Adobe After Effects CS5 : visual effects and compositing : studio techniques

Christiansen, Mark (Visual effects specialist) (Author).

Summary: This is the only book on the market to focus exclusively on the creation of visual effects for After Effects users, and is a one-stop resource for anyone who wants in-depth explanations that demystify the realm of visual effects and how they were created, thanks to veteran author Mark Christiansen39;s friendly and accessible style. A thoroughly packed, informative read, this masterful guide focuses on explaining the essential concepts, features, and techniques that are key to creating seamless movie-quality visual effects. Users who are comfortable with After Effects will find a helpful review of the fundamentals - managing footage, viewing and editing layers, animating type, and more - so they can learn how to work smarter and more efficiently. Readers of all levels will learn core techniques for effects compositing including color matching, keying, rotoscoping, motion tracking, emulating the camera, and concluding with using expressions in After Effects, written by contributor and expert Dan Ebberts. An incredibly useful appendix on scripting in After Effects is included as well, written by Adobe engineer Jeff Almasol. The final section of the book delves into creative explorations, demonstrating professional effects that are commonly seen in films and games which readers can re-create. Readers will also find comprehensive coverage of all that39;s new and makes this version of Adobe39;s effects programa must-have update, including the revolutionary new Roto Brush, all new effects such as the New Refine Matte effect, new support for Color Look-Up Tables, workflows that take advantage of the all-new 64-bit support, inclusion of third-party tools for additional creativity, and much more.

Record details

ISBN: 0131390554
ISBN: 9780131390553
ISBN: 032171962X
ISBN: 9780321719621
ISBN: 0131390546
ISBN: 9780131390546
ISBN: 9780132835961
ISBN: 9780132835961
ISBN: 0132835967
ISBN: 0132541998
ISBN: 9780132541992
ISBN: 0132836173
ISBN: 9780132836173
Physical Description: 1 online resource (1 volume) : illustrations
remote
Publisher: [Place of publication not identified] : Adobe Press, ©2011.

Content descriptions

Formatted Contents Note:

Cover13; -- Contents -- Foreword -- Introduction -- Section I: Working Foundations -- Chapter 1 Composite in After Effects -- Organization -- Take Control of Settings -- View Panels and Previews -- Effects: Plug-ins and Animation Presets -- Output and the Render Queue -- Assemble the Shot -- Chapter 2 The Timeline -- Organization -- Keyframes and the Graph Editor -- Timeline Panel Shortcuts -- Spatial Offsets -- Motion Blur -- Timing and Retiming -- So Why the Bouncing Ball Again? -- Chapter 3 Selections: The Key to Compositing -- Methods to Combine Layers -- Optics and Edges -- Transparency: Alpha Channels and Edge Multiplication -- Mask Modes -- Combine Selections -- Animated Masks -- Composite With or Without Selections: Blending Modes -- Track Mattes -- Right Tool for the Job -- Chapter 4 Optimize Projects -- Nested Comps, Multiple Projects -- Adjustment and Guide Layers -- Faster! Control the Render Pipeline -- Optimize a Project -- Conclusion -- Section II: Effects Compositing Essentials -- Chapter 5 Color Correction -- Color Correction for Image Optimization -- Levels: Histograms and Channels -- Curves: Gamma and Contrast -- Hue/Saturation: Color and Intensity -- Color Look Development -- Color Matching -- Conclusion -- Chapter 6 Color Keying -- Procedural Mattes -- Linear Keyers and Hi-Con Mattes -- Color Keying: Greenscreen, Bluescreen -- Keylight for Color Keying -- Fine Tuning and Problem Solving -- Shoot for the Perfect Matte -- Conclusion -- Chapter 7 Rotoscoping and Paint -- Roto Brush -- The Articulated Matte -- Refined Mattes -- Deformation -- Paint and Cloning -- Alternatives -- Chapter 8 Effective Motion Tracking -- Point Tracker -- Track a Scene -- Smooth a Camera Move -- Planar Tracker: mocha-AE -- Track Roto/Paint -- 3D Tracking -- Chapter 9 The Camera and Optics -- Cameras: Virtual and Real -- 3D -- Camera and Story -- Depth of Focus -- Grain -- Lens Optics and Looks -- Conclusion -- Chapter 10 Expressions -- What Expressions Are -- Creating Expressions -- The Language of Expressions -- Linking an Effect Parameter to a Property -- Using a Layer8217;s Index -- Looping Keyframes -- Using Markers -- Time Remapping Expressions -- Layer Space Transforms -- Color Sampling and Conversion -- Extra Credit -- Conclusion -- Chapter 11 Advanced Color Options and HDR -- Dynamic Range: Bit Depth and Film -- Color Realism: Linear HDRI -- Color Fidelity: Management, Depth, LUTs -- Conclusion -- Section III: Creative Explorations -- Chapter 12 Light -- Source and Direction -- Color Looks -- Source, Reflection, and Shadow -- Multipass 3D Compositing -- Chapter 13 Climate and the Environment -- Particulate Matter -- Sky Replacement -- Fog, Smoke, and Mist -- Billowing Smoke -- Wind and Ambience -- Precipitation -- Chapter 14 Pyrotechnics: Heat, Fire, Explosions -- Firearms -- Energy Effects -- Heat Distortion -- Fire -- Explosions -- In a Blaze of Glory -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- T$28.

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