In 2008 I did a series of roadshows for Adobe where I presented a neat little animation of a dancing can. In this series of tutorials I’ll walk you step-by-step through various After Effects techniques for creating this spot. This section deals with Puppet Pin tool basics and how to use the cool motion sketch feature to animate to music. Watch tutorial
The Foundry has released 3D Camera Tracker and Kronos, two exciting new plug-ins for Adobe After Effects.
Alexander of Amateurmedia.net has created a stylish new font named Typograph Pro. Also check some of the great usage examples created within Cinema 4D.
Red Giant Software has released Colorista 2, with some exciting new features and improvements. Use motionworks10 for a 1o% discount.
Fontfeed.com has an excellent column “Screenfonts” which discusses the use of fonts in movie posters.
Industrial Light and Magic has a new site. It’s quite amazing just how many productions ILM has been involved in.
Urban Dirty has terrific free grunge stock images and also provides color themes for various images with a downloadable .ASE file. You can import the .ASE file into After Effects using Swatch You Want.
41 Responses to this post
February 2, 2009 at 5:53 am |
Thank you!!! This was something really new for me to learn, and I appreciate very much!
February 2, 2009 at 6:52 am |
I think this series will be extremely awesome !
Thanks & can’t wait to see the next one.
February 2, 2009 at 8:27 am |
Nice John! I liked the live video of yourself in the beginning. Adds a nice touch to the tutorial.
February 2, 2009 at 9:50 am |
John, I enjoyed this tutorial and look forward to more. Now I know how to properly use the starch tool. I also got a kick out of seeing the little inset box with your countenance!
February 2, 2009 at 12:40 pm |
Glad you like it, and didn’t run away screaming when you saw me
Also, Todd from Adobe reminded me of a better way to reset puppet pins, I’ll add this to Lesson 2.
February 2, 2009 at 4:10 pm |
This has been a favorite tute of mine for a while, there have been a couple of times when I could have done with a better explanation of the puppet tool. This offers a great explanation. Worth checking out.
February 2, 2009 at 6:49 pm |
hey this is great should coming handy thanks allot
February 3, 2009 at 1:30 am |
Hi John,
Top job on this first part of the tutorial… clear, concise and very informative! Loved the video in video of you talking too, felt like a one on one lesson which is pretty cool!
Looking forward to the next installment.
Cheers
Ben
February 3, 2009 at 8:16 am |
Fantastic. Looking forward to Pt. 2!
I’m also looking forward to the next MILG! Any word on that?
February 3, 2009 at 11:51 am |
Hi John,
Thanks for the tutorial. I hadn’t really gotten around to playing with the “puppet” tool until you inspired me. I made myself a dancing Guinness can (at least I think it was dancing – ha). Maybe I just drank the Guinness and imagined it dancing. I’m already thinking of new ways to use it. I saw a tutorial where it was used to create smoke streaming over the outline of a car to show aerodynamics. The layer used a directional particular effect and then was precomped. The puppet tool was used on the precomp to “mold” the directional particles over the top of the car. Thanks for all the help you give. It is greatly appreciated.
Brett
February 3, 2009 at 3:43 pm |
No word on MILG 6 yet but stay tuned. Brett, I know that tutorial by my buddy Jim, a creative use of the Puppet Pin tool to be sure.
February 3, 2009 at 6:18 pm |
Here’s a link to the tutorial: http://library.creativecow.net/articles/geduldick_jim/Motion_AE.php
February 3, 2009 at 8:43 pm |
Hi John, Thanks heaps for sharing these tuts.
Luv your work. D
February 4, 2009 at 7:19 am |
nice tutorial
thanks
February 4, 2009 at 9:56 am |
Regarding MILG 6 … please, please, pleeeeease cover AE + C4D. I’m tellin’ you + John Dickerson + AE + C4D would make a killer combination!
February 5, 2009 at 2:49 am |
great tutorial, i wish it could be more often.
March 11, 2009 at 6:29 am |
It’s just a great PLEASURE to look to this tutorial !
I can’t tell you how greatful I am for your blog, which joyfully feeds my passion for AE.
March 16, 2009 at 8:57 am |
i love this tutorial… quiet funny and fantastic
thanks!!
March 20, 2009 at 10:59 am |
Fot some reason the pop-up won’t play on my mac. Any thoughts?
March 20, 2009 at 12:32 pm |
Matt try right clicking on the link and saving the movie to your desktop.
April 8, 2009 at 3:50 am |
Imagine this tutorial.i like it very much.
June 27, 2009 at 8:52 pm |
Thanks much John, Amazing tutorial btw Please how I can find the source file of the can, thanks again.
June 28, 2009 at 3:32 am |
Hi Morsiii, that file is copyright but you could do a Google search for Red Bull perhaps and find a can?
July 13, 2009 at 12:26 pm |
Hey,
Ball’s Show Man
When you want to come to Brazil for one of these wonderful workshops?
Abrasive
November 2, 2009 at 2:45 pm |
Hey John,
Sorry for asking but where did you get this awesome music you used? Hope your still reading here. Greets from a true fan!
November 2, 2009 at 3:22 pm |
Hi there, that track came with the Adobe Soundbooth install
Best, John.
April 5, 2010 at 10:50 am |
awesome tutorial. I’m always watching video tutorials and I truly appreciate this one for its clarity, resolution, and directness. You waste no time on irrelevant topics. Definitely the best tutorial I’ve ever watched.
April 11, 2010 at 4:43 am |
Thanks Chris! Best wishes, John.
July 27, 2010 at 10:29 am |
how to record can dance???
July 27, 2010 at 7:49 pm |
Move your cursor over a pin point and hold down the Command (Control key), the click to start recording. Best wishes, John.
July 27, 2010 at 11:18 pm |
That Works…Thank you,and sorry for my bad English..
August 15, 2010 at 9:01 pm |
nice tutorial thank you..
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