Assignment 1 Progressive Work - Combined

I am not really satisfied with this because I think that my story is a little too short and the story doesn't really flow well. Thus, I have thought of a longer version. So my story goes like this:

1. Camera showing the sky
-Cloud writing effect-
-Title: "Magic"
-Tutorial link: http://ae.tutsplus.com/tutorials/motion-graphics/writing-with-the-clouds/
-Camera continue to move down, showing the bus stop

2. Change camera angle (still video)
-i walk towards the bus stop and sit down

3. Looking impatient as the bus still haven arrive
-neck stretching out, checking out if the bus has arrived
and keep looking at my watch

4. Teleport towards nearby wall
-Tutorial link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcF_I_OT480

5. Raise my hand to make my magic pen appear
-Camera: Full body view

6. Making my magic pen appear
-Camera: Zoom in my hand/palm
-"Abracadabra!"
-Tutorial link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcF_I_OT480

7. Draw/cast a magic door/portal with my magic pen
-Walk into/move towards the wall
-Tutorial link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZhSXn8v5F0
-Inspiration from chalk portal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNGgLpx46uA

8. Walk out of the magic portal from a wall at the destination
-Tutorial link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZhSXn8v5F0
-While walking, look at my watch to check out the time and smile to show that I am not late

Assignment 1 Progressive Work - Cloud Text 2

Assignment 1 Progressive Work - Magic Pen

Tutorial link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcF_I_OT480

This tutorial teaches how to create a disappearing effect. It can also create an appearing effect as well by applying the "Fractal Noise" effect and setting the brightness as "-90" for the first frame and "90" for the last frame. I have set the values as 90 or -90 so that the pen will not take a long time to appear or disappear.

Steps:

1. Create a new solid and apply the fractal noise effect (Effect> Noise & Grain> Fractal Noise).

2. Set keyframe by clicking on the "stopwatch" beside Evolution (under the Fractal Noise Effect) in the 1st frame. Then go to the last frame and change the Evolution value to "5x" so that the effect will have some movements.

3. Also, set keyframe by clicking on "stopwatch" beside Brightness in the 1st frame. Change the brightness to a negative value (-90) so that it is pitch black and a positive value (90) so that it is completely white in the last frame.

4. Change 'TrkMat' from "None" to "Luma Matte" for the footage where my magic pen appears.

5. Masking
-Using the 'Pen Tool', I have also mask out my magic pen.

6. Lastly I have done motion tracking for my footage so that my magic pen will follow my hand movement and look like it is staying on my hand. (Edit Target: Pen)

Assignment 1 Progressive Work - Cloud Text 1

Tutorial Link: http://ae.tutsplus.com/tutorials/motion-graphics/writing-with-the-clouds/

I have intended to use another tutorial to create a cloud title but it seems like I need to have the "Particular" effect. (link: http://ae.tutsplus.com/tutorials/motion-graphics/quicktip-fast-and-easy-text-writing-with-particular/) I have explored other effects that is available in my Adobe After Effects and tried using effects like "Particle Playground" (Effects> Stylize> Particle Playground) and tried parenting but it does not work. I guess changing the "Emitter Type" to "Light(x)" in the "Particular" effect is an important step. Hence, I have decided to use another tutorial to create the cloud writing effect (tutorial link above).

Assignment 1 Progressive Work - Magic Portal

Tutorial Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZhSXn8v5F0
The tutorial teaches how to create a "walk through wall" effect but I have enhanced it by creating a "magic portal".
Inspiration for "magic portal" from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNGgLpx46uA
I think that this effect is fun and I have enjoyed doing this effect!
*For this effect, do not film the foot.

Steps (summary of tutorial):

1. Masking
-Using the 'Pen Tool', mask out the person at the frame where he/she starts to "disappear".
(For my project, I have to mask myself out in the footage.)

