Adobe after Effects 6. 5 Studio Techniques

by Christiansen, Mark

• ISBN13: 9780321316202
• ISBN10: 0321316207
• Edition: CD
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Adobe Press

Summary

Ready to learn the visual effects secrets used at such leading-edge studios as Industrial Light + Magic and The Orphanage?Adobe After Effects 6.5 Studio Techniquesinspires you to take your work to the next level with realworld examples and insider techniques. Get blockbuster results without the big budget as you delve deep into the essence of visual effects. This book goes beyond conventional step-by-step instruction, teaching you bread-and-butter effects that you can adapt and combine for countless projects. bull; Real solutions from real professionals: Nobody does it better, and now theyrs"ll show you how. Discover the keys to analyzing your shots from Stu Maschwitz, Visual Effects Supervisor forStar Wars, Episode OneandSin City. Unlock the mysteries of linear color space with Brendan Bolles, co-creator of the eLin plug-ins. Master fundamental effects techniques with Mark Christiansen, After Effects specialist for The Orphanage onThe Day After Tomorrow. bull; Compositing essentials: No matter how sophisticated the effect, they all start from the same building blocks. Find out what yours"ve been missing about color and light matching, keying, motion tracking, rotoscoping, working with film, and more. bull; Advanced techniques: Your goal should be effects so good that no one notices them. From sky replacement to explosions, from smoke to fire, learn to bring your shots to life and enhance scenes without anyone ever knowing what theyrs"re seeing isnrs"t 100% real. bull; Companion CD-ROM: Professional tools produce professional results. Demo versions of plug-ins from Andersson Technologies, Red Giant Software, Frischluft, and Trapcode will enhance your work. Stop relying on ready-made solutions and pre-built effects. Learn how to build up and customize your own effects with the tools at handyours"ll be amazed at how much better the results look!

Author Biography

Stu Maschwitz is a founding partner of The Orphanage, where his credits include mind-bending effects for award-winning commercials.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xi
Section I Working Foundations
Chapter 1 The Effects Toolset	3	(44)
Preparing Your Workspace	5	(9)
Elegant UI Usage	14	(6)
Footage and Composition Settings	20	(6)
Previewing Like a Pro	26	(9)
A Useful Effects Palette	35	(3)
Render Queue: Flight Check	38	(7)
Study Footage Like a Pro	45	(2)
Chapter 2 The Timeline	47	(38)
Organization	49	(9)
Transforms	58	(2)
Working with Keyframes	60	(7)
Uber-mastery	67	(5)
Animation Offsets	72	(3)
Motion Blur	75	(4)
Playing with Time Itself	79	(5)
In Conclusion	84	(1)
Chapter 3 Selections: The Key to Compositing	85	(30)
The Many Ways to Create Selections	86	(3)
Compositing: Science and Nature	89	(3)
Alpha Channels and Premultiplication	92	(4)
Masks	96	(4)
Combining Multiple Masks	100	(3)
Putting Masks in Motion	103	(2)
Blending Modes: The Real Deal	105	(6)
Track Mattes	111	(4)
Chapter 4 Optimizing the Pipeline	115	(22)
Navigating Multiple Compositions	117	(3)
Pre-Composing and Nesting	120	(6)
Adjustment and Guide Layers	126	(3)
Understanding Rendering Order	129	(1)
Optimizing Projects	130	(3)
Onward to Effects	133	(4)
Section II Effects Compositing Essentials
Chapter 5 Color and Light: Adjusting and Matching	137	(32)
Optimizing Plate Levels	139	(20)
Color Matching	159	(10)
Chapter 6 Color Keying	169	(40)
Good Habits and Best Practices	171	(3)
Linear Keyers and Hi-Con Mattes	174	(6)
Blue-Screen and Green-Screen Keying	180	(9)
Understanding and Optimizing Keylight	189	(9)
Fixing Typical Problems	198	(8)
Conclusion	206	(3)
Chapter 7 Rotoscoping and Paint	209	(30)
Articulated Mattes	211	(7)
Working Around Limitations	218	(5)
Morphing	223	(6)
Paint and Cloning	229	(9)
Conclusion	238	(1)
Chapter 8 Effective Motion Tracking	239	(40)
The Essentials	241	(15)
Optimizing Tracking via 3D	256	(10)
Continuing a Track with Expressions	266	(3)
Tracking for Rotoscoping	269	(4)
Using 3D Tracking Data	273	(5)
Conclusion	278	(1)
Chapter 9 Virtual Cinematography	279	(44)
2.5D: Using the Camera	281	(16)
Storytelling and the Camera	297	(7)
Camera Blur	304	(6)
The Role of Grain	310	(7)
Film and Video Looks	317	(5)
Conclusion	322	(1)
Chapter 10 Expressions	323	(30)
Logic and Grammar, in that Order	326	(1)
Muting Keyframes	327	(2)
Linking Animation Data	329	(7)
Looping Animations	336	(3)
Smoothing and Destabilizing	339	(3)
Offsetting Layers and Time	342	(3)
Conditionals	345	(3)
Emulating 3D Tracking	348	(3)
Tell Me More	351	(2)
Chapter 11 Issues Specific to Film and HDR Images	353	(22)
Film 101	355	(2)
Dynamic Range	357	(2)
Cineon Log Space	359	(3)
Video Gamma Space	362	(2)
Battle of the Color Spaces	364	(3)
Floating Point	367	(1)
eLin	368	(3)
Conclusion	371	(4)
Section III Creative Explorations
Chapter 12 Working with Light	375	(52)
Light Source and Direction	377	(8)
Creating a Look with Color	385	(7)
Backlighting, Flares, Light Volume	392	(9)
Shadows and Reflected Light	401	(5)
Re-lighting a Scene	406	(20)
Conclusion	426	(1)
Chapter 13 Air, Water, Smoke, and Clouds	427	(28)
Particulate Matter	429	(4)
Sky Replacement	433	(3)
The Fog, Smoke, or Mist Rolls In	436	(4)
Billowing Smoke	440	(7)
Wind	447	(2)
Water	449	(4)
Conclusion	453	(2)
Chapter 14 Fire and Explosions	455	(26)
Firearms	458	(6)
Sci-Fi Weaponry	464	(3)
Heat Distortion	467	(5)
Fire	472	(6)
Explosions	478	(2)
Fiery Conclusion	480	(1)
Chapter 15 Learning to See	481	(18)
Why Doesn't This Shot Look Real?	483	(4)
All Hail Reference	487	(8)
Rolling Thine Own	495	(2)
Not a Conclusion	497	(2)
Index	499	(20)
What's on the CD?	519