4) Layer > Create Masks from Text
5) Set the mask layer to Intersect, and check the Inverted box.

Vertex Animation

Using the pen tool, the vertex of a shape is dragged while holding the (MAC) OPTION key.

Sky Painting (Animation with Parenting)

The scaled image layer is a parent to the word love. The result is that they both now scale together (parent & child).

Sky Painting (Animation with Soft Light Mode)

A soft light mode is applied to the love layer.

Love Animation HOW TO

Love Animation example using painting technique

Painting can be created on a layer.
In this example, the word "love" is brushed on to a green colored solid layer.

note: The layer may be set to be transparent.

Project#1: Your TV Station ID /Logo & Bumper

PROJECT RATIONALE:
A commercial bumper (often shortened to bump) usually two to fifteen seconds, is placed between a pause in the program and its commercial break. It may take the form of a brief announcement or appearance of a station or sponsor logo. The host, the program announcer, or a continuity announcer states the title of the presentation, the name of the program, and the broadcast network. Bumper music, often a recurring signature or theme music segment, is nearly always featured. Bumpers can vary from simple text to short films.
An eyecatch, a term used in Japan, is a bumper scene used to begin and end a commercial break in a Japanese TV program, especially in anime and tokusatsu shows. The term refers to all kinds of commercial bumpers. Eyecatches are almost always produced by the production company and considered a part of the program itself, rather than a segue into a commercial break.

DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Create a commercial bumper in the style of an eyecatch, including kinetic type, motion graphics, and music, with a length between 5 and 15 seconds.

The project must include the following items and criteria:
1. Imported Photoshop created graphic;
2. Imported Illustrator created graphic;
3. Imported QuickTime file
4. Motion path;
5. Multiple transformations;
6. Nested compositions;
7. Animated type;
8. Keying;
9. Moving anchor;
10. Output final to QuickTime file format;
11. Include music track;
12. Output video must be 5 -15 seconds in length;
13. All files must be backed up to a CD-R and/or DVD-R.

DELIVERABLES:
CD-R and/or DVD-R including all files: rationale, production, and final files;
In-class presentation;
Copy of all production files in a folder named: Working Files;
Copy of the final AE (.aep) file and the rendered video (.mov) in a folder named: Final files;
All files must be saved AND backed up to a CD-R or DVD-R;
Design Rationale: providing evidence of creativity, design principles, design process;
Time Management Worksheet.


An example:
http://www.imaginaryforces.com/featured/5/75

Week#3: Topics covered

Here's what we looked at today:

Y Pan Behind Tool
V Selection Tool

TEXT (TEXT LAYER):
• Source text (to add text to the same layer, starting at different keyframes)
• Text animation using Range Selector & Property ( Set the Start & End values, to select the percentage range of the text used in the property animation)

SHAPES (SHAPE LAYER):
• Fill & Gradient Fill design
• Stroke design
• Pucker & Bloat the shape (Add pop-up menu Pucker & Bloat property)
• Twist the shape (Add pop-up menu Twist property)
• Repeat the shape (Add pop-up menu Repeater property)
• Brainstorm feature (drag over properties then click the Brainstorm button)

I will have some more "how to" videos up by the weekend.

MUSIC JAM On

Wednesday, September 23, 6-9pm, MUSIKZone ( Broadview & Danforth)
$60.00 fee for room is split between all attendees
free coffee
RSVP me by Monday .
thanks

Exercise #1 Example

Text on a Path How To video

Week #3: Shapes & Strokes

This week will introduce the following:
• Shape Tool (including gradient fill)
• Pan Behind Tool
• Scrubbing the animation (Option & drag CTI)
• Adding to a shape (Twisting, Repeating, Pucker & Bloat)
• Shape on a path ( including orientation)
• Creating strokes & stroke animation

Star Shape "How To"

New Videos

I plan to have a few new "How To" video's up over the next couple days:
1) Squish & Stretch ( animation technique)
2) Anticipation ( animation technique)
3) Text on a Path (inner & outer)
4) Shape design, and some more effects
and depending on whether I sleep this weekend... a couple more by Monday night.

have a great weekend...
and be sure to practice, practice, practice...

also...
start sketching a logo for your project#1: TV station logo and bumper.

