Narrative Motion Graphics Lesson E: Photoshop for Photo Editing and Adobe After Effects 3D Camera and Fly-Throughs

Intro to Photoshop: Layers and Text Adobe Photoshop Is an industry standard tool for design, painting, and animation. Made by the same company as After Effects, they share a lot of the same organizational language and systems. For example, both include the concept of layers, have Blending Mode options for layer interaction, and are limited to 255 levels of shading value: [Cmd/Ctrl]+[n] to create a new project. Set size 1280x720 and resolution 72ppi. Layers panel: create a new layer, Tools: Brush [b], Erase [e], Move [v], Marquee [m], Paint Bucket [g] Making text, and Character vs Paragraph options. Transforming content: hit [t] and move / rotate / scale. Working with color (hue vs value). Adding texture (with blending modes and masks). Using folders to organize sections of a project. Saving a PSD, and saving each visible folder as a PNG.

Intro to Photoshop: Photo work Download the two provided Photoshop Image Work files: Dull Photo and Flesh Parts. [Cmd/Ctrl]+[o] to open Dull Photo. [Cmd/Ctrl]+[j] to duplicate layers. Play with Blending Modes and Opacity. Try adding Adjustment Layers like Hue / Saturation (also available under Image/Adjustments). Masking 1: Use the Marquee and Lasso tools to select and copy part of the image, and apply adjustments. Masking 2: Duplicate the entire layer and apply a Layer Mask for non-destructive visibility selection. [Cmd/Ctrl]+[o] to open Flesh Parts. [Cmd/Ctrl]+[n] to open a new file: 2048x2048, 72 ppi. Use the Lasso and Polygon Lasso tools to [Cmd/Ctrl]+[c] copy parts from the flesh image and [Cmd/Ctrl]+[v] paste them into the new file, where they can be transformed [t] together. Use the Rubber Stamp to copy parts of one image elsewhere on the layer.

AFTER EFFECTS FLY THROUGH The homework for the next few weeks will be an exploration of 3D cameras and layers in After Effects. To explore these tools, we will convert a 2D painting or photograph into a moving 3D experience. This is a technique used in the Emmy award winning title sequence for the HBO show Carnivale by A52. Note the Tarot interstitials between footage of depression-era America. It is also used by motion graphics artist Daniel Romero in his promotional flythrough of the paintings of Van Gogh for Christie’s. Images for this sort of project must have significant depth: multiple objects at varied distances.

AFTER EFFECTS FLY THROUGH 1 To start your 3D fly-through, choose a high-resolution image with depth (multiple objects at varied distances). STEP 1) Place your image in a project folder, open in Photoshop, use the lasso tools to select each object and [cmd]+[j] copy into a new layer. Start with a “Zero Draft” (a quick, crappy first draft). STEP 2) Make each layer visible on its own with a transparent background, and export each layer into the project folder as a PNG (a lossless format with transparency). NOTE: Each PNG should be same pixel size.

AFTER EFFECTS FLY THROUGH 2 STEP 3) Import these layers into After Effects. Drag just the Background image into the film icon to make a Comp, 10-20 seconds long. STEP 4) Drag all of the other layers in (for the sample Degas painting, the higher numbers go on top). Turn on 3D for the project and then 3D for each layer.

AFTER EFFECTS FLY THROUGH 3 STEP 5) Layer > New > Camera. Use default settings: Two-Node, 35 mm, Depth of Field off for now, to prevent slowdown. Hit [OK]. STEP 6) Let’s look at how the layers are arranged in 3D space: In the viewport Layout, change from 1 to 2 views (Horizontal). Click gray to make that window active (yellow corner triangles) and set new left view to Custom View 1. Hit [c] for Camera controls: Zoom: [Alt]+RightMouse Pan: [Alt]+MiddleMouse Orbit: [Alt]+LeftMouse NOTE: To remove an accidental orbit, try setting Position (0, 0, -1165) and Point of Interest = (0, 0, 0)

AFTER EFFECTS FLY THROUGH 4 CAMERA NOTES: Leave the Right View as Active Camera or Camera 1. Try different views in the left side viewport to see your work. Start with Custom View 1 to see the 3D space. Hit [c] for Camera controls: [Alt]+Rmouse (zoom), +Mmouse (pan), +LMouse (orbit). Select a layer in the Timeline, change it’s Z-position in Timeline or by grabbing the blue axis on the gizmo in the Custom View. Scale the layer to get the relative size.

AFTER EFFECTS FLY THROUGH 5 STEP 6) Create a LOT of distance between the layers: Select a layer, change its Z position value, or grab the blue Z axis on the layer gizmo in the Custom View. Scale them up to maintain relative size from the original source in the Camera 1 view. STEP 7) Animate the camera position moving through these layers. The layers can also be animated to move out of the way. Avoid rotating the camera, except on the Z axis (rolling), or the layers will lose the illusion of volume and appear to be just planes. Avoid letting objects slide against each other when they are meant to be connected. For example, the feet of these characters are meant to be standing on the ground. If they slide on the ground due to a parallax effect, they will appear to be floating and hurt the illusion. Avoid showing the ground and/or animate the planes to compensate.

AFTER EFFECTS FLY THROUGH 6 STEP 8) Enhance Motion: Turn Motion Blur on for the Comp (in Timeline tools, top) and add motion blur to each art layer (not the camera). STEP 9) Enhance Distance: Try adding and animating distance on background layers blur and saturation effects or animate Aperture, F-Stop, and Blur Level. STEP 10) Revise Layers in Photoshop: create cleaner layers with more careful cuts, and use Rubber Stamp, paint Brush, and Content Aware Fill to fix any gaps (Edit > Fill, choose Content Aware). Save layers to overwrite originals, and in the Project RightClick to Reload those files.

AFTER EFFECTS FLY THROUGH: Addendum ADDITIONAL NOTES ANIMATE CAMERA: Choose initial camera position/orientation, open camera transforms and enable all animation switches. By default, all keyfreames are type linear (point to point), and we want to convert them to a more gradual, bezier system: With all keyframes selected, RightClick/Keyframe Assist/Easy Easy. At desired time (3 seconds later) set new camera position/orientation.  Go one step further: Add Depth of Field!:  a) Under transforms, go to Camera Options, turn on Depth of Field, and keyframe Focus Distance (rightClick to change to Easy Easy).  b) In 2-view (top view), set camera depth of field line to initial distance desired.  c) Increase aperture = 150 and increase blur =200%   Use puppetry pins to animate characters in the scene. Fly Through Clouds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBnxr7xStqg&feature=youtu.be Turn an alley photo to a 3D Projection Render: youtube.com/watch?v=121LECJZ2zg Using Projection for moving between walls/floors: youtube.com/watch?v=cf21za9iuCo After Effects 3D Flythrough Steps AE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6-0Pr6UZEw AE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M7IP9PkPoI PS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmynUfkgOpo#t=12.84305

HOMEWORK 5 Due on Piazza hw5 an hour before class next week: Project 3A: 2D to 3D #1: Choose a painting or photograph with significant depth (see samples provided by teacher, or choose your own). You can use Photoshop to cut out the layers and fill in the space behind (with content-aware delete, the rubber stamp tool and hand-painting, as needed) but that is not the priority this week. In After Effects draft a 3D Flythrough. Keep your 3D camera movement smooth and consistently-forward through the space, avoiding sudden jerks or reversals. Maintain your project folder. Render as an MOV and post to Youtube. Paste the link into your Piazza post (and hit [Return] to make the link active), hit [Return again], and click the [Add File] button to add a compressed .ZIP file of your .AE project folder.