GSDigital Media Workshop - Adobe After Effects (Part 2)

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design

GSDigital Media Workshops - FALL 2015 Adobe After Effects - Tutorial 2: Advanced Compositing 15.10.06 | Gund 111 “War Room�

by Leif Estrada | lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

0_Overview

• As an overview of tonight’s session: Tutorial Part Two will be held on Tuesday, October 6th at 7:15 10:15

PM PM in Gund 111 “War Room.” The following are a list of session objectives which will be covered

during the workshop:

• Downloading youtube videos and sounds (make sure you cite appropriate credits, whenever

using other’s materials.) Clip Converter (converting youtube files to MP3, MP4...

• Adding Visual Effects (color adjustments)

• Adding glowing lines

• Adding Sound Effects and Music

• Adding “green screen” elements

• Rendering

• Vimeo Video Upload

1_Adding videos + audio from youtube 1.1 Youtube

Sometimes you will want to add a splice of video from youtube as a montage, or a green screen stock footage as an added element in your video. You can also download audio for soundeffects and soundtrack. (When you do this, please use proper citations to avoid copyright infringement, especially when you are uploading the completed video online.)

1.2 ClipConverter

Once you have chosen a video or audio to download, go to the following website: http://www.clipconverter.cc/ This website will convert and download the video/audio you would like to use. You can download it’s entirety or set the appropriate duration.

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

• paste the youtube address on the above space • select your desired file format of conversion.

• download • paste converted media into your AE file

2_Visual Effects

Visual effects is a movie maker’s “bread and butter,” it’s what makes films exciting. It adds a layer of fantasy unto a video. In this section, we will go over some basic visual effects, which can add a new layer of complexity to your videos.

2.1 Greenscreen

Many visual effect techniques involve the use of “green screen.” These are usually pre-recorded scenes which are easier to film on set than on the actual shot being. So they are filmed on a green screen and spliced onto the video as a montage. AE has something similar. The command is called “Keylight,” and it deletes the “green screen” of a video and allows for an almost seemless montage of an object to the environment.

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

Search for the “Keylight” effect under Effects and Presets. While having the layer selected, double click on the effect. This should automatically open up the “effects” panel to the left.

Use the eye dropper called “screen color” and click on the green area on the composition.

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

3_Text

You can dynamically use the text on your video; besides the four main effects, you can also add a more complex effects to texts, as provided by the Effects and Presets tab.

3.1 Typewriter

To use an effect that types a pre-typed text, use the “Typewriter” effect.

Having your text selected; search for “typerwriter” in the Effects and Presets Panel. Double click on the effect and it should automatically be applied onto your text.

Expand the effect under the text layer, as you may have to adjust the duration of the start and end key frames.

Make necessary adjustments.

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

4_“Tron” lines

Similarly to using a linked Illustrator file to create a moving line, we can also generate a a glowing “Tron” line across our composition. This is produced within After Effects.

When starting the “Tron” line moving paths; start by creating a colored solid.

Go to Layer > New > Solid. This will become a new layer.

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

Apply necessary adjustments, such as layer name, dimensions, and background color (the background color is important, as this will be the color of our line).

Without leaving the layer, draw paths on top of the solid by using the pen tool.

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

Apply the “Stroke” effect, which can be found in the Effects and Presets panel.

Once within the effects proterties, invert the red background and the line so that it retains the color as the line color. Select “Reveal Original Image.”

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

Set the starting and end keyframes under the “End” section of the stroke effect layer. Start being no line, and End with the completion of the drawn line (100%).

Add a glow effect, so that the line has an ambient glow (which will look great with a black background)

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

If you would like the “tip” of the line to follow directly after beginning of the line, simply copy the values for the “End” and paste it onto the “Start,” and shift it a head of time. This shift will create a clipping of the stroke.

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

5_Sound and Music

Adding sound effects and music is similar to adding any object in After Effects. However, instead of something visual that appears on your composition, you will have to analyze the waveform under the file’s presets.

Editing the waveform, according to your desired effect can be done by adjusting the decibel levels, and or applying a sound effect from the Effects and Presets panel.

Adding the keyframes would adjust the sound effect/music as your video/animation plays through time.

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

6_Rendering

Once you are happy with your video project. You are ready to render it!

Composition > Add to Render Queue (or Save Frame As > Photoshop File (static)).

Once in the Render Queue Panel, adjust the settings, output module and output location, as noted above

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

Render Settings (default settings): Quality: Best, Resolution: Full, Size: your comp size. It should be between 24-30 frames, and adjust the work area for the time frame you would like to render. This is shown under the start and end time. Adjust accordingly.

Output Module: Format: (your desired video format). Leaving the rest in their default settings should be fine.

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

Output Location: Select a folder where you want the rendered video to be saved in.

Once you are done adjusting the render settings. Hit Render. It should also give you an estimated render time, along the bar.

Harvard University

Graduate School of Design GSDigital Media Workshops

F15 GSDigital Workshops - 2015.10.06

Adobe After Effects Tutorial 2 - Advanced Compositing

by Leif Estrada, MLA I AP | MDes-ULE ‘16 - lestrada@gsd.harvard.edu

7_Uploading to Vimeo

Uploading your video to a host site is a good habit to get into. This way, you can have your videos easily accessible via an online link. Vimeo is a great host.

Go to: http://vimeo.com and sign in to your account; Hit the “Upload A Video” button on the Home page

Vimeo prompt you to select your video file and to adjust it accordingly if it does not fit the requirements. Add details to your video and upload. For free members, there’s a 45-minute wait until your video is live online.