How can I make this effect in After Effects -VIDEO INCLUDED

[tomld]

I came across a tutorial to make multiple 3d screen in after effects. Problem is, it is japanese and their translation is very poor. They leave out many steps and I can't figure it out. The tutorial is located at http://www.ayatoweb.com/ae_tips_e/ae31_e.html

I have created my photoshop multiple screen image, however I don't understand what they mean by it must have an alpha channel. Can anyone explain?

I also don't understand what they are trying to do by adding the white solid. I looked at their timeline screenshot and do not see what they are doing with all the multiple layers.

Does anyone understand this that can explain it to me? Or is there another english tutorial that better explains this? I appreciate it.

Tom

[tomld]

I can get the still image screens, to disappear showing the under video. However I can not get the video to stay within the rounded corner screen format that the still were in. In my video the stills randomly disappear showing the entire under video. I imagine this may have to do with the photoshop alpha channel for the stills that I dont understand. Or also what they are doing with the 3 still image layers, that I don't understand. Seems like they have only the bottom still image layer visible while the other two aren't. What are they doing with the other two? Anyone understand this?

[daamon]

Hi tomld,

The link you posted doesn't work.

A quick search on Google listed a whole heap of definitions for "alpha channel". Here's a good one from Webopedia:

www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/alpha_channel.html

[tomld]

Fixed, try the link again. Its MUCH more than alpha channels. Thats just one question I have.

[daamon]

Hi tomld,

In step 1, when it says "It need alpha channel", it means that the background needs to be transparent. This is a selectable option when creating a new image.

In step 2, when it says "Moreover, Insert White Solid before changed", it means insert a blank white image (the same size 640 x 480 or whatever) as follows:

Original image (loads of 80x60 images) -> blank white image -> new image

So that you get a momentary flash of white before the change occurs - this is what they mean by "It shows so that it change after 'Flash'".

In step 5, they suggest a background. This is where hjaving the alpha channel present in the original image (having it transparent) comes in. As the individual 80x60 images are seperated, they leave a space which, coz you set it, is transparent meaning that the background image will show through (as per the pic they give).

I should say that I've never used After Effects, but I (pretty much) understand the principles their discussing.

Looks like a good website...

Good luck.

[tomld]

Thanks for the help. I got it to work perfectly up to step 2. I still have some problems...

1) I can not get the card wipe to split the multiple still images at the right spot. It seems I have little control over where they split.

2) How can I get the card wipe to evenly transition back to normal (ie, from full card wipe to no card wipe).

It seems those are the last two problems I am facing.

Anyone know?

[tomld]

Oh, also when I do a 3d camera rotation, the objects get cut off while still in the field of view. Since the plane of the comp was adjusted you can now see the edges of it. How can I adjust it, so like in the tutorial example, you can't see the edges, so the moving objects dont get cut off on screen, but instead extend all the way to the edge of the movie area and off screen that way?

[daamon]

@ tomld - If you don't have any luck here, try searching and / or posting over at Wrigley Video. It's a site primarily for Adobe Premiere, but the forum also has info on other Adobe audio and video related applications.

www.wrigleyvideo.com/forum

www.wrigleyvideo.com/videotutorial

[canadateck]

Try this, they have the working files to download.

http://www.digitalanarchy.com/3Dassist/3Dassist_tutes.html

[Noahtuck]

Try this, they have the working files to download.

http://www.digitalanarchy.com/3Dassist/3Dassist_tutes.html

That one is pretty cool too!!!

Anyone know where you can actually download videos like those or this one,

http://www.ayatoweb.com/ae_tips_e/ae42_e.html

Already done so you could just DL it and use it for generic background video in menus ?

[tomld]

I actually got it to work using the Aya to Web way. Once I got it to split right it was easy. I just used the card wipe camera options to rotate it, moved the pieces on the Z axis and it works great. Only thing I did wrong was making the original photoshop multi still image file. By not making the background transparent, when it splits you can see the square edge corners around the rounded edges of each piece.

So does anyone know how I can create my photoshop file, so the background is also transparent (right now the background is black and the inside the rounded picture frames is transparent, hence the video showing inside the frames)? The problem I see, is if the background is also transparent, the video will show in the background. What's too keep the video inside the picture frames and not in the background if both are transparent? I heard motion tracking may work, however that's a PRO feature which I don't have. Anyone know how I can have a transparent background of my photoshop file and still keep the video just inside the transparent frames?

Thanks
Tom