The Genesis Project

First off open up After Effects and create a new project (or open the sample file I've included below) and create a new composition.

1. Create a background or use one of the presets by going Animation>Browse Presets. Here I took the Green Crystals preset, removed the CC radial fast blur and added a Find Edges filter to give the look we have here.
2. Take your text tool (the big T in your tool bar) and write your text.  While you're at it, you might switch to the text workspace (pull down menu on the right side)
3. Now with the text layer still selected, take the pen tool which is to the left of the text tool.  Once you've selected it, look to the right of it and make sure the rotobezier button is checked.
4. Change the viewing size of your comp to 50% because you want to start your path off the screen itself.
5. Starting off screen, put down some bezier points for your path which is also called a mask in After Effects.  This is the path that the text will travel on during our animation.  You can undo any point by ctrl-z.
6. Now, go to the timeline and expand the text layer you've just created.  You should see Text, Mask and Transform.  Expand Text and you should see Source Text, Path Options and More Options.  Expand Path Options and under Path you should be able to change it from None to Mask 1.  Now your text should be on the path.
7. If your text is upside down, turn on the Reverse Path option and it should fix it up.
8. Go to the beginning of your timeline and click on the stop watch for the First Margin parameter which is under the Path options as well.
9. Click and drag to the left of the screen until your text is completely off the composition.
10. Take your CTI (your playhead or time indicator) and move it to the end of the composition.  Then move your First Margin to the right until the text has moved completely off the right side of the composition.  Tip - hold down the shift key as you're doing this and it will go quicker.

That's it!  All right, so ten instructions probably should have been in a PDF with some documents, but I hope you'll cut me some slack!

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 5:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Something fairly new on the scene is the e-seminar.  ANYONE who wants to sign up can and they'll get something close to the live experience in the convenience of their own home or workplace. Perhaps you actually missed an e-seminar.  Rather than bemoan your ill luck you can generally see the e-seminar on demand in about a week from the actual date. 

So...if you live in a place that doesn't have Adobe visiting you as often as you'd like, consider an e-seminar or two.  Below is the link with all of the upcoming ones for video.  Yours truly will be doing the ones on 7/12, 8/2 and 8/23.

Video E-Seminars

On another note, we would really love to hear what kind of topics you'd like to see in the future.  With the new products coming out, many of these E-Seminars are overviews discussing new features.  As we move forward though, I'd like to come up with creative topics that would appeal to users...So, now in my best NY slang I ask, "Ya gotcha E-Seminar now, how 'bout ya topics?"

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 4:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A quick hit as I'm traveling to NYC on the bus today (technology is amazing isn't it?)

Previously, I mentioned Dave Helmly and his Tech Table blog and now I'd like to introduce you to a couple more on After Effects:

Michael Coleman is the new product manager for After Effects and his new blog is called Keyframes (Kudos to him for an incredibly cool blog title)  You can find him here:  Keyframes

Next, my traveling buddy and After Effects aficionado Steve Whatley has started up a blog as well that you'll find handy.  I can't speak for his cooking, but I can for his love of all things Adobe.  Check it out: AfterEffectsCookbook

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 7:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A quick hit here today as I've got to join an e-seminar at 1PM.

Dean Velez is the owner of the Anvel website and has posted 29 free AE projects from A-Z (really) that you can download.  Dean is a talented fellow and he loves to teach After Effects, so these are definitely worth a look.  TheAnvel

Also, just starting to go thru a couple of Andrew Kramer's training content and will try to give more about it as I get thru it. Andrew is mostly about visual effects, so it's a different take from something like Dean does.  So far, Andrew's training DVD is excellent and he's entertaining to boot.  Give his site a looksie.  Video Copilot

I'll only add that both of these guys make me whimper into submission at their After Effects prowess.  Grrrr... ;-) 

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 12:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I understand that the Weather Channel uses this product extensively to do some of their work and it certainly makes sense. VIsual Communicator has a lot of interesting applications such as the one man news crew, the sophisticated blogger, the internal communications channel of a large (or small!) business, an internal news channel done for and by the school....and I'm sure there are more. 

What I find most interesting and compelling is how Visual Communicator indexes time or events.  As a video editor, I'm used to using timelines ala Premiere Pro, After Effects, etc...  Visual Communicator takes a different approach.  It looks at the script or teleprompter as the item upon which you base your events.  Sound weird? I would have been right there with you until I started playing with it. I'm no expert, but I didn't really have to be. 

Anyway, check it out and be sure to start by looking at some of the demo or sample projects - they're easy to find.

Visual Communicator 3 Preview page

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 9:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Take a look at the videos below of what you'll create and then download the project file to get started...

If there's one thing I'm looking for, it's a better description of what you would call this.  I'm open for your opinions... ;-)

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 7:24 AM | Permalink

Ahhhh, I love it when other people beat me to good ideas! Props to Jean Hauptman for spending some time digging into this.  One of the new features of After Effects CS3 (or version 8 if you prefer) is Shape Layers.  If you're new to After Effects, this will be a feature that is both easy and fun to play with.  For motion element design, I think it will be one of the defining features that push design forward in 2007/2008.  Anyway, check it out at: DMN - Shape Layers

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ahh, the good ole' days of 2001/2(?).  I remember them like they were yesterday.  The original iPod was (and is) the Sony Walkman of the 21st century and the commercials were the ultimate in cool.  How'd they do that cool silouette look?  Read on and find out!  Below are a few examples of taking your silouette video and adding some zip to it.

This tutorial is pretty straightforward. I've attached the PDF for you to download to help you create your own.

Download autotrace tutorial

This is a perfect example of why I'm passionate about the vision of Genesis Project - teaching people that After Effects is fairly easy and that some things that look hard are in fact quite easy.  Let me know if you agree or disagree.