2. Adjust the 'Mask Feather' to "3" pixels.
-Press "mm" to show Mask Feather.

3. Set keyframe by clicking on the "stopwatch" beside 'Mask Path'.

4. Apply radial blur effect (Effects> Blur & Sharpen> Radial Blur) and change type to "Zoom".

5. Set keyframe by clicking on the "stopwatch" beside 'Amount' (press uu to show Amount).
(make sure in either first or last frame)
-Go to the first frame, change 'Amount' to "0".
-Go to the last frame, change 'Amount' to "55".

6. Set keyframe also for the 'Mask Expansion' at first frame and change the 'Mask Expansion' to a negative value at the last frame so that the person will totally disappear. (For my project, i have changed it to -45)

As I have mention above, I have also create a "magic portal" for enhancement. I got the inspiration from a youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNGgLpx46uA). I actually have a rough idea of how to create the "magic portal", tried it out and it works!

Steps:

1. Firstly, create a new solid (layer> new> solid)
-For the color of the "magic portal", I thought that yellow would be nice but in the end I find that it is more suitable to have it in white.

2. Resize the solid to the size of a door.

3. Turn on the 3D layer.

4. Change the 'Y rotation' to have the same angle as the camera so that it will look like it is on the wall. (Shortcut key for rotation, "r")

5. The "magic portal" is now covering me so in order to have the "magic portal" on the wall with me (myself, in the footage) facing it, I have duplicated another footage named as "Me 3" and place the "magic portal" layer below it.

6. Mask myself out for the layer "Me 3" and change the 'Mask Feather' to "3" pixels so that it can blend well.

7. In order to have my "magic portal" looking more natural and realistic, I added a box blur effect
(Effect> Blur & Sharpen> Box Blur) and used a value of "30" for the 'Blur Radius'.

8. Motion tracking (steps 9 - 10 below)
-The footage is a little shaky in the last few frames so I have done motion tracking to get the "magic portal" to look like it is on the wall and following the camera movement.

9. Create a null object (Layer> New> Null Object)

10. Select the footage, "BG" layer, and track motion
-Enable motion tracking also for the 'Rotation'

11. Pick 2 good track points, analyze forward and apply to the 'Null Object' (Edit Target).

Assignment 1 Progressive Work - Toy Town

Tutorial Link: http://ae.tutsplus.com/tutorials/vfx/living-in-toytown/
I have tried out this effect as I think it looks really interesting and cute! I have actually stuck for quite a long time to get the toyish effect. At first, I thought that the problem lies with my color correction and I need to adjust for the brightness, contrast and etc. In the end, I found out that I have missed out an important step, which is to change the Depth Map Layer to "2.focal plain" for the lens blur effect on my adjustment layer (lens effect).

I have noticed that missing step only after I had summarised the tutorial, which is why I like/enjoy summarising video tutorials into simple steps. I think that by summarising video tutorials can also help me to better understand how the effects are created too! :)

Steps (summary of the tutorial):

1. Create 2 solids and rename it:
-upper
-lower

2. Apply the "RAMP" effect to both of the 2 layers.

3. For the 'Upper' layer, I have done some adjustments:
-start color: black
-end color: white
-end ramp: 500.0, 500.0
-start ramp: 500.0, 0.0

4. Adjustments made also for the 'Lower' layer:
-start color: white
-end color: black
-end of ramp: 500.0, 750.0
-start of ramp: 500.0, 0.0

5. Change the mode from "None" to "Multiply" for the 'Upper' layer.

6. Select both 'Upper' and 'Lower' layer, go to pre-comp and rename it as "focal plain".

7. Create new adjustment layer, rename as 'lens effect'.

8. Apply the lens blur effect (Effect> Blur & Sharpen> Lens Blur).
-Adjust iris radius to "15"
-Change the Depth Map Layer to "2.focal plain"

9. Go to 'focal plain' comp, select both 'Upper' and 'Lower' layer and adjust the rotation.
(to show only rotation, the shortcut key is "r")

10. Create new adjustment layer, rename as "Color Correction".

11. Go to "Effect> Color Correction> Curves" and adjust the curve to flaten out the shadows and show more whites/highlights.

