After Effects-Standard or Pro

#1

What are the major differences between both? Are there better “effects” in the Pro version than standard? What I read it seems the pro version plays better with Maya. Since I dont use Maya I dont need that! :> Can standard do what is needed 99% of the time or having pro that much better?
Thanks-

#2

Well, I use both (pro and standard) and the major differences are that the Pro version allows expressions and some motion tracking - along with a couple of other filters (glow, lightning, etc).

My recommendation would be to get the “standard” version and upgrade later if you think you need it. I very rarely tap into the “Pro” feature set (maybe 5% of the time) - and there are probably work-arounds for the features that I use.

JoeW

#3

Thanks! Between sharing your stuff, Hunter, and all the tips on hair etc. Damn you are GOOD! ;>

Are expressions and motion tracker worth it - dont know. Are these features that are needed regularly? Dont know. But I guess using AM and AE standard covers 99%?

What I was afraid about is if Pro had better options for rendering or better effects. Like you said it looks like alot of those Pro effects can be done outside of AE.

Can you reccommend any cool plug ins that you use and feel are worth the $$ for admission!?

Thanks-

#4

I own the standard version of AE, and since version 5 you certainly can use expressions…(though Motion Math is exclusive to the production bundle). They come in very handy for adding some randomness and/or relationships between your layers and generally screwing things up a bit…if that is your thing. Basic expressions are easy to setup with the pickwhip selection and a few added tweaks.

If you want tracking options, comprehensive keying,vector paint and all the extra effects goodies then get the production bundle, otherwise save your dosh and just get the standard version. If only Hash would add some sweet multipass rendering options (in the traditional sense!) like those available in Cinema 4D…though I never would expect it to actually render out a AE file like I can in Cinama(where you get your 3d lights and cameras as part of the project file).

BTW Joe…very nice work that you have been posting using the current version of AM. It has inspired me(and no doubtedly many others) to upgrade to 10.5 as soon as it gets out of beta, since I am one of the many 8.5 using luddites out there :wink:

As far as essential AE plugins for a 3d artist…well definitely reelsmart moblur, trapcode shine and maybe lenscare(for depth of field fx). Sound keys is also very cool to synch your expressions to music …I am interested to try out Amplitude for AM as this sounds like it does a very similar sort of thing?

#5

Thanks Binder,

I see that Zendorf has a better grip on the differences than I do - so listen to him :)… all I can say is that I think you’d be fine with the “standard” version - the only rendering option that Pro offers over Standard is network rendering.

I use ReelSmart (mentioned) Twixtor (from the same company), Lens Flare Pro, and Final Effects. I’m going to check into Trapcode Shine - never heard of that one.

Thanks for the compliment Zendorf - I understand fully the resistance to changing to 10.X. The interface definitely took a turn for the worse, but what can you do? I think if we could suggest specific improvements, they could be implemented. 8.5 is still the most stable version ever, but if you get used to the sheer speed improvements in 10.5, it’s hard to go back to 8.5…

JoeW

#6

Originally posted by Zendorf
If only Hash would add some sweet multipass rendering options (in the traditional sense!) like those available in Cinema 4D…though I never would expect it to actually render out a AE file like I can in Cinama(where you get your 3d lights and cameras as part of the project file).

Hey Zendorf,

You should forward this request to Martin@hash.com. I recently was talking to him about this very thing. I had asked one of our programmers who has written a renderer how hard this would be - he said it’s cake - takes a couple of minutes - so I posed the request to Martin. Everything was cool UNTIL I mentioned that C4D writes out PSD files and such. He doesn’t like being, as he put it, “A plug-in for Photoshop or AfterEffects or anything else”

SO - if you do send it to him, please ask for separate TGA files - that would be good enough for me - and it’s also good that I’m not the only one asking for this…
(and don’t mention C4D, Pshop, or AE)

JoeW

#7

Good idea Joe, I have put in a request and if others do the same, we stand a chance of getting it in! Maybe in v11 anyway? I would also like a “solo” option for models in the choreo, so that I can render out characters separately from the background without having to individually deactivate each background model (especially if you have upwards of a hundred of 'em!). An option to render separate light passes would also be sweet. It sounds good if render passes are an easy thing to program…much more chance of it finally making it in!

On the subject of AE plugins, a really cool (and free to boot) collection I found yesterday is Pete’s plugins. They are gonna more uselful than some of the commercial plugins I have!

Check them out here:
www.petewarden.com

By the way Joe, where is that quote from “No man is your enemy… etc” …I dig it…very zen man!

#8

Originally posted by Zendorf
[B]Good idea Joe, I have put in a request and if others do the same, we stand a chance of getting it in! Maybe in v11 anyway? I would also like a “solo” option for models in the choreo, so that I can render out characters separately from the background without having to individually deactivate each background model (especially if you have upwards of a hundred of 'em!). An option to render separate light passes would also be sweet. It sounds good if render passes are an easy thing to program…much more chance of it finally making it in!

On the subject of AE plugins, a really cool (and free to boot) collection I found yesterday is Pete’s plugins. They are gonna more uselful than some of the commercial plugins I have!

Check them out here:
www.petewarden.com

By the way Joe, where is that quote from “No man is your enemy… etc” …I dig it…very zen man! [/B]

Well, I guess I was mistaken about how long it would take to write the render pass feature into the renderer. Martin told me that it would actually take him a couple of weeks - so my bad on the poor time estimate :frowning:

The Solo feature would be nice, too. I recently asked for an “animateable - non-animateable” button - to keep you from making those mid-animation changes to lights and things that only show up AFTER you’ve rendered. I know you can do this with a “constant” setting on a channel, but I’d rather just have a button to click on or off.

I’ll take a look at those plugins - thanks for the heads up!

As far as that quote, well, I’m embarassed to admit it, but I don’t remember where I got it. I read all the time - everything from spiritual books to books on politics, wars, psychology, horror, sci-fi, you name it - I probably have read it. Sometimes, I run across a little quote that “sticks” - and that’s just one that did.

JoeW

#9

Originally posted by Zendorf
[B]

On the subject of AE plugins, a really cool (and free to boot) collection I found yesterday is Pete’s plugins. They are gonna more uselful than some of the commercial plugins I have!

Check them out here:
www.petewarden.com

[/B]

Hey Zendorf,

Thanks very much for the heads up on Pete’s Plugins - there are some DAMN cool fx in there - and I can’t believe how fast they are AND that they’re free!

The internet is SO cool sometimes :slight_smile:

Thanks again,

JoeW

#10

Glad to be of some help Joe! I attribute the speediness of the plugs to the fact that they were written for VJ’s using Freeframe. The best of the lot for me were metaimage,timewarp, timeslice, wave and halftone…with only timeblur not working at all and crashing AE. Anyway since this is the Hash forum, I had better shutup and go and do some 3D!

Btw, I have your current Hunter image as wallpaper on one of my PC’s and a couple of fellas have glimpsed it recently and asked “Hey is that real?”… :eek:

#11

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