Anticipation Animation example:


Squish & Stretch Animation example:

Week#2: Text Animation Principles & Practices

Find below 10 items we might try and accomplish this week:

1. Complete first text animation exercise (5%) and review animation principles (see handout)
2. Squash & stretch example
3. Anticipation example
4. Ease in/out
5. Blur
6. Skew, opacity, position
7. Motion sketching
8. Scrubbing a text animation
9. Adding a keyframe( from the Comp)
10. Text on a path

We will also need some time to chat about Project#1: TV Station Logo & Bumper.

A couple new videos added to Week#1:Workflow

I added a couple video's showing some of the ideas presented in class this week.

PART_01:


PART_02:


PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE...
See you next week.

Exercise#1: Text Animation

WEEK#1, IN-CLASS EXERCISE:
Due in-class WEEK #2.
• Create a five second video that animates your name.
• Use one Text Animation Preset
• Include a background picture.
• Save the video to your USB/hard drive.
• Create a YouTube account and post the video.
• Create a blog on blogger and embed the video.

Exercise samples:

Week #1: Workflow

Welcome to MULTIMEDIA using AE (After Effects).

Here are some of the items we explored together in class this week.
TIP: The Footage Folder. Create a folder with all your footage inside of it. The AE project panel only has "links" to footage.
1. Workflow
i. Import files into the Project panel & organize footage into folders
ii. Create comps (compositions) & arrange layers
iii. Add special effects & presets to the layers
iv. Animate elements & Adjust properties (adding keyframes)
v. RAM Preview
vi. Render & Output final video
2. Text tool: Used for typing text in the Comp panel.
We also looked briefly at the Character and Paragraph panels for setting the type and aligning the type.
3. Stopwatch: Used for setting the initial keyframe. To set additional keyframes, just move the Current Time Indicator to a new position, and change a property value.
4. Animation > Browse Presets: Used for the text presets. Select the text layer then apply a preset. It's that simple.
5. Animation > Keyframe Assistant > Time-Reverse Keyframes: Used to reverse a text animation. It reverses the order of the keyframes in the layer.
6. Properties: Position, Scale, Opacity. We adjusted these properties by setting the Stopwatch and additional keyframes.
7. RAM Preview: Suggestion is to use Quarter resolution. Use SHIFT & RAM Preview to Skip frames in the preview.
8. Render the final compsosition.


A HOW TO VIDEO for some of the items we practiced in today's class:
PART 01:


PART 02:


----------------------------------------
WEEK#1, IN-CLASS EXERCISE:
Due in-class WEEK #2.
• Create a five second video that animates your name.
• Use one Text Animation Preset
• Include a background picture.
• Save the video to your USB drive.
• Create a YouTube account and post the video.
• Create a blog on blogger and embed the video.
----------------------------------------

HOMEWORK:
1. Try out all the text animation presets
2. Buy a portable hard drive (100-200 gig would be helpful).
3. Practice animating text and setting keyframes
4. Read all the handouts, projects sheets, course outline
5. Start design thinking about all the projects.
6. View the Project references/examples on the blog.
7. Practice, practice, practice
8. Make notes based upon what you have learned.
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AE DESIGN CLUB:
Starts next Tuesday 6pm,...
for help session on the first project,
posting video to YouTube,
embedding a video on a blog.

Imagine This

Kyle Cooper's Imaginery Forces:
http://www.imaginaryforces.com/

Welcome to AE.

"Create believable fantastic moving images" says Mark Christiansen.

This AE course takes a two-pronged approach:
1. Artistic: Creativity and aesthetics
2. Technical: Tools and procedures

AE is a tool that allows the user to composite media into new dynamic forms.
There are three main panels:
The PROJECT panel holds links to the media footage.
The COMPOSITION panel shows the composition at the current time.
The TIMELINE panel holds the keyframe changes.

Ideal Designer Screen Scenarios:
A pair of 24" screens may help you organize your panels,
OR one large 30" screen (using the ~ Tilde key to zoom up/down the comp panel)
Command & \ maximizes and centres any panel.

greyscalegorilla

http://greyscalegorilla.com/blog/

May be a useful blog to follow.