12. Go to "Effect> Color Correction> Brightness and Contrast"
-Reduce contrast to around "-10"
-Increase brightness to around "22"

13. Select the footage and posterize time (Effect> Time> Posterize Time) to reduce frame rate to "6".

14. Lastly, go to "Composition> Composition Settings" to preserve the frame rate.

Assignment 1 Progressive Work - Generating Ideas

VERSION 1:

camera showing sky...
-cloud words effect-
"magic town"
http://ae.tutsplus.com/tutorials/motion-graphics/writing-with-the-clouds/

Oh no! i am going to be late...
*camera showing my watch*

Should i...

Draw a magic door?
*takes out my magic chalk and draw on wall...*

Or... teleport?
*teleport effect...*

i have reached my destination!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VERSION 2:

camera showing sky...
-cloud words effect-
"magic town"
http://ae.tutsplus.com/tutorials/motion-graphics/writing-with-the-clouds/

camera moves down...
showing the town (road, people etc)
-toytown effect-
http://ae.tutsplus.com/tutorials/vfx/living-in-toytown/

Oh no! i am going to be late...
*camera showing my watch*

Draw a magic door?
*takes out my magic chalk and draw on wall...*

i have reached my destination!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chalk portal idea from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNGgLpx46uA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tutorial for disappearing effect:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcF_I_OT480
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tutorial for walking through wall:
-part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfo3TIysJCw
-part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKGwX39v_IY

OR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZhSXn8v5F0
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the end, my story goes like this:

1. Camera showing the sky
-Cloud writing effect-
-Title: "Magic"
-Tutorial link: http://ae.tutsplus.com/tutorials/motion-graphics/writing-with-the-clouds/
-Camera continue to move down, showing the road

2. Camera showing my watch/the time
-"Oh no! I am going to be late!"

3. Making my magic pen appear
-"Abracadabra!"
-Tutorial link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcF_I_OT480

4. Draw/cast a magic door/portal with my magic pen
-Walk into/move towards the wall
-Tutorial link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZhSXn8v5F0
-Inspiration from chalk portal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNGgLpx46uA

5. Showing that I have reached my destination
-Walk out of the wall to show that I came out or reached my destination
-"The End."

Landscape

This exercise is a little difficult in achieving the exact color as the reference image but I have tried to get the colors as close as possible to the reference image. I have applied the techniques learnt from the primary and secondary color correction tutorials.

Before:

After:

Using the full interface of Color Finesse 3, I have done some editing in the 3 tabs (the HSL, Curves and Secondary tab).

1. Some adjustments were made in the master control

I have the adjusted the Hue, increased the Gamma and Pedestal:

2. Editing of the curves/points

Curves > RGB:

3. Select the colors in the footage with the color picker for some specific parts

4. Show preview to check if you have picked the right color
5. Adjust softness, hue offset, saturation, gain and gamma

Secondary > A (for the land):

Secondary > B (for the sky):

6. Lastly, in HSL > Hue Offsets, i have adjusted the shadows to make it look more natural.

Before adjusting the shadows:

After adjusting the shadows:

Bleach Bypass

Tutorial link: http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorial/simple_bleach_bypass/

This tutorial is useful, as it has taught me how to create this type of contrast look without increasing the saturation. I have used my rendered video for the "Children" exercise, in this exercise because the little girl on the right is just too cute!

Before:

After:

1. Go to Effect > Color Correction > Levels
- Edit the input black and input white
2. Go to Effect > Color Correction > Brightness & Contrast
- Adjust the brightness and contrast
3. Duplicate the layer and delete the effects
4. Change the mode for layer 1 from "Normal" to "Color" and it will overlay the color of the bottom layer
*Another method (instead of having 2 layers):
-Go to Effect > Channel > CC composite
-Change the Composite Original from "Regular" to "Color"

Children

This exercise had its footage deliberately messed with and I am required to correct the color so that it will look like the original footage. I took quite a long time to finish this as it is a little hard to get an exact color as the reference image.

