MILG 7 Mograph Unleased with Tim Clapham is coming. Teaser 1 – Dynamics

Red Giant TV has a new tutorial by Making It Look Great 6 host Tim Clapham, on using Trapcode Form to create 3D text. Use the code “Motionworks10″ to get a 10% discount on any Red Giant Software products.

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. [Read more]

Making It Look Great 6: Design and Production Techniques for Cinema 4D and After Effects is now available. In this 14 part, 8.5 hour video workshop you’ll work with designer, Cinema 4D expert and Mograph master Tim Clapham to create a stunning, multi-layered news opener. Jam-packed with techniques, tips and shortcuts, the workshop includes [Read more]

Making It Look Great 6: Design and Production Techniques for Cinema 4D and After Effects is close to completion. Tim Clapham has worked hard to put together almost 8 hours of training. Now we’re hard at work editing and polishing. In the mean time we’ve uploaded a half resolution version of the introduction for the training, in which Tim gives a brief overview.

Watch Introduction (2 minutes,20MB)

Design and Production Techniques for Cinema 4D and After Effects

The ultimate workshop for Cinema 4D and After Effects

Finally, the ultimate single workshop for Cinema 4D and After Effects. Work side–by–side with designer, Cinema 4D expert and Mograph master Tim Clapham as you create a stunning, multi-layered news opener from start to finish. This training is jam-packed with techniques, tips and shortcuts including real-world techniques for getting the most out of the Cinema 4D Mograph module. Suitable for beginner and intermediate users or anyone serious about mastering Cinema 4D with After Effects at an industry level.

Topics include:

Creating the Globe
Working with layouts; Creating and Cloning onto a Sphere Object; Generating the Globe Effect with the Shader Effector; Introducing the Plain Effector and Effector falloff.

Creating the Orbiting Text
Preparing Illustrator artwork; Importing artwork and creating Extrude NURBS; Introducing the Fracture Object; Orbiting the text with the Spline Effector; Linking parameters using Xpresso and Set Driver; Organising the scene with layers.

Working with Cameras
A basic camera rig with User Data; Linking User Data to object parameters using Xpresso; Animating the camera; Manipulating F-Curves.

Animating the Text and Globe
Animating the text using Spline Effector; Scaling and rotating the text using Effectors; Animating the globe rotation; Using Animation Layers to add secondary animation; Adjusting Shader Mapping to enhance composition.

Modeling a Basic Soccer ball
Using Primitives to create the basic football shape; Using modeling tools to edit the football model; Adding textures to Selection sets; Baking a spherical map from the football model; Wiping from globe to football with Effectors.

Creating Materials and the Content Browser
Using the Fresnel shader; Adding HDRI reflections Presets; Catalogs and the Content Browser; The Compositing Tag; Lumas Shader for Anistrophic Highlights.

Lighting the Scene
Introduction to Light types; Using Area Lights; The Target Tag; Three point lighting; Include / Exclude lists; Controlling specular highlights.

Streaks of Light
Using Viewport filters; Matrix Object vs Cloner Object; Creating splines using with the Tracer Object; Adding and optimising geometry with Sweep NURBS; Limiting Tracer results; Making Luminant Materials.

More Graphic Elements
Radial duplication with Cloner Object; Using Blend mode; Cloning Cloner objects; Modifying Clones with Effectors.

Preparing for Render
External Compositing Tag to Export 3D data; Assigning Object Buffers; Configuring output parameters; Setting up Multipass rendering; Exporting After Effects compositing file.

Importing into After Effects
Importing the AEC file, Organising the project; Separating 3D Elements with Object Buffers; Creating the background.

Enhancing the 3D Render
Colour correction; Adding glows; Creating a turbulent glow; Adding a border to the text; Emphasizing specular highlights.

Finishing Touches
Using the exported 3D data; Adding trails with Trapcode Particular; Using Expressions to add randomness; Adding extra 3D elements; Creating an image wipe transition; Final rendering.

About your Host: With over 11 years experience, Tim Clapham is an industry recognized expert in Cinema 4D and a renowned trainer with a strong attention to detail. As a Company Director of HYPA, Tim works with a wide range of global advertising and broadcast companies, producing world-class content that is both technically challenging and innovative.

Watch Introduction (2 minutes, 20MB)

The Making It Look Great 5 training series by Maltaannon is now available as individual downloads. So far the first 3 tutorials are online but the rest will be added over the next week.

In case you’ve been wondering when Making It Look Great 6 will be released, the answer is soon. I can’t give you much detail but can tell you this time MILG will focus on using Cinema 4D together with After Effects to create a stunning broadcast project, with a host that in my opinion is one of the top Cinema 4D broadcast designers in the business. More soon.

