How can i smoothly mask stuff like in this example?

[neods]

anyone?

[Ian Jones]

It's hard to say for sure...

It could be a plugin, or maybe its all from a 3d program with a material that grows along the length of a shape. Why don't you try emailing them? I'm sure they'd be glad to give you a hint.

[Terrance]

It looks like he is using a combination of vector paint, a gradient tool, cameras following a path, a video noise filter and motion blur. I will do some tests this weekend and let you know what I come up with...

[danylyon]

You could try to do the shapes with illustrator and reveal them with a mask.. The masking would be quite tricky though. You'd probably need several layers too. The other difficult part is the camera animation (that's another story).

For just basic drawing lines, you can use the "stroke" effect. It basically makes a line where you created a mask. Try it out, it's very handy.

That movie looks easier to make than it actually is.

[dg]

That can be done in 100 ways, using real 3D app, 3D compositing, 2D compositing etc...

Anyway, just a guess, because of the movement of the line in 3D space I would say that the lines and camera movement are done in a 3D app, then composed using masks with feather amout controled in a compositing app.

But who knows! :surprised

See ya! 8)

[Jo B.]

if it's not done with a 3d app, it's incredibble (much) work...
i other words, im pretty sure it's pathanimation in 3D.

[roguenroll]

ok, I had to try

http://www.fmotion.net/stroke.mov

ok this sucks but its on the path, and speaking of paths, just
take the path tool and make a curved line, or you can do one in Illus, or PS and copy, paste in, then apply the stroke effect.

adjust the start and end to animate w/ keyframes, and there you go.

two others that do similar, but slightly different effects are the writeon and vegas effects.

good luck

[Sherif.Nagib]

guys what about the "3d stroke" filter from trapcode ??
read this :

3D Stroke is a stroke rendering plug-in for Adobe After Effects. It uses the path from one or more masks to render strokes that can be rotated and moved freely in 3D space. It has a built-in camera for AE41 users, and can also use AE5:s comp camera. The strokes will not dissapear when viewed from the side.

[Sherif.Nagib]

you can download a demo here
http://www.trapcode.com/products_3dstroke.html

it's awesome

[roguenroll]

yep, that is pretty cool

[Damo]

A detailed description of how this piece was made, and the creative process behind it can be found on pages 82-99 in the Friends of Ed book " After Effects Most Wanted". Project files come on the CD. If you are into this kind of thing, I strongly suggest you pick up a copy.
If money is tight, go to a book shop or library and have a read.
If you read this before Nov 24-2003, go on EBAY and do a search for this item---
After Effects Most Wanted Item number: 2767553985 --.
Or just search every once in a while. I get all my books this way and it saves a lot of money.
For any new (or even experienced After Effects users) you should really get a copy of Trish and Chris Meyers books on After Effects. Very detailed and well thought out books that Pro's use as a constant reference.
Best to all,
Damo :twisted:

[neods]

but Damo, do you know how it was done? could you scan it from the book?

[Damo]

recould you scan it from the book?

I could........ but that would be breaching copyright {a subject that anyone who wants to earn a living from this kind of work should learn about}.

The beginning sequence was done by bringing in Photoshop layers and masking them so that it would appear to be growing across the screen. Animated mask for the straight bits. Radial wipe for the circles.

The flowing lines were done by rendering a bunch of quicktime movies of splines moving within a 3D scene. A target camera was set up to follow the spline. Done in 3DS Max but you could use plenty of other apps.

These movies were then pieced together with the transitions being cloaked by adding a short adjustment layer over the join with a Video Malfunction effect applied to it.

The FE Bend It plug-in was used for some of the liquid like morphs.

Light Ray for the very end bit.

This piece depends largely on timing. If things are not timed properly, it justs ends up looking wrong.

Have a look at the book if you get the chance. There are lots of other examples of great work in there.

Damo :twisted:

[neods]

thanks.. all i really wanted to know is the gradient wipe.. nice..

Thanks again :beer:

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