Uses of the Circle
If you’re one of those people who think of the Circle effect as a useless plugin than I hope this tutorial will help you change your mind.
Everything originates from a Circle. With that in mind I’ll do my best to show you how useful this tiny little effect can be. You’ll learn how to create vignetting, shade objects so they look more 3d, and also create some cool looking graphics elements, all withing as little amount of layers and masking as possible.
I use the Circle effect very often. I could even risk saying that it is the second effect that I use after Fractal Noise. Having all the controllers on the effects palette accessible at all times saves me a lot of time. I mostly use the Circle effect to do some masking, but it can also be used for different tasks.
If you find some other cool ways to use the Circle effect share them with me and the rest of us. Post a comment.
Now sit back and enjoy the tutorial.
Update!
I made a mini follow-up tutorial available on my YouTube Channel. Subscribe, rate and comment. Most of the videos are just trailers of my tutorials found on this site, but sometimes theres something extra, so stay tuned.
Enjoy!
hey maltaannon
to be honest, I never used that effect, but with this little short tip tutorial you changed my mind :) it’s lot easier than masking out everything and animating the paths and stuff
thanks a lot
patrick from switzerland
patorikku said this June 21st, 2008 at 1:27
Nice one!
I actually never used the circle effect, obviously a big mistake…
One thing im wondering about. How the Hell you got water in your
ear during work? Do you own a swiming pool? Are you the polish Hugh Heffner? If its so, pleeeaaase invite me!
illd said this June 21st, 2008 at 1:47
hey… Maltaanon this is nice again…
having a good knowledge and teaching the whole world 4 free …
u r gr8… God bless
bigjoe said this June 21st, 2008 at 2:02
Hey George How are you buddy?
Amazing and i am wonder about it that yesterday i was watching you previous tutorials in which your were saying that you will make an whole tutorial on circle effect and when i come to office today and i just open your site i finally see it…
Wonder full effects amazing thank you very much my best friend! ;)
Take Care buddy and enjoy your vacations ;)
Regards,
UmairVFx
http://www.youtube.com/user/umairvfx
UmairVFX said this June 21st, 2008 at 5:38
At the end I thought you were going to create a halo to go above his head. Not too bad.
See, my creativity is already spurring. Nice stuff.
Cary said this June 21st, 2008 at 7:23
Nice tutorial bro..thank for introduce me with this plugin.
vianz said this June 21st, 2008 at 7:53
Hey maltaaanon
You defenately changed my mind XD circle will be my best friend :)
I was wondering something, I don’t know if I should ask this here…
What type of video are you uploading?
I mean it is bufferung so fast and I can fullscreen it with all the detail!!!
thnx again for your help
MortallicA said this June 21st, 2008 at 8:56
Really great tutorial! Cool! Thanks a lot Maltaanon!
cwws said this June 21st, 2008 at 14:22
Awesome tutorial, I was wondering if there is any way to use the circle effect for sort of a spot focus, that you could move around. I’m trying to figure it out, but I can’t think of a way to get the blur to work only on the inverted circle, and preferably be all on one layer. Any ideas?!
Noone said this June 21st, 2008 at 15:24
Sure. Take a look at the part when I use the Circle behind the actor. Using Circle along with CC Composite may be the answer. I’ll take a look at this on Monday, or maybe sooner.
Maltaannon said this June 21st, 2008 at 15:36
hey, thanks for the responce so fast!
I’ve tried several different combos of the circle, fast blur, and CC composite. I was able to get the effect using two extra layers, one with the circle for a matte, then the original footage below that, with the Track Matte set to Luma inverted (the circle is black) then the original footage again under that blurred out. It’s getting to be boggling to make it all be on one layer, but I’d like it like that so I can make a simple preset. I think this would be something good for people who want that nice low depth of field, but can’t spend all that cash on something like an adaptor.
Well, I’ll keep working at it, I’d be very interested to see what you could come up with. Thanks again.
Noone said this June 21st, 2008 at 15:55
Hey George, thanks for the tutorial. A can’t wait to start using the circle tool more often! And by the way, the traffic noise in the background didn’t bother me at all.
Marcus Rhoads said this June 21st, 2008 at 18:22
Wow! I so never could think up independently. Thanks for really very useful lesson and I in delight! Yes, yes, yes Jerzy, you simply super! Thanks again.
Valentin said this June 21st, 2008 at 20:53
Wow how easy is that. Thanks for the tutorial.
cameron said this June 21st, 2008 at 21:52
Your tutorials are good, but damn, you ramble on and on and on and on and on and on before you finally get to it.
It’s difficult to criticise you because the tutorials are free, but man oh man, your tutorials could be half the time if you cut out all the rambling that you may find amusing, but annoys the hell out of your users.
adam said this June 21st, 2008 at 23:13
@the man above
don’t you understand the sense of the live-tutorials? No cutting, only spontanious recording!
@maltaannon
great tutorial again, dude! I didn’t know, that there’s so much power in this tiny effect^^ I think I’m going to use it more often in the future ;-)
PhSn said this June 22nd, 2008 at 0:32
[...] If you’re one of those people who think of the Circle effect as a useless plugin than I hope this tutorial will help you change your mind. Everything originates from a Circle. With that in mind I’ll do my best to show you how useful this tiny little effect can be. You’ll learn how to create vignetting, shade objects so they look more 3d, and also create some cool looking graphics elements, all withing as little amount of layers and masking as possible. Source Link [...]
