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Software Tutorials
After Effect
Remark for workflow between C4D and AE :
Cineware doesn’t work in R25 C4D as live link option in Preference → Communication is gone. In AE, change cineware to R21 version will automatically change back to R25 after restart AE.
Currently I can’t find a way to instant synchorize/update C4D change shown on AE.
Everytime to show update made on C4D, need to save the project on C4D, so that AE can see the update.
Short Cut:
Ctrl+Shift+X: Trim Comp to Work Area (find in Composition top bar)
Ctrl+D: Duplicate
0 (on ten keypad): Ram preview
P.R.A.T.S: Position, rotation, anchor point, opacity, scale
AA: all 3d options
LL: show sound waveform (if the clip has sound)
Home, End: beginning, End of timeline
Page up/down: go frame by frame
J, K : go keyframe by keyframe
Ctrl +/- : fine zoom in/out
§ (below escape button in SV keyboard): full screen
B, N: set beginning/end work area in timeline (different from I, O that go to start/end point)
Alt+[ or Alt+ ] : chop/trim beginning/end in the layer chosen in timeline (can extend back the chopped part by dragging the bar) (Different from split/razor cut layer: Shift +Ctrl +D)
[ or, ] : Instead of chop, it moves the bar in the layer
Ctrl+Shift+C (after select required layers): Pre compose layer creation )
Enter : To rename the layer
Ctrl + click the selected keyframes: Scale the keyframes relative to each other (useful in animation)
+,- (between 0 and backspace key) : zoom in /out of timeline
Shift+/-: Change blend mode, when the object in layer is selected
Short Cut 2:
Remark:
-Period button to play audio: after click LL open waveform
-Ctrl + Alt + Drag Mouse to scrub audio after open waveform too
-Nudge Layer (Alt + Pg up/down): mean drag the layer forward/backward by 1 frame; if hold Shift instead of Alt, it drags 10 frames)
-Add Keyframe to Layer Property: Letter means P.A.R.T.S (5:30-5:58, doesn’t work on my keyboard?)
-Back to previous Comp (Shift+ESC): useful when a lot of comps opened and swap among them
-Remapping: Ctrl + Alt + T
Recommended folder organizing in project: folders 01 to 06 as follow, then save the template in Preference → New Project → then set up the default startup project template
Wiggle effect for Mograph video/camera handheld shake effect:
Create a shape layer (e.g. Ellipse Tool as a ball), in timeline at Position, hold Alt & click the stopwatch icon→ Type Wiggle(3,300) (no space between bracket and comma) 1st value refers to the speed, 2nd value refers to how much the object want to move around in that time.
Turn on the motion blur icon as well
For a flash/strobe light effect: open Opacity at the shape layer, Type Wiggle (2,100)
Content-Aware Fill to remove object:
Create a mask and track it by keyframe (R click on the Mask layer) on the object (hold Alt with selection tool, drag 1 of the dot when move the mask on frame)
→ Tick Inverted box (or change to Subtract) in Mask layer
feather the mask layer a bit if necessary
Window (on top)→ Content Aware Fill → Generate Fill Layer (below the button, check the analyzing bar reach 100%) → A fill layer is created
Content Aware Fill parameters:
-Alpha Expansion:
Give some wiggle room to expand it past the outline, will slow down render time (suggest set it between 5-15)
-Fill Method:
Object: Most commonly used for shot with both cameras movement and fill content moving
Surface: For shot that camera moving, but fill content is static (e.g. graffiti on wall, scar on face)
Edge Blend: Make the Content Fill more blur and soft (help weird edge problem, good for shot that doesn't need to show texture, e.g. text on paper/ white background)
Solutions if a weird edge line observed after generating the layer:
1.Click Create Reference Frame (above Generate Fill Layer button), fix the edge in Photoshop by clone stamp tool, it updates and modify on AE instantly
2.Help by Blending new and original footage : Put the fill layer below the video in timeline, set the Mask Feather higher in the Video Mask layer (This method only work if the Alpha Expansion sets above 0)
Remark: Because the content Fill PNG created takes a lot of space, better empty regularly. Pathway: R Click Content Aware Fill at R hand side bar → Content Aware Setting→ Path (Folder called Fills); or R click the png created in timeline →Reveal → Reveal in Finder
25 Recommended Effects:
-Fire distortion : R click on chosen layer → Effect→ Distort→ Liquify (parameter: Distortion Mesh), make 2-3 layers overlapping for more real look
-Reshape object/animation: Puppet Pin Tool (Ctrl+P) at top menu
-Spill Suppressor for green screen: Effect → Obsolete → Spill Suppressor
-Leave Color (Sin City Effect): Type in Effect bar
-Mosaic: To hide face/logo or create cool geometric visual (by animating it): Effect →Stylize → Mosaic
-Warp Stabilizer: Effect →Distort → Warp Stabilizer VFX
-Vignette: Effect → Stylize → CC Vignette (can apply it by creating a sold layer on the compositing)
-Optics Compensation (to fix the extreme wide angle shot)
-Audio Spectrum (useful to create glowing effect in text/mograph)
-Drop Shadow (for Text design): Effect→ Perspective → Drop Shadow
-Motion Tile (For Seamless Resize texture, infinite wall moving): Effect → Stylize →Motion tile
-Light Sweep (for Text design, with light flashing on the text): Effect → Generate → CC Light Sweep
-Turbulent Displace combine with Displacement Map: for Liquid Ripple feeling (e.g. Laser beam gun shot) : Effect → Distort → Detail → Displacement Map
-CC Particles World (for explosion into million balls)
-Fractal Noise (combine with turbulent displace for volumetric lighting/fog effect. e.g. subsurface light of vampire burning underneath 17:05-17:17)
-Gradient Ramp and Fill (work on any layer, combine with vignette, texture, color shift, animation for the result as below): Effect → Generate →Fill
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