17 hours of After Effects training with top motion graphics designers from around the world

Grab all 5 MILG Titles and Make Sure Your Work Gets Noticed

Ever wonder how the pros get their work looking so sharp? The popular and proven Making It Look Great™ video workshop series has been designed to answer that question. Throughout these in-depth video workshops, professional motion graphics designers including John Dickinson, Harry J Frank, Alan Shisko and Maltaannon, demonstrate techniques essential to their daily work and give the design decisions and rationale that support them. The featured projects are demonstrated step–by–step from start to finish, giving priceless insight into what it takes to design and produce professional broadcast motion graphics.

Learn more about Making It Look Great 1

Learn more about Making It Look Great 2

Learn more about Making It Look Great 3

Learn more about Making It Look Great 4

Learn more about Making It Look Great 5

A massive 7 Hours of Kick-ass Design, Production and Workflow Techniques for Adobe After Effects

Work along with After Effects expert Jerzy Drozda Jr. (aka. Maltaannon) as he guides you step by step through a wide range of motion graphics and visual effects looks and techniques. Learn how to harness the power of expressions in After Effects to make beautiful, complex animations and save time.  Whether you’re an After Effects beginner or expert you’ll learn valuable techniques that will make your work look great. Included with the 10 video tutorials are 3 bonus video tutorials (Gyro Extended, Butterfly Man extended and Working with the Presets) plus free plug-ins and presets discussed throughout the lessons. Work fast, work smart, look great with Making It Look Great 5.

Watch the promo

Create a cool-looking gyroscopic element completely within After Effects. Inspired by the work of Mark Coleran, this tutorial includes extensive use of Shape Layers, parenting and simple expressions to create a technical look using almost no keyframes.

Create a slick push pin toy effect as seen in the Radiohead “House of Cards” video. This tutorial shows you how to combine regular footage with Trapcode’s popular Form plug-in
to create an eye-popping 3D effect. Watch this tutorial now for free here.

Create a reusable retro-style computer terminal animation. Harness the power of
expressions, including some undocumented features to change the text content and
look on the fly. Learn how to turn a simple typewriter effect into realistic DOS-style
computer readout.

Create a realistic and detailed Jumbotron-style video screen. This tutorial includes
must-know keying techniques, tips on creating volumetric lights and presets, and ingenious
workflow for creating complex looks on a single layer using the CC Composite effect.
The advanced CE Screenify effect is also included in the download exclusively for Making
It Look Great 5 viewers.

Create the stylish effect where a character suddenly bursts into hundreds of butterflies.
In this lesson learn how to create a smart butterfly rig using Trapcode 3D Stroke, control Trapcode Particular particles using dispersion maps, build volumetric backlighting using Trapcode Lux and automatically track a layer’s alpha channel.

Master fast and precise color correction techniques using standard After Effects tools
including Colorama and CC Composite. In this tutorial learn how to fine tune a look
using the Colorama effect as a range selection tool, allowing adjustments to specific
aspects of the footage.

Create an infinitely zooming spycam look. This tutorial starts with basic techniques for
creating a simple slide show then covers amazing, time-saving techniques for automating
transitions between layers using expressions.

Create automated subtitles based on layer markers. This short tutorial demonstrates
how to automate subtitle creation.

Create a realistic dripping blood effect without using keyframes or expressions.
This lesson includes a great study of precomposing and demonstrates how to use a
Photoshop-style brush with the CC Time Blend effect to paint text onto the screen.

Create a funky disco-style animation based totally on sound. This lesson includes a slick technique for creating running lights using Trapcode Form together with the Colorama
effect, basic camera movement, techniques using the CC Time Blend and Wave Warp
effects and plenty of simple expressions.

About your Host: Jerzy Drozda Jr (aka Maltaannon) is a motion graphics and visual effects artist based in Warsaw, Poland. Well known in the motion graphics industry through his popular website maltaannon.com, Jerzy’s extreme creativity, razor sharp technical skills and relaxed teaching style, make him one of the top After Effects trainers in the world today.”

Watch the promo

Two powerhouse workshops packed with expert techniques for Adobe After Effects, Zaxwerks ProAnimator, Zaxwerks 3D Flag and more

Take your design and production skills to the next level

The Making It Look Great ProAnimator bundle includes the Making It Look Great 1 and Making It Look Great 4 video workshops. Both hosted by After Effects expert and Zaxwerks demo artist John Dickinson.

Learn more about Making It Look Great 1

Learn more about Making It Look Great 4

About your Host: Based in Sydney Australia, John Dickinson is a cutting-edge motion graphics artist who is in demand. John combines 12 years of industry experience with a proven teaching ability to provide high quality learning resources that encourage and challenge participants to break through to new levels of excellence and impact in their work.