Before:

After:

1. I have selected the black point (darker points near their clothes), grey point (their faces) and white point (the white background) and adjusted the curves.

2. Some adjustments in the Hue Offset for the Master, Midtones and Highlights.

3. Secondary Color Correction (A) for the yellow part of her hat to make it look a little brighter. (Increased Gamma)

4. Secondary Color Correction (B) for the blue part of her hat to make it look lighter/softer. (Increased softness and gain)

5. Secondary Color Correction (C) for their clothes. (Increased the softness, pedestal and decreased the gain)

Overall, I have enjoyed doing this exercise and got to play spot the difference between my work and the reference image.

The Tudors - Pope

This is another exercise for color correction and I have applied the same concept as the previous "The Tudors - Red Flag" exercise by using the techniques learnt from the Secondary Color Correction tutorial.

Before (the robe in bright red color):

After (the color of the robe is now less obvious):

1. Select the colors on the red flag with the color picker
2. Increase the softness and decrease the saturation

The Tudors - Red Flag

The aim of this exercise is to apply the techniques used in the Secondary Color Correction tutorial to make the flag less colorful. This exercise is quite easy and I have just used the secondary color correction. As I did not see other things being affected by the color correction, I did not do masking for this exercise.

Before (the flag in bright red color):

After (the flag looks more dull):

1. Select the colors on the red flag with the color picker
2. Decrease the saturation

Secondary Color Correction

Tutorial link : http://library.creativecow.net/articles/devis_andrew/Secondary-Color-Correction_AE/video-tutorial

Problem:
- the bright red bucket
*Have to desaturate the bucket without affecting anything else in the shot

1. go to Effect > Synthetic Aperture > SA Color Finesse 3, open Full Interface
2. click on "Secondary" color correction tab on the left
3. click on the color picker, click on desaturate and tick the "show preview"
4. turn off show preview to do edit further
5. turn on show preview and increase softness for the bucket
6. turn off show preview and bring saturation down
7. click on "ok" at the bottom right to apply the changes made

Before:

After:

8. duplicate footage, select the first footage and draw a mask around the bucket with the pen tool
9. select the second layer and turn off secondary color correction, click "ok"
10. the other red items have returned to the original red, other than the red bucket

Primary Color Correction

Tutorial link: http://library.creativecow.net/articles/devis_andrew/Primary-Color-Correction/video-tutorial

Audience will tend to look at the things behind than the actors.
Thus, the aim of this tutorial is to edit the colors to focus on the actors.

1. go to Effect > Synthetic Aperture > SA Color Finesse 3
2. Under Simplified Interface in the effect controls, Hue Offset, drag the dot in the middle for adjustments:

- Master: to edit the color for the whole clip

- Shadows: to edit the darker colors in the clip (eg. the lady's blouse)

- Highlights: to edit the lighter colors in the clip (eg. their skin)

- Midtones: to edit the majority of the colors (but the highlights and shadows remain unaffected)

3. go to the opposite direction, blue, to get rid of the orangey color

4. click on Full Interface

Rule no. 1; do not keep concentrating on the shot else our eyes will be used to the color and lie about the changes made.

Rule no. 2; for ideal color correction, work in a room with constant light and in the middle of the room so that you can see the same thing everyday.

