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Written by a collection of the best writers in the industry and covering topics ranging from editing to motion graphics to live production. This channel features an incredibly diverse collection of authors and articles. Find out more about each of them...
David Torno is a Visual Effects professional based in Los Angeles at Ghost Town Media. David has been creating Visual Effects since 2000 and has worked on numerous commercial, feature, music video, and multimedia projects. He is most widely known for his work for such artists as Linkin Park (...
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Co-founder of Ultimatte and developer of modern compositing technologies.
By Jeff Foster | March 27, 2012
This is the second in a series of interviews with the pioneers and masters in the compositing/VFX film & television industry. I originally recorded these interviews for my published book "The Green Screen Handbook" (Sybex/Wiley, pub) and had intended to produce one full-length documentary from the materials. But after a couple of years past now, I thought they would be better served as individual parts of a series to help educate and inform people about these historic times from the early days of VFX compositing through modern-day techniques.
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Use color channel values to drive a lens flare's intensity
By David Torno | March 26, 2012
This week we dive into the sampleImage expression. I show you how to read the values it outputs and how to use those values to drive the intensity of a lens flare.
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Use color channel values to drive a lens flare's intensity
By David Torno | March 26, 2012
This week we dive into the sampleImage expression. I show you how to read the values it outputs and how to use those values to drive the intensity of a lens flare.
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Have a layer center itself at the midpoint between two other moving layers
By David Torno | March 18, 2012
Ever have the need to have a layer stay exactly at the midpoint between two other moving layers? Sometimes your layers have to move erratically, or even linear, but you just want your midpoint layer to just stay in the middle without doing math and hand keyframing it the whole way. Well this expression should help you out. Includes a 2D and 3D layer explanation.
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Attach a 2D layer to a 3D layer, even while it's moving.
By David Torno | March 12, 2012
This a fun useful expression that allows you to take any 2D layer in your timeline and have it attach to a moving 3D layer. Ideal for something like 2D flat text that follows a 3D tracked point in a scene.
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Automatically offset your layers with a master controller null in 3D space.
By David Torno | March 04, 2012
In part 2 of this episode, we look at creating the same layer offset in 3D by adding an extra control for the Z axis.
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Automatically offset your layers with a master controller null.
By David Torno | March 04, 2012
This week I show you how to have a layer automatically offset itself on the X, Y axis as well as it's rotation value. All of this is controlled via a master control null for ease of use.
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A Look at GenArts' Latest Upgrade to their Popular Plugin Effects
By Jeff Foster | March 01, 2012
GenArts has released an update to their Monsters GT v7 - which includes some new effects like Sky, Starfield, Water, Roman Tile and Candle. This brings the Monsters GT suite to 55 effects plug-ins ranging from physics-based particles, fluids, fire, smoke and time-based feedback and artistic effects.
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Matching Foreground Green Screen and Background Plates with Rack Focus Effect in After Effects
By Jeff Foster | February 27, 2012
If you're looking to give your green screen composites another step of realism or to simulate the look of a shallow DOF with a DSLR, then this video tutorial will show you how! Using Adobe After Effects, I show you first how to get a great green screen composite with Keylight and then alter both the foreground and background plates along the Timeline to give a simulated rack focus pull. Check out this step-by-step video tutorial and feel free to leave comments and questions below.
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Swinging motion with a little extra character.
By David Torno | February 26, 2012
For part 2 of Swinging Motion, I'm gonna step it up a notch and show you how to add a little more character to the Pendulum setup by loosening it up to mimic a string or lamp pull chain swinging.
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Create swinging as well as circular motion via Math.sin().
By David Torno | February 26, 2012
This Expression Shorts episode, explores Math.sin() in greater detail. In this part 1 episode I show you how to create pendulum style motion, swinging style motion with decay, and circular motion. This weeks short happens to be not so short so I've created two parts and have included multiple code breakdowns. So get ready to learn some handy code.
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Use one layer's speed to trigger another layer event or animation.
By David Torno | February 19, 2012
In this episode we look at how how fast a layer is moving by using the property expression, "speed" and then use that information to trigger an event on another layer.
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Snowflakes In The Desert?
