Category Archives: Tutorials

Rendering with the Adobe Media Encoder

Render your After Effects compositions in the background using the Adobe Media Encoder

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RGTV 50: Alien Attack!

In this episode of Red Giant TV, I will show you how to destroy the city of Los Angeles through an alien attack. We’ll explore compositing, 2D and 3D tracking, color correction and visual effects techniques that will blow your mind. Kablooey!

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Music Visualization with Trapcode Suite

This tutorial is inspired by recent animated works that utilize music along with Trapcode Particular and Soundkeys. Here, you’ll learn how to create particle-based visuals to match your audio.

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Super Awesome Presets

Here is a set of 17 presets that I’ve compiled over the years. I used these often and find them extremely useful. With some of them, they are so old that the code could probably a lot more tidy. But, they work… and they work well. So, I’m not going to mess with it.

Most of them are pretty straightforward. There’s an updated AutoFade that can use markers to cue in/out fade points.

The “bullet” set is a quick and easy way to create bullet points in AE, akin to everyone’s favorite design program, PowerPoint. Select the layer and tap the asterisk key on your keypad to cue the bullet points.

The rest, you can either figure out, or learn about by watching the video above.

These are FFX presets. If you don’t know how to install these, please check out the AE help page right here:

Download Graymachine Super Awesome Presets Volume 0001!

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Nulls vs Light Emitters

Some people like to use Nulls or Solids as emitters in Particular, and some like to use Lights. But when is it best to use one or the other? Both have strength and weaknesses. Here you’ll learn where an when to use them.

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Using the toComp Expression

This is an old tip that I’ve never formally published as a tutorial. It demonstrates a couple tips on how useful the “toComp” expression with Knoll Light Factory, Shine and more.

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Creating a Shooting Particle Effect

In this episode, designer I show you how to create a cool motion graphics “shooters” effect with Trapcode Particular. After that, I also go into Maxon Cinema 4D and Adobe Illustrator to create a full logo build with this effect.

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Creating a “Draft Switch” for Form

When working with high particle counts in Trapcode Form, the only thing that will speed things up is a lower number of particles. Creating an Expression Checkbox as an “on-off” switch for this is a efficient way to manage render times when working with Form. Here is the expression used:

s = effect("Checkbox Control")("Checkbox");
if (s==1) value/4 else value

Make sure to add a checkbox control from the expression control effects.

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Video Rock Overview

Now that Video Rock is distributed exclusively through Red Giant Software, there have been some changes. There’s a few things gone, a few new things, and some more stuff coming, like Video Rock #2. This video is a 10 minute walk through of the first Video Rock library, including some tips on how to loop elements, how to do quick designs with the prerendered movies, as well as some useful finishing tips.

Order Video Rock exclusively at Red Giant

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Preserving Detail with the History Brush

Adding stylized color treatments can greatly enhance your photos. Sometimes, with all of the layered adjustments being used, details can get lost in light or dark areas. The History Brush is a great way to add them back in.

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