Motionworks » Tutorials

After Effects: Inglourious Basterds Blood Splatter

John Dickinson — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:24:09 +0000

In this tutorial learn how Digital Juice’s Motion Designer’s Toolkit and some free grunge textures helped me to recreate the blood splatter style used in the Inglourious Basterds trailer. Watch Tutorial

After Effects: Creating magic from presets – part 2

John Dickinson — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:18:36 +0000

In this two-part tutorial learn how to take basic Adobe After Effects presets and customise them to create your own unique looks. This section focusses on further enhancing the text animation, adding and customising a background preset and adding finishing touches including a bloom look and displacement. Watch Example | Watch Tutorial

After Effects: Creating magic from presets – part 1

John Dickinson — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:29:58 +0000

In this two-part tutorial learn how to take basic Adobe After Effects presets and customise them to create your own unique looks. This section focusses on giving a simple text preset a touch-of-class, with a clear explanation of Text Animator Groups, Animator Properties and Range Selectors. Turning a simple typewriter look into something much more special. Watch Example | Watch Tutorial

After Effects: Spray paint and bullet holes

John Dickinson — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 02:13:51 +0000

In this 1 hour, recorded E-seminar learn how I used Adobe Photoshop and After Effects to create a grungy, bullet-riddled wall with spray-painted text. Note: this is the unedited seminar with a few short pauses due to technical glitches. The audio is loud so you may need to turn down the volume. Enjoy!
Watch E-seminar | Watch Movie

Cinema 4D: ReelSmart Motion Blur

John Dickinson — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:49:28 +0000

In this tutorial, guest host Grischa Theissen demonstrates a must-know technique for adding motion blur to your 3D renders in After Effects using ReelSmart Motion Blur. Watch tutorial (10min, 20MB)

Cinema 4D: Unplugged Opener – Part 2

John Dickinson — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:02:05 +0000

Unplugged Challenge winner, Robert Leger, is back with part 2 of a breakdown of his terrific animation. This section focusses on tips and techniques for integrating Cinema 4D with Adobe After Effects.

Watch Tutorial

Cinema 4D: Photo mosaic

John Dickinson — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:55:08 +0000

In this tutorial, guest host Grischa Theissen demonstrates a cool technique for creating the popular photo mosaic look in Cinema 4D, where one image is made up of multiple images. Recently Grischa was working side-by-side with Tim Clapham, who helped refine the technique. I wonder what’s bringing these talented Cinema 4D artists to Australia… there must be something in our water! Watch tutorial (13min, 40MB)

Cinema 4D: Unplugged Opener – Part 1

John Dickinson — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:17:40 +0000

Unplugged Challenge winner, Robert Leger, has posted part 1 of a breakdown of his terrific animation. This section focusses on tips and techniques used to build the 3D elements in Cinema 4D.

Watch Tutorial

After Effects: Holomatrix

John Dickinson — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:03:56 +0000

In this Adobe After Effects walkthrough learn how Red Giant Holomatrix was used to give grungy 3D text a dynamic sci-fi look. Grab a 10% discount over at Red Giant Software using this code “motionworks10”.

Watch tutorial (14min, 42MB)

After Effects: Jumbotron Column

John Dickinson — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 09:34:22 +0000

In this extended tutorial learn how to identify the field order of footage and interpret it collectly; create a realistic Jumbotron-style look using CC Ball Action, Glow, Levels and Curves; turn the jumbotron into a 3D column mounted on grungy wire mesh using Zaxwerks 3D Layer Warps; and fine tune the look by adding animated arrows plus a touch of Trapcode Shine and Magic Bullet Looks. Remember to support Motionworks by purchasing the CS4 project file too!

Watch tutorial (47min, 82MB) Download free metal textures.

Purchase the CS4 project file ($6.00) (contains place holder for footage and metal texture).

After Effects: 3D Flag + ProAnimator – Part 2

John Dickinson — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 04:54:58 +0000

In this two part tutorial learn how to use Zaxwerks 3D Flag and ProAnimator to create simple yet stylish broadcast promo graphics. In this part we create a simple background, build and animate text in Zaxwerks ProAnimator, and learn how to fake a shadow being cast from the ProAnimator layer onto the 3D Flag layer, complete with shadow displacement.

Watch tutorial (22mins, 43MB)

After Effects: 3D Flag + ProAnimator – Part 1

John Dickinson — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:18:46 +0000

In this two part tutorial learn how to use Zaxwerks 3D Flag and ProAnimator to create simple yet stylish broadcast promo graphics. In this part we cover using solids and masks to create the banner, combining shapes with the Blend operator and using 3D Flag on multiple layers with different pre run settings.

Watch tutorial (17mins, 53MB)

Cinema 4D: Model an iPod Nano – Part 2

John Dickinson — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:50:38 +0000

In this Cinema 4D video tutorial, guest host Grischa Theissen continues his step-by-step walk-through of the techniques for modelling, texturing and lighting a realistic iPod Nano.