5. Curves > click on "choose white point" so that it will convert what you think should be white to pure white as it is slightly yellow
6. click on Luma Ranges to see which part is black
7. Curves > click on "choose black point" and select the part that is black (the lady's blouse)
8. go back to Luma Ranges and notice the man's hair is midtone
9. Curves > click on "choose grey point" and select the part that is midtone/grey (the man's hair)
10. click "ok" at the bottom right to apply the changes that was made
11. take people's attention away from the background
- Layer > new solid; choose black, rename as "Vignette"
- select the Vignette layer, double click on the ellipse tool
- change the mode for mask, from add to subtract
- increase the Mask Expansion and Mask Feather
- click on Vignette layer and press the "T" key on the keyboard, reduce opacity a little

Warriors Way - Showdown

Before:

After:

This is another exercise for color correction and the aim is to achieve a similar bluish look to the Flashback clip. By applying the similar concept as the Flashback exercise, I have also done some color corrections by adjusting the Hue/Saturation, Color balance and Levels.

I have increase the green balance and decreased the value for the red balance to lessen the warmer tone (opposite of red is blue).

I have also adjusted the "Input White" and "Gamma".

Warriors Way - Flashback

Before:

After:

It is fun to explore and try out different colors, giving the video a different look. The aim of this exercise is to achieve a desert-like, warmer tone. Thus, I have done some color corrections by adjusting the Hue/Saturation, Color balance and Levels.

Adjusting the blue balance to a negative value to lessen the blue tone and have a warmer tone (opposite of blue is yellow).

I have also adjusted the "Input White" so that it will look brighter.

Track Matte

Footage from: http://www.blueskyfootage.com/cgi-bin/clipman/page.cgi?p=freeclip;rank=4

The tutorial has a clear explanation on how to create a transparent effect for the title with just 9 simple steps.

Steps:
1. Import footage
2. Drag footage from project panel to "create a new composition" button
3. Use the text tool, type "london eye"
4. Change TrkMat from "none" to "alpha"
5. Select both layers, Layer > pre-compose, rename as "london text"
6. In the effects & presets panel, select "drop shadow", "bevel alpha" and "hue/saturation"
7. Go back to project panel and drag the same footage below the "london text" layer
8. Double-click on the "london text" layer and press "e" on the keyboard
9. Double-click on either one of the following effect to do some adjustments in the effect controls

007 intro

Tutorial link: http://library.creativecow.net/articles/park_michael/007_Intro.php

Interesting tutorial! When I first watch the animation, I thought that this tutorial could be quite challenging. However, the tutorial has a very clear explanation so I feel that it is manageable. I especially like the gunshot and blood effect. I was quite surprised when I realise that an irregular shape with bright yellow colour and placing it only in a frame could do a gunshot effect. A simple yet creative animation indeed!

Gunshot:

Blood:

Set Extensions

Tutorial link: http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/set_extensions/

I think that this is the most difficult tutorial. The image/building is a little shaky in the beginning.

Advanced Sky Replacement

Tutorial link: http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/advanced_sky_replacement/

I have faced problems with motion tracking as the sky is shaky. After several attempts, the sky is now more stable but is still a little shaky towards the end of the video.

Kick-Ass The Movie

This is the third exercise for motion tracking. I have replaced the television screen with a video of my previous work. I have also trimmed the video. Select the frame where you want to trim, press "B" key for beginning and "N" key for end, right-click and select "Trim Comp to Work Area".

Funan Halo Reach Launch

This is another exercise for motion tracking and replacing of the word on the wall. In addition, I have used the gradient effect so that it will look natural because the left side of the wall is lighter and the right side is darker.

Orchard ION Shopping Mall

This is one of the exercises for motion tracking to replace the sign. I have used the same concept as the basic tutorial for motion tracking by using the "perspective corner pin" as the track type. For this exercise I had difficulties finding a good track point so I had to keep on trying. But I think that this exercise is still manageable.

Basic Sky Replacement

Tutorial link: http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/basic_sky_replacement/

After replacing the sky and doing some colour correction, the video looks more attractive now.

LA

Tutorial link: http://www.videocopilot.net/basic/tutorials/05.Motiontracking/

This motion tracking tutorial is really useful as it teaches how to change the word on the sign which is a common technique that we have to use for video editing. For this tutorial, I have used the "perspective corner pin" as the track type as the sign has 4 corners. I have also learnt how to stabilize motion for shaky videos.