When needing a photorealistic 3D world, After Effects isn't usually the first program that comes to mind. Typically a 3D modeling/animation program is necessary to create virtual 3D worlds, but in this article CreativeCOW contributing editor Bill O'Neil demonstrates creating a 3D world for a TV spot he was hired to direct and post for the Big Ten Basketball Conference.
Re: COW Tutorials: After Effects Building a 3D World by Bill ONeil on Aug 10, 2007 at 9:30:39 pm
Thanks for the kind words, guys.
I don't really expect anyone to build a world that ridiculous in AE but more than anything, I wanted to show the potential of After Effects 3D. I hope it inspires a few people.
Re: COW Tutorials: After Effects Building a 3D World by yikesmikes on Aug 11, 2007 at 1:29:24 am
I always suspected you could do something like this in AE. I was thinking of doing a spoof of American Idol with AE, but didn't have the chops. So, very inspiring stuff.
Re: COW Tutorials: After Effects Building a 3D World by DavidD on Aug 11, 2007 at 4:49:51 pm
In the tutorial you talked about having the virtual camera following the turn-tabled actor(s) and therefore all you have to worry about was the X & Y axis for the camera, I believe. How did you do this?
Re: COW Tutorials: After Effects Building a 3D World by Bill ONeil on Aug 11, 2007 at 5:13:23 pm
To get the camera to follow the rotating talent, I simply key-framed the Y rotation of the 3D null layer to which the camera is parented. The camera's point of interest (POI) is in the same spot as the null layer so it is essentially slaved to it.
While the null handles the rotation you can move in, out, up or down with the camera. Make sure you hold down the cntrl key when you move the camera around to maintain the position of the POI.
Re: COW Tutorials: After Effects Building a 3D World by Bill ONeil on Aug 12, 2007 at 11:13:05 am
I rented the turntable from a prop guy here in Chicago. He actually built it himself with an electric motor so it can rotate at any speed. I have seen another "lazy susan" that operate manually where you just wind it up with a rope and then unwind it for the shot.
It's kind of an unusual rental but they're out there. And I suppose you could always build one yourself if you think you'll use it a lot.
Re: COW Tutorials: After Effects Building a 3D World by Bill ONeil on Aug 14, 2007 at 10:26:24 pm
The light effects were done on set. I refer to them as "ballyhoo" lighting in the tutorial. It was just a couple of grips waving the lights back and forth on the talent.
Re: COW Tutorials: After Effects Building a 3D World by RoRK on Aug 16, 2007 at 7:20:26 pm
[Bill ONeil]"I wanted to show the potential of After Effects 3D. I hope it inspires a few people."
Inpire?!? I give up!
Is there such a thing as a downgrade to Dreamweaver? ;-)
Brilliant and original. I'm curious to know how long it took in post, including creating the stage in PS, to put it all together? And did you use any 3D tracking?
Cheers
Roland Kahlenberg
http://www.broadcastGEMs.com - Adobe After Effects project files
http://www.myspace.com/rorkrgbspace
Re: COW Tutorials: After Effects Building a 3D World by Bill ONeil on Aug 16, 2007 at 8:09:33 pm
Thanks, Roland! I can't remember all the time I put in on the various tasks but I think it was a couple of weeks altogether.
I shot both year one and year 2 in one day on the green screen stage. We had Talib Kweli just change outfits for year 2.
The Photoshop work to build the individual pieces took a few days. I probably took another day to create pre-rendered clips in After Effects such as the audience layers, and animated light racks.
Building the actual set in AE from all the pieces took the longest amount of time. With all the duplicate set pieces there were around 250 layers. Once the set was constructed and all the appropriate layers parented or "expressioned" to the null layer, it was just a matter of creating the shots from my green screen edit.
This entire world would probably have been easier to do in a 3D program but I have always been too busy or too lazy to really dive into 3D.
Re: COW Tutorials: After Effects Building a 3D World by Ron Lindeboom on Jul 21, 2008 at 12:43:55 am
No, because it involves some rather advanced techniques that if you know them, then you can create what you see in Bill O'Neil's tutorial. It is an advanced tutorial, not a beginner or even intermediate tutorial. Sorry. This is one you have to work up to.
Best regards,
Ron Lindeboom
Remember: Burt Bacharach lied. What the world really needs now is an undo button.
Re: COW Tutorials: After Effects Building a 3D World by Ryan Brown on Jul 21, 2008 at 5:49:37 am
I understand. I guess I was hoping for the videocopilot version on dvd that might take you through the process...I'd rather keep the pipeline within the creative suite rather than having to jump into 3D apps and then back to CS to finish the job...Well I guess we can all wish...maybe someday...