Watch tutorial (25min, 50MB)

Cinema 4D: Model an iPod Nano (Part 1)

John Dickinson — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:40:41 +0000

In this Cinema 4D video tutorial, guest host Grischa Theissen walks step-by-step through the techniques for modelling, texturing and lighting a realistic iPod Nano.

Watch tutorial (25min, 45MB)

After Effects: A workflow with ProAnimator

John Dickinson — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:48:43 +0000

In this recorded e-seminar, learn how to create a stylish and moody, Sopranos–style 3D text look. Main tools covered include Adobe After Effects and Zaxwerks ProAnimator. Check out Making It Look Great for more Zaxwerks workflow training.

Watch tutorial (34mins, 60MB) Download project (6MB)

After Effects: Explosive TV promo graphics

John Dickinson — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:07:37 +0000

In this screen capture of a recent Adobe After Effects e-seminar learn how Adobe Illustrator and Maxon Cinema 4D were used, along with stock footage from Video Copilot’s Action Essentials 2, to create explosive TV promo graphics. Watch tutorial (24mins, 51MB)

After Effects: A workflow with Soundkeys

John Dickinson — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:24:47 +0000

In this screen capture of a recent Adobe After Effects E-seminar, learn how Trapcode Soundkeys was used to control the look and feel of a boxing promo. Other topics include a technique for using Trapcode Shine along with CC Glass to create a stylistic impact effect, and various real-world workflow techniques. Watch tutorial (34 mins, 65MB)

Photoshop Extended: Animation Techniques 01

John Dickinson — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:44:45 +0000

In this screen capture of a recent Adobe E-seminar we take a look at the Adobe Photoshop Brush Panel and learn a technique for creating cel-style animation in Photoshop Extended using the Onion Skin feature.

Watch tutorial (18mins)

Photoshop Extended: A workflow with After Effect

John Dickinson — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:45:13 +0000

In this screen cast of a recent Adobe E-seminar, learn how to incorporate Adobe Photoshop Extended into your Adobe After Effects workflow, by preparing video in After Effects, exporting to Photoshop and adding Filters, then reimporting back to After Effects for final compositing.

Watch Tutorial (17min, 40MB)

After Effects: CC Time Blend FX with Brian Maffitt

John Dickinson — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:31:51 +0000

CC Time Blend FX was originally published as part of the Final Effects plug-in set, but is now included in After Effects as one of the Cycore (CC) plug-ins. In his recent Unplugged interview, Total Training founder and After Effects legend Brian Maffitt discusses the Total FE (Final Effects) training series and how he used Time Blend FX to make realistic smoke and plasma. It’s my privilege to tell you that Brian has given Motionworks permission to host the Time Blend FX tutorial. It’s over 10 years old (the After Effects was black and white back then) but is still amazingly useful. Special thanks to Carey Dissmore for transcoding from tape.

Watch tutorial (30mins, 80MB)

Photoshop CS4 Extended: Working with video

John Dickinson — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:22:50 +0000

This screen capture of a recent trade show presentation for Adobe demonstrates working with the video in Photoshop CS4 Extended. Topics include importing, trimming, interpreting, touch up, color correction, Smart Filters and Exporting. You’ll also learn how as an After Effects user, you could include these features in your workflow. Watch tutorial (21min, 38MB)

After Effects: Boxing Promo Walkthrough

John Dickinson — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:43:24 +0000

In this recorded version of a recent Adobe E-seminar we walk through After Effects techniques and workflow for creating a grungy and moody boxing promo. Techniques include color grading for a poster-style look, creating an old, weathered look using stock images and blend modes and tips and tricks for creating organic looks.
Watch tutorial (52mins, 77MB) Watch Promo

After Effects: Form Face

John Dickinson — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:30:27 +0000

In this tutorial hosted by Jerzy Drozda Jr. (aka Maltaannon) learn how to create a push pin toy effect as seen in Radiohead’s “House of Cards” video, by combing regular footage with Trapcode’s popular Form plug-in to create an eye-popping 3D effect. This is tutorial 2 from the popular Making It Look Great 5 training release featuring 10 full length tutorials. For a 10% discount on Form and other Red Giant Software products use the code Motionworks10. Watch Tutorial

Cinema 4D: Shattering Glass – Part 3

John Dickinson — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:03:01 +0000

In the final part of this series we’ll look at how to add some more detail to the shatter in Cinema 4D using the Knife tool, add dust in Adobe After Effects using Trapcode Particular, create a quick background and fake refraction using the Displacement Map effect. Note: I forgot to record a step in Cinema 4D: After adding the Particle Null, right click the layer and choose Cinema 4D Tags > External Compositing. This will ensure the null is available in After Effects.

Watch tutorial (32 mins, 60MB)

PURCHASE THE COMPLETED CINEMA 4D AND AFTER EFFECTS PROJECT FILES ($6.00):

Cinema 4D: Shattering Glass – Part 2

John Dickinson — Tue, 26 May 2009 09:57:41 +0000

In part two of this series we’ll look at how to shatter the polygon object using Cinema 4D Explosion FX, add a glass material and image map to the face of the glass, and use an HDR image with the Sky object to create reflections.

Watch tutorial (15mins, 40MB) Download Materials