Making It Look Great 5 hosted by Jerzy Drozda Jr (aka Maltaannon) is almost here. The following is a list of all 10 tutorials included in the workshop, with Quicktime movie examples. This training is over 7 hours long and is packed with After Effects techniques, tips and tricks. More details soon. [Read more]

We are working hard on Making It Look Great 5 so I thought I’ll let you in on a little status update. We are already halfway through. If everything goes well we should be releasing it in no more than 6 weeks. Unfortunately I became very sick and sometimes I have to give my plans up, go to the doctor and lay in bed for a few days. But I’m not giving up, oh no. [Read more]

Design and Production Techniques for Adobe After Effects, Zaxwerks ProAnimator and Zaxwerks 3D Flag

Strap On Your Motion Graphics Black Belt

In this 2.5 hour video workshop work side–by–side with senior broadcast designer, After Effects expert and Zaxwerks demo artist John Dickinson, to create the powerful Northstar Martial Arts animation from start to finish.

Topics include:

• Discussing key design decisions
• Background creation and modification
• Creating graphic elements in Adobe Illustrator and After Effects
• Logo preparation in Illustrator
• Logo modelling and texturing in ProAnimator
• Preparing JPEG files with Illustrator Live Trace
• Getting the most out of mini-dv footage
• Creating 3D banners with 3D Flag
• Tricks for isolating glows to logo bevels
• Simulating refraction and depth of field
• Finishing touches to add mood

About your Host: Based in Sydney Australia, John Dickinson is a cutting-edge motion graphics artist who is in demand. John combines 12 years of industry experience with a proven teaching ability to provide high quality learning resources that encourage and challenge participants to break through to new levels of excellence and impact in their work.
Watch promo | Watch free introduction | Watch free lesson 1

Design and Production Techniques for Adobe After Effects, Zaxwerks 3D Invigorator Pro, Trapcode Particular and Form

Make Sure Your Work Gets Noticed

Look over the shoulder of motion graphic designer and After Effects expert Harry Frank as he shares pro–level techniques for creating a beautiful, organic broadcast promotion.

Topics include:

• Understanding and working with consistent color palettes using Adobe Kuler
• Advanced animation and texturing with Zaxwerks Invigorator Pro
• Generating realistic clouds with Trapcode Particular and light emittters
• Creating life–like 3D grass with CC Hair
• Animating with expressions to save time
• Using gravity and turbulence to create realistic 3D falling leaves
• Advanced type animation plus an in–depth study of After Effects’ type animation tools
• Creating organic, flowing design elements with Trapcode Flow
• Finishing touches to add color and mood

About your Host: Harry Frank is a freelance motion graphics designer and instructor based in Los Angeles. As a motion designer, Harry strives to strike a balance in his technical and creative endeavors, ranging from his popular After Effects training series to his work with companies such as Digital Kitchen, MGM, Little Red Robot and Royal Pictures.

ProAnimator Users: You can also take advantage of this great training. Check out this free video tutorial that shows you step-by-step how to use ProAnimator in place of 3D Invigorator for this workshop.

Watch promo | Watch free introduction

Design and Production Techniques for Adobe After Effects
and Zaxwerks 3D Invigorator Pro

Make Sure Your Work Gets Noticed

Sit with freelance artist and After Effects expert Alan Shisko as he walks you through his favorite techniques, tips and tricks for creating a stunning broadcast news animation sequence.

Topics include:

• Learning how to think like a designer
• Effective project workflow
• Pro-level modeling and texturing with Zaxwerks Invigorator Pro
• Advanced techniques for transforming and deforming Invigorator objects
• Building dynamic transitions using text
• Beyond–the–ordinary background design
• Creative color grading with blend modes
• Quick and easy lower third design
• Mastering the After Effects Graph Editor
• Tips and tricks for taking control of masks

 
About your Host: Alan Shisko has been working in the film, photography and motion graphics industry since 1991. Based out of Toronto, Canada, Alan is recognized internationally both for his award-winning work and for his dedication to the artistry of broadcast design. Alan encourages a balance of technique and artistry which top motion graphic design demands.

Watch promo | Watch free introduction

Design and Production Techniques for Adobe After Effects and Zaxwerks ProAnimator, Knoll Light Factory and More

Make Sure Your Work Gets Noticed

In this 2 hour video workshop, senior broadcast designer and After Effects expert John Dickinson guides you step–by–step through real–world techniques for creating an impactful broadcast motion graphics promotion.

Topics include:

• Making backgrounds with ProAnimator, Fractal Noise and other effects
• Using ProAnimator primitives and textures to create the planet Mars
• Using After Effects versus ProAnimator cameras and lights
• Enhancing your work’s mood and “watch-ability factor”
• Secrets to getting faster workflow
• Preparing Illustrator files for the smoothest workflow
• Modelling, texturing and animating logos in ProAnimator
• Using ProAnimator for beyond–the–ordinary text animations
• Workflow tips for creating multiple versions
• Design and production tricks for integrating logos and text using effects such as Trapcode Shine, Starglow, Knoll Light Factory and more

About your Host: Based in Sydney Australia, John Dickinson is a cutting-edge motion graphics artist who is in demand. John combines 12 years of industry experience with a proven teaching ability to provide high quality learning resources that encourage and challenge participants to break through to new levels of excellence and impact in their work.

Watch promo | Watch free introduction