By Terence Curren | February 15, 2012
Welcome to Indian Wells, an offshoot of Palm Springs, CA. So why is the first day's "Super Session" titled "Snowflakes with an Increasing Chance of Clouds"? As moderator Leon Silverman said, modern post workflows are like snowflakes because no two are alike, and they change as soon as they hit the ground.
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Wiggle a multi-dimensional property in only one direction.
By David Torno | February 12, 2012
The most popular After Effects expression that nearly EVERYONE uses or at the very least, has used once in their life, has a nack for confusing some users when they only want it to effect just one direction. This solution, has been around for a long time and I figured I'd add my explanation to the mix as well.
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Edit and Optimize 2D Stereo Pairs from a 3D Video Camera or Twin Cameras with a Modified Stereo 3D Rig in After Effects CS5.5
By Jeff Foster | February 10, 2012
Adobe included a 1-step option to create a 3D Stereo Camera Rig in After Effects CS5.5, to everyone's enthusiasm for a simpler workflow in 3D space. Great if you are working in 3D space in After Effects, but what about an easy option for 3D Stereo pairs captured by a 3D camera or twin cameras on a rig? In this tutorial I'll show you how to quickly modify the Stereo 3D Rig in After Effects to quickly mux your L&R video files and adjust the convergence for anaglyph, interlaced or stereo pairs output.
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Create numerical readouts for use in HUD style graphics.
By David Torno | February 05, 2012
With this Expression, I will show you how to feed numerical property information into a Text layer. Great for HUD numerical readouts that show coordinates or just various position info.
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The best event for keeping up to speed in the post production world.
By Terence Curren | February 05, 2012
The Hollywood Post Alliance is a trade association that promotes the exchange of information between post production professionals. They host several events throughout the year that help us stay on top of our game. The biggie is the annual "Tech Retreat" February 14 - 17, 2012 in Indian Wells, California (near Palm Springs). Unlike NAB which is the grandaddy of all things film, television and radio, this event focuses on the issues and technology that we face in post. For an example of the rundown this year, check out their extensive program.This is a great event for finding out where we are at, and where we are heading in our industry. At past events many new technologies have been "previewed". Sony's F65 camera and OLED monitors are a good example of this. Since this event is attended by many of the luminaries of our industry, manufacturers also use it to fine tune their products based on feedback they receive here. (Check out Adam Wilt HPA Tech Retreat at last year's event) I will be attending this year and posting updates here to the "Editing Post" blog. If you can swing it, you should be there also.
Disclaimer: I’m attending the HPA Tech Retreat on a press pass, which saves me the registration fee. I’m paying for my own transport, meals, and hotel. No material connection exists between myself and the Hollywood Post Alliance; aside from the press pass, HPA has not influenced me with any compensation to encourage favorable coverage.
The HPA logo and motto were borrowed from the HPA website. The HPA is not responsible for my graphical additions.
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Using the GoPro HD Hero2 and the 3D Hero System with CineForm Software
By Jeff Foster | January 29, 2012
Whether you love it or hate it, 3D Stereography is here for awhile. And if you're totally into it like I am, you quickly realize that there are few turnkey workflows out there to capture and process 3D Stereo video that's easy to setup, shoot and edit Stereo pairs. Sure, there are a lot of high-end (expensive to rent) systems for two cameras to shoot, software to sync/mux the footage and rigs you can build to edit it, but GoPro has brought it together with a fun and easy-to-use system that anyone can use.
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Create a text layer that randomly cycles through words.
By David Torno | January 29, 2012
Learn how to make a text layer randomly cycle through an array of words that you assign it. Great for random HUD info, background filler, etc...
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Part Three: Video Editing & Animation with Photoshop CS4/CS5 Extended Series
By Jeff Foster | January 28, 2012
Not only can you manipulate video layers in 3D space in Photoshop CS4 and later, but you can create 3D objects from primitives and import 3D models. In this FREE 12-minute tutorial from my Video Training DVD Photoshop CS4/CS5 Video & Animation, I give you an overview of the 3D workspace and how you can create, manipulate and modify 3D layers and tools right inside of Photoshop.
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DBA Createasphere