Introduction to After Effects:

Learning the Basics of After Effects:

Using stock images to create a title sequence.

Used transparent PNGs found on Google to create a scene of a grappling hook pulling the 007 logo into frame by adjusting their scale, position and opacity and adding keyframes on the timeline.

Second Sequence

For my second sequence, inspired by the Dr. No (1962) opening, I used the same techniques using an ellipse shape layer, I then edited the timing by applying time remapping to the composition and editing the graph.

 

Masking:

New Bond Intro Sequence using masking. Smoke, fire, watch and beach videos were downloaded from mitchmartinez.com.

Final Video Link:

Week 3:

In this lecture we used the green screen studio to film shots that we will use for silhouettes next week.

Keying:

I used a shot of me and Taj we filmed last week. I imported the video into an After Effects composition and used the effect Keylight, under Effect, Keying, Keylight (1.2). I then adjusted the settings to remove the green background and also used the colour correction curve to darken the image and make it black:

I then added a blue circle and animated it to zoom in and follow the subjects, and then fade out:

I then added a black fill layer under the circle to give the circle a black background:

I then exported this and imported that render back into the composition as a new video:

I then again used the keylight effect to remove the blue, leaving a gunbarrel effect:

I then added fill layers and used the ‘stroke’ and ‘turbulent displace’ effects to add a blood dripping effect:

I then added the logo at the end:

 

Tracking:

Using stock footage, in After Effects I pressed Window and then toggled tracker. I then pressed track motion and then placed the tracker on one of the pyramids. Next I pressed the ‘analyze forward’ button in the tracker window which automatically tracked the movement of the pyramid.

I then clicked the layer of the PNG label image, and then pressed the pan behind (anchor tool) button in the toolbar. I moved the tracking point to the middle of the circle so that the circle would be aligned with the motion of the footage.

The final video:

Second Task: Face Tracking

Firstly I duplicated the footage.

I then selected the top layer and used the pen tool to outline the boys face.

Then in the tracker window I selected Method: Face Tracking (Outline Only) and pressed the analyze forward button to get a motion track.

I then selected the mosaic effect.

I changed the mosaic settings of horizontal and vertical blocks, making them 150 each.

I then reenabled the visibility of the second layer to complete the task.

Final Video:

Practicing with shapes and keyframes in After Effects:

 

3D in After Effects:

Using 3D layers in After Effects, as well as camera and light layers.

Experimented with camera settings such as depth of field and focus distance, as well as using keyframes to move the camera.

Render:

Experimenting with animation presets:

Using lighting and silhouettes to make a sequence:

Transparent images found on google. I made them into 3D layers and positioned them to look like a view of a street, where a secret agent is shot by a mystery gunman.

I added some spot lights to add dramatic effect and make the scene look 3D.

Render:

 

Week 7 Highlight Showreel:

 

 

The Basics of Simulation in Maya and the Bullet plugin:

I made a plane and a large sphere which I made into passive rigid bodies, and then made multiple small spheres into active rigid bodies. I then added a light and made a test render of 116 frames at 24fps.

Render:

 

Experimenting:

 

Smoke and Container Effects:

2D Smoke Container in Maya:

2D Container Demo:

3D Container Demo:

Basics of nCloths:

Demo 1:

Demo 2:

 

Flag waving in the wind:

Flag Demo:

 

 

Experimenting with physics simulation for Bond Sequence Assignment:

Bond Assignment:

For my assignment I wanted to create a title sequence that contained the classic and iconic imagery associated with old Bond movies, like circles and silhouettes, as well as the CGI imagery that has appeared in the more recent Bond films, primarily during Daniel Craig’s run. I planned to gradually change the imagery throughout the credit sequence which would include the names of all the actors who have portrayed the character, ending with the most complex CGI shot for the most recent portrayal. I then also wanted to implement the green screen techniques we had practiced in class, so I included a silhouette fight scene and chose to end the sequence with the signature shot of Bond walking into the centre of the frame and shooting at the camera.

Firstly, I used music from the Casino Royale soundtrack and edited it down to make the key parts of the song fit within a 40 second video in the mobile app Lumafusion. I then added a royalty free gunshot sound at the end, as an outro. This was so I could edit and animate the visuals around the music.

I then began animating the sequence in After Effects, starting with circles that appear and move in time with the music:

I then began adding 3D visuals that I created in Maya, using methods within the Bullet simulation plugin that we learnt in class:

I then began keying out the green screen footage we captured, making them into silhouettes:

I then downloaded a transparent PNG of the Bond logo off of Google and animated it to appear during the sequence:

I then added 3D spotlights in order to light the logo, and have the lights move to make the image look less static:

I added more lights throughout the silhouette sequence in order to create a more dramatic effect:

I then went back to make some more 3D visuals in Maya:

Lastly, after rendering these visuals and editing them in After Effects, I added the names of James Bond actors in the sequence in order to make it feel more like a title/ credit sequence:

Final Outcome: