Have you ever felt that theres something wrong with this world? Have you ever felt you know something, and that what you know you can’t explain? Now you can. Sort off…

Click here to watch the video tutorial

Some time ago I needed to create the raining code look as seen in “The Matrix” movie, so I started to google for ready to use projects, but found nothing of value that I could use in my work… So I had to create my own. Watch this tutorial to learn all about it.

My first instinct was to use Trapcode Particular along with some custom particles to create the look I was after, but I quickly found out, that it’s just not going to cut it. The raining code has some very distinct look to it and the key to making it look good was to really pinpoint what was happening with the falling letters. Here’s what I found out after watching the original design as seen in the movie:

• There are two types of letters: leading, and following (after vision letters)
• The leading letters are brighter than the others
• The letters fall down in columns at different speeds
• One column can have multiple leading letters falling at different speeds
• Both leading and following letters change chars at random points in time (out of sync)
• The amount of the following letters is random (tail length)
• The letters always move a given amount of pixels (letter height)

As far as everything on the list above could probably be achieved using Particular to create the look, the last point would be really hard to do. In theory all of the points above could be done, however it would take a lot of calculation to get the parameters of Particular just right, so I figured to change the approach a bit, and instead of having a “leading letter particle” spawn “after vision particles”, I decided to build a grid of letters, and then use Particular and Mosaic effect to reveal them. That way I could focus on the look, speed, timing and other “artistic” aspects of the work, and not think about how to set up Particular.

At the end of the tutorial you will also see how to change the color of the leading letters using the Threshold effect. What I forgot to mention is that you can of course play with the Threshold parameter changing the range of letters that are being treated as “leading letters”. Give it a try. It can create some really awesome looks.

Download: Tutorial project file (After Effects CS4)

It’s finally here. Trapcode Particular 2. Check out this video tutorial to learn more about my favorite new features.

Click here to watch the video tutorial

We’ve all been waiting for this moment. Trapcode has finally released the second version of the most popular plugin in the After Effects world – Particular. In this tutorial I’ll present some of the new features of this amazing plugin creating four small projects. We’ll start off slowly and then move to some more advanced things, but as always – Peder Norby (who is the founder of Trapcode and the plugin developer) had made all the new features super easy, and the Particular itself is now even more accessible and robust.

Below is the list of those four mini projects we’ll be creating in this tutorial along with the features they explain. If you want to see the results there’s a video on my YouTube channel.

1. Light Streaks [Streaklet, Shading, Position Subframe, Light Emitters]
2. Dark Alley [Shading, Trapcode Lux, Light Falloff]
3. Micro Particles [Textured Polygon, 3d Rotation, Spherical Field, Emission Extras]
4. School of salmon [Textured Polygon, Orient To Motion, Motion Paths, Turbulence Field]

This tutorial is very brief on all the subjects, but it will surely fill your head with some ideas and hopefully make you create something that you’ve always wanted to do, but never had the tool to do it. Well… now you have it – Trapcode Particular 2. I will be making more tutorials on this amazing plugin, so stay tuned.

As a side note: you can support this site by buying Trapcode Particular at Toolfarm, or if you already own it you can simply get Trapcode Particular Upgrade. Trapcode plugins are one of the few that I recommend for any After Effects user to have in his toolbox – whatever you do, at some point you will need it, so get it now.

Download: Tutorial project file (After Effects CS3)

You think you need a 3D application to create something like this? Well… think again. Nice DNA chain made entirely in After Effects and Trapcode Form.

Click here to watch the video tutorial

Three dimensional shapes are pretty hard to create in After Effects. Usually you are forced to use some 3D application like 3D Studio Max, or Cinema4D. But there are exceptions. As I mentioned in my blog post More 3D stuff coming soon some time ago I will be posting more of these tutorials to show you how much of 3D you can actually have in After Effects.

This tutorial was originally made for AETuts.com. It focuses on using Trapcode Form and it’s layer maps as a main tool to create an illusion of three dimensional shape.

Download: Tutorial project file (After Effects CS4)

Download: Tutorial project file (After Effects CS3)

Learn how to create amazing push pin toy effect as seen in Radiohead’s “House of Cards” video using Trapcode Form.

Click here to watch the video tutorial

This tutorial comes from my training DVD called Making It Look Great 5 and it is now available for free. You will learn how to use Trapcode Form along with regular footage to create a slick, eye-popping 3d push pin toy. Just put the camera in, apply some blurs and glows and you’re ready to go.

Project file is available with the purchase of Making It Look Great 5. You will get more than 7 hours of kick-ass training, 10 full length tutorials and 3 mini follow-up tutorials, lots of presets and CustomEffects including CE  Screenify and CE LightWrap. Make sure to check it out.

Do you think you know all about creating 3D vines? Well think again. Watch this amazing tutorial to learn how I did it using only After Effects.

Click here to watch the video tutorial

First of all I’d like to apologize for the length of this tutorial – it’s about 50 minutes. It’s been over 3 months since my last post so I’m a bit out of shape. Hopefully next one will be shorter, but for now, before you start watching this make sure you’ve got supplies of some snacks and soda, or coffee if you prefer, so that you have everything you need to sit back and enjoy the tutorial.

I know what you’re thinking. This is the same as Andrew Kramer’s tutorial “Growing 3D Vines”. This is exactly my point. If you’ve watched my previous tutorials you know I don’t copy someone else’s work unless I have something to add to the techniques presented, which is exactly the case here.

It was said that this effect is impossible to achieve without using a 3D application like 3D Studio Max, or Cinema 4D, and I have to agree. It is impossible… but doable. What you’re about to see is made using only After Effects, nothing more.

The final result is not perfect, but since the tutorial already takes about 50 minutes I decided not to focus on the visual side so much, just the basic idea behind this technique.

Generally in this particular case I’d also decide to create this effect in 3D application. Simple shapes like that usually render pretty fast and making changes to the rendered files is not that much of a pain, but just to show you that it is in fact possible to do in After Effects alone I decided to record this tutorial anyway. Hopefully you’ll go creative on the techniques presented and create some stunning animations and effects. As always… possibilities are endless.

Inspiration for this project: Growing 3D Vines by Andrew Kramer.
The wall texture comes from Riot Gear by VideoCopilot.

Project file does not contain the original Riot Gear texture to avoid any copyright issues and giving away something for free that is not mine to give. However there is a replacement texture included that should do the trick.

Download: Tutorial project file (After Effects CS3)

Christmas are coming so it’s about time I show you how to create nice snow that will stick to the layers that you have in your composition.

Click here to watch the video tutorial

While shooting footage for this tutorial Georges butt almost fell of because of the very low temperature. But hey… we’ll do anything for all of you boys and girls watching ours tutorials. Thankfully after drinking 10 cups of hot tea everything was back to normal.

In this experiment George and I will show you how you can create a snow falling from the sky. And if that wasn’t enough we are going to show you how to make the snow stick to the rooftops, cars standing on the streets, logos, or even actors in your footage.

And we even have a small challenge for you. After watching this tutorial try to create a custom shaped snowflake particle, or even few snowflake shapes.

Make sure to see the related tutorial: Particle Playground on Fire

Download: Tutorial project file (After Effects CS3)

Join me and George in this interesting experiment. Learn how to generate particles from motion. No keyframes, no expressions. This one is hot!

Click here to watch the video tutorial

People! I’m on fire! George is on fire! And this tutorial is on fire! This tutorial is rather an experiment. I’ll show you how to generate particles from live action footage without using any keyframes or expressions.

The final fire look is just one of the possibilities. The idea of this is to show you how to generate particles that inherit motion and velocity from live footage. In the end you may use this tutorial to create a smoke trail of a falling plane, shining sparkles following someones moves, and basically anything you want. And most interesting of all… this is achieved using After Effects build in tools. No plugins required. Enjoy!

Particle Playground is very powerfull but it’s also very hard to master. It’s just not as user-friendly as 3rd-party plugins, like Trapcode’s Particular. If you’d like to know more about Particle Playground make sure to visit CreativeCow.net and Roland R. Kahlenberg’s tutorial.

Make sure to see the follow up tutorial: Particle Playground on Ice

Download: Tutorial project file (After Effects CS3)