Video Tutorial : Uses of the Circle | Blog.:.CGSutra said this June 22nd, 2008 at 14:46
Hey M
Great stuff as usual - here’s another use of the circle you may have missed:
http://www.vertigo.co.uk/MISC/zips
Cheers
A
Antonyb said this June 22nd, 2008 at 18:51
projects no add projects please :))
apollo said this June 24th, 2008 at 11:29
Sorry. No project file for this one. At lest not yet. I’m a bit sick right now, I have a fever and I’m not feeling very well. But I think I’ll provide some kind of a project file when I’ll get well again. In the meanwhile check this link out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1R0YgBIY-Y
Maltaannon said this June 24th, 2008 at 11:41
Great tutorial… I have used circle effect couple of times but never like this…. this is just amazing………….. I like live tutorials.
One suggestion is just delete some comments. Visitors should understand that this tutorials are for one group or community of same interest. This are not for those individuals who cant even understand depth of the tutorial.
take care…..
raj from india said this June 24th, 2008 at 11:54
One more thing …. forget to mention…..
Forget about work some time and have rest…. we want you back with same humor.
Our best wishes are with you………
take care
raj from india said this June 24th, 2008 at 12:01
Thanks so much, it ws that RGB only button that I over looked. damn you made it so simple, haha, thanks again for making a whole video to answer my (now) simple request.
Noone said this June 24th, 2008 at 15:55
and get well soon.
Noone said this June 24th, 2008 at 15:58
Hey M. those flare elements are disks, rings and circle spreads.
JD said this June 25th, 2008 at 0:53
hey jerzy,
another great tut. there’s so many default plugins that i haven’t even taken the time to try. keep it up man. it looks like you’re starting to get coverage everywhere…even video copilot. I even saw your link at the bottom of motionographer.com
fantastic!
eric from Oklahoma, USA.
eric said this June 25th, 2008 at 20:44
THE MALTAANNON MODE: is a new generation affx mental trauma - to not be confused with the romanian word: motaann (male cat)
Please be advised: Recent studies indicate that in some cases this can be fatal due to a high level of mental processing involved only in direct contact with Maltaannon’s skype hotline.
Symptoms such as insomnia, inability to think of anything else but After Effects and many other not yet determined mental instabilities will soon determine the world governments to take strict measures to prevent population of this new infestation.
Direct contact with this individual disguised under the name of Jerzy Drozda it appears to be fatal.
A cure was not yet discovered and it is recommended to seek medical care in at 1st sign of such symptoms.
Good help us.
Bogdan Bucur International After Effects Committee Free AFFX Plug ins Division CEO and Founder
Bogdan Bucur said this June 27th, 2008 at 22:07
Hy my frend!
I have a problem with the nativ HD image (M2T) I can’t import in After Effects and I see in your last tutorial “Uses Of The Circle” you use this kind of movie. You can help me to find how it’s possible to import? Thanks for the help!
Daniel said this June 28th, 2008 at 18:37
Great tutorial, and just so you know, the outside noise isn’t that bad on recording :)
Peace
Janus said this July 2nd, 2008 at 6:54
shut your f…. mouth you idiot maltaannon
1231 said this July 15th, 2008 at 9:50
hey dats really cool man
gari said this July 17th, 2008 at 8:04
are you start to smoking at 16:50 ? xD
bliuska said this July 17th, 2008 at 12:03
I really like your tutorials bro!!!! It is useful and an enlightening idea….It made me say, Oh….I didn’t know that this effect is so useful!!!! Thanks Bro….
Aldie said this July 18th, 2008 at 17:33
Excellent tutorial. It is funny when you start talking about “water in the ear”! I intend to send some $$ your way.
Enrique said this July 21st, 2008 at 3:38
Nice tutorial. And quit saying that you are boring! we wouldnt watch your stuff if you were! Thanks!
Dhji said this August 9th, 2008 at 20:15
Thanks for those circles tip George, and like Dhji says, stop saying you are boring, all those tip you are teaching us are pretty useful, every little thing.
So thamks again, keep it going and cheers!!… CC³.
CristalCube said this August 30th, 2008 at 21:05
I hate these stupid blog sites!! Where do I click to access the tutorial??!
Anon said this September 1st, 2008 at 5:34
Awsome tutorial Jerzy. Its a quick and easy way to create great looking backgrounds and frames. This tutorial is a great help!
Thanks alot!
wob said this September 30th, 2008 at 2:39
the website is too bad to see & is useless
debjit said this October 30th, 2008 at 4:49
man…you suck so bad!!!
branko said this December 17th, 2008 at 16:26
really thanks to you dear….
you improov my knowledge…..its work
sachin said this December 25th, 2008 at 11:10
Great work, thanks for sharing the knowledge. And to all of you bitches out there that are complaining about this or that, I’d like to see you put your money where your mouth is and do a better job than this at putting together tutorials in a foreign language, if yours happens to be English. Try Polish for example, you jackasses. Again, awesome work and keep it up. One useful thing would be to show people how to save animation presets and apply them as part of a workflow.
emannoname said this January 4th, 2009 at 21:27