Adobe after effects advice (windows)

[eastyy]

I have been wanting to do a enhanced ultra combo vid for killer instinct which basically will be taking the ultra combo and adding some more effects to make it look fancier, i tried a test thing so when a blow lands a effect happens but i have no idea how to set it for a effect for a few frames and then going on to another has anyone got any ideas ? cheers

[Dogg Thang]

It's hard to guide without the specifics but you can keyframe effects. So let's say you have added a brightness effect. If you look at your Effect Controls window, you'll see at the Brightness setting that there is a little triangle arrow and a circle thing that looks a little like a stopwatch beside it. If you click that, you make a keyframe. Now you're animating your effect. If you scroll across your timeline and change the Brightness setting, it will add a new keyframe and animate between the two.

It should have the same type of controls for lots of different effects. Generally it's just about placing the keyframes. Let me know if you need any more info.

[eastyy]

It's hard to guide without the specifics but you can keyframe effects. So let's say you have added a brightness effect. If you look at your Effect Controls window, you'll see at the Brightness setting that there is a little triangle arrow and a circle thing that looks a little like a stopwatch beside it. If you click that, you make a keyframe. Now you're animating your effect. If you scroll across your timeline and change the Brightness setting, it will add a new keyframe and animate between the two.

It should have the same type of controls for lots of different effects. Generally it's just about placing the keyframes. Let me know if you need any more info.

Cheers had a mess around only thing is i want the effect to start and stop in places so for example i start the keyframe for a effect but then a few frames later i do not want it for then so i click the stopwatch but then it removes all the stuff i have done.

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah, the stopwatch turns on animation mode but if you click it again it will turn it off, and so removing the animation. There should be a little dot or diamond shape or something close to it (haven't got it in front of me) and you can click that to create a new keyframe. If you had an effect that had a setting that could go up or down, you can just place keyframes to get it on or set it to zero when you want.

But it really depends on the effect. You could also place an adjustment layer over the top and then adjust its length so that whatever effect is on that layer is only applied for a certain period. What effect are you using?

[eastyy]

Basically what i am trying to do with killer instinct is making the ultra combos look fancier So when jago starts the ultra combo i want a effect whenever the hit connects with the opponent,

At the moment am just using the lens flare as a start to see how i get on. Yeah i tried to diamond thing to switch off but when i then move the lens flare to the next move it switches back on again and when i played back you just see the lens flare moving around lol

[Dogg Thang]

I'll have a look later and talk you through it. An adjustment layer is probably the easiest to control. Will get back to you.

[Dogg Thang]

Okay, here's how you can do it. Method 1, on the layer itself.

Right click your layer, go to effects, generate then select lens flare. You now have a lens flare. In your effects controls you will see an option for flare brightness. This is what you can use to turn it off. But you're better off doing it from your actual layer.

So place the lens flare where you want it.
Go to your timeline at the bottom and expand the layer you're working on. To do that, click the little triangle arrow to the left of the layer number.
When you do that, you should see Effects, Transform and Audio. Expand Effects the same way. And then expand Lens Flare.
Now you're looking at your lens flare controls.
A frame before you want it to kick in, click the stopwatch. Now set flare brightness to 0. The flare should disappear.
Move to the next frame and set the brightness to 100 or whatever you want (don't click the stopwatch again).
Move to the frame before where you want it to stop. Now click the little diamond shape to the left of the stopwatch in your flare brightness control on your layer options. That diamond places keyframes. You should have now created a new kayframe.
Move to the next frame and set your flare brightness to 0.

That should do it. If you want to do it again somewhere else, make a new keyframe just before you do it. If you're going to move the lens flare, turn on the stopwatch for Flare Center too so you can keyframe where it goes - it works the same way.

Method 2 is similar except you do it on a different layer. With your timeline selected, go up to your top menu and select Layer, New, Adjustment Layer.
Now add the lens flare effect to that layer the exact same way.
With this, if you want it to turn off and on, you just have to crop that adjustment layer. No keyframes needed.
If you want to place another, duplicate that layer (ctrl+d) and just move it somewhere else.

Hope that helps!

[eastyy]

Okay, here's how you can do it. Method 1, on the layer itself.

Right click your layer, go to effects, generate then select lens flare. You now have a lens flare. In your effects controls you will see an option for flare brightness. This is what you can use to turn it off. But you're better off doing it from your actual layer.

So place the lens flare where you want it.
Go to your timeline at the bottom and expand the layer you're working on. To do that, click the little triangle arrow to the left of the layer number.
When you do that, you should see Effects, Transform and Audio. Expand Effects the same way. And then expand Lens Flare.
Now you're looking at your lens flare controls.
A frame before you want it to kick in, click the stopwatch. Now set flare brightness to 0. The flare should disappear.
Move to the next frame and set the brightness to 100 or whatever you want (don't click the stopwatch again).
Move to the frame before where you want it to stop. Now click the little diamond shape to the left of the stopwatch in your flare brightness control on your layer options. That diamond places keyframes. You should have now created a new kayframe.
Move to the next frame and set your flare brightness to 0.

That should do it. If you want to do it again somewhere else, make a new keyframe just before you do it. If you're going to move the lens flare, turn on the stopwatch for Flare Center too so you can keyframe where it goes - it works the same way.

Method 2 is similar except you do it on a different layer. With your timeline selected, go up to your top menu and select Layer, New, Adjustment Layer.
Now add the lens flare effect to that layer the exact same way.
With this, if you want it to turn off and on, you just have to crop that adjustment layer. No keyframes needed.
If you want to place another, duplicate that layer (ctrl+d) and just move it somewhere else.

Hope that helps!

Cheers much appreciated

[Dogg Thang]

No problem. Hope it works!

[Asura]

As this seems to have been answered, I thought I'd ask - is AfterEffects the go-to software for video editing and effects these days, like those "stings" used by the big YouTubers?

I haven't been near video since Premiere 6.

[briareos_kerensky]

After Effects has a very precise spot in Adobe's view of video editing. Premiere, After Effects, SpeedGrade, Prelude all form a continuous workflow, though Premiere and AE share some capabilities and can be seen as all-around programs. However, Premiere lacks all the fancy effects and video compositing abilities AE has, and AE lacks Premiere's timing capabilities (or at least they aren't as immediate). The great thing about all Adobe's programs is how they interact with each other, so you can import Premiere sequences in AE and vice-versa with minimum fuss to overcome each program's limitations.
If you want a single video editing program I guess that Vegas is good, though it doesn't quite reach AE for advanced compositing.

[eastyy]

Well what i was after it looks like it will work though have to do some fine tuning



Quite subtle in the vid might try something a bit more over the top but now i know it works thinking of how i can put a more appropriate effect to enhance it

[randombs]

lol DT's method 1 is how I used to do this sort of stuff with Premiere - I'd have automated animations lasting a single frame so they were instant.