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 8:26 PM | Permalink

Dave Helmly has published his first entry on his blog, DAV's TechTable, and you'll want to check it out.  Dave's blog will be focusing on hardware and technology and you'll see from his first post, that he dives in deep!  So be sure to add this to your regular lineup of blog feeds!

Blu-Ray entry

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 6:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a link for you: Video E-Seminars

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 1:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Having worked with computers since…well since before most of you were born, I have talked to people about them for just as long. Having represented different software and hardware companies the following question continues to come up and will for the foreseeable future: “Should I wait for the next version?”

Well, I’m here to give you my honest (translation - non-salesperson) take on if you’re considering waiting to upgrade to Production Premium CS3 as to why you shouldn’t.

First, if you do this for a business or side money or are independently wealthy, the question is why are you waiting? If you make money with these tools and you have a project coming up, then you know that new versions for whatever software you buy are going to improve your overall efficiency, quality and delivery options. Besides, it’s a tax write off. BTW – that’s a free tip to tell your significant other when you ‘have to’ have the next version.

Second, the advantages of the Production Studio to any single Adobe point product like Premiere Pro or After Effects is as wide as east is from west. The suite feature of Dynamic Link alone is worth the price of admission. Believe it or not, there are plenty of customers that I talk to, who come to seminars and events, who are still using Premiere 6.5! I’m fine with that, but I get bummed at what you are missing out on!

Lastly, Adobe has what we call a grandfather clause. What this means is that if you purchase Adobe Production Studio now, you are eligible for Production Premium CS3 when it ships! No way! WAY!!! The details are below, so don’t take my word for it.

Because we love “But wait, there’s more!” type statements, I’d like to point out one more potential advantage of purchasing now. As an old audio person, I happen to really like the tools and capabilities of Audition 2.0. This product is continuing to be developed but will not be included in the upcoming suite because it’s windows only. However, if you use PC and purchase now, you’ll have Audition to bring along with you in the new suite as well Soundbooth.

I know that you have a host of objections as to why you shouldn’t and I probably can’t argue them anyway but I do believe there are some things to consider here that aren’t commonly known about upgrading, hence the blog post here. So, it’s food for thought and of course, feel free to comment on why you agree or disagree.

Links:
Basic starting point: http://www.adobe.com
Production Studio at Adobe Store: Adobe Store

And by the way, for those of you who are wondering what my first computer was, it was an Apple II+ with a whopping 64kb of memory and a 6501 processor. I also played around with TRS-80’s during high school. I then left computers all together and didn’t get back into them until I started playing around with Opcode’s Studio Vision and ogled the then king of all computers – the Apple Macintosh II (x or fx)…Right now, I’m looking for a simple way to install OS9 back into a g4 laptop to transfer old Vision midi tracks to an open midi standard. Help!

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

I've got to believe someone else has posted on this already, but I'll chime in regardless. As I've been traveling, I've gotten the same question again and again, 'what about training for CS3?' Of course there are a lot of answers, but one that may be coming to a city near you is Adobe itself.

In fact, I got that very question today at NYU's film school where I presented Production Premium CS3 and I'm ashamed to say, I forgot to mention this...

That's right! Step right up and see the greatest creative suite on earth! (with proper acknowledgement to PT Barnum)

If you're interested in what makes CS3 tick...if you're not sure you want to upgrade...If you want to talk to Adobe people...if you've already purchased and now need to get a crash course on all the new features...if you need to get a day out of the office...etc...

This is one opportunity to do all of the above and hopefully have fun doing it. While this one or two day event won't replace training products, I do think and hope that this will be an event that will educate and inspire our customers to new heights with CS3.

Where are they?
Chicago - May 16
Austin - May 23
San Jose - May 31
Toronto - June 4
Boston - June 12
Seattle - June 14
Los Angeles June 19-20
New York June 25-26

How do I find out more?

http://www.adobecs3conference.com/

This may look like shameless promotion, but as I said, the question of training for learning or for inspiration is a regular theme that comes up and so, this is just one more opportunity that you can avail yourself of...

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 3:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In keeping with the tradition to try and make humorous connections to all things Genesis, the title of the above is a quote back to an old album from the progressive rock powerhouse called Genesis (aka Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks)

The question is this - has Harris/Leitch/DPS decided to quit the NLE market?

And then there were three now takes on more meaning in that the three you've come to expect are Adobe, Apple and Avid. Sure, there are a lot of other players out there and some from large companies like Sony and Harris, but in terms of market share they are more peripheral.

I'd heard a rumor some time ago but hesitated to post it because of just that - it's a rumor. I looked at Leitch's website but no press releases were there. In fact, no real press release on the NLE side since 2005 which in and of itself is quite telling.

Today, in revisiting this tidbit, I looked at Creative Cow and checked up on the DPSVelocity forum and found the following:

Velocity Post

It seems pretty straightforward and some of the following user comments are upset and I understand why. Harris is a pretty big company but the NLE space is complicated and changing constantly, so you must be committed to the space to keep up. I think that Leitch was there but Harris' acquisition might have changed that.

Coming back to Adobe, I take great comfort in that our CEO, Bruce Chizen consistently talks about the importance of video tools for Adobe and for the marketplace in general. Media creation is exploding and to keep pace with that the need for video tools and video editors is also increasing. So, while nothing is forever, I'm confident that Adobe will continue to operate, innovate and lead in the market with our products and provide our customers a comfort factor that we'll be there for them today and in the future.

On a related note, downloads of Premiere Pro, After Effects CS3 and Soundbooth continue to increase and the feedback overall has been pretty positive. If you haven't checked out the website to get them, you can go here here

Posted by Dennis